many new cars come equipped with all-season tires which are general tires that have some of the characteristics of both summer and winter tires. it’s like a hybrid solution but more jack of all trades but master of none. here’s why they’re adequate for dry and wet roads or roads with light snow, it’s good for cars in mild winter conditions where temperatures rarely fall below freezing but I wouldn’t recommend it if you live in an area with extreme temperatures.
Summer tires
Summer tires have a specific rubber compound for excellent grip and handling on a dry and wet road in warm conditions. summer tires have reduced rolling resistance provide more fuel efficiency and produce less road noise.
the tread pattern on a summer tire is simpler with fewer grooves but when the temperature drops to below 45 degrees Fahrenheit the compound becomes hard and brittle and the tread cannot properly handle snow or ice.
Winter tires
that’s why if you live in an area with extreme winters it’s prudent to get winter tires. winter tires provide better grip for roads covered with snow and ice as well as wet roads and cold conditions the tread on winter tires contains more natural rubber.
this means it doesn’t harden when the temperature drops below 45 degrees but it will stay flexible in cold weather which helps reduce the stopping distance when you’re breaking. the tread also has deep grooves to dig into snow and ice, it also has a lot of sipes to clear water and slush and reduce the risk of hydroplaning.
it would be best if you didn’t use winter tires in the summer because the rubber compound is too soft for dry asphalt. so it’ll wear out much faster also it requires higher fuel consumption and makes the tire noise louder because of the higher rolling resistance. <when to change car tires>
Can all-season tires handle snow?
Clearly, not all tires are made equivalent yet on this occasion, Michelin’s entire season tires performed shockingly well. It actually didn’t match the snow tires which of course winter tires are designed to perform well on snow, but still, there was an exciting result to see the tires test between all-season and winter tires, here
You don’t need winter tires if you have four-wheel drive
in the winter four-wheel drive cars can help get a car going but it won’t be much good when you’re trying to brake. the four-wheel-drive helps control the tires but if your tires aren’t flexible enough or have a tread designed to push snow and ice out of the way. so it’s inaccurate to think you don’t need winter tires if you have four-wheel drive
maintaining the tire performance of your car
maintaining proper tire inflation is simple and it’s important for the overall tire performance of your car. if your tire is properly inflated you’ll get a longer life quicker steering response better fuel efficiency and a smoother ride underinflation and overinflation can cause premature tread wear and possible tire failure
so remember to check your tire pressure once a month. a good rule of thumb is that your tires lose one psi every month after you fill them, that’s once a month is a good guideline. you can use a digital or standard tire pressure gauge or an air compressor found at many gas stations. though many of those don’t work at all or have bad gauges.
so it’s a good idea to have your own gauge and glove box. car makers specify the recommended psi for when the car is cold tires are considered cold not based on temperature but it’s just a term for when the car’s been parked for three hours or more or if the car’s been driven less than one mile at moderate speed. that’s the ideal time to check the pressure.
if you’re measuring your tires when they’re hot again not the temperature outside set their pressure to 4 psi above the recommended cold inflation pressure as a general rule of thumb. you can usually find the recommended cold tire psi in a driver’s side door jamb or owner’s manual.
remove the valve cap from the first tire, place the pressure gauge on the valve snap press down hard so that the hissing sound disappears and the gauge provides a reading. refill any tires with low pressure, if you’re using air compressors be sure to read the directions because many air compressors operate differently. it’s good to check the pressure again after you fill your tire.