Snow Tyres

Do I really need snow tyres?

We all know that tyres are a compromise. One tyre can’t be the fastest on the track, most controllable in the snow, and longest wearing. The Ultra High Performance tyre that grips the track at high tread temperatures is incompetent as its tread compound becomes like “hard plastic” at below 7°. Today’s tyre tread designs and compounds maximize long, even wear… not winter traction. And while many of today’s Original Equipment tyres address some of these issues, they still emphasize longer wear, a quieter ride or greater performance…not winter traction.Only snow tyres are designed to excel in the colder temperatures, slush, snow and ice that alpine areas experience for three or more months a year.

What If My Car Has Traction Control?

While traction control will help keep you from overpowering your tyres, it doesn’t actually improve your tyre’s traction; it simply limits your car’s acceleration to the traction level of your tyres. The only way to maximize your vehicle’s winter performance is to provide your traction control with more grip to work with by using tyres specifically designed for your driving conditions.

What If My Car Has ABS Brakes?

While ABS brakes will help keep you from locking up your tyres, it doesn’t actually improve your tyre’s traction; it simply limits your cars braking to the traction level of your tyres. The only way to maximize your vehicle’s winter performance is to provide your ABS brakes with more grip to work with by using tyres specifically designed for your driving conditions.

What If My Car Has All-Wheel Drive?

All-wheel drive is certainly an advantage…but its advantage can be multiplied by using winter tyres designed for the road conditions you’ll encounter. While more tyres share the torque of your vehicle, think of the ice and snow performance that snow tyres provide. All of the reasons that encouraged you to select an all-wheel drive are the same reasons that dedicated snow tyres will make your winter driving more enjoyable and enhance your car’s braking, handling and cornering traits.

However, it is important to remember that while the all-wheel drive vehicle’s ability to accelerate in slippery conditions provides a lot of confidence, it doesn’t really offer any unique advantage when the vehicle has to stop or turn. This is because the other vehicles also use all four tyres to provide braking and cornering traction. Since all-wheel drive vehicles actually weigh more than their two-wheel drive counterparts, bringing them to a stop or turning a corner actually requires more traction.

So, whether your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, traction control, a vehicle stability system or all-wheel drive, it is your tyres that provide the real traction.

Obviously, the more tyre traction these systems have to work with the better. Since most all-wheel drive vehiclesare originally equipped with all-season or ultra high performance tyres, optimizing these systems’ capabilities on snow and ice requires installing snow tyres.

What’s the difference in snow traction between an M+S (Mud and Snow) branded tire, an All-Season tire and a purpose-built snow tyre?

The original definition of M+S tyres is based on the geometry of the tread design. The M+S designation was first used to differentiate the knobby bias ply tyres intended for use on muddy, and/or snow-covered roads from the straight rib tyres used on early cars or trucks. Tyres with tread designs that meet the definition may be branded with the letters “M” and “S” in several different ways (e.g., M&S, M+S, M/S, MS, etc.) at the discretion of the tyre manufacturer.

When early radial ply tyres were also found to deliver more snow traction than the straight rib, bias ply tyes, the tire companies introduced “All-Season tyres.” Supported by advertising, All-Season tyres have presented an unspoken promise that they, throughout their life, can provide traction for all seasons…through spring’s rain, summer’s heat, autumn’s cooling and winter’s snow. While this combined offering has made All-Season tyres popular, many drivers have learned that a geometric definition doesn’t guarantee winter snow and ice traction.

In 1999, The U.S. Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the Rubber Association of Canada (RAC) agreed on a performance based standard to identify passenger and light truck tyres that attain a traction index equal to, or greater than110 (compared to a reference tyre which is rated 100) during the specified American Society for Testing and Materials traction tests on packed snow. The new standard helps ensure that drivers can easily identify tyres that provide a higher level of snow traction.

A snowflake-on-the-mountain symbol branded on the tyre’s sidewall identifies tyres that met the required performance in snow testing.

*courtesy of tirerack.com