Many will say that the main difference between one automotive rubber and another is the tread pattern. The pattern is really different, the side of the winter tire is covered with a large number of zigzag-shaped cuts called sipes. Such frequent notches increase the grip of the tires on the road covered with snow or ice. But this is far from the only feature.
Imagine what will happen to the school eraser in the cold? It will lose its flexibility and be easily broken. An illustrative example. The same principle of exposure to cold on summer tires. Therefore, winter tires are formulated with special tread additives that provide additional flexibility and elasticity, which is maintained even at low temperatures. Typically, the chemical composition of rubber is developed by the manufacturer, taking into account different temperature conditions.
Tires for all weather
Currently, the so-called all-season tires are popular, combining the qualities of summer and winter tires. However, it cannot be argued that such versatility can be safe and acceptable at any time of the year. It is recommended to use such tires only in fairly warm climatic conditions, in areas where the thermometer rarely drops below zero in winter.When to use winter tires
Velcro is a more durable winter tire than studded tires, and also cheaper.Winter tires should be used at temperatures up to +5 °C. The higher the temperature, the more plastic and softer the rubber becomes, thereby reducing the stability of the car on the road. Winter tires are studded and without studs, popularly referred to as "Velcro". Studded tires are used for maximum safety on icy roads. Velcro has the same short braking distance as studded tires, but makes less noise and vibrates on asphalt.
With regard to summer tires, their feature is the ability to fully realize the dynamic characteristics of the car on a dry road. As well as the ability to ensure the fight against aquaplaning, due to the presence of a large number of longitudinal grooves that help drain water from the tire.
According to the rating of the magazine "Behind the wheel", the best summer tire in 2013 was Continental ContiPremiumContact 2.
Tires should be changed on time. But after the replacement, the question arises about the proper storage of the second set of rubber. If the tires are off the rims, it is recommended to place them vertically. If the wheels are stored together with the disks, then they can be placed horizontally on top of each other. With this method of storage, periodically turn the rubber over.
Many drivers who until recently were pedestrians with the advent of the winter season ask the same question: how does winter tires (bottom) differ from summer tires (top). All over the world there is a rule that every car owner must follow: in summer, drive on summer tires, and in winter, change tires to winter ones.
Summer tires are made of durable rubber that can withstand high temperatures. Unlike winter tires, summer tires have a different pattern, this is due to the fact that they are often used in the rain or for driving on dry roads. It can also be noted. That summer tires are several times wider than their winter counterparts.
Winter tires
The main difference between winter and summer tires are the following criteria:
- Rubber composition;
- Design;
- The number of layers in the tread and their composition.
Tires designed for use in the winter season are made of soft rubber, which allows vehicles to not slip on ice. This is due to the fact that at low temperatures, soft rubber acts as a suction cup.
Some models of winter tires have special studs in their structure, which are designed to increase friction on ice. Most often, this type of rubber is purchased in the case of constant driving on country roads, because spikes are not required in urban conditions.
Many experts do not even recommend the use of studded tires in urban areas, because roads in megacities are cleaned and sprinkled with a special salt substance, on which studded tires hold much worse than without them.
Summer tires
The main criteria for choosing summer tires are:
- Quality level of adhesion at high temperatures;
- Reliable handling in turns;
- Noiselessness;
- Low resistance;
- Durability.
From the above points, it can be understood that the technology for manufacturing winter and summer tires is significantly different. In turn, both types of tires are divided into:
- Radial. Differ in comfort and softness;
- Diagonal help save fuel;
- Tubeless guarantee good sealing;
- Chambers are easy to repair.
How to distinguish winter tires from summer
Visually distinguish winter tires from summer possible according to several criteria. First of all, it is of course the presence of spikes on it. However, if you have non-studded winter tires in front of you? Let's say you want to buy tires from your hands, how to determine its seasonality?
Especially for winter tires:
- deeper tread
- herringbone tread pattern
- the presence of a large number of lamellas (thin slots)
- Feels much softer than summer tires
Now, knowing how summer tires differ from winter tires, you can make the right choice and equip your iron horse with high-quality tires.
