How to choose a winter tire for a car: advice from professionals and feedback from manufacturers

Quality tires - this is not just a pledge of good handling of the car and the comfort of the driver behind the wheel, but also the basis for ensuring safety while driving. Winter time is the most dangerous period for motorists, so the choice of shoes for the wheels at this time of year should be approached with the utmost responsibility. And the question of how to choose a winter tire for a car should be entrusted to professionals familiar with the specifics of difficult driving in harsh conditions.

Features of winter tires

By and large, all tires can be divided into three categories: summer, universal and winter tires. Perhaps, winter tires have the greatest number of specific characteristics, which is due to heavy operating conditions. First of all, the rubber composition itself is oriented to use at temperatures below 7 ° C. The fact is that conventional universal or summer rubber at low temperature loses its basic properties, so special compositions are required that ensure optimum adhesion and rigidity. However, deciding which to choose a winter tire for a car, it is not necessary to chase the most solid-state tire. Elasticity is a necessary property for any road, it is another matter that the measure of softness should be observed.

A separate theme is the tread pattern. Active angles, grooves, dense notches and jagged are obligatory decorations of the external side of winter tires. Their presence is due to the fact that the wheels must withstand the ice, snow cover and watery coatings.

The question of how to choose the right winter tire for a car can not but affect the nuances of noise reduction. Excessively active and dense profile inevitably contributes to the development of a characteristic hum and even whistle, therefore this nuance is taken into account in the selection process.

Varieties of rubber

The entire tire market can be divided into two segments: European and Scandinavian rubber.

The first option is to ensure effective coupling with the coating in the conditions of rain and wet snow. That is, on the one hand, the material is designed for not the most severe weather conditions, but, from the point of view of driving, they are extremely heavy. Technically, the European rubber is characterized by the presence of a diagonal tread pattern, in which many drainage grooves are provided. This feature is similar to European tires with so-called anti-fouling.

Now it is necessary to answer the question about how to choose the right winter tire for a car from the euro segment. First of all, it is important to pay attention to the quality of thin slat-slits and massive lugs, which are located at the edges. The harder these components are made on the rubber surface, the more confident will the behavior of the car.

As for Scandinavian rubber, it is designed for driving on snow floor and icy road. Such a tire is characterized by a developed network on the surface of the protector, which is formed not by slits, as in the case of European analogs, but specific figures, staggered.

Studded or studless?

Actually, the difference between "stickies" and "spikes" is based on the concept of the division of Scandinavian and European tires. That is, studded rubber due to the active surface is more effective against dangerous coatings. This is the optimal solution when it comes to moving on ice or a frozen snow crust.

Studless rubber, devoid of active elements, it would seem, is completely useless in the period of bad weather, but it is not so. The fact is that these kinds of winter rubber mutually exclude the shortcomings of each other. Although studded tires show themselves best on icy flooring, they should not be used on dry and wet surfaces. This is due to the fact that the presence of a pronounced tread pattern minimizes the area of direct contact of the wheels with the road - as a result, the braking distance increases. This lack is just devoid of non-studded rubber, close in characteristics to the European.

Basic Selection Parameters

After determining the appropriate type of tire, you can proceed to a more detailed study of the optimum performance parameters of rubber. So, to the main characteristics, on which the working properties of the tires will depend, are the wear resistance, the speed index and the load index.

In the marking, wear resistance can be referred to as Treadwear and can be calculated in units. To understand how to choose a winter tire for a car by this parameter, you can give an example: 100 units. Average wear resistance corresponds to 50 thousand km.

As for the speed index, it is denoted by the Latin letters N, ZR, S, etc. Optimum is the S format, since it does not limit fans of fast driving and at the same time is characterized by low wear.

The load index, in turn, is calculated from specific data. This figure should not be more than 35% of the mass of the car in running order.

Tires reviews Bridgestone

The brand is well popularized, which allows the products to regularly occupy places in the first positions on sales. Users appreciate the tire data for a stable, albeit not premium, but optimal quality, almost always irreproachable working properties of the rubber compound, as well as increased wear resistance.

Now it is worth considering more in detail how to choose winter tires for a car. Reviews about the latest series in the first place put the model Blizzak Spike. The special features of the modification include the presence of a V-shaped directional pattern, as well as an increased number of sipes with a modified form of cross grooves. In practice, these qualities contribute to the effective removal of the snow-water slurry from the contact spot.

