Important Facts to Know About Snow Tires

Winter is here and everyone of us dons our winter coats, turns on the heat, starts up the fireplace or lights the wood burning stove in preparation of the winter woes ahead. But all too often we forget to prepare our vehicles for the winter weather. There are a few important things we should do to get our vehicles ready for the winter season and surely one of them is to install snow tires. Snow tires help ensure our safety and well-being when driving the roads and highways covered with snow, ice and other winter elements. The folks here at Auto Clinic of Franklin want to help all our valued clients understand the when and the why of installing snow tires. With that said, here are some important facts to know.

  • Why Snow Tires – Snow tires are specifically designed for the wide range of winter driving elements and conditions. Having all season tires on your vehicle is not the ideal solution for winter driving since snow tires are designed to perform in ice, slush, snow and frigid winter temperatures. Though all-season tires are equipped to perform for a variety of road conditions, including a light snowfall, they are not manufactured and equipped to handle very harsh, dangerous winter conditions. For this reason, we strongly recommend switching out your every day or all-season tires for a high performing set of snow tires.
  • Tire Tread DepthThe Tire Tread is Important – Winter snow tires are equipped with a special tread design, a single-directional tread, that actually serves to push away the snow, slush and ice while driving. They also have a deeper tread depth for a much better performance in snowy winter conditions. Further, most winter tires are constructed with special compounds that are able to withstand extremely low winter temperatures. As a matter of information, in order for winter tires to perform at peak levels the treads on your tires should not be worn past 6/32”. When they fall below this level, it is difficult for your tires to maintain traction on snowy or icy roads and surely the results can be dangerous and even tragic.
  • Switch Out All Four Tires, Not Just Two – Choosing to switch out only the front two tires or the back two tires may seem budget friendly, but it is actually quite inefficient and extremely dangerous. Whether you have an all-wheel drive, front-wheel drive or a rear-wheel drive vehicle, it is important you install four winter tires and not just two. When you change out only the front or back you do not have proper handling or control of the vehicle because all four tires are not working together properly. This presents with a high risk of your vehicle spinning out of control.
  • KENLY, N.C. — Master Sgt. Warren Howard (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Frank Snider)

    Keep Track of Your Tire Pressure – It is critical that you check the tire pressure of your snow tires regularly. When the winter temperatures drop, the air pressure in your tires decreases or drops as well. With that said, make certain that your winter tires have the right amount of pressure. This will also help to extend the tread life, will contribute to reduced fuel consumption, and will certainly help keep you and all your passengers extra safe on the roads. Be sure to check the tire pressure at least twice a month.

Winter can certainly be a challenging time of year for so many of us and for so many reasons. Use these important tips to ensure your vehicle’s tires are prepped and ready to handle whatever weather conditions winter may have to offer. If you want to know a bit more about snow tires or are in need of any type of automotive repairs or services, then take time out to contact the professionals here at Auto Clinic of Franklin today. Don’t let winter weather keep you from travelling or enjoying all that the season has to offer. Install your snow tires today. We look forward to serving you with all your automotive needs and send along wishes for a safe and healthy 2018 ahead!!

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