During winter, you might be wondering if you need winter tires when you have all-season tires. You possibly need winter tires because they have several differences that make them function differently. You need to understand the difference between all-season tires and winter tires to make informed decisions when choosing your tires.
Tread Rubber
Table of Contents
Tread rubber is critical for the tire to grip the road. Winter tires have a softer tread rubber as compared to all-season tires. When temperatures drop, the tread rubber in all-season tires hardens more than the tread rubber in winter tires. That makes it hard for all-season tires to grip the road during winter when temperatures are below 42 degrees Celsius.
The tread rubber on winter tires is flexible and does not stiffen in low temperatures, enabling the winter tires to grip the road better and prevent sliding on the snow. The tread rubber on all-season tires hardens during warmer seasons, preventing them from wearing off. On the other hand, the tread rubber on winter tires softens during warm seasons, making them wear off quickly.
Therefore, it would be best to change to winter tires when the temperatures drop below 42 degrees Celsius and work with all-season tires when the temperatures are above 42 degrees Celsius.
Tread Pattern and Depth
Another significant difference between all-season and winter tires is the tread pattern and depth. The design and depth of the tread contribute to the amount of traction. Winter tires have deeper treads than all-season tires. The deep treads and winter tires enhance traction by increasing the grip on the road. Winter tires have well-detailed tread patterns that enable them to pass snow out of the tire, improving grip.
In contrast, all-season tires do not have deep treads. They quickly lose grip on the road during the snow season. The tread on all-season tires has a chevron-shaped pattern. The pattern can remove water under the tires during rainy seasons but cannot remove ice and snow during winter seasons. It reduces traction, yet you need that most when driving on snow.
Tire Biting Edges
Within the tire’s tread, there are tiny slits called biting edges. When making tires, the engineer’s mold noise as the tire grips the road. As the tire turns, the biting edges of the tire ‘bite’ the road, enhancing grip and traction. Both winter tires and all-season tires have harsh edges. However, the biting edges on winter tires are more than the biting edges on all-season tires. The more the biting edges, the more the grip and traction on snow and sleet.
The biting edges of all-season tires are good enough to enhance grip during rainy and warm weather, but you will need more grip and traction during the winter season. Therefore, it would be best to use winter tires with more biting edges when driving during the winter season. Like the way you need to understand your tires, you also need to understand your car engine, and Cummins QSB 4.5L Engine can be a great option.
Tire Marking
Another thing that will help you differentiate winter tires and all-season tires are tire marking. Winter tires can withstand the harsh winter season with ice, snow, and sleet. All-season tires can withstand various weather conditions ranging from summer to winter. When checking the two types of tires, the tire marking will help you know the tire’s intended use.
The tire marking on winter tires will describe the tread rubber, tread pattern, and how the tire will offer traction on snowy roads. All-season tires have a generic tire marking, M+S, which shows that the tire does not perform highly on winter roads packed with ice and snow.
Winter and all-season tires perform best in different weather conditions. Winter tires perform best at temperatures below 42 degrees Celsius, while all-season tires work best at temperatures above 42 degrees Celsius. You need to understand the difference in their functions to choose the best tire depending on where and when you are driving. All-season tires can be a good option if you drive to an area that does not have snow and ice.