Tires reviews Dunlop

This manufacturer is less known, but the quality of produced tires deserves attention. In many respects the success of the firm is related to its specialization. The manufacturer places special emphasis on the development of rubber for the SUV segment, that is, the target audience can be said to be formed by the owners of the crossovers. According to them, tires cope with high loads, without losing the primary qualities of the clutch.

In the question of how to choose a winter tire for a car from the proposals Dunlop, it is necessary to be guided by the requirements for the braking qualities. This characteristic is the main factor by which products within the family are differentiated. In general, the merits of this manufacturer's products include a well thought-out rubber compound, optimal rolling resistance and at the same time low cost.

Tires reviews Kumho

The South Korean brand has become famous for its successful non-studded model for the WinterCraft passenger car. Stop on this the developers did not, and most recently in the light came the modification WS31, intended for the segment of crossovers. Car owners Kumho tires note the specific composition of rubber with increased stiffness in the blocks of the tread. Therefore, if you decide how to choose a winter tire for a car under the severe ice, then this option will suit perfectly both the drivers SUV SUV, and the owners of cars. The practice of driving confirms worthy indicators of controllability and, what is especially important, confident braking on the ice. It should also be noted that there is sufficient grip on a dry road and in conditions of heavy rain. This effect was achieved due to the introduction of a large number of lamellas in the tread pattern.

Tires reviews Nokian

Finnish products need no introduction. Nokian is one of the largest manufacturers of winter tires, logically oriented to the characteristics of the Scandinavian type. But, of course, and the European class is widely represented in the line of this brand. For example, WR A3-A4 modifications are considered by experts almost as the best tires for winter in the category of studless models. Car owners indicate an increased wear resistance of this rubber, as well as confidence in driving on the snow cover. The developers have achieved a significant improvement in performance by using a special mixture, in which, in addition to natural rubber, canola oil has been added, which provides a more effective function of coupling with the coating.

Tires reviews Michelin

This company is also a recognized leader in the production of tires. The concern owns several brands that are responsible for different segments. For example, Kleber brand offers an assortment of middle class. It can be said that this is close to the budget class, but users of this product praise it for the expressed qualities of a reliable protector with an aggressive pattern. If you need good tires for winter at a democratic price, then it makes sense to apply specifically to the Michelin brand. According to the owners, acquaintances and with the premium series of the company, the operational properties they have in many ways similar to the mass lines.

How to determine the quality of tires when buying?

Even if before the trip to the store the correct list of the necessary qualities of the target product was made, finding the corresponding rubber does not guarantee successful operation. Immediately before buying it is worth making several testing checks to make sure the basic quality of the product. So, how to choose the right winter tires for a car?

Advice from professionals is primarily recommended to prepare a special glove for assessing the quality of tires: it will allow you to feel the smoothness of the surface by touch and understand how effective grip will be. Even without gloves, you can check the softness. If you want to eliminate the risk of so-called zadyubeniya, then the tires when pressed with your fingers should smoothly bend. You also need to look at the date of manufacture. Buy should be rubber, whose age is not more than 2 years.

General recommendations for winter preparation

Of course, you can not prepare a car for winter by one tire. To personal transport did not fail at a difficult minute of the movement and generally maintained a satisfactory technical condition by the spring, other operational aspects should be taken care of. In particular, in case of severe frosts, it is necessary to provide a thermal "blanket" for the engine, provide the windows and seats with heating, and also equip the car with linings and mud flaps.

By the way, to winter tires for the car, which is planned to operate in changing weather conditions, did not wear out ahead of time, experts recommend checking brake pads. The fact is that even after a short period of time the cuffs of the pads on different sides are erased with varying degrees. This factor in the future can cause sudden drifts. Accordingly, even the working brakes before the transition to winter time is recommended to update.

Conclusion

In addition to the technical improvement of the car, one should also consider the general approach to its operation. The question of which tires to choose for the winter is the key from the point of view of adapting to the new driving conditions, but it will not insure against trouble with the wrong driving style. Every car enthusiast should have practical driving skills on the same ice or on wet snow. Tires with suitable qualities for a specific coating are only a technical assistant, but how effective they will be depends only on the driver himself.