XCHauler
03-06-2007, 07:56 PM
My 2001 XC with 90,000 miles appears to have some problems engaging the rear wheels when needed in slippery conditions. We recently received about 28 inches of snow last week in Wisconsin and I was fooling around trying to get my Volvo stuck in the snow to check the functions of the AWD system. I managed to get the vehicle stuck and tried to get the Volvo out of the snow bank but noticed that only the front wheels would engage and spin. Both front tires would turn at the same time and shoot up snow. I was able to verify this by watching snow being shot up by each tire as they spun in the snow and ice. It is also my understanding that the rear wheels are engaged when the transmission is put into reverse gear. (is this correct?). I tried to move the car in reverse to engaged the rear wheels but only the front wheels would spin. I had replaced the gear fluid in the rear differential and bevel gear last summer and the transmission has had all of the Volvo updates including the ETM recall software. Has anyone experienced this problem on their 2001 XC? I did manage to free the XC but is fun to challenge the weather elements with this vehicle!
I currently have Nokian i3 tires (235/60/16) on the XC and they are performing very well with good durability. These are outstanding tires for drivers who spend most of their time on the road and may be a better solution for most XC drivers instead of the Nokian WR‘s. They provide outstanding wet and dry grip, are very quiet, and handle corners extremely well. However they are only adequate in heavy snow and icy road conditions.
Nokian i3 breaks category boundaries
Nokian i3 is a new T rated (190 km/h) tyre, which is suitable for small cars and mid-sized family cars.
Top-quality handling characteristics
Nokian i3 includes numerous innovations and features that have proven to be excellent in UHP (ultra high performance) tyres designed for extremely demanding high-speed driving.
Nokian i3 is an inside-outside tyre, meaning that the inner and outer surfaces differ from one another. This is a feature that has become increasingly common in UHP tyres. The rigid shoulder design on the outside and the wide grooves on the inside make the tyre easier to handle and improve its stability.
Resistant and safe pioneer
Nokian i3 maintains a good grip in rainy and cool conditions. The full silica composite (Nordic cool silica compound) is designed for Nordic conditions. The tyre maintains its grip properties in cold spring mornings and in the cool early autumn, even when temperatures drop below 10 degrees centigrade.
The tyre features three prominent main grooves, and lateral grooves open to the side, giving the tyre excellent hydroplaning properties.
The acoustically optimised tread pattern and noise cavities in the grooves dampen tyre noise.
The ecological nature of the Nokian i3 is particularly evident in two features. Similar to other Nokian tyres, no high aromatic oils are used in the manufacturing process. The tyre is also economical: it rolls easily and consumes little fuel
I currently have Nokian i3 tires (235/60/16) on the XC and they are performing very well with good durability. These are outstanding tires for drivers who spend most of their time on the road and may be a better solution for most XC drivers instead of the Nokian WR‘s. They provide outstanding wet and dry grip, are very quiet, and handle corners extremely well. However they are only adequate in heavy snow and icy road conditions.
Nokian i3 breaks category boundaries
Nokian i3 is a new T rated (190 km/h) tyre, which is suitable for small cars and mid-sized family cars.
Top-quality handling characteristics
Nokian i3 includes numerous innovations and features that have proven to be excellent in UHP (ultra high performance) tyres designed for extremely demanding high-speed driving.
Nokian i3 is an inside-outside tyre, meaning that the inner and outer surfaces differ from one another. This is a feature that has become increasingly common in UHP tyres. The rigid shoulder design on the outside and the wide grooves on the inside make the tyre easier to handle and improve its stability.
Resistant and safe pioneer
Nokian i3 maintains a good grip in rainy and cool conditions. The full silica composite (Nordic cool silica compound) is designed for Nordic conditions. The tyre maintains its grip properties in cold spring mornings and in the cool early autumn, even when temperatures drop below 10 degrees centigrade.
The tyre features three prominent main grooves, and lateral grooves open to the side, giving the tyre excellent hydroplaning properties.
The acoustically optimised tread pattern and noise cavities in the grooves dampen tyre noise.
The ecological nature of the Nokian i3 is particularly evident in two features. Similar to other Nokian tyres, no high aromatic oils are used in the manufacturing process. The tyre is also economical: it rolls easily and consumes little fuel