The basis of safe driving is changing the tires on the wheels according to the current season. This requirement is due to a huge number of factors. But sometimes in the summer you can meet a car on winter tires. There are practically no motives for such a decision, just some motorists want to easily solve the problem of updating wheels in this way. To understand whether it is possible to operate a car on winter tires in the summer, you need to know how to distinguish winter tires from summer tires, as well as understand the properties of both tires.
Winter tires in summer
Novice drivers who decide not to change winter tires in the summer usually think that if a tire is capable of handling snow or ice, then it can feel quite safe on dry or wet pavement. A car with winter tires can only seem safer in the summer. Risk factors for getting into an accident are often not the main ones in this case. Often this choice is made in order to save money. In this case, such savings will be only one-time.
In addition, many people drive on winter tires in the summer also because the tread on the tire is already very worn out and no longer performs its functions in winter on ice or snow. The only acceptable option for operating such tires is driving on dry asphalt or soil. But even here everything is not so clear.
What is the difference between winter tires and summer tires
Experienced motorists know that winter tires are not effective on asphalt. For beginners, winter tires in the summer are a common thing. It is important here to know how to distinguish winter tires from summer tires, and also what is the difference between these types of tires.
Should provide the most stable coefficient of friction with the pavement, regardless of the different rolling characteristics at high speeds. Summer tires are characterized by an asymmetrical pattern - this affects the high sound insulation.
To clarify the situation, is it possible to use winter tires in summer, it is necessary to evaluate how this tire is suitable for driving on it in summer. On the tread there are "checkers" with a rather complex relief. It is thanks to them that the car can drive quite safely on winter snow and ice - this is the method of how to distinguish summer tires. Such elements are only on tires designed for winter. Also, safety is enhanced by various grooves, slots and branches - all this allows you to keep a good grip on snow or ice.
But how effective are these elements in the summer on winter tires? Efficiency is reduced to zero. "Checkers" can even interfere when driving on asphalt at high speeds - there is a serious risk of losing control of the car.
Rubber composition
How to distinguish winter tires from summer tires, what is the difference between these types of tires? An important difference factor lies in the composition of the rubber compound. The tire, which is made specifically for winter conditions, is particularly soft. Due to this structure, the wheel successfully keeps the car on the winter road and in bad weather. But this quality can fully justify itself only in winter or during small thaws.
Professionals recommend using summer tires in all other periods. It has a different composition. Such a tire is characterized by greater rigidity, elasticity and wear resistance. In cold weather, summer tires will harden, which is why it is not worth exploiting in winter. Naturally, a very soft tire in summer is also not the best choice.
Winter tires in summer
The most striking difference in the use of summer and winter tires in summer appears on wet pavement. In addition, winter tires in the summer can harm the driver at the time of emergency braking.
To better show how to distinguish winter tires from summer tires, you can do a little test - hydroplaning. On a wet road after rain with puddles and a stream of water on summer tires, undesirable effects already appear at a speed of about 80 km / h. If winter is installed, then the same effect will be observed already at 70 km / h.
If you conduct an emergency braking test, then there is no doubt that it is completely impractical to use winter tires in summer. The braking distance, in comparison with summer wheels, will be 30% or more longer. This suggests that driving in summer on winter tires is very risky and unsafe.
As a rule, the basis of safe driving is the use of tires that are fully suitable for the weather conditions. New cars are most often immediately sold with a mandatory set of demi-season or summer tires. But with the onset of cold weather, the operation of the car becomes unsafe. That is why it is very important to learn how to correctly distinguish summer tires from winter ones, because sometimes not only health, but also life can depend on your choice.
Definition
Winter tires- this is a seasonal variety of tires designed for high-quality grip with the road surface at an air temperature of no more than minus five degrees. There are two most common types of winter tires: studded and friction. The tread of winter tires is also of great importance.
Summer tires- this is a type of rubber with clearly defined longitudinal grooves to drain fluid from the contact patches of the tread with the road surface, as well as with weakly expressed transverse grooves and the complete absence of a micro-pattern. Among other things, they have a rounded smooth transition from the tread to the sidewalls.
