Feet First: The Basics of Buying Tires (Weather Conditions)
Late evening, in the mountains of no where, North Carolina - My sister and father were driving home from a day of snow ski racing. Seeing as it had been sleeting and snowing all day long (a rarity even in those parts), everyone and their grandmother were holed up with their white bread and whole milk. No one had the insanity to venture out on the slick, frozen roads. No one but my dad, anyway.
As they coasted down a hill toward an intersection, the light flipped a haunting green, and my dad flipped on a haunting light bulb. My sister had just started studying for her driver's test, and Dad thought "What better way to teach about the dangers of inclement weather driving...?" He spun the wheel, popped the brakes, and their four door four wheel drive sedan fishtailed through the intersection like a Disney on Ice. My sister completely missed the "Don't tell your mother about this," while she tried to reign in her attack of terror, but she didn't start to grasp the severity of driving in ice.
There are a lot of tips and tricks on how to master winter conditions. Almost half of them are probably true - but this one we can vouch for - buying the right tires.
Since the early 1900's, engineers and other braniacs have spent a lot of time designing tires to fit every last possible need of the driver. Certain tires built to withstand certain seasons may have been the most important.
There are four main types of tires, each with a variety of subsections. But we're focusing on the basics here, so let's get to it.
1. Winter Tires: We don't tend to have too much need for these down here. Built to maintain traction in light snow and ice, these tires are specifically built with a certain rubber compound to remain soft in freezing temperatures so they can grip in the winter elements generally so rare to us here in Augusta, GA. It's not recommended for us here because of how poorly they perform in rain.
2. All-Weather Tires: After this year, these tires might become a little more marketable across the SouthEast. These tires are built to reflect their name - withstand all four seasons and whatever nature throws at them. The rubber compound remains soft and effective in both freezing and warm temperatures. These tires tend to have a slightly aggressive tread on one side for light snow and ice, but still have the channels to repel water on rainy days. The tread can also help in maintain traction on wet leaves in the fall. An easy tell on the difference between All-Weather Tires and All-Season tires is the Mud and Snow capability. Slightly elevated grip and traction make these tires good for almost anything.
3. All-Season Tires: The most common type of tire found in the Southeast, all-season tires are built with multiple channels to repel water and maintain grip through rain puddles (not flooding). The rubber compounds can remain soft in warm temperatures, but will harden below freezing, compromising traction (ie: turning and braking is riskier). The sidewalls on All-Season tires are built stronger and thicker - making them ideal for smooth ride quality. Because they are such a popular tire, the tread is constructed for longevity.
4. Summer and Performance Tires: These tires are built to withstand the fires of Dante's Inferno (I'm exaggerating a little - please don't try to set your tires on fire). We'll revisit the construction of Performance tires when we talk about Speed Rating, but the basis is that these tires are built for high speeds, high friction, and thus, high temperatures. Thinner and shorter sidewall enhance grip and handling for quick turns, but this also keeps the tire from being able to absorb impact of road imperfections - throwing a bump or two in your ride quality. Because these tires are meant for heat and intensity, they tend not to last as long as All-Season tires. They equipped with some channels to control grip in water, but they most definitely cannot perform in snow.
Nine times out of ten, an All-Season tire will meet the needs of the people in Augusta, GA. Of course there are also tires built for off-roading, big trucks, etc. But these are just the basics - feel free to enlist the help of our tire experts if you are interested in an all-terrain or light truck tire.
Don't forget to make sure you're getting the appropriate size, that you're considering tread life, and that you'll be happy with the smoothness of your next road trip.
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This post and all graphics was created by Milton Ruben Social Media Specialist Heather Cortright.
