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Winter Tyres: How They Work on Snow and Ice?
April 13, 2011 by Brian, under Cars, Safety & Advice.
Areas that witness very low temperatures and have wet and slushy roads need winter tyres to make sure that the vehicle is driven safely. Tyres meant for winters have special material in them that prevent them from hardening. These tyres are usually heavier in weight. Advanced versions even have metal studs attached to them. The deep grooves provide a very good grip on slushy roads.
Factors that Make Winter Tyres More Effective
The deep grooves on such tyres are responsible for providing a good grip on the road. Summer tyres come with thin grooves and they remove the water from the road quickly so that the grip is maintained. But in winters, the road has accumulated water, snow and mud which is difficult to dispel. Hence, the wide and deep grooves of winter specific tyres help by making a larger contact with the ground. Thus, the tyre is able to push forward efficiently.
Metal studs are useful in winters but are not allowed in all states. In case you are travelling to a state that does not allow studs, then you can replace your tyres. The restriction is because these studs can tear up the concrete and asphalt that come in contact with the tread. Hence, these studs are allowed only for limited periods when the material like snow are heavy and form a deep layer on the road.
When snow and ice are deep then metal studs on snow tyres dig deep into the material and provide the necessary grip. These studs need to be replaced as they get flattened over a period of time. These studs can produce a lot of noise when they come in contact with hard surfaces and also cause a lot of damage to such surfaces. Hence, it is best to use them only when the roads are extremely difficult to travel on.
These tyres are good as they can help you in steering easily in slush and water without the fear of losing control. They provide safety as well as stability to the car. They also improve the performance of the car, thereby, saving on fuel and increasing mileage which can be very low with summer tyres. Also, the wear and tear caused to these tyres will be much less as compared to summer tyres.
They also save you money as your summer tyres do not wear off in adverse circumstances and hence, are worthy of the investment made in them. In difficult circumstance, they also save you from accidents and in addition to the safety of you and your family, they save you from the hassles of getting repairs and solving insurance matters.
Do remember though that all the tyres must be replaced with winter tyres and adding them to only front or rear wheels will not suffice. In front wheel drive cars, the requirements are different and you can check with your car dealers about suitable tyres for such cars. Winter tyres are a zone of safety and you must get into it immediately.