Car Care: Winter Tires
#1
The right tire for the season.

The safety and handling capabilities of any car or truck ultimately stop where the rubber meets the road. Whether or not the winter months bring snowfall to your location, checking the condition of your tires should always be part of your automotive winterizing regimen.

Even regions that don't get covered in white stuff often experience colder temperatures and more rain between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, and worn tires are far more susceptible to hydroplaning when the roads are wet.

The first step in making sure your rolling stock is ready for winter is an examination of the tire treads. If your wheels are properly aligned and balanced, the tire treads should be wearing relatively evenly from inside to outside and all the way around. If either edge is more heavily worn than the opposite side, it's a signal that the wheels aren't properly aligned.

   

Depending on the nature of the alignment problem, this may be felt by the vehicle pulling to one side or the other while driving straight down the road. However, certain problems can cause uneven wear without pulling. If your tires are wearing unevenly, your dealer can perform a full four-wheel alignment and an inspection of your suspension components.

Other signs of tire trouble include bulges in the sidewalls, cup-like wear patterns and vibrations that can be felt while driving. These can be indicators of internal problems in the tire like a slipped belt, or an unbalanced wheel and tire. Tire balancing is another quick and inexpensive service procedure while tires with internal problems should be replaced immediately.

Improper tire inflation is a common cause of uneven wear. Overinflated tires will show more wear in the center of the tread area while underinflated tires may be getting raw on both the inner and outer shoulders. Keeping tires properly inflated will reduce fuel consumption, improve handling and help tires last longer.

Excessive tread wear, whether uniform or not, can trigger problems when roads get wet or slick. When tread grooves are too shallow, the tires can't move the water on the road out of the way, leading to a loss of traction.

Most modern vehicles come equipped from the factory with all-season tires that will meet many drivers’ year-round commuting needs. However, in areas where temperatures fall below around 40 degrees F, whether or not it ever snows, these jack-of-all-trades tires may not be up to the task. All-season tire rubber is harder and less flexible when cold than the rubber used in winter tires: Winter rubber is designed to maintain its flexibility when cold, allowing for better channeling of water in colder temperatures and better bite into snow and ice. Where there is snowfall, the specialized tread patterns of winter tires also provide better traction and grip than summer or all-season tires can. Modern winter tires are available in virtually every size to fit anything from full-size SUVs to high-performance sports cars.

Unlike old-fashioned snow tires that had large, tractor-like treads to bite into the snow, modern, computer-designed versions typically look more like their all-season counterparts. A closer look shows that these cold-weather units have numerous tiny grooves in the tread that help the tires get a better grip, especially on icy roads. These grooves also help the tire throw off snow as the tire rolls and deforms to prevent treads from getting filled up with snow.

For convenience, many drivers who opt for dedicated winter tires have them mounted on a second set of wheels, so they can be quickly swapped out without having to remove and mount the tires twice a year. Many car and tire dealers offer excellent prices on new or virtually new take-off wheels. These are factory wheels that are removed when new-car buyers opt for aftermarket rolling stock. Mounting winter tires on take-off wheels allows the driver to retain the stock look year-round.

Always use winter tires as a full set, rather than mixing them with non-winter tires. Snow tires have significantly different handling characteristics from all-season or summer tires, so mixing tires can lead to serious safety issues.

As the days get shorter, it's an excellent time to check out the condition of your tires and make sure they’re ready for whatever you might face. Your dealer’s service department has the information you need to make the best choice in tires for your car and driving conditions.
Reply


Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  New tires mrmach1 9 22,928 04-25-2015, 08:06 AM
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
  New Old tires mrmach1 17 45,305 04-22-2015, 02:43 AM
Last Post: mrmach1
  New wheels and tires 70Mach1 3 12,032 09-04-2014, 10:25 AM
Last Post: Mustangmike
  What tires & wheels fit Mach 1 Club 4 15,887 08-06-2013, 04:53 PM
Last Post: Mach 1 Club
  What Tires Are You Running on Your 03/04 Mach 1 Rare Pony 0 7,474 02-21-2011, 09:45 AM
Last Post: Rare Pony

Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)
[-]
Latest Threads
What's One More Iron In The Fire!
Last Post: fram lee666
03-18-2024 06:21 PM
» Replies: 125
» Views: 238055
"Jacobra"
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
06-30-2023 11:13 PM
» Replies: 86
» Views: 150856
My old Queensland Ambulance
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
06-30-2023 11:08 PM
» Replies: 5
» Views: 1686
New member from San Jose, CA
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
05-09-2023 08:39 AM
» Replies: 12
» Views: 3957
Saving Seatbelts
Last Post: Jim
02-19-2023 10:23 PM
» Replies: 2
» Views: 9109
Sourcing new wheels
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
01-25-2023 02:34 PM
» Replies: 1
» Views: 1995
Shaker Air Filter
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
01-08-2023 02:24 AM
» Replies: 3
» Views: 1466
1971 Mach 1 parting out interior parts -...
Last Post: ylwhrse
12-22-2022 01:38 PM
» Replies: 0
» Views: 640
Painting
Last Post: Rare Pony
12-14-2022 06:24 PM
» Replies: 2
» Views: 1964
WELCOME ALL NEW MEMBERS INTRODUCE YOURSE...
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
08-31-2022 01:36 PM
» Replies: 82
» Views: 157027
1970 mach 1 matching numbers
Last Post: Kstweeter
08-31-2022 10:31 AM
» Replies: 1
» Views: 1086
Brake booster/servo hose length
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
08-23-2022 09:40 AM
» Replies: 7
» Views: 2995
New Member
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
08-20-2022 11:18 AM
» Replies: 2
» Views: 1498
smooth window operation on 70 Mach
Last Post: CUSTOMMISER
08-15-2022 12:10 PM
» Replies: 2
» Views: 1473
Blinkers on solid
Last Post: busted21
08-09-2022 03:58 AM
» Replies: 14
» Views: 8716
Blinkers on solid when lights on.
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
08-08-2022 12:06 PM
» Replies: 1
» Views: 1719
351 cj running hot
Last Post: busted21
08-08-2022 12:13 AM
» Replies: 5
» Views: 3403
Major Winter projects
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
07-09-2022 05:12 AM
» Replies: 49
» Views: 21264
Happy Fathers Day!!!
Last Post: JTS71 Mach1
06-20-2022 02:34 AM
» Replies: 0
» Views: 1685
1969 Raven Black 390 Looking For
Last Post: mason1958
06-11-2022 09:48 AM
» Replies: 10
» Views: 15079

>