Why You Need Winter Tires: Don't rely on All-Season Tires in Snow and Ice

Despite the name, all-season tires are not appropriate for winter weather. In delivering a comfortable experience in a wide range of temperatures, all-season tires are far too compromised for adequate winter performance. Even with mud and snow ratings, all-seasons don’t compare in grip and performance to real winter tires which feature the mountain and snowflake symbol on their sidewalls.

“In earlier years when a tire had the M+S symbol on the side we would say it was fit for use in mud and snow,” Rene Wolters of Vredestein Tyres said. “Most all-season tires have this M+S marking on the side, but do not nearly perform as a winter tire should.”

Winter tires are specifically made to handle snow and ice. For example, thanks to special construction of the rubber compound, snow doesn’t stick in the grooves of a winter tire.

“A true winter tire performs much better than that and can be recognized by a symbol on its side depicting a little mountain top with a snowflake. Only tires with this symbol are suitable for use in true winter conditions,” Wolters said before emphasizing that “most All-season tires do not have this marking and are not fit for adequate use in the winter.”

He points out that the materials that make a tire stickier at low temperatures make them less grippy at higher temperatures. That means that winter tires are specially made for snowy seasons, while all-seasons are not made for any season in particular.

“Another important element in winter tires is siping,” Bridgestone product manager Kurt Berger said. Sipes are grooves that are cut into a tire’s tread block. “Siping is a major contributor to a winter-tire’s performance. It allows the tire to gain additional ‘biting edges’ for better grip.”

Depending on its placement, siping can affect noise, traction, water-removal and overall driving feel. A tire with straight, wide grooves will tend to have good anti-hydroplaning characteristics and should be less noisy than other tires. A tire with more lateral grooves will have more traction. However, too much siping and the tire can feel less stable and is likely to wriggle around on dry roads. Zig-zag siping patterns are another approach. Some of Bridgestone’s tires, for example, use that pattern, something Berger said enhances grip while corners.

Different types of Tires for Winter

Choosing the right winter tires isn’t easy. It helps to know if you’ll be dealing with icier driving conditions, or more snow. While no winter tire is designed specifically for ice, or snow, there are tires that cater more to one situation. Tires that are more suited for ice are made of a different chemical compound called silica which keeps the rubber flexible in colder climates. This results in better performance on ice, and it’s also likely that the tread on these tires will help keep noise down. Overall, tires that are made for ice will be better for drivers who spend a lot of time on freeways.

In contrast, snow biased winter tires have wider gaps between tread blocks, and are a bit stiffer. This makes them better at traversing up mounds of snow. “Snow grips to snow” explains Berger.

Some designs are shared between different types of winter tires.

“We found that in winter driving, a thin film of water lubricates the tire,” Berger explains, “So our ‘Multicell’ tread compound uses microscopic pores to help get rid of that water.” This technology is great for both snow and ice conditions.

Why take the chance?

Tires are the way a car interacts with the road. Even the latest high-tech safety systems, from advanced all-wheel drive to stability control, will be rendered useless if your car has no grip. When the road is all icy, or covered with slippery snow, you need a tire that can deal with those situations.

Winter tires feature specially designed tread patterns that provide more surface area to contact the road and provide superior grip.

Even cars with all-wheel drive should consider winter tires. All-wheel drive systems might help with stability in slippery conditions, but they won’t do much when you need to stop. Driving on a slope with no traction on your wheels, even with an all-wheel drive system can still prove to be dangerous. A set of winter tires provides the grip necessary to drive safely in any situation involving snow and ice.

Plenty of studies have been conducted to see how important winter tires are. A recent study conducted in Canada showed that no matter the vehicle, winter tires greatly decrease braking distances over all-seasons. In fact, one study showed when a car is travelling just 30 mph in winter conditions, that winter tires can reduce your stopping distance by up to 25 percent, or between two to three car lengths.

Some drivers think that they can get away with just using two winter tires, to be put on a cars driving wheels. This is a big mistake and can be dangerous in the snow. “Using a different set of tires on front than the rear can cause problems when cornering,” said Berger. He explained that when two different sets of tires are used, one end of the vehicle will likely lose traction during cornering situations.

A big concern about winter tires is when to put them on. All-season tires lose effectiveness at around 45 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about the same time you can see your breath. As soon as you start noticing your breath in the wind, it’s time to switch tires.

