Choosing winter tires: getting serious

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Periodically, every motorist faces the question of replacing summer tires with winter ones, and vice versa. It is impossible not to change them, since this threatens not only with a serious fine, but also with an accident. The task of choosing winter tires should be approached especially seriously and remember some subtleties that must be considered at the time of purchase. First of all, you need to be interested in the expiration date of tires. Basically, it does not exceed five years. So always look at the date the tire was made. This is especially true when you buy tires

in the market, not in the company store. The release date is easy to find. Usually it, like other parameters, is set directly on the bus itself. The date looks like four digits. For example, 3610, which means that this tire was produced in the 36th week of 2010.

Let's consider how to choose the right rubber, taking into account its wear resistance. Look for the word Treadwear on the tire and the number next to it. This will be the ratiowear resistance, and the higher it is, the longer the rubber will last you. The base coefficient is 100 units, which are equal to 48 thousand kilometers. Therefore, if Treadwear is next to 400 (this indicator is the most common), this means that the tire will be able to run 192 thousand kilometers. Of course, this all takes into account only ideal operating conditions. But, in any case, if you stop the choice of winter tires on the one that has a coefficient of 100, then this tire will last you no more than one season. The higher the indicator, the more seasons the tire will last.

Another fairly important indicator is the speed index. If you have kept the instruction manual for the car, then in it you can find information about the required tire index. It is usually denoted by Latin letters from H to Z. Each letter means a certain speed, above which you should not go, in order to avoid loss of grip with the road surface and, as a result, an accident. Therefore, when choosing winter tires, take into account the following table:

Index	N	P	Q	R	S	T	U	H	V	W	Y	ZR
km/h	140	150	160	170	180	190	200	210	240	270	300	More than 240

It is equally important to take into account the indexload, that is, the largest specific weight of the machine that one wheel can withstand. On tires, it is indicated by numbers from 60 to 130. The higher the index, the less elastic the rubber is, and its carcass is thicker. Because of this, driving a car may not be very comfortable, and the suspension can wear out quickly.

Studying reviews of winter tires, a kind of rating of the best tires, from the point of view of domestic motorists, was compiled. So, in the winter of 2012-13, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 SUV and Nokian Nordman 4 tires received the most votes. differ from ours, and this allows you to keep the rubber in perfect condition. This condition is so ideal that tires that were in "European" use are sold in the markets of our country and Russian motorists also have time to ride. In any case, the choice of winter tires is a purely personal matter, but we hope that the above information will help you purchase what you need.