Benefits of Winter Tires in NY
Benefits of Winter Tires in NY
Written by Bedford Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
Your tires are important to road safety as the surface contact for all four of your tires are as thin as a piece of paper. This contact with the road is where everything happens, including accelerating, braking, and directional control. You should always take the health of your tires seriously. This is especially true during wintertime when you are deciding whether or not to invest in winter tires. Here in New York, we tend to see a ton of snow, so getting these tires might be beneficial to drivers in the long run. This article will go over the benefits of winter tires and what they do to keep you safe during those dreaded winter months.
Should I get winter tires?
Winter tires use a tremendous amount of rubber, which will help your tires stay soft and flexible, allowing you to grip the road during cold weather conditions. Driving on winter tires during the summer, your tires will become too soft, so they will wear faster and reduce fuel efficiency. You may also need a greater distance for braking. Winter tires tend to be pliable at a higher temperature to wear more quickly on dry asphalt. Winter tires also have a lot of grooves that are deeper than summer tires, and these grooves allow winter tires allows winter tires to keep traction on snow and ice. There are even smaller channels called sipes that help to keep the grooves in contact with the road.
When should tires be changed?
Most experts will tell you that winter tires are only for winter, and you should make the switch to winter tires only when the temperatures dip below 50 degrees. This is when the winter tires work best; anything above is when you should have summer or regular tires on your vehicle. Most of the United States and Canada have no mandate on having winter tires. However, Quebec does. So if you are planning on traveling during the wintertime, be sure to read about the laws in that country before you head out the door.
When should I get new tires?
Normally, it would be best if you changed your tires when your tread has been worn down. While the legal limit of tire tread is 2/32 of an inch, experts recommend about 5/32 of an inch for winter tires and 4/32 of an inch for summer tires. So the question becomes, how do you know if you have enough tread? An easy way to check tire tread is to do what's called the penny test. Insert a penny into the grooves of the tread of your tires with Lincoln's head facing upside down and facing you. If you can see all of Lincoln's head, you have less than 2/32 inches remaining, and you need to change your tires. Tires can also age if they are rarely used, as things like humidity and temperature can degrade them. That's why you should buy new tires every eight years even if you plenty of tread left.
What are the different tire types?
While places in the south rarely see snow and all-weather tires are fine, here in New York, we tend to see a ton of snow you will want to opt for the winter tires. All-weather tires are a half-measure between summer and winter tires, which basically means that all-weather tires are winter tires with summer tire aspects. There are other types of tires that you should be aware of as well. Low rolling resistance tires, for example, are tires that reduce resistance, so you save on gas and electricity. Other tires include mud and sand tires, off-road tires, and runflat tires that will allow you to keep driving on your tires even after they have been punctured but only up to 50 miles at a maximum speed of 50 mph. Most drivers have these as a spare tire.
What should my tire pressure be?
Your manufacturer and the tire makers determine the proper air pressure of your vehicle. Be sure to check a tire pressure chart, which can be found on your vehicle's door jam or sometime in your trunk. These numbers can also be found in your owner's manual. Tire pressure normally depends on the type of vehicle you have, the type of tire, and the load. You will need to regularly check your tire pressure, especially before you embark on any long car trips.
Get winter tires at Bedford Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
Let's face it, here in New York; we are going to see a lot of snow this winter, so you are going to want winter tires for your vehicle to avoid sliding all over the road. Before the snow starts to fly, head down to Bedford Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and have our experts put on your winter tires. You will be glad you have these winter tires on your vehicle! You can make an appointment here at our dealership or on our website. We look forward to seeing you here at Bedford Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram!
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