Do I Need Winter Tires?

Winter is just around the corner. You may be asking yourself do I need winter tires?

1. Determine the conditions you will be driving in Do you travel outside the city or mostly in the city? Are you a skier, snowboarder. Be aware of your daily commute needs. Is your driveway plowed before you leave?
2. All-season tires will lose their grip in lower temperatures. Colder than 7 degrees Celsius, the rubber in all-season tires will harden and that means the tires lose their traction think of a hockey puck skimming across the ice. Winter tires are made from a rubber compound that will maintain softness and grip in temperatures up to -45 degrees Celsius.
3. Having two sets of tire will be cheaper in the long run if you plan to keep your car longer than 5 years. You will be running on your tires 6 months at a time.
4. Invest in winter rims. Some people try to save money by using only one set of rims and transferring their tires each season. But with the extra cost and potential damage of mounting and dismounting both sets of tires, youll actually save money in the long run by investing in winter rims for your winter tires.
5. Choose hub-centric over multi-fit rims. In tire ads, you may see these two rim options available. The difference is that with on multi-fit rims the centre hole is enlarged to accommodate different tire sizes, but with hub-centric the centre hole matches the vehicle. The benefit is that there is less stress on the lug nuts and less chance of vibration at high speeds. Hub-centric are slightly more expensive, about $10 more each, but they can save your tires from potential damage and improve your ride.
6. Change all four tires. Many people ask if they need two tires or four. The answer is four. For one thing, if you are going to use your tires half the year as in point 3, you will need to change all four, otherwise your set of all-season tires will wear unevenly. Also, changing two tires is like being half safe it can cause over-steer (fish tailing) or under-steer (turning the wheel to the left or right while the car continues forward).
7. Dont wait for the first snowfall to change your tires. It happens every year everyone waits until the last minute to change to their snow tires, then the first storm hits and the service centres are booked. Avoid the stress and plan ahead. Its good to change to your snow tires when temperatures are consistently below 7 degrees Celsius, usually mid- to late-October.
8. When storing tires store them on their sides. Stack the tires youre not using on the side walls, not on the tread. This will avoid flat spots from developing on your tires.
9. Check the tread depth at the end of the season. A snow tire is no longer considered a good snow tire when the tread has worn to under 5 mm
10. So book early at Presleys Auto call the service centre at 613-688-2301