Drivers must take all the safety precautions required to drive in hazardous conditions during the winter. This frequently entails installing winter tyres to handle the snow and ice, which can bring our road system to a complete stop even with a light dusting of snow.
Do winter tyres, however, make sense? Before going over every other facet of driving in the winter, we’ll take a close look at winter Roadstone Tyres Tadley and debate whether or not they’re worth the investment in this comprehensive guide.
Winter tyres—what are they?
Winter tyres are designed specifically to offer better traction and grip in cold weather, particularly when the temperature drops below 7 degrees Celsius.
They are helpful not only on bone-dry surfaces but also in the rain and on snow and ice. In addition to being safer than summer tyres in the rain, winter tyres are also better at removing standing water.
Winter tyres are most useful in the UK from the end of November to the beginning of March, when they will most likely provide more traction than summer tyres.
How do winter tyres operate?
There are three main ways that winter tyres differ from summer tyres. This is how they function. The tread pattern of winter tyres is more effective because it has many more grooves, or sipes, cut into it. This improves water displacement and makes it easier for the tyre to bite into snow and ice.
Winter tyres maintain their softness and suppleness in subfreezing temperatures because they are composed of a compound that contains more silica. Extreme cold causes a summer tire’s rubber to become extremely rigid, causing it to slide across the road rather than cling to it.
The rubber blocks on a winter tyre are made to vibrate when the tyre is moving, so any snow the tyre may have picked up will be shaken out. Conversely, a summer tyre will accumulate snow and ice and end up smoothing out and becoming completely useless.
Are winter tyres suitable for summer use?
Though it’s not required by law, using winter tyres in the summer is not something we advise. Winter tyres will degrade considerably faster in warm weather than summer tyres, which will really hurt your pocketbook.
Additionally, winter tyres will be less safe in warm weather because they produce less traction and grip than summer tyres. It is best to remove your winter tyres once the temperature starts to rise again and store them for the upcoming winter, since summer tyres perform best when the outside temperature is above 7 degrees Celsius.
What is the cost of winter tyres?
The price of winter tyres varies greatly based on size and brand. In general, though, the cost of winter tyres should be about the same as that of summer tyres.
What distinguishes all-season tyres from winter tyres?
All-season tyres are made for nations with moderate climates, like the UK, and combine features from summer and winter tyres for year-round use.
Their composition provides good traction in warm, dry weather without hardening into rigidity at very low temperatures. They feature a lot of sipes carved into the tread, just like winter tyres. Since all-season tyres can be used all year round, many drivers consider them to be the most practical choice.
All-season tyres, however, are essentially inferior. In cold, low-grip conditions, they won’t be as effective as full winter tyres, nor will they be as grippy as summer tyres during the warmer months. Additionally, installing all-season tyres on a performance vehicle ensures that the vehicle will never feel as nimble or as grippy as it should. Winter tyres are significantly more efficient than all-season tyres in low-grip situations and cold temperatures.
Can you use winter tyres on a rear-wheel-drive car?
Yes, a rear-wheel drive vehicle can use winter tyres. Compared to a front- or four-wheel-drive car, they will offer an even bigger advantage. For this reason, compared to other cars, rear-wheel drive vehicles are inherently more vulnerable in low-grip situations.
How long do winter tyres last?
You will receive the same amount of miles out of a set of winter tyres as you would from summer tyres for the remainder of the year, provided that you only use them in the winter. But, if you use winter tyres in warmer climates, they will degrade much more quickly.
What air pressure is ideal for winter tyres?
The pressure in your winter tyres should be the same as your summer tyres. Setting those Tyres Tadley pressures in typical ambient conditions is crucial, though. Your tyres’ pressure will decrease as the temperature drops. For example, if you place them in a warm garage, their temperature will drop by as much as 10% when they are left outside in the cold.
Can you put winter tyres on the front only?
While it’s not against the law in the UK, it’s not advisable to mix summer and winter tyres because doing so puts the car at risk of sliding when the back wheels lose traction.
