Tag Archives: Snow

News

Which snow foam lances are greatest?

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We’re testing the snow foam lances right here, relatively than the snow foam itself, so we used the identical family model resolution in each foam gun, diluted as advisable in keeping with the producer, and with the weapons’ adjustable combination setting at most.

All had been utilized to a grimy however dry automotive utilizing a mid-range Karcher strain washer, after which left for 10 minutes earlier than rinsing off. Our snow foam lances ranged in value from finances choices to pricier gear claimed to be most well-liked by professional detailers, and we rated the effectiveness of the froth protection in addition to the standard of the lance and bottle, and the way straightforward it’s to suit the gun to the strain washer. 

The services or products referenced on this story have been reviewed independently by our consultants. When you click on on hyperlinks to varied retailers on this website and make a purchase order, this can lead to this website incomes a fee. Affiliate packages and affiliations embody, however usually are not restricted to, the eBay Partner Network. However, it will by no means affect our opinion or rankings.

Best purchase:

Autoglym Polar Blaster

Fits: Karcher, Kew, Alto, Nilfisk, Nilfisk Pro, Kranzle and Lavor

The Autoglym bottle and nozzle feels reassuringly heavy obligation, with brass fixings and a spring-loaded adaptor for the Karcher Ok Series strain washers – although it additionally suits all kinds of different strain washers. The spring-release adaptor for the Karcher makes the Autoglym meeting a doddle to suit, and it’s additionally straightforward to fill because of the bottle’s extensive neck and clear measurement traces. When hooked up, the snow foam gun rotates on that adaptor joint in order that it stays stage, which is a neat trick.

The bottle’s nozzle doesn’t do something dramatically totally different to many others right here, providing an adjustable spray starting from a fan to a excessive strain jet, however it foamed up the shampoo brilliantly for a extremely long-lasting foam. It didn’t undergo as a lot snow foam resolution as others right here to attain that, both, so ought to benefit from what might be costly foam resolution. It’s not low-cost, however it’s actually efficient and the best to make use of of all our weapons.

News

Hyundai invents ‘adaptive’ snow tyre with inbuilt snow chains

Getting a grip in snow and ice is one thing drivers have been grappling with because the automotive was invented.

Ways to keep away from getting caught vary from winter tyres to snow socks, however few are fairly as wacky as a brand new growth from the Hyundai Motor Group, which the agency is patenting and hopes to deliver to mass manufacturing someday.

The new expertise remains to be in the hunt for a handy guide a rough title; for now it goes by the identify of Shape Memory Alloy Integrated Snow Chain Technology.

Imagine a sequence of J-shaped steel rods operating up the aspect of the wheel, then forming the criminal of the J excessive of the tyre and down so far as the wheel rim on the within of the wheel.

What you have got then is a set of six bars a number of millimetres in diameter throughout the tread, just like the paddles of an old style water wheel. That’s how the wheel and tyre would look when the hoops are within the prolonged place.

The tyres are designed to match, with corresponding deep grooves throughout them, into which the bars retract for driving in fairer climate.

The Shape Memory Alloy a part of the identify pertains to the bars’ extension into snow chain place and retraction again into regular use place, the place solely the rubber tread of the tyre is involved with the highway.

The secret lies on the tip of the lengthy part of every J form within the aspect of the wheel. It deforms when it receives {an electrical} sign on the press of a button, elevating the bar into the snow chain place.

When the button is pressed once more and a second sign is obtained, the reminiscence alloy recovers its earlier form and so the system retracts again into the groove beneath the floor of the tyre.

It’s simple to think about that making the operation of the system strong sufficient is likely to be tough, contemplating the beatings that tyres obtain. But given the fiddly nature of becoming snow chains, the brand new expertise could possibly be a blessing for drivers who dwell in locations the place such issues are an everyday necessity.

Driving in winter circumstances is one thing that many drivers most likely don’t take critically sufficient within the UK. In Germany, Sweden and different components of Europe, it’s a authorized requirement to suit winter tyres throughout the winter months, however not over right here.

The regulation relating to snow chains or studded tyres isn’t particular, but it surely’s fairly clear that any tyre-related defect or in any other case that causes injury to a highway is against the law.

Snow socks are okay to make use of, together with some other non-road-surface-damaging industrial system, however whether or not Hyundai’s new expertise will ever make it onto the highway is dependent upon whether or not it might chew up the Tarmac.

In principle, it could possibly be pushed on the freeway retracted and deployed when transitioning to off-highway surfaces.

