As winter approaches, preparing your vehicle for icy, snowy conditions is essential for staying safe on the road. One of the most critical aspects of winter preparation is ensuring your vehicle’s tires are ready to handle challenging weather. In fact, your tires are your vehicle's main point of contact with the road, and they play a vital role in maintaining control, traction, and confidence during winter driving.
In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about preparing your tires for winter, including the benefits of switching to winter tires, checking tire pressure, and ensuring your tread depth is sufficient.
Why Winter Tires Are Essential
Many drivers wonder if they need winter tires, especially if they already have all-season tires. While all-season tires work well in mild weather, they’re not designed to handle the extreme conditions winter can bring. Winter tires, sometimes referred to as snow tires, are specifically built to perform in cold temperatures, snow, and ice.
The rubber compound in winter tires remains flexible even in freezing conditions, providing better traction and control. Their deeper treads and unique patterns are designed to grip snow and push away slush, reducing the risk of sliding or getting stuck. If you live in an area with harsh winters or frequent snowfall, snow tires are a must-have. These advantages are built into tires like Hercules Tires Avalanche RT, Avalanche XUV and Avalanche TT winter tires that are specially formulated for winter conditions.
All Weather vs Winter Tires
While all-weather tires are versatile, winter tires are specifically engineered for extreme cold and heavy snow. Winter tires use specialized rubber compounds that stay flexible in freezing temperatures and feature deeper tread patterns for superior grip on icy or snowy roads. Unlike all-weather tires, which balance performance across seasons, winter tires prioritize maximum traction and control in winter conditions, making them essential for drivers in areas with prolonged severe winters. However, all-weather tires are a great fit for those living in regions with milder winters where snowfall is occasional rather than persistent. They are especially beneficial for drivers seeking convenience, such as urban dwellers or those who drive in mixed weather conditions but don't face extended icy or snowy periods. These tires cater to people who want a single set of tires to manage varying climates without the need for seasonal swaps.
All-weather tires, such as the Hercules Terra Trac Cross-V AW, offer year-round performance by combining traits of both winter and all-season tires. They provide reliable traction in snow and rain while remaining durable and stable in warm weather, making them a convenient choice for drivers who prefer not to switch between seasonal tires. With features like the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake certification, they are suitable for light snow and variable weather conditions, ensuring safety and performance. These tires also come with benefits like a 65,000-mile warranty and enhanced ride quality, delivering a balanced mix of comfort, durability, and adaptability throughout the year.
The Hercules TERRA TRAC CROSS-V AW is a premium, all-weather tire that is designed to handle a variety of weather conditions without requiring seasonal tire changes. The Hercules TERRA TRAC CROSS-V AW tire is engineered for highly responsive handling on any surface, in any season, citywide to countryside, and is available in 39 sizes to fit today’s popular CUV's, SUV's and Light Trucks.
Checking Your Tread Depth
Tread depth plays a major role in your tire's ability to maintain grip on winter roads. As a general rule, a tread depth of 4/32 of an inch or more is recommended for winter driving. If your tires are worn and have less than this, they won’t provide enough snow traction and could put you at risk of sliding on icy or snowy roads.
You can check the tread depth using a penny or a tread depth gauge. Insert the penny into the tread groove with Lincoln’s head facing down. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, your tread is too low, and it’s time for new tires.
As temperatures drop, tire pressure decreases by 1-2 PSI for every 10°F, reducing fuel efficiency, increasing wear, and affecting handling, so it's essential to manually check and maintain proper inflation levels during winter, even with a TPMS.
Understanding Tire Pressure in Cold Weather
As the temperature drops, so does your tire pressure. For every 10°F drop in temperature, your tires can lose about 1-2 PSI (pounds per square inch). Under-inflated tires reduce fuel efficiency, increase wear, and can compromise your car's handling, especially on slick roads.
It’s important to regularly check your tire pressure during the winter months, ensuring they are inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended level. Your car’s TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) will alert you if your tire pressure is low, but it’s still good practice to check manually, as the TPMS may not always signal small pressure losses.
Rotating and Balancing Tires for Winter
Winter driving can cause your tires to wear unevenly due to the challenging road conditions. Tire rotation helps ensure even wear on all four tires, which improves handling and extends the life of your tires. Ideally, you should rotate your tires every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, but it's especially important to do so before winter starts to ensure your tires are in the best condition.
Additionally, getting your tires balanced improves your car’s stability, prevents vibrations, and ensures even tread wear. Balancing is especially important for snow tires, which need to perform optimally on icy and uneven surfaces.
Considering Winter Tire Storage
If you’ve invested in a set of winter or snow tires, proper tire storage is key to making sure they last for several seasons. When winter is over, it’s important to store your tires in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures. Tires should be kept in airtight bags or covers to prevent exposure to air and moisture, which can cause them to crack or degrade. Proper tire care during the off-season ensures that your winter tires will be ready to go when the cold weather returns.
Winter Driving Tips
Once your tires are prepared for winter, it’s important to adjust your driving habits for the road conditions. Accelerate and brake gently to maintain road traction, and avoid sudden movements that can cause your tires to lose grip. Drive at slower speeds in icy or snowy conditions to give your tires time to respond and maintain control. It’s also a good idea to carry a tire repair kit or emergency tire supplies in case of a puncture or flat tire while on the road.
Preparing your tires for winter driving is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure your safety on the road. From switching to winter tires and maintaining proper tire pressure to ensuring your tread depth is sufficient, these steps will help you navigate icy and snowy conditions with confidence. Investing in the right tires and taking the time to maintain them properly can make all the difference in your winter driving experience, ensuring you stay safe no matter what the weather throws your way.
Are you ready to make the switch to winter tires? Click here to find a Hercules Tires dealer near you.
Once your tires are prepared for winter, adjust your driving by accelerating and braking gently, driving at slower speeds, and carrying emergency tire supplies to ensure safety in icy or snowy conditions.
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