When is the best time to switch to winter tires?
When is the best time to switch to winter tires?
Posted on September 16, 2022
Switching to winter tires is one of the most important things you can do for driving safely in the winter. The best time to switch your tires over is 7 degrees Celsius, and we can tell you 7 reasons why.
1. THE RUBBER USED FOR WINTER TIRES WORKS BEST AT 7 DEGREES OR BELOW
Summer and all-season tires are made from harder rubber compounds that get even harder in cold temperatures causing them to lose their traction and ability to grip the pavement. Winter tires are made from a softer rubber compound. The magic number where winter tires grip better than all-seasons is, you guessed it, 7 degrees Celsius. Below that temperature, summer tires are basically frozen pucks on ice since pavement also hardens considerably in the cold and winter tires are cleats on boots.
2. COLD SURFACES PROVIDE LESS TRACTION
In extreme heat, asphalt gets a little sticky while it does the opposite in extreme cold. Winter tires are designed to grip on cold and wet road surfaces, making them essential for winter driving in NorthWestern Ontario.
3. SIPES… WHAT ARE SIPES?
You know those squiggly little grooves in your tires? Those are sipes. When sipes rotate down and come in contact with the pavement, they open up like little pockets, and pull water into them. As the tire rotates, the sipes close, basically spitting the water droplets out behind the tire.
4. SHORTER STOPPING DISTANCE MEANS A MUCH, MUCH SAFER DRIVE
Britain’s Auto Express Magazine tested a set of winter tires stopping on wet pavement at 7 degrees Celsius against summer tires. Full emergency ABS braking from 80 km/h produced stops of 35.5 metres for the winter tire equipped car, and 42.5 metres for the summer tire equipped car. That’s a 7 metre difference. Think about what sliding 7 more metres could mean in a dangerous situation, and the safety advantage of winter tires becomes soberingly apparent.
5. HYDROPHILIC RUBBER: MORE ENGINEERING GENIUS
Moisture is essentially a lubricant on road surfaces– and moisture occurs even in the coldest conditions. On a microscopic level, the pressure of a tire on the road surface creates a small layer of water. Which is why Toyota-approved winter tires come with a hydrophilic coating, which essentially acts like a microscopic sponge, giving your winter tires more traction on ice and snow.
6. MICRO BUBBLES ARE MEGA EFFECTIVE
All Toyota-recommended tires are effective. But the best of our tires boast yet another technology that gives you even better traction. Top winter tires are made with a special rubber formed from multi-cell compounds. Essentially, the tread rubber has tiny micro bubbles in them. As the tire wears, the little bubbles get exposed, which then act as bigger versions of sipes, taking water off the ice below the tire, and helping to reduce slippage.
7. DEEPER TREADS GIVES YOU MORE BITE IN THE SNOW
As Canadians, we know snow as a guest that shows up unannounced and uninvited… nonetheless, a guest that ALWAYS shows up! At 7 degrees Celsius we’re very close to that surprise arrival. The deep treads on your winters are designed to bite through the snow to maximize the amount of rubber that touches the road surface, while simultaneously pushing the snow, slush, and rain away with every revolution.
BONUS REASON: SO YOU CAN GET OUT THERE AND ENJOY NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO!
Skiing. Sledding. Snowshoeing. Ice Fishing. The best way to get through the cold winter is to get out there and embrace it! Toyota-approved winter tires give you the confidence and peace of mind to go anywhere you want, anytime you can. Where are you looking to go this winter?