If you live where snow or ice regularly cover the road, winter tires can be an important addition
to your vehicle.
The unique design of winter tires makes them excel in cold weather conditions, ideally below 40
degrees Fahrenheit. Winter tires differ from typical tires due to rubber compounds and tread
designs that can include hundreds of sipes – small slits in the tread blocks that increase surface
area – to improve grip in snow and ice.
But are winter tires a good choice for your car or truck? Are they worth the money? Here’s
everything you need to know from Team Tinker.
When to Use Winter Tires
Winter tires should only be used in a season when temperatures are low. For the rest of the
year, all-season or all-weather tires are the better choice.
When there’s snow or ice on the road, winter tires provide more traction for braking, turning and
accelerating than all-season tires. Summer tires, which are optimized for higher temperatures,
should never be used in these conditions. Conversely, don’t run your winter tires in the summer. Their soft compounds will wear too quickly.
In cold, wet conditions, winter tires improve the traction and performance of any vehicle
regardless of their drive setup: front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The
benefits of all-wheel drive are numerous, but don’t include braking performance. Winter tires,
however, significantly shorten braking distances on snow or ice relative to all-season tires, even
at modest speeds. And the acceleration and handling benefits of all-wheel drive in snowy and
icy conditions are enhanced by winter tires.
How to Identify Winter Tires
True winter tires are identified by the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol carried
on their sidewall. (Learn how to read your tire’s sidewall here.) Tires with this symbol surpass
the standard for light-snow acceleration traction set by the U.S. Tire Manufacturer’s Association
by offering a traction index (a measure for grip on packed snow) of 110. In other words, they
meet an industry-wide standard for performance rather than just creating a manufacturer’s
claim.
1) The 3PMSF standard is based on packed snow acceleration alone, so you’ll still find
performance differences among winter tires that carry the same 3PMSF symbol.
2) Although you can be sure the packed-snow performance of a 3PMSF tire exceeds that
of an all-season tire, you should do your research to get the best winter tire for your
specific use case.
What Should I Look for in a Winter Tire?
All winter tires have design features that distinguish them from all-season or summer rubber, but
which winter tire you need depends on your driving conditions.
Generally, the softer your driving conditions (think unplowed powder snow vs. packed snow) the
more tread depth and void area (the area between the tread blocks) you want. However, if you
spend more time on ice or very hard-packed snow, and if you often drive frequently on wet
roads, a winter tire with bigger tread blocks and less void area may be a better choice.
Look for tire tests online that do apples-to-apples comparisons of stopping distance,
acceleration and maneuverability using those different tire choices on the same vehicle to help
guide your choice.
What About the Cost?
A good set of winter tires costs about the same or a little more than a set of premium all-season
tires. But remember, you’ll save wear on your all-season or summer tires when the winter tires
are in use, thereby extending the life of both sets significantly.
We also recommend you invest in a second set of wheels just for your winter tires. This has two
benefits.
1) Installing winter tires on your vehicle will save you the time and expense of needing a
tire shop to mount and dismount your two sets of tires twice a year.
2) That extra set of wheels also keeps your main set out of the slush, salty road conditions
of winter, protecting their finish.
Buy Smart
In slick winter conditions, a set of winter tires will improve your vehicle's performance and safety.
Before you buy it’s important to assess your driving habits, typical weather conditions in your
area and the type of vehicle you drive. This will help determine the specific features you require
in winter tires.
By considering these factors and doing thorough research, you can confidently select the best
winter tires for your vehicle, ensuring you get to where you need to be with your tires delivering
optimal performance and safety during the coldest months of the year.
Still have questions? Speak to one of our Tinker Experts today