Motorsport

Forest Service Says Tesla Cybertruck Owners Should Learn How To Off-Road

Remember that video of a Tesla Cybertruck getting stuck in the snow in California’s Stanislaus National Forest from final week? Two Ford pickups pulled the EV again onto the path, and the video went viral. In reality, that video obtained so in style, it is prompted the US Forestry Service to recommend to Tesla that their respective representatives ought to meet to develop an academic program to coach inexperienced off-road drivers to keep away from issues like this sooner or later.

“We feel confident that had the driver of the Cybertruck had a better understanding of the topographical feature indicated on our maps, practiced Leave No Trace principles, and generally been more prepared, this whole incident could have been not only avoided, but also provided much-needed education to many new off-road users,” Stanislaus National Forest Supervisor Jason Kuiken mentioned in an announcement.

 

Kuiken expects the Cybertruck to draw new folks to off-roading, however these folks may not be acquainted with the right path etiquette. “We would invite executives of Tesla Motors to sit down at the table with us and develop an educational experience for new Cybertruck owners,” he mentioned.

The incident occurred on the 13.9-mile-long Corral Hollow OHV Trail. It’s a “moderately challenging route,” in keeping with Alltrails.com. The route is dry and dusty in the summertime however typically closed within the winter resulting from snow.

It is unclear how the Cybertruck obtained so far-off from the path. The one that shared the movies and photograph of the incident mentioned he wasn’t positive. The US Forestry Service assertion mentioned the pickup “apparently lost traction and slid down an embankment.”

Regardless of how the Tesla obtained into the predicament, the motive force could not get the Cybertruck again to the path. The movies confirmed it spinning the tires and kicking up snow and grime. The “RC” plastered to the facet means this was a pre-production Release Candidate, somewhat than an everyday manufacturing Cybertruck. Allegedly, a software program problem stored the traction management from working. It additionally lacked the restoration factors from the manufacturing model.

Some on-line commentary recommended that if the Cybertruck driver had tackled the state of affairs otherwise, they won’t have wanted the Fords’ help. Rather than going straight up the hill to get again to the path, it may need been higher to climb the slope diagonally, permitting for a extra gradual ascent.

Maybe if the Cybertruck driver went by means of the proposed instructional course with the US Forestry Service and Tesla, the pickup by no means would have wanted Fords to rescue it. Whether Tesla will comply with the coaching has but to be seen, however one thing tells us we cannot be seeing an official collaboration any time quickly.

Motorsport

FWD vs. RWD: Here’s Which Performs Better In Snow

It’s an age-old query. All different elements being equal, which is finest in snow, front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive? We’re lastly capable of decide the reply because of Tyre Reviews on YouTube.

The channel just lately introduced collectively two equally specced German sedans to see as soon as and for all whether or not FWD or RWD is the higher alternative in a snowy setting. The automobiles, an Audi A4 and a BMW 3 Series, use equally highly effective diesel engines and are outfitted with identically sized Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3 winter tires.

Despite the load distribution variations and reverse pushed wheels, the 2 automobiles carry out near-identically within the straight-line acceleration check with traction management enabled. The BMW takes a slight edge over the Audi when traction is turned off, although, doubtless as a result of the automobile’s weight will get pushed to the rear when acceleration happens, lending extra traction to the pushed wheels. 

The two automobiles are then pitted towards one another on a 15-percent incline to see which has extra hassle ranging from a cease. Both carry out properly, on common, however once more it is the BMW that performs barely higher. In a check of lateral acceleration on a snowy skid pad, the 2 automobiles are equal, thanks principally partly to their equivalent rubber.

Things get fascinating when the 2 automobiles are pitted towards one another in a snow dealing with course. The BMW units a faster lap time with traction management off, however it’s the Audi that is faster when the automobiles hold ESC enabled. 

Tally up all the totally different outcomes, and it is the BMW and its rear-wheel drive that takes victory – however not by a lot. If there’s one conclusion it’s best to take from this video, it is that you just’d be high-quality within the snow irrespective of which wheels are pushed, as long as you may have a correct set of snow tires in your automobile.

Motorsport

This Hyundai Wheel Has A Built-In Snow Chain That Pops Out

Hyundai has provide you with an answer to eliminate conventional snow chains. It’s referred to as a form reminiscence alloy snow chain and it replicates the performance of conventional snow chains on the contact of a button. How does it work? The newly developed wheel and tire meeting has built-in radial grooves at common intervals. There are form reminiscence alloys inserted into these channels, making the meeting appear to be a pizza.

When {an electrical} sign is obtained, the form reminiscence alloy modules protrude to behave like a snow chain. The parts protruding of the rubber type a “J” form to enhance grip on a slippery floor throughout wintertime. When not in use, the form reminiscence alloy resides throughout the wheel within the form of an “L” that doesn’t contact the highway floor.

