Insa Special Track - Advice please...

Hello, I'm a new owner and member of this forum and I'm looking for some advice re tyres (I'm sure it's been done to death - so apologies in advance!)

I've got a 110 XS that I want to prep for winter. I'm looking at buying some tyres and wheels that I can use for the winter and also for some off road use.

I like the look of the Insa Special Track on steel rims but wanted to know what other people thought of these. Has anybody got experience of these tyres? I've heard that they are fantastic off road, but what about in snow? How do they perform?

Specifically, I'd like to know your thoughts on which width & profile to buy (I understand that narrower tyres are better for snow, etc.)

But if I get a narrow tyre, I'm I going to suffer in mud? What I know about tyres, you could write on the back of a stamp.

I do do a lot of tarmac miles each day too, so I need a tyre that's going to be the business off road and on snow, but also be pretty good on the road too.

I'll buy a second set of rims so I can swap the Insas with my normal tyre (stock Grabbers).

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Regards,

Simon.

:welcome2:No doubt you will get an answer sometime tonight, ignore the strange ones!

I had a set of specials on my discovery, They performed brilliantly on the snow and in mud.They didnt like wet roads though and by f**k they were noisey on tarmac

sigol said:

Hello, I'm a new owner and member of this forum and I'm looking for some advice re tyres (I'm sure it's been done to death - so apologies in advance!)

I've got a 110 XS that I want to prep for winter. I'm looking at buying some tyres and wheels that I can use for the winter and also for some off road use.

I like the look of the Insa Special Track on steel rims but wanted to know what other people thought of these. Has anybody got experience of these tyres? I've heard that they are fantastic off road, but what about in snow? How do they perform?

Specifically, I'd like to know your thoughts on which width & profile to buy (I understand that narrower tyres are better for snow, etc.)

But if I get a narrow tyre, I'm I going to suffer in mud? What I know about tyres, you could write on the back of a stamp.

I do do a lot of tarmac miles each day too, so I need a tyre that's going to be the business off road and on snow, but also be pretty good on the road too.

I'll buy a second set of rims so I can swap the Insas with my normal tyre (stock Grabbers).

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Regards,

Simon.

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I've had em on my 1999 110 TD5 since I got it about 3 years ago. They are great on mud, great on sand, great on fresh or deep snow. Not so hot on ice or compacted snow though. They are passable on wet tarmac but you need to take a little more care than with summit less agressive.

Mine are 265/75/16's. I wouldn't fit that size again due to the amount of mud, salt, crud etc that gets thrown up the side windows. I estimate that my fuel economy suffers by about 3mpg due to the tyres. The other downside is the road noise. It sounds like a police helicopter is tailing you at all times.

ratty said:

I've had em on my 1999 110 TD5 since I got it about 3 years ago. They are great on mud, great on sand, great on fresh or deep snow. Not so hot on ice or compacted snow though. They are passable on wet tarmac but you need to take a little more care than with summit less agressive.

Mine are 265/75/16's. I wouldn't fit that size again due to the amount of mud, salt, crud etc that gets thrown up the side windows. I estimate that my fuel economy suffers by about 3mpg due to the tyres. The other downside is the road noise. It sounds like a police helicopter is tailing you at all times.

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oh am i glad mine have gone
the bfg's make a fraction of the noise and i have to watch i dont corner too quick they grip the road like **** to the blanket

I must admit I prefer my cooper discoverer STT's in 235/85

buckshot said:

oh am i glad mine have gone
the bfg's make a fraction of the noise and i have to watch i dont corner too quick they grip the road like **** to the blanket

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I wondered why your 110 hadn't shrunk like yer 90 did.

What about the insa Sahara's ??? there not as aggressive, but do give you a good grip in the mud, snow and ice and arnt scary on wet tarmac. I have been using mine for 3 years now with no complaints

my mate has a set on his series 3 he said there the best you can get. they are no good on ice but unless you have studs nothing will be any good on ice and in mud he does most of his offroading in 2wd

@mickthebuilder - thanks mate.

Ok, thank you all for your great advice. Sounds like they will be too noisy for every day use and a little scary on the motorway at 70 in the wet too!!

Maybe I'll choose something less aggressive.

@Series71 - Thanks. My Mrs already thinks the Defender is the noisiest thing ever (but she doesn't have to listen to herself!!)

@ratty - Thanks - the police chopper noise I can do without!

@buckshot - BFGs would be nice (I'm jealous) but I don't have £700 lying around right now cheers!!!

@Andy_mcd - Saharas are definitely a consideration. Most of the time, I'm going to have three kids in the car on (wet) tarmac, so I need to have something that's safe. Will take a look. Thanks.

@bikerdave- thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately, the noise and terror on wet tarmac are perhaps putting me off!!
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The reason I asked about tyres is that I've only just bought my Defender and everybody thinks I'm absolutely nuts. I have to say, I love it, but they really do think I'm mental. So if I struggle this winter in snow using the standard Grabbers, I'm gonna look like a right dick!

How good are the standard Grabbers? I'm more than happy with them on Tarmac and over grass, light mud, etc. but how do they cope in snow, heavy mud?

Thanks!

i found the standard grabbers good in the snow last winter, think there underated but they do pick up every bit of gravel they can

I'm looking at buying some tyres and wheels that I can use for the winter and also for some off road use.

I like the look of the Insa Special Track on steel rims but wanted to know what other people thought of these. Has anybody got experience of these tyres? I've heard that they are fantastic off road, but what about in snow? How do they perform?

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Got them on m weekend plaything....They're designed for off road use with occasional on road. Theyre good off road in the soft stuff, not too hot in hard ice especially on a road.
Would definately not recommend them on a daily driver. Go for good A/Ts instead

johnlad said:

i found the standard grabbers good in the snow last winter, think there underated but they do pick up every bit of gravel they can

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Yes, they seem pretty good so far - and the tread lasts forever

joe1972 said:

Got them on m weekend plaything....They're designed for off road use with occasional on road. Theyre good off road in the soft stuff, not too hot in hard ice especially on a road.
Would definately not recommend them on a daily driver. Go for good A/Ts instead

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Yep, that's the conclusion I'm coming to.

If you want good on tarmac but need grip in the soft stuff Saharas are the best I've used. Only problem being they're directional so if you get stuck going forwards you int going back!

You want my advice? get a set of road tyres and get a seccond set of insa turbo's for the play days, if you use an offroad tread its only going to wear down quick on the hard stuf anyway so it will work out better in the long run!
Just make sure if u buy insa turbo's get the largest ones that you can fit on your LR as you want the best axle clearance you can get!

just fitted a set of toyo m/t open countries to my 90,feel good on the road but a bit skittish on the bends and potholes,probably because not fully beddedin yet
MPG does,nt seem to be affected too much (previos tyres were grabber TR,s)
One query about running direction,i assume the higher raised lettering on the sidewall is meant to be on the outside(visible)of the tyre,this gives the effect that one side is running forward and the other side in reverse if they are directional tyres

They'll have rotation markers. These should roll forward.

Igloo said:

They'll have rotation markers. These should roll forward.

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Not always marked, depends on the make.

Directional thread forms some sort of 'V' from the outside towards the centre of the tyre........viewed from the front the V's should point downwards