Different Types of Car Tires That You Should Know About

Do your car tires need changing? Tires are that part of your car that suffers most of the wear and tear. Due to friction caused by regular driving, the surface of the tires becomes smooth, erasing the tread patterns. Driving with worn out tires can be highly risky.  A car can lose grip when driving down a wet or slippery road and this may lead to serious accidents. If you don’t want to pose a risk to your life, it is imperative that you get the old tires replaced with new ones! Also, no matter how well the engine, suspension and transmission works, a car cannot deliver high performance without a set of fully functioning tires!  

Before investing money in a new set of tires, you need to know what kind of tires you need to buy. Plenty of choices are out there, and you must select one depending on various factors such as climate, road conditions and the type of vehicle. Simply relying on the advice of a salesman may not be a good idea. You need to do some research before making the purchase. Get to know about the different types of tires that are available in the market and why you should choose one over another.

Following are some of the common types of tires that are sold widely. The reputed tire sellers in Canada deal in these types of tires. You can even get these tires Canada. All you need to do is browse through the various tire stores that have a huge variety of tires. it is advisable that you get to know about the reputation of the brand before making the purchase. Let us take a look at some of the common types of tires that you would come across:

 

High-performance tires:

High performance tires are usually required for sports cars. However, if you drive a lot on the highways, this type of tires would provide you better performance. High performance tires are made of a soft rubber compound, which increases traction and helps you maintain balance even when you are cornering at a high speed. However, due to the soft rubber compound, the tread patterns wear out more quickly, smoothing out the surface of the tires. That is why high performance tires need to be replaced more often than the other types of tires. As far as experts suggest, you should avoid using this type of tires in inclement weathers.

 

Mud tires:

Mud tires come with large tread patterns, and this basic design allows them to chop into muddy roads. When driving down muddy surfaces, normal tires get stuck. However, because of the large, open design of the mud tires, mud falls quickly from the lugs and doesn’t become impacted onto the tires. These types of tires are also larger than the ordinary tires, and that is why the likelihood of getting stuck in the mud is also quite less. Due to angles and patterns made on the surface of the tires, mud gets thrown behind the vehicle as it pushes forward. This helps in the prevention of impaction.

 

Snow Tires:

As the name suggests, snow tires are most appropriate for snowy or icy roads. During the harsh Canadian winters, roads get covered by a thick layer of snow and driving becomes extremely difficult. Due to such adverse driving conditions, the number of accidents increases. That is why you need to make your car winter-ready! Snow tires are made of soft rubber, and they also come with extra snipes in the treading pattern. The combination of the two provides better grip even when the roads are covered with ice and snow.

 

The best way to identify snow tires is by the pictograph of snowflakes and mountains that is made on the packaging. This is an indicator of the fact that the tire has been approved by the American Society for Testing and Materials or ASTM. When it comes to lighter vehicles, the studded snow tires provide added friction, which prevents the vehicle from skidding on icy, slippery roads.

 

Spare tires:

The compact spare tires are not for long-term use. However, you need keep such a tire for emergency purposes only. Spare tires cost less than the regular tires and you should keep them in your roadside safety kit. However, prolong usage of this types of tires can put added pressure on the other tires, which leads to unnatural wear and tear. Experts advise against using spare tires when driving on highways. Such tires are not designed for such high speeds. You should use a spare tire if one of your tires gets punctured on the road. They will only provide support till you reach the nearest repair shop.

 

Run-flat tires:

These types of tires are invented more recently. The special design of these tires allows them to run even after you have experienced a blowout. The run-flat tires come with a inner “cage” that is made of plastic. That is why such tires can run even when they are suddenly deflated. A pressure monitoring system in your vehicle will alert you of a blowout. The tire will still continue to run, making sure that you don’t lose control over your vehicle. The run-flat tires are still in infancy, and they tend to cost quite more than the regular tires. Driving with on a flat tire is never recommended. These types of tires are only for emergency purposes. That is why you need to get the tires repaired as soon as you can!