Comparison
The main difference between winter and summer tires is the quality of the rubber alloy. Winter tires have better grip on the road surface, as well as provide good vehicle handling and shorten its braking distance. Winter tires have a very interesting property: they are able to warm up while driving at very low temperatures, while they become softer and more elastic. It is elasticity that provides excellent grip on the road.
Summer tires have the opposite qualities: even when driving fast and at high air temperatures, they cool down, becoming very hard and shaped. Thanks to this quality, summer tires are ideal for fast driving, but only on good roads. The difference between summer and winter tires is their shelf life. For example, summer tires are much more wear-resistant than winter tires. Therefore, it needs to be changed about three times more often.
One of the most important qualities of rubber is the maximum speed at which you can ride it. In this, winter tires are much inferior to summer tires. Even with very good road grip, it is not recommended to drive faster than 140 km/h in winter. When buying winter tires, you should be extremely careful, because traffic safety depends on their quality. Trust only proven brands that are constantly working to improve their products through numerous tests.
Differences in appearance
When it comes to the differences between summer and winter tires, first of all, they begin to pay attention to the differences in grip, to different chemical compositions of rubber. But practically no one mentions external signs of difference, and many inexperienced drivers even say that they do not exist.
Of course, it is rather problematic to immediately determine the external differences between summer and winter tires. However, this does not mean that they do not exist. Here are just the main signs of differences between tires in appearance:
Findings site
- Driving speed, on winter tires, it is much lower.
- Summer tires do not have a pronounced tread pattern or spikes, unlike winter tires.
- The alloy of winter tires is much softer and more elastic, which ensures excellent traction.
- Winter tires last longer than summer tires.
How important it is to match tires to different weather conditions can be understood by watching at least one Formula 1 race. More than half of the comments are a discussion of which tires are on which car, whether they need to be changed, how many laps they have completed, etc. In a grand prix, a change in air or asphalt temperature by a couple of degrees can seriously affect both the result and safety . What can we say about seasonal fluctuations in our continental climate?
So what is the relationship between temperature and tire choice? - Direct. Everyone has ever seen spectacular shots of how objects immersed in liquid nitrogen break: super-low temperatures destroy bonds and the object becomes fragile. But even a difference of 10-20 ˚С can radically change the properties of matter. All this is true in relation to rubber as the main component of automobile tires. The lower the temperature, the harder the tire. At the same time, its coupling properties are reduced, which negatively affects handling and braking. As the temperature rises, traction increases, rolling resistance increases, and as a result, fuel consumption and tire wear increase.
In order to balance these processes, tire companies have developed summer and winter tires that differ in chemical composition and tread pattern.
The rubber used in summer tires is harder, withstands contact with asphalt heated in the heat, is quite wear-resistant. Its properties are balanced between traction and rolling resistance, the tire is elastic enough to "keep" the car on the laid course, but does not wear out after 100 km of run. At low temperatures, the tire becomes stiff, and the ability to confidently contact the road is rapidly reduced, the rolling process begins to look more like a slide.
Winter tires have a softer rubber compound, therefore, at positive temperatures, it becomes very soft and wears out quickly. But when the thermometer reads below 0, the winter tire is flexible enough to allow you to drive confidently. In addition to the chemistry itself, a winter tire can be made more porous to increase the contact area. This is especially good for driving on ice, when the smallest bumps cling to an almost smooth surface, shortening the braking distance.
The boundary temperature for both types of tires is +10 ˚С. When it is installed, it is better to “change shoes”.
As for the drawing, then in the summer version it has more longitudinal and outlet grooves, which are necessary to remove moisture from the contact patch and reduce the effects of aquaplaning. The same drive grooves are typical for winter tires, but they are deeper, and the blocks they separate are larger. Part of the pattern has a transverse direction for better grip on slippery surfaces.
This is also served by a large number of sipes (small cuts in the profile blocks), which make the tire more elastic and adaptable to the surface. To improve traction on slippery surfaces and snow, studs can be installed on winter tires.There are also so-called "all season" tires. This is the most budget option, but it has more disadvantages borrowed from summer and winter tires than advantages. So, in summer, these tires wear out faster due to their greater softness, and in winter they are less elastic. Best of all, "all-weather" behaves in near-zero temperatures.
