Considerations for Winter tires and wheels
08-15-14, 08:50 AM
#1
Former Sponsor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 181
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Considerations for Winter tires and wheels
Here's what you need to consider before buying ;
Always consider your driving style and local conditions. If you don't see much snow during the winter, and you like to drive/corner fast on cold dry roads then look into the H-rated or V-rated "high performance" winter tires like the Bridgestone Blizzak LM32 or Dunlop Winter Sport 3D or 4D.
If your area gets heavier snow, and/or are often driving on packed snow and ice then look into a more aggressive "Studless Ice and Snow" tire. Among the best of this type are the new Blizzak WS-80, Michelin XIce XI2, and Continental Extreme Winter Contact. Winter tires like these will offer the best in snow and ice traction, but will give up some dry road responsiveness over the more performance oriented H/V rated snow tires to get that additional traction.
If deep snow is your only concern and ice is almost never an issue, you can save some money and get the Firestone Winterforce or General Altimax Arctic. These two models have very aggressive tread patterns that make them exceptional in snow, but they lack the specialized rubber compound needed for good ice traction (which makes them less expensive). You can add studs to either model ( $15) to improve traction, but studs have been outlawed in many states and may put the combined price of the tire and studding very close to a Studless Ice and Snow tire......
Choosing between these two categories may be difficult and is mostly a personal preference choice for the trade off between snow traction versus dry road handling. Any dedicated snow tire will do better than a standard "all season" tire in light snow and ice, but keep in mind the worst conditions the tire may see and use that as a frame of reference.
And one last thing;
Don't wait too long. Ordering early when most products are still available lets you choose what you want to buy rather than being forced to settle for what is left over. We have been hit with delays and shortages from our manufacturers already! Tires and wheels purchased together are mounted and balanced at no charge to make changeover easy.
Here are direct links to the winter tires area:
Winter Tires & Wheels
More winter tire testing videos and helpful information:
Winter Tire Testing Videos Link
Winter Tire Test Results
Always consider your driving style and local conditions. If you don't see much snow during the winter, and you like to drive/corner fast on cold dry roads then look into the H-rated or V-rated "high performance" winter tires like the Bridgestone Blizzak LM32 or Dunlop Winter Sport 3D or 4D.
If your area gets heavier snow, and/or are often driving on packed snow and ice then look into a more aggressive "Studless Ice and Snow" tire. Among the best of this type are the new Blizzak WS-80, Michelin XIce XI2, and Continental Extreme Winter Contact. Winter tires like these will offer the best in snow and ice traction, but will give up some dry road responsiveness over the more performance oriented H/V rated snow tires to get that additional traction.
If deep snow is your only concern and ice is almost never an issue, you can save some money and get the Firestone Winterforce or General Altimax Arctic. These two models have very aggressive tread patterns that make them exceptional in snow, but they lack the specialized rubber compound needed for good ice traction (which makes them less expensive). You can add studs to either model ( $15) to improve traction, but studs have been outlawed in many states and may put the combined price of the tire and studding very close to a Studless Ice and Snow tire......
Choosing between these two categories may be difficult and is mostly a personal preference choice for the trade off between snow traction versus dry road handling. Any dedicated snow tire will do better than a standard "all season" tire in light snow and ice, but keep in mind the worst conditions the tire may see and use that as a frame of reference.
And one last thing;
Don't wait too long. Ordering early when most products are still available lets you choose what you want to buy rather than being forced to settle for what is left over. We have been hit with delays and shortages from our manufacturers already! Tires and wheels purchased together are mounted and balanced at no charge to make changeover easy.
Here are direct links to the winter tires area:
Winter Tires & Wheels
More winter tire testing videos and helpful information:
Winter Tire Testing Videos Link
Winter Tire Test Results
Last edited by AJ@TireRack.com; 08-21-14 at 06:54 AM.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post