Westworld Alberta
Issue link: http://westworldmagazine.ama.ab.ca/i/53603
analyze this The Nitty-Gritty on Tires Nothing hugs the road in cold weather like a true winter tire by Paul Sinkewicz W HEN THE MERCURY GOES south for the winter, it's time for Albertans to think about tires. But do you really need winter tires, or can all- seasons get you by? Let us roll you through the basics. The grip factor Where the rubber meets the road, there are huge differences in tire construc- tion. Winter tires, which sport the mountain-and-snowfl ake symbol, are made of a softer compound that retains elasticity down to –40 C. Coupled with tread designs that take larger bites out of snow, and channel ice and water away, this improves stopping distances, traction and handling ability in cold weather – by as much as 50 per cent, according to some tests. All-seasons, on the other hand, start to harden and lose traction at around 7 C. Some all-season varieties, known as "mud and snow" tires (stamped with the "M+S" symbol), have a tread pat- tern designed to channel mud and snow away, but they generally use the same hard rubber compound as other all-season tires. A new tire category, "all-weather," has also appeared on the market, offering slightly better winter traction than all-season tires, but still not matching the cold- weather performance of true winter tires (nor the warm-weather perfor- mance of all-seasons). Buy winter tires or make do? So should you buy winter tires? The answer is as individual as each driver, says Randy Loyk, AMA manager of technical services. "They do cost a bit more, and require the effort of changing them over each year, but if you're driving in rural areas or in places where snow isn't cleared regularly, you may want to consider it ," he says. Continental AG 2011 ALL-SEASON TIRES, which often sport the "mud and snow" symbol, have rela- tively shallow treads, which means they can only handle light snow. All-Season Tire WINTER TIRES, stamped with the mountain-and-snow symbol, have wider, deeper treads that are designed to channel ice and snow away. Association of Canada. Tires are designed to perform optimally as a set of four. Installing just two at the front will result in poor vehicle han- dling – it could cause you to go off the road backward in a turn, for example. "Issues with the drive train can also arise in all-wheel or four- wheel-drive vehicles if just two tires are replaced," says Loyk. Winter Tire ALL IN THE RUBBER The rubber compound used in all-season tires hardens below –7 C, which results in reduced traction (above) and longer stop- ping distances (below). Winter tires use a softer compound that retains elasticity down to –40 C. All-Season Tire Baby your tires To prevent uneven tread wear and ensure proper contact with the road, keep your wheels properly aligned. It's ideal to have your alignment checked twice a year – the seasonal tire switch is a perfect time. Use your vehicle's prescribed alignment set- tings, as opposed to the tire manufac- turer's. Also stay on top of your tire pressure, which affects handling, tire wear and fuel effi ciency. Check it at least once a month. Winter Tire Ask yourself a few questions to decide whether you need winter tires: will you be driving rural, uncleared areas, or mainly on cleared city streets and highways? Do you often have to drive in several inches of snow or otherwise poor conditions? Four for the win Can you get away with just two winter tires? That's asking for trouble, according to Transport Canada and the Rubber When your tires aren't on your vehicle, wrap them in airtight, opaque bags and store them in a cool, dry, ventilated location to protect the rubber. Stored tires should be kept away from electric motors and welders, as these pro- duce ozone, which will damage rub- ber over time. If your extra tires are on rims, deflate the tires to 15 psi and stack them – four high is the maximum. If they're not on rims, store them upright. Rotate your stored tires monthly to avoid deformations. LEARN MORE ONLINE Winter isn't over: Alberta gets as much as two-thirds of its annual snowfall after January 1. So check your tires' air pres- sure and tread depth to be sure they're still safe. ama.ab.ca/WinterTires WESTWORLD >> FEBRUARY 2012 41