Amy’s Garage

by Amy Mattinat

Winter Is Coming!

The weather service is calling for 7″ of snow tonight. They will probably be wrong par usual, but my shop’s phone is ringing off the wall with folks who want to make an appointment to get snow tires on their cars.

Do you really need snow tires? My simplified answer is: the best all-season tire is not as good as a cheap winter tire!

In reality it all depends on where you live and your driving habits. In Vermont, winter lasts approximately six months of the year. Seriously, anytime from the end of October to mid April, Vermont can get a huge dumping of snow.

A picture of my Honda CRV last April with my Polish snowplow.

Winter tires are cheap compared to repairing or replacing your car if you go off the road and slide into a ditch, tree, road sign or another car. This happens to at least two customers per year who tell me that “all-season tires have always worked just fine for me.”

ABS, traction control and 4-wheel drive all help give you more control when driving and braking on a snowy road, But remember…. the only part of your car that touches the ground is the tire.

The compounds that make up a tire vary quite a bit depending on what the intented purpose the tires will be used for. In general, summer tires are made to last long, all-season tires are compromised to accommodate summer and mild winter conditions, and winter tires are made to handle snow and cold temperatures.

Winter tires are made up of softer rubber compounds then summer or all-season tires. The tread blocks of winter tires dig into the snow and the sipes (or slits) bite and grip the snow for traction. Winter tires also have a ’self cleaning tread design”. So when your tires roll on the snow, they will use the snow for traction and then release the trapped snow, grip again, release agin, etc.

Always put on 4 winter tires.

Running 2 winter tires in the front and 2 all season tires in the back is like wearing snow boots on one foot and a sneaker on the other.

What brand of winter tires do you use?

Hydroplaning occurs when a vehicle is riding on a layer of water instead of the road. This can occur when going through a deep puddle or driving through a big rain storm. The vehicle can loose traction and have trouble steering, braking and accelerating.

When there is a lot of water on the road you should be Slow Down! Think of how you drive on an icy road and you’ll know just what to do!

If your vehicle starts to hydroplane Do Not slam on the brakes. Take your foot off the gas to slow down.

• If you need to brake and you have No-ABS Brakes (anti-lock brakes):lightly pump the brakes until you slow down.

• If you do have ABS Brakes, then brake normally and your car will automatically pump the brakes for you.

Don’t take any sharp corners either. Try and drive slow and steady until you can feel your tires grip the road again. Remember your tires have no contact with the road when hydroplaning, so if you start over-steering you could end up off the the road.

Good tires are key to safe driving in the rain. The water on the road needs to go somewhere and tires with good tread will channel the water under the tire so it can grip the road. Less Tread = more chance of hydroplaning.

Increase the distance between you and vehicle in front of you. This gives you more time and distance to stop your car if the vehicle in front of you spins out of control or stops suddenly.

by Amy Mattinat

Have you ever experienced driving a Hydroplaning Vehicle?

The tires on your car are soooo important!

If you really think about it your tires are the only parts of the car that physically touch the ground. For that reason, the tires are an essential factor affecting your vehicle’s handling while driving , and stopping while braking.

Here are 5 Unseen Dangers of Worn Tire:

1. Heat Build Up:

Worn tire tread increases heat build-up. As the distance between the tire and the road decreases due to less tread on the tire, less airflow is available between the road and the tire. Heat is an enemy of tire rubber and a major factor in tire failure.

2. Puncture:

Tire tread protects the tire casing from punctures. The more worn out the tread is, the greater chance for a tire blowout due to puncture.

3. Hydroplaning:

Worn tire tread are more likely to hydroplane. Hydroplaning occurs when water on the road comes between the tire and the road and a vehicle looses traction and can have trouble steering, braking and accelerating.

4. Balance & Alignment:

If the tire is out of balance or the vehicle is out of alignment the tire will wear unevenly. If it is wearing on the inside of the tire, this can easily go unnoticed by most drivers.

5. Underinflation:

Tires with worn tread are more likely to be seriously underinflated and underinflated tires will wear out faster then properly inflated tires.

What Kind Of Shape Are Your Tires In?