Look what we found...

[clivehorridge]

Set out for a run in the truck and a bit of fresh air this morning...

... and found some of this

Not measurable in metres admittedly, but give it time.

There was enough for the skiers, anyway

 

[tonytoyota]

Looks cold to me all the best.

 

[Higgy]

Your a lucky man Clive!... Every winter i look up to the skies praying for Snow, But unless i move i dont think il see it again in my lifetime.... Enjoy it Mate

 

[chapel gate]

Set out for a run in the truck and a bit of fresh air this morning...

... and found some of this

View attachment 162448 View attachment 162449 View attachment 162450

Not measurable in metres admittedly, but give it time.

There was enough for the skiers, anyway

Can we have some please?
Weather's Miserable as sin here..

 

[clivehorridge]

Looks cold to me all the best.

It was Tony, temps weren’t too bad at about -2, but it was a bit windy... bit of fun though, and it was nice to try out the new BFG AT (KO2s) just fitted.

Heaps more control than the muds in icy thin snow conditions, which are now stacked in the shed for offroad (or occasionally in the summer) only use.

The ATs (below) are much better for winter, and they’re legal. Here it’s compulsory to have snow-marked tyres in the winter (Nov-Mar) and these have the mark whereas the muds dont.

 

[clivehorridge]

Your a lucky man Clive!... Every winter i look up to the skies praying for Snow, But unless i move i dont think il see it again in my lifetime.... Enjoy it Mate

No worries Higgy, we enjoy every minute here, whatever the season. The only downside to where we live is the traffic situation. We left the house a bit late this morning, at 09:15, and sat in a bumper-to-bumper queue through the village of Busteni, for about 45 minutes.

1/2 hr earlier, we’d have missed it. Can’t have it all good can we?

 

[clivehorridge]

Can we have some please?
Miserable as sin here..

Boo-hoo, that’s not good Mike

You can have all the snow that falls over 1 metre, how’s that for an offer?

Truly, the best I can do is post photos... and it’s not guaranteed either, not these days.

 

[fbnss]

So how does the truck look in the end?

 

[clivehorridge]

So how does the truck look in the end?

mmm, they’re a bit skinny at 285 for my liking, but at least I’ve kept the rolling diameter the same (33”), they’re 75 profile.

Bloody heathens out here, that’s the biggest I can find in that make (or any other for that matter) unless I personally import them from the US. I got a price on that too, $280 per tyre, and $305 for shipping (each).

On top of that I’d have between 18 and 24% import duty...

285’s will be fine

They cost a modest €1,000 for a set of 5 fitted and balanced. It’s too dark for a photo of the truck with them on, I’ll give you all a laugh tomorrow, if I remember to take a pic...

 

[fbnss]

 

[Gr8Yota]

Interesting to see they're 'snowflaked' the old AT's weren't. I might have to take another look, my DuraTrac's seem to no longer be available in 285's in Europe but I do have a cheaper shipping option than that from the US.

 

[clivehorridge]

View attachment 162457

Not quite Nice one Nick !

 

[clivehorridge]

Interesting to see they're 'snowflaked' the old AT's weren't. I might have to take another look, my DuraTrac's seem to no longer be available in 285's in Europe but I do have a cheaper shipping option than that from the US.

Hi Sarah, for some reason, nobody (or very few in the US) want to ship to Romania.

It’s a curse.

The number of items I’ve had to have shipped to the UK and then posted on (many thanks to those who know who they are) is countless.

Europe seems like a closed-shop, I don’t know whether that’s an EU thing or not, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

With vehicles, Romania is difficult at the best of times. They have a tight control over what you can and can’t do with (or to) your vehicle, that’s non-standard.

The official tyre for my 80 (according to the registration document) is 215/85/16 can you believe? So anything wider than that is technically illegal.

Lighting is strictly controlled too. I’ve been stopped countless times having two light-bars on the front of mine, with the last being a serious threat of cancelling the registration, which the police can do instantly at the roadside. That would be an absolute bureaucratic nightmare, so I removed them. I’m technically illegal for other reasons too, but they seem to turn a blind eye to the suspension lift, the bull bar on the front, and of course tyres... it’s a minefield.

Be thankful you’re in the UK - land of the free in many respects.

 

[clivehorridge]

These are for Nick... with -3C fingers and the phones running on coal I think...

 

[David]

They look just fine Clive

 

[Paddler Ed]

We're just on our way back from a few days in Melbourne... Some 1300km each way, and pushed out in a day each way. The 80 did a sterling job, especially as it was nudging 40* on the way back through the Central West of NSW.

 

[clivehorridge]

We're just on our way back from a few days in Melbourne... Some 1300km each way, and pushed out in a day each way. The 80 did a sterling job, especially as it was nudging 40* on the way back through the Central West of NSW.

View attachment 162473

Nice to compare the two extremes at the same time Ed, we had a foot of snow overnight at the resort village of Azuga (where the photos were taken) which is only 20km from the house, where we’ve had none at all. It’s an altitude thing I think, Azuga is at about 1,200 m and the house is at about 730 m.

 

[Higgy]

When i lived in Danmark we had to have two sets of tyres. Summer/Winter and Winter tyres had to be fitted around November (i think).. It was frowned upon if you were caught by Plod with out Winter tyres. And i think your Insurance was void if you were in some kind of Accident in the Snow/ Winter, and still had summer tyres fitted.... So everyone led me to believe!... Makes sense 'Tho'

 

[clivehorridge]

When i lived in Danmark we had to have two sets of tyres. Summer/Winter and Winter tyres had to be fitted around November (i think).. It was frowned upon if you were caught by Plod with out Winter tyres. And i think your Insurance was void if you were in some kind of Accident in the Snow/ Winter, and still had summer tyres fitted.... So everyone led me to believe!... Makes sense 'Tho'

That’s just how it is here Higgy, except that the frown would land you with a hefty fine...

The law says winter tyres, but the way it’s implemented relies on the snow-Mark, irrespective of the tyre or tread pattern.

As for @Gr8Yota ’s comment about older BFG ATs, I don’t think the first KO had the snow mark and I don’t think it had any sipes in the tread pattern either.

The newer KO2s have both the snow mark and sipes (not many I must admit) but some and it makes the tyre much more sure-footed in thin snow and underlying ice.

The KM2 mud tyre is pretty lethal in those conditions, great for fresh powder though, especially with mud or rocks under.

 

[clivehorridge]

A few more chilly photos from today’s outing...