Inevitably, the tire shall be worn right down to the purpose the place these alloys will all the time make contact with the highway floor. That’s when the tire should get replaced. Hyundai mentions it has utilized for a patent at house in South Korea in addition to in United States. Meanwhile, it already has plans to additional develop the expertise. If the whole lot goes in response to plan, Hyundai and Kia will think about placing form reminiscence alloy snow chains into mass manufacturing.

But one query stays: How a lot would it not value? And now simply how costly the tire itself could be, but in addition how a lot it will value to exchange contemplating the form reminiscence alloy begins close to the middle of the wheel? All of that continues to be to be seen.

Motorsport

Winter Test Shows Chains And Socks Aren’t As Good As Snow Tires

With snow falling within the northern latitudes, now is a superb time to stow some traction-assist gear into your automobile for emergencies. The newest tire check video from Jonathan Benson at Tyre Reviews seems to be at chains, straps, and snow socks to suss out which is greatest, coming to the conclusion it is best to simply set up snow tires as a substitute.

Tire chains have been a staple of winter driving for many years, as they’ve clear benefits on ice. Benson exams a set of conventional tire chains and metallic cables on ice, fitted to a Honda Civic Si. Both delivered notable enhancements for stopping and beginning versus the Michelin X-Ice snow tire, they usually had been means higher than the all-seasons used on the Honda.

Winter Traction Test

The different objects examined within the video aren’t almost as efficient. Benson broke a set of plastic anti-skid tie straps on the very first check, rendering them ineffective. A set of plastic “chains” that connect to the tire by way of material straps additionally did not fare nicely. The small studs within the plastic got here out simply, and whereas they had been technically higher than all-season tires on ice, their reliability is extremely doubtful. The closing merchandise is a pair of snow socks – large material slip-ons that, based on Benson, declare to be as efficient as chains. Except they weren’t. In reality, they had been nearly an identical to regular all-season tires when it comes to efficiency.

But what about snow grip? Here’s the place the snow socks truly present their price. They had been simply capable of get the front-wheel-drive Honda up two hills the place the all-season tires failed. They additionally outperformed the plastic chains, metallic chains, and the plastic anit-skid cables.

But as we alluded to at first, the Michelin X-Ice snow tires equaled or exceeded all of those units in almost each state of affairs. Only on ice did the tires quit floor, and that is one thing a set of studded snow tires can rectify.

Winter Traction Test
Winter Traction Test

Benson’s conclusion? If you reside in a snowy a part of the world, simply get snow tires. If, nonetheless, you encounter ultra-slick situations, the metallic cables are good to have in your trunk in a pinch. They’re moderately priced, simple to put in, and provide benefits on each snow and ice over all-season rubber.

Technology

The 5 Best Electric Snow Shovel Black Friday Deals

The Yardforce YF1011-ESS 10 Amp Electric Snow Shovel is a powerful tool with added features that make it stand out from the competition. It comes with a bright LED light, making it suitable for nighttime snow clearing, and a low-noise motor that won’t disturb your family or neighbors. This electric snow shovel can clear an 11-inch path in snow up to 6 inches deep and throw snow up to 20 feet. It’s 50 inches in length, with an adjustable auxiliary handle for comfortable grip and control. Additionally, it weighs less than 14 pounds.

However, one downside is that Yardforce’s electric shovel requires a power outlet to operate as it’s not cordless. If this is an issue, a cordless model might be more suitable for you. Nevertheless, the YF1011-ESS includes a power cord hook to keep the extension cable out of the way and prevent accidental unplugging. It also has a safety button to prevent accidental start-ups. For Black Friday, Home Depot offers an exclusive deal, reducing the price of the Yardforce YF1011-ESS 10 Amp Electric Snow Shovel to just $54.98, a 41% discount.

Motorsport

SUV Winter Tire Test Shows Why AWD Doesn’t Help With Turns And Stops

If you haven’t looked at the calendar recently, snow will soon be falling for us in the northern hemisphere. Heck, it’s already on the ground in some areas, and that means it’s time for the annual tire-swapping ritual from summer to winter rubber. What’s that you say? You don’t need snow tires because you have an SUV? Oh, dear.

All-wheel drive traction and more ground clearance afforded by SUVs certainly help when accelerating through snow, but that’s only 33 percent of driving. Braking and cornering most certainly matter, too. And as we’ve seen in previous articles regarding snow tires, having all-wheel drive doesn’t matter if the tires can’t grip the surface. That leads us to the latest video from Jonathan Benson at Tyre Reviews, and this one is special. The focus here is on dedicated winter tires designed specifically for the weight and handling characteristics of SUVs.

