 Why Winter Tires?Winter tires have an aggressive tread design that provide a bettergrip while throwing off snow and slush, providing more stability whenbraking and better vehicle handling.
The rubber compound of a winter tire is relatively soft. The rubberin an all-season tire starts to lose elasticity and harden attemperatures around -8°C to -10°C, greatly reducing grip. At -15°C,this type of tire will have lost all its elasticity, whereas a wintertire will only harden at around -40°C – it therefore retains itselasticity for much longer.
When purchasing/installing winter tires, remember the following:
- Install four winter tires – To help maintain control and stabilityof your vehicle in icy conditions, always install winter tires in setsof four.
- Mixing tires with different tread patterns, internalconstruction, and size degrades the stability of the vehicle and shouldbe avoided.
- As a tire wears, snow traction is reduced. Tires that areworn close to the tread-wear indicators have reduced traction andshould not be used on snow-covered roads or in severe snow conditions.
Tire inflation
- Check your tires more often during the winter months. Tires willlose about one psi of pressure for every five degrees Celsius oftemperature drop.
- Keep an accurate tire pressure gauge in your car’s glovebox(many gauges at “air stations” give false pressure readings) and checkthe tire pressure when the tires are cold. Never trust the appearanceof a tire as a gauge for inflation. A tire could be 10 psi low onpressure and not appear to be low on air.
- Use the recommended inflation pressure listed in yourvehicle’s owner’s manual or on the inflation sticker found on thedriver’s doorjamb. While you’re at it, don’t forget to check the spare.There’s nothing more annoying than a flat spare when you have a flattire.
Tread depth check
Regular tread depth checks are important to ensure that your car’stires are safe. Excessive wear can result in a loss of traction,especially on wet and slippery roads. Tires are regular wear items andstaying on top of their condition not only ensures your safety, butalso gives you the opportunity to plan ahead and budget for inevitabletire replacement.
The simple way to measure tread depth is with a tread depth gauge.Tire wear bars are also used on today’s tires as a hands-off visualindication that a tire needs replacement.
- When using a tread depth gauge, tires need to have at least one-fifth of a centimetre of tread or more.
- Generally, it’s best to replace tires in sets of four.
- If your car’s tires show signs of abnormal or unequal wear,have this looked into by a professional technician. Excessive wear onboth outer edges generally indicates under-inflation. Excessive wear inthe centre of the tread generally indicates over-inflation. Cupping ordipping of certain tread sections may indicate worn suspension parts ora wheel balance problem. Saw-toothed or feathered tread edges mayindicate wheel misalignment.
“Proper tire inflation pressure and tread depth are critical forgood fuel economy, safety, maximum tire life, and proper handlingperformance,” said racecar driver and Car Care Canada spokespersonKelly Williams. |
發表於 2010-1-14 02:03 AM
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