How to distinguish winter tires from summer tires: features, differences and reviews

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41

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

Beginner 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. Moreover, such savings will be only one-time.

ExceptIn 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 asph alt 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 asph alt. For beginners, winter tires in the summer are a common thing. Here it is important to know how to distinguish winter tires from summer tires, and also what is the difference between these types of tires.

Summer tires should provide the most consistent traction coefficient with the pavement, regardless of the different rolling characteristics at high speeds. Summer tires are characterized by an asymmetrical pattern - this affects the high noise insulation.

To clarify the situation, whether winter tires can be used 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 ramifications - 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 asph alt 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, the same effect will be observed already at 70 km/h.

If you test with emergency braking, then there is no doubt that winter tires are not practical to use 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.

Reviews

Many motorists point out another important factor in the differences between summer and winter tires - service life. The main difference between rubber for winter is the significantly greater wear resistance of winter tires, drivers say. Summer tires have a significantly lower lifespan. After all, manufacturers make rubber that has less wear resistance. Drivers, judging by the reviews, change summer tires about three times more often than winter ones.

Visual differences

Here's another way to distinguish winter tires from summer tires - this is the type of tire. On winter tires, the tread has a greater depth - in winter, precipitation, rain, and snow are frequent. Such a deep tread pattern makes grip much better. Winter tires often have studs on them to make it easier to steer in icy conditions.

Drivers also agree that winter tires can have a large number of slots. On Scandinavian tires, as motorists note, you can see more rhombuses arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

Marking of winter summer and all season tires

Winter tire should be identified as followssymbols: M+S, M&S, MS. This marking is most often found on the side of the wheel. But when choosing, you need to carefully examine the tire: often such designations can also be found on summer tires. In addition, on winter tires you can find the Mud + Snow, Winter markings. Also, a snowflake-shaped element is necessarily applied to the winter wheel.

If it was not possible to find these symbols, and only an element in the form of a sun is applied to the wheel, then this is definitely summer tires. Such designations are used for those who do not know how to distinguish winter car tires from summer ones. An all-season tire is referred to in most cases as All Seasons.

Thus, novice motorists will be able to distinguish tires without any problems. Knowing a few differences, it is not difficult to understand how to distinguish winter tires from summer tires.