Our team at Modern Mobile Tire MMT has extensive experience in supplying and repairing tires, and we know how much of an effect your tires have on your vehicle’s performance. Different tires are designed for different road conditions, and using the wrong ones can put you at an increased risk of accidents. For example, if you drive in snowy conditions without winter tires, it’s easier to lose control of your vehicle.
In this article, our team will provide an overview of how winter tires work.
- Composition – One key factor that sets winter tires apart from other varieties is the composition of the rubber used to make them. Normal rubber stiffens up and becomes more brittle in cold temperatures, which negatively affects their performance in winter conditions. Winter tires, in contrast, are made of rubber compounds that remain flexible in cold temperatures, and many models contain “bite compounds” such as silica to boost their traction on wet roads.
- Tread Design – The other main difference between winter tires and other types of tires is their tread patterns. Winter tires have deeper grooves than summer or all-season models, as well as bigger voids and sipes. A sipe is a slit in the tire’s tread pattern. Its purpose is to suck up water and snow, which gets them out of the way of the tire’s contact patch to improve traction and grip. The treads on snow tires are specifically designed to perform well in wintry conditions when ice and snow are on the roads, so they will keep you safer.
