Snow Tires 101
#1
12-13-2007, 11:47 AM
Snow Tires 101
Snow Tires 101: Why to Buy Them
[:-]
" They key of a true winter tire's capability is that you have a specialist. "
I remember driving in eastern Pennsylvania one winter following my brother home on an hour-long trip. It had snowed earlier that morning, and by the time we got on the road the plows still hadn't reached the back roads we were on. I was driving a front-wheel drive Acura Integra with all-season tires while he had a 4WD Grand Cherokee with the proper tires for the road conditions. The idea was that he'd plow me a path to drive through as best as he could. We were just asking for something to go wrong.
Not even a half hour into the drive home, I came around a corner too fast, briefly lost control and steered myself right into the front yard of a farmhouse. Luckily I didn't hurt myself or anyone else, but that day I learned what it meant not to have proper traction for the road conditions.
Recently, I talked with Woody Rogers from The Tire Rack to learn about the differences between all-season tires and winter tires along with the basics to consider when purchasing a set of tires designed for the harsh winter conditions.
Snow TiresAll-Season vs. Winter Tires
Rogers explained that all-season tires are a jack-of-all-trades but master of none. "All-season tires aren't really tuned for any one area, and suffer from not being optimum for any one area because it is compromised to be capable in all areas," he said. He explained that winter tires (they're just not for the snow) focus their attention on the exact conditions you'll most likely be facing during the winter season.
"They key of a true winter tire's capability is that you have a specialist, he said. "A product that is designed to work the best in the cooler winter season temperatures, say below 45 degrees, a tread pattern and tread compound that are designed to take bites out of the snow and work well on packed snow and ice; something that an all-season tired just isn't optimized to do."
He explained that today's winter tires have come a long way: "They go beyond the deep aggressive lug 'snow' tire that many of our parents put on the back of family station wagon." Rogers said today's winter tires are available for certain conditions or are ideal for a particular region of the county.
It's best to determine what conditions you'll be driving in and then determine the type of winter tire you will need. Rogers said it's a good idea to talk with a local retailer or do some personal investigating to choose which tire has the right characteristics for your location.
"The typical image [of a snow tire] is that very aggressive, knobby zig-zag tread pattern that isn't far removed from the farm implement tire or a piece of off road construction equipment tire," he said. "No longer is that loud knobby, gnarly off-road style tread pattern required to provide good traction on snow, slush and ice."
" Only tires that are tested in packed snow and exceed other reference tires by 10% are given the industry standard symbol. "
[:-]
" They key of a true winter tire's capability is that you have a specialist. "
I remember driving in eastern Pennsylvania one winter following my brother home on an hour-long trip. It had snowed earlier that morning, and by the time we got on the road the plows still hadn't reached the back roads we were on. I was driving a front-wheel drive Acura Integra with all-season tires while he had a 4WD Grand Cherokee with the proper tires for the road conditions. The idea was that he'd plow me a path to drive through as best as he could. We were just asking for something to go wrong.
Not even a half hour into the drive home, I came around a corner too fast, briefly lost control and steered myself right into the front yard of a farmhouse. Luckily I didn't hurt myself or anyone else, but that day I learned what it meant not to have proper traction for the road conditions.
Recently, I talked with Woody Rogers from The Tire Rack to learn about the differences between all-season tires and winter tires along with the basics to consider when purchasing a set of tires designed for the harsh winter conditions.
Snow TiresAll-Season vs. Winter Tires
Rogers explained that all-season tires are a jack-of-all-trades but master of none. "All-season tires aren't really tuned for any one area, and suffer from not being optimum for any one area because it is compromised to be capable in all areas," he said. He explained that winter tires (they're just not for the snow) focus their attention on the exact conditions you'll most likely be facing during the winter season.
"They key of a true winter tire's capability is that you have a specialist, he said. "A product that is designed to work the best in the cooler winter season temperatures, say below 45 degrees, a tread pattern and tread compound that are designed to take bites out of the snow and work well on packed snow and ice; something that an all-season tired just isn't optimized to do."
He explained that today's winter tires have come a long way: "They go beyond the deep aggressive lug 'snow' tire that many of our parents put on the back of family station wagon." Rogers said today's winter tires are available for certain conditions or are ideal for a particular region of the county.
It's best to determine what conditions you'll be driving in and then determine the type of winter tire you will need. Rogers said it's a good idea to talk with a local retailer or do some personal investigating to choose which tire has the right characteristics for your location.
"The typical image [of a snow tire] is that very aggressive, knobby zig-zag tread pattern that isn't far removed from the farm implement tire or a piece of off road construction equipment tire," he said. "No longer is that loud knobby, gnarly off-road style tread pattern required to provide good traction on snow, slush and ice."
" Only tires that are tested in packed snow and exceed other reference tires by 10% are given the industry standard symbol. "
What to Look For When Buying
[center][b][:-]When looking for true winter tire, Rogers recommends using the Canadian and American Rubber Manufacturer's standard symbol of the snowflake-on-the-mountain. Only tires that are tested in packed snow and exceed other reference tires by 10% are given the industry standard symbol. The presence of that symbol is typically a good indication of a true winter tire. Some tires barely meet the requirement and still have the symbol. Rogers said it's best to look for dedicated winter tires in addition to lookin
#3
12-13-2007, 01:03 PM
RE: Snow Tires 101
ORIGINAL: kweef
thanx for the info space...wish i had the money to pay for a new set of snow tires
thanx for the info space...wish i had the money to pay for a new set of snow tires
[:-]
Your Welcome `Jeremy 
I heard that `if you have a snow shovel, that you can make
a lot of Money $ $'s : ) LOL ~ LOL
Hope your finals are done. I'm finished until next year : )
Good Luck 2 U
To `Party or 2 Shovel : ) ?
#4
12-13-2007, 03:21 PM
RE: Snow Tires 101
lol i have a snow blower so i should double my fees lol but i live in a small community and we take care of each other, actually the older lady down the road pays us in pies and cookies and i wouldnt have it any other way...she is a really good cook! lol my nieghbors tried payin me $50 for snow blowin there drive way the one day and i kept sayin no and finally they stuck it in my pocket so i hid it b4 i left and 2 days later i had a whole package of steaks in my freezer, they were really good!
#5
12-13-2007, 04:20 PM
RE: Snow Tires 101
Blizzak LM 22's are the best snow tire IMO. Dedidcated snow tires are not very good for dry traction though, so some all seasons are a good comprimise....decent in rain, snow and dry but master of none. Personally I have a set of summers and dedicated snows.
#6
02-17-2008, 10:08 AM
RE: Snow Tires 101
I'll vouch for this. My 2000 Blazer has Uniroyal Tiger Paws - All Season. These things suck. Even in 4 wheel drive it's like a dog trying to hook up on a hardwood floor.
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