Action Traction: Comparing All-Season and Winter Tires

Not all tires are created equal. Each car, truck, and SUV on the road today has a different tire size and type determined by the vehicle’s manufacturer to ensure it provides optimal performance for you, the driver. That is why compact cars typically have smaller tires, while heavy-duty pickup trucks have large tires, especially if the truck is an all-wheel-drive model designed for off-roading. Beyond this, tires are designed for particular conditions, such as all-season tires and winter tires. If you have questions on how to find the right discount tires, Cincinnati drivers are encouraged to stop by McClusky Chevrolet and chat with our team – but if you want some quick answers, keep reading.

Perhaps the most common question we get is about the difference between all-season and winter tires. Put simply, winter tires will have deeper tread depths and specialized rubber that will remain flexible even when the weather dips below zero. In contrast, all-season tires are designed to provide well-rounded performance in both hot and cold temperatures. Given the possibility of heavy snow in the Cincinnati area, investing in a good set of winter tires is a good way to keep yourself safe on the road. While all-season tires will usually do fine in winter on plowed roads, they perform poorly on ice and in deep snow.

Basics on Tire Types

Whatever type of tire you are buying, it will be constructed of a combination of rubber and composite fillers. These are designed to improve the performance and longevity of your tires. The quality of the rubber compound is one of the key differences that make the tires from major brands worth the price. Not only will they give your car more traction, but they will also last longer, saving you money in the long run.

There are three main types of tires. Summer tires are meant for performance vehicles. They are very rigid and stiff so as to stand up to the heat of summer, as well as the friction created by driving at high speeds. In addition, they have shallow grooves in the treads to reduce drag and often an asymmetrical groove pattern to enhance vehicle performance. In general, summer tires will give you better performance in good weather, but at the cost of reduced performance in inclement weather. In other words, don’t even think about driving a vehicle with summer tires in snow or ice.

All-season tires are designed to be used during any time of the year. The traction in wet weather will be better than with summer tires since all-season tires have deeper grooves in order to channel water away from the vehicle. If you look at the tread on your all-season tire, you will see that you can literally run a finger from the center of the tire to the edge along one of the tire grooves. All-season tires also generally have a longer tread life than other tires because manufacturers understand that they will be used for all twelve months.

Winter tires are designed to give you better overall performance in snow and ice. They have the deepest grooves to provide maximum traction. So, if you are driving your car, truck, or SUV in the midst of a snowstorm, you are less likely to skid when your vehicle is equipped with snow tires. Tire manufacturers actually design the tread patterns on snow tires in order to maximize performance in snow, sleet, rain, and ice. Like all-season tires, the grooves channel the snow and water away from the vehicle to reduce skidding and hydroplaning.

Most importantly, winter tires are made from a softer rubber and specialized compounds so that they won’t get too stiff during the heart of winter. If the rubber on your tires gets too stiff, it will reduce traction and can result in skidding – this is why winter tires are a good idea even if you spend the winter months driving on well-plowed roads. However, if you do find yourself often negotiating icy back roads, then you may want to consider a set of studded winter tires that use small steel spikes to bite into the ice. Just remember that Ohio law only permits the use of studded tires between November 1st and April 15th.

Don’t Let Your Tires Get Iced

One problem you may encounter when driving during a snow or ice storm is a buildup of slush in your tires. If you’ve ever driven in a blizzard in a car with all-season or, heaven forbid, summer tires, you will know that it is really hard to keep your car on the road. You call feel it shake and shimmy across the road. This is because there is a buildup of melting snow and ice that begins to fill up the groves in your tires. A thin layer of snow and ice will then prevent the surface of the tires from gripping the road, which can create a life-threatening situation.

Fortunately, winter tires are designed to handle this problem. The tread patterns are designed in a manner to reduce the buildup of snow. This is assisted by the more flexible rubber of winter tires, as this makes sure that the treads remain soft and continue to work at getting the melting snow and ice off the face of your tires, so the treads can continue to provide grip. This will reduce the risk of skidding during that cold winter weather.

The Downside of Winter Tires

As their name suggests, winter tires are only meant for cold weather seasons. They should not be used year-round, as they will reduce vehicle performance, including fuel economy and acceleration. Also, the softer rubber on winter tires will wear poorly in warm weather, reducing their overall tread life expectancy. The added friction and heat of spring and summer driving will practically melt the soft tread on winter tires, making them bald in no time.

All-season tires are designed to provide better performance year-round, so your vehicle will get improved fuel economy, traction, and handling during warmer weather than winter tires. Certainly, all-season tires don’t provide the optimal cornering, braking, fuel economy, and acceleration of summer tires, but they are better when the temperature drops. Think of it this way. Summer tires are meant for performance sports cars but require you to either put your car in the garage around Thanksgiving or get a set of winter tires. Winter tires give you the traction and grip you need when the snow starts to fall. All-season tires are the jacks-of-all-trades. They can handle any situation even though the other two types are better in specific weather circumstances.

You should never try to drive a car with summer tires in the winter. That is just asking for trouble. Sure, you can get away with using all-season tires during the winter, but do you want to take that chance? If you want to reduce the risk that your trusty vehicle will get into an icy accident and make sure that you and your passengers and you are safe all winter long, then your best bet is to get yourself a set of affordable winter tires before Old Man Winter turns your local roads into a winter wonderland.