Winter Tires vs. All-Season Tires

Driving with the right tires during winter or any other time of the year is essential, as tires are key safety components in addition to getting you from Rock Rapids, IA to Sibley, IA and back. Since the winters in our region can be severe, winter tires are usually recommended. So what are the advantages of winter tires? How do they differ from all-season tires? Review our winter tires vs. all-season tire guide today. We also cover what winter tire storage entails and why tire pressure in winter fluctuates. Contact the service department at one of our locations whenever your tires require professional attention or you need them replaced!

The Benefits & Drawbacks of Winter Tires

While winter tires are great for driving around Sioux Center when winter hits, there are certainly some drawbacks you’ll want to consider. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of using winter tires:

Advantages

• Unique Rubber Compound: Many all-season tires have a rubber compound that can freeze and get brittle when temperatures drop. Winter tires utilize a special rubber compound that stays flexible during the cold to ensure maximum grip.
• Specially-Designed Tread: You’ll often notice the grooves in a winter tire are different from an all-season tire because they’re specially designed for winter driving. The grooves reduce the amount of snow and ice build-up so you’ve got better traction when driving in inclement weather.
• Biting Edge Design: In addition to reducing snow and ice build-up, winter tires also have a biting edge design that digs into deep snow and ice to allow your vehicle to easily drive in winter conditions.

Disadvantages

• Wear: If temperatures climb back up and the roads are dry, driving with winter tires can cause significant wear on the tires, which can decrease lifespan.
• Swapping Out: While you can drive on a winter tire during the summer, it’s not recommended, so you’ll have to have a second set of summer tires to swap to when the weather gets warmer.

Winter Tire Storage Information & Tips

As we mentioned, you want to avoid keeping your winter tires on year-round because they’re not necessarily made to tackle summer roads. As a result, there are some winter tire storage tips we want to provide you so that you can keep your winter tires in excellent condition. Additionally, driving in the winter comes with some nuances you’ll want to be aware of for maximum safety. Here are some winter tire tips and driving information to keep in mind:

• Store Clean Tires: It may seem obvious, but you’ll want to clean your tires before you put them in storage. Storing tires without cleaning them could lead to corrosion and decrease the lifespan of your tires. Make sure you cover your tires after you clean them.
• Clean & Temperature-Controlled Storage: You’ll want to keep your tires in a clean and temperature-controlled space so that they don’t experience increased wear. Additionally, you’ll want to stack your tires and rotate them occasionally to avoid any spots or unusual deformities on your tires.
• Tire Pressure: Your tire pressure in the winter will almost always drop as the cold temperatures cause air to become less dense in your tires. We recommend you add the correct tire pressure to your tires when they’re still cold as you don’t want to have low tire pressure when you’re driving.
• Tread Wear: Just because you have winter tires doesn’t mean you won’t experience tread wear. It’s best to regularly inspect your tire tread wear to ensure you’ve got the proper tire tread for when roads do become hazardous.

Check Your Tire Pressures in the Winter With Papik Motors!

Now that you know more about tire pressure in winter and the difference between winter tires vs. all-season tires, are you ready to switch your tires for the cold season? Call or message us online today. We offer tire specials and deals at each of our locations. For more tire and general auto maintenance-related reads, review our guides on how often you should rotate your tires and how long an oil change typically takes!