Source: Sami Haj-Assaad, Autoguide.com

Car Tip of the Week: Don’t try to carry too much with your vehicle.

 

Car Tip of the Week: Don’t try to carry too much with your vehicle.

Never exceed your car’s roof load specifications or weight limits. You can find them in your vehicle owner’s manual. Check the weight limitation of your roof rack as well. Typically the range is from 150 to 200 pounds. That’s the equivalent of eighteen 8-foot 2 x 4s or three sheets of 3/4-inch plywood. If you have to deliver a heavy load from the home or garden center, consider having it delivered. It will save wear and tear on you as well as your car.

5 interesting facts about Thanksgiving that you may not have known!

The American Thanksgiving feast is one of the world's most iconic holidays, but there is a lot most people don't know about it!  Here are 5 things that you may or may not have known about Thanksgiving and its origin in America!

1.)  Of the Mayflower's original 102 passengers, only 40 of them were "Pilgrims" as we would recognize them.  The rest were called the "Strangers", men and women just looking to hitch a ride to the new world.  In fact, the Mayflower wasn't even originally intended to be a human transport vessel; it was supposed to be a wine transport.

2.)  Despite Macy’s being the largest, the oldest Thanksgiving parade was held in Philadelphia in 1920 by Gimbels department store. The parade was very small, with only about 50 people.

3.)  The Pilgrims didn't actually dress in full-black attire with metal buckles on their hats and shoes.  In reality, metal buckles would've been too expensive for the incredibly destitute Pilgrims.  It is more likely that they would've used leather laces and straps instead of the buckles.

4.)  Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird, feeling that the eagle was a creature predisposed to "bad moral character".  He wanted to instead pay homage to the bird that had more historical significance to the young country.

5.)  When George Washington advocated for a national Thanksgiving celebration, a number of other founding fathers and statesmen were supportive of the measure. Thomas Jefferson was not one of them. Jefferson referred to the idea as “the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard."  Guess he wasn't a fan of cranberry sauce!

Winter Weather Is Almost Here, Is Your Car Ready?

Have you prepared your car for the winter weather that’s fast approaching? Here are some tips to make sure you are fully prepared for whatever this year’s winter weather decides to throw at you.

Regular Maintenance

Now’s the time to get your car up to speed on all of its regular maintenance. That means taking care of any fluids that may have been neglected while you were out enjoying the summer sun or going in for that 60,000-mile tune-up if you’re due. Check, change and/or top off your oil, coolant, brakes and transmission fluid as needed. In the case of your oil or automatic transmission, make sure you get a high-quality filter, too.

When looking at your car’s brakes, check to see if your rotors are warped or cracked. Do they have deep grooves or are the pads worn close to their minimum clearance? Your vehicle will be experiencing harsher conditions soon, so avoid any potential problems as soon as possible. Make sure all your lights are working properly to ensure good visibility. New bulbs are easy to install yourself or easy to have installed when getting your vehicle serviced. The same goes for windshield wipers. If your blades are more than six months old, odds are it’s time to swap them out for new ones.

Check Your Tires

Go ahead and have your tires rotated and inspected. The last thing you need in cold, wet weather is to be driving on bald or dry rotted tires.

Consider looking into snow (or winter) tires, depending on your location or length of time you’ll be spending in the snow. Winter tires are made with special low temperature resilient rubber compounds and have deep treads that grip unplowed snow and ice.

Don’t forget to make sure your spare tire has enough air in it. Once you’ve made sure everything looks good, take a look at your tire pressure.

Stock Your Car

Stranded by the side of the road can be dangerous in the best of conditions, but when sub-zero temperatures or bad weather is involved, it could become deadly. Carrying these supplies is essential:

- a blanket
- jumper cables
- a flashlight
- chains
- a first-aid kit
- a small knife
- flares
- water gloves
- small shovel
- waterproof matches
- ice scraper
- a bag of sand or kitty litter to help provide traction if your car is stuck in the snow

What The Halloween Candy You Give You Says About You

Every Halloween millions of Americans purchase their favorite candy to hand out to trick-or-treaters as they make their way around the neighborhood Halloween night. But, does the type of candy you give out say something specific about you as a person or your personality? Check out the infographic below to see what exactly each candy option says about you. Let us know if you agree in the comments section!