In our last blog, we discussed the importance of winter tires and how essential it is to replace all four tires at once. In today’s blog, we’re going to answer a few more questions for you!
Why is it so important to get four winter tires?
In our last blog, we talked about how a vehicle with multiple types of tires is the worst thing you can have. Why? Because without consistent tires, your car won’t have traction. Many people think that you can add two winter tires, and that will boost your traction enough for winter. Unfortunately, this isn’t true. It used to be, though! The only difference between winter and summer tires used to be the tread design. Nowadays, winter tires don’t just feature different designs; they are made of different compounds that allow them to stay more pliable in cold temperatures. This means that having different types of tires on your car will create a traction imbalance that is very dangerous.
My vehicle has traction control. Do I still need to buy winter tires?
Absolutely. Though traction control prevents wheel spin to optimize your traction in slick conditions, it can’t do much for you if the tires can’t grip anything. Your traction control system needs four contact patches in order to work. The better tires you have, the better those four contact patches will be and the better traction you will have.
I have ABS brakes. Do I need winter tires?
Yes, you do. ABS protects your wheels from locking up by pulsing them. If your tires won’t grip anything, the ABS system isn’t worth as much. Make sure your car is making good contact with the road.
At the end of the day, traction control and ABS brakes don’t replace four good winter tires. Let the experts and Loveland Tire and Service equip you for winter!