Tire Test Winter SUV

The test obviously evaluates the tires on snow, factoring in lap times along with acceleration and braking. However, the test also looks at tire performance in wet and dry conditions as well as noise, comfort, and rolling resistance. Specific tires featured in this video include:

  • Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
  • Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
  • Goodyear UltraGrip Performance Plus SUV
  • Hankook Winter i cept evo 3 X
  • Leao Winter Defender UHP
  • Maxxis Premitra Snow WP6 SUV
  • Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV
  • Nokian Snowproof 2 SUV
  • Pirelli Scorpion Winter 2

If you’ve seen our features on Benson’s video before, you know just how insanely thorough he gets. That tenacity is needed for this test, which he says is one of the closest in terms of results that he’s ever conducted. Using a Volkswagen Tiguan R in all the scenarios and going strictly by the numbers, he determined that the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P was the best tire. It scored well in all categories save for hydroplaning, where it had average performance. Rolling resistance was exceptional, making it a strong choice for EV owners seeking something with good efficiency.

However, Benson’s test goes far beyond the numbers to suss out more subjective aspects that might make a difference to tire shoppers. Among other things, he points out that the Michelin was the best in terms of snow handling and near the top everywhere else, save for rolling resistance where it performed quite badly, relegating it to the number two spot behind Continental. He also highlights characteristics such as understeer and oversteer throughout the brands. In that respect, the Nokian (which was fourth in points) was actually his personal favorite for its neutral, all-around performance.

As always, we recommend jumping into the video to catch all the details of this test. And as the snow starts to fly, stay safe out there.

Motorsport

See 11 Winter Tires Show How They Handle Chilly Weather And Snow

If you live in the upper portions of the Northern Hemisphere, snow could start falling in a matter of weeks or maybe a few months. This means it’s the perfect time to start considering a set of winter tires for your vehicle. Jonathan Benson from Tyre Reviews is here to evaluate the best cold-weather rubber for the 2023-2024 season.

Benson selects 11 winter tires. Plus, he chooses an all-season and summer design to show how much of a difference there is from using cold-weather-specific rubber. All of them are size 225/45 R18, and he uses a BMW 3 Series as the evaluation vehicle.

He evaluates the:

  • Michelin Pilot Alpin 5
  • Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 3
  • Pirelli Cinturato Winter 2
  • Hankook Winter i*Cept Evo 3
  • Vredestein Wintrac Pro
  • Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
  • Kumho Winter Craft WP52
  • Continental WinterContact TS 870 P
  • Giti GitiWinterW2
  • Leao Winter Defender UHP
  • Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro

The all-season tire is the Hankook Kineregy 4S2, and the summer tire is the Hankook Ventus Prime 4.

Benson puts the tires through a variety of evaluations. He starts by testing on a snow-covered circuit. The Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 clocks the quickest time of 84.26 seconds, and the Falken Eurowinter HS02 Pro is the slowest at 90.66 seconds. The Hankook all-season rubber gets the 3 Series around the course in 87.12 seconds. The Ventus Prime 4 summer tire gives the BMW a lap time of 122.18 seconds.

Benson also singles out the Hankook Winter i*Cept Evo 3 for providing the most feedback through the steering wheel and giving the driver confidence when driving on the snow.

Driving in the winter is about more than just snow. Once the plow drivers get their work done, the streets might just be wet. Benson also evaluates the tires on a soaked circuit. The Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 is the winner by clocking a time of 56.33 seconds. The second-place Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 does a lap in 57.53 seconds – over a second slower.

At the end of the video, Benson ranks all 11 tires from worst to best. There’s a tie for the winner.

If you don’t want to think about snow and winter, Benson also has a video comparing high-performance tires versus pure racing rubber. Another clip from him compares the Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 against the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S.

If you’d like to hear more from Jonathan Benson, check out his appearance on Rambling About Cars:

Motorsport

Lamborghini Huracan, Urus Enjoying a Fun Snow Vacation in New Zealand

Sliding cars on snow and ice can be an exhilarating experience due to the lack of traction on the slick surface. Lamborghini capitalized on this opportunity during its Esperienza Neve event held in Queenstown, New Zealand. Participants had the chance to drift various models including the Huracan Tecnica, STO, Sterrato, and Urus.

Guests from the Asia Pacific region gathered at the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds for a three-day ice driving experience. Highly skilled Lamborghini driving instructors accompanied them on the adventure, providing guidance on how to maximize the capabilities of these supercars on low-grip surfaces.