Why Shouldn’t You Use Summer Tyres In Winters?

With the seasons changing, the need to take care of your car increases. From jammed engines to slippery tyres, everything needs to be well-maintained. While you can’t change anything else, summer tyres, being an important part, have to be changed.

The choice of tyres depends on the prevailing weather conditions in your area. In a tropical country, summer tyres work perfectly throughout the year. In areas with occasional snow or ice, all-season tyres work well. But, if you live in harsh cold weather, winter tyre fitting is needed.

It’s possible that you feel you can continue using summer tyres in winter. But, it is not a good idea. The summer tyres are dangerous to use in temperatures below 7 degrees Celsius. They can sustain damage and create a high risk of an accident. So, it is advisable to install winter tyres or all-season tyres.

Let us tell you the reasons why you shouldn’t use summer tyres in winter.

Loss of Traction and Grip

Summer tyres are designed to provide low rolling resistance. This helps them in having an adequate braking distance on dry, hot roads. They provide better handling and efficiency in summers. However, as soon as a harsh cold sets in, they lose their efficiency.

The braking distance increases on icy roads due to the low resistance. Summer tyres have small treads which don’t stick to the road properly. The grip with the road worsens and the traction reduces. It gets difficult to handle the car. The block-shaped treads of summer tyres cause the car to slip more.

On the other hand, winter tyres have deep treads with hundreds of sipes between them. They grip the icy, snowy roads strongly and prevent aquaplaning. (Aquaplaning is a phenomenon in which a layer of snow or water gets between the tyres and road, causing loss of traction). They block cavities in treads that dig in the snow and improve traction.

Winter tyres also possess high rolling resistance that enhances handling. Due to this, there is no compromise in the braking system of the car. The brakes work as well as they would on any normal day.

Damage to the tyres

The tyres also differ in rubber compounds. Since the summer tyres are for summer, they have a hard rubber compound. They are designed this way to prevent softening in hot weathers

But, this leads to problems in winters. The compound causes the tyre to become stiff in temperatures below 7° Celsius. They lose their flexibility. The tyre may also develop cracks and lines. In any case, you'll have to replace your tyres frequently.

Winter tyres solve all these issues. They have more rubber in the compound that retains the pliability of the tyre. The contact with the snowy road is much better, leading to a smoother and safer ride.

Less acceleration

In the previous points, we saw summer tyres have less resistance, low traction, and grip. With these properties, can a tyre have normal acceleration? No, they can't. So, if you use summer tyres in winter, you won't get anywhere on time.

All Season Tyres - An Alternative

All season tyres possess properties of both summer and winter tyres. They are a good alternative for people who don't want to deal with the hassle of changing.

All season tyres, once fitted, need not be changed with seasons. It is a very feasible option for buying tyres. You can easily save a lot of money and time you would have spent on changing winter tyres.

Though these tyres can't function well in extreme weather, they still are a viable option. They offer excellent handling and traction throughout the year. They are versatile. You should definitely give them a try if you live in moderate temperatures.

Making the right choice of tyres is of utmost importance. A good tyre can give you superb fuel efficiency, smooth rides, and wonderful performance. Whereas bad tyres can make your ride bumpy and uncomfortable.

So, it is always advisable to put thought and effort into buying tyres Tamworth. Research about various factors and then buy. Consider taking an expert's advice to make a perfect choice.

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Created on Sep 6th 2021 01:37. Viewed 472 times.

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