Should You Still Install Winter Tires?

Back when most everyone drove either sedans or trucks with rear-wheel drive, no one in Minnesota ever questioned putting snow tires on their vehicles when winter was approaching. It was a given. But now, with traction control systems, anti-lock brakes, all-season tires, and most of us driving 4-wheel or all-wheel drive crossovers and trucks, many customers have asked if snow tires are still necessary. Chevrolet of Spring Valley says yes, and here is why. 

All-Wheel Drive Does Not Increase Traction

It is a common misconception that 4-wheel drive or all-wheel drive vehicles increase traction. A more accurate description would be that 4-wheel and all-wheel drive help make the most of the available traction on your vehicle. The traction itself is determined by three factors: the amount of traction provided by the tires, the weight on those tires, and, to some degree, tire pressure. The common theme here is tires.

An AWD vehicle fitted with tires with poor traction will get you moving from a stop better than a two-wheel drive vehicle equipped the same way, but once it comes to turning or braking at speed, the result will be four tires losing contact instead of two. This is because while rear or all-wheel drive can help you get going, it is of minor value in turning and of no use at all in stopping. And being able to turn and stop is even more important to you on snow-covered roads. Furthermore, both traction control and ABS are only as good as your tire traction. 

The Winter Tire Difference

Winter tires used to look like today’s all-terrain tires with big chunky tread designs. The tread design is more sophisticated now, though they are still chunkier than conventional tires. But while we think of winter tires in terms of tread, that isn’t even their most important characteristic. Here are three primary differences between winter and conventional tires in order of importance:

• Rubber Composition – As the temperature drops to sub-freezing temperatures, conventional tires simply become too hard to provide the soft pliancy needed for traction. Even all-season tires, which six months later, have to withstand summer heat, can’t be as soft as needed in a cold winter. Winter tires, on the other hand, are composed of rubber that is designed to stay soft and pliable in cold temperatures so they can maintain adequate grip and traction. 
• Depth and Pattern of Tread: Winter tires have deeper tread depths than regular tires, both to improve traction in the snow and reduce snow buildup in the grooves. You also find unique tread patterns on winter tires with grooves to help prevent hydroplaning by efficiently pushing moisture from the tread to the gaps in between. Pressure creates heat, so a vehicle’s weight on the tires warms the surface, which forms moisture on the snow. It is this layer of moisture you are driving on. Left standing, this moisture will often refreeze as ice, which is the primary reason packed snow becomes icy.
• Biting Edges – Winter tires have a series of zig-zag grooves upon their tread, which you do not find on conventional tire treads. These grooves act as biting edges to grip the road in snow or ice.

All-season tires can approach some of these components, but they simply can not be optimized for both three-digit temperature dry road surfaces and sub-freezing wet or snow-covered surfaces. It is like performing your best in the summer with your winter layers on or vice-versa. Even all-season tires with a snowflake branded on the side only had to pass an acceleration test on medium-packed snow. That is far from what a dedicated winter tire can achieve and needs to do in a Minnesota winter. Take it from Consumer Reports, which tests throughout the year when they say: “Our test-track observations lead us to advise that using snow tires provides the best grip and assurance for going, stopping, and cornering no matter what you drive: all-wheel drive, front-drive, or rear-drive.”

Timing and Cost

Buying a second set of tires may seem like a significant expense, but it actually isn’t if you keep your car long enough. Your vehicle can only wear down one set of tires at a time. Thus, your non-winter set will last longer, and your winter set will likely last even longer. So, over time, you are not spending more. You are just making your vehicle safer. As for the best time to install winter tires, a good rule of thumb is if you can see your breath, you want to be on winter tires.

If you want to know more, our service professionals at Chevrolet of Spring Valley will be happy to answer your tire questions and help you determine the best winter tires for your vehicle.