Can You Use Winter Tires All Year? [Basic Facts to Know]

Winter tires are the best tires to use in winter weather. They are specifically designed for that season.

But if the winter tires have been strong in cold seasons, can I use them all the time? Will they be good enough for other seasons of the year?

The bad thing is you cannot use winter tires all year round. It is not recommended.

You are compromising the performance of your vehicle on the road when you do this. You will end up spending money.

You must understand the reason why there are tires specifically made for every season. This way, you can realize that winter tires are only meant for the winter season.

If you want to know more about this topic, you can watch the following video:

YouTube video

What is a Winter Tire?

Winter tires can be studless or studded. Both can keep traction in cold weather.

The tires can maintain their grip on an icy and snowy road. The materials of the tires can be always soft which enables them to be more flexible.

Thus, they can withstand the road during the winter seasons. They have specialized tread designs that are specifically made for this season.

Consider this analogy, tennis shoes are not good for the beach. Flip-flops are.

So are boots for snow. So, you must know that winter tires are good for the winter season.

They are specifically made to survive the winter seasons.

Why You Should Not Use Winter Tires All Year?

Winter tires can maintain their flexibility in freezing temperatures. Some models have metal studs that keep a close grip on the road.

Read More:  How To Delete O2 Sensors From ECM: Potential Risks And Benefits

Winter tires have features that are great for treading snow. But why can’t we use winter tires all year?

Why You Should Not Use Winter Tires All Year

Here are the following reasons:

1. Tires Will Wear Quickly

Winter tires can give you good traction in cold months. But when heat comes, the tread will wear down quicker.

2. Spending More Money

Using the winter tires all year can make the tread of your tires wear faster. When this happens, you need to replace your tires.

This will cost you some money. So, it is better to keep the winter tires for some time and use them only in the winter seasons.

By doing this, you will not have to buy a new set of tires every time.

3. Winter Tires are Designed for Low Speed

Winter tires are suitable for winter seasons where you can drive at low speed. They are designed this way.

So, you must know that they cannot give you a good drive if you are about to drive at 66 mph. Your tires may not be responsive enough.

4. Dissatisfaction on Performance

You will not have the performance that you need if you will use winter tires in other seasons. It just does not fit.

You can have bad handling on your vehicle if you will use them in other weather conditions. You can compromise your safety on the road.

5. Poor Traction

Winter tires cannot give much traction in other weather conditions. This can give you a huge safety risk.

This is because if you use winter tires in summer, you will not have enough tread when you use them in winter. You can have possible accidents because of this.

Read More:  Top 5 Auto Repair Shops in Houston, Texas in 2023

You can also compromise the acceleration and braking of your vehicle. The rubber compound of winter tires is not as good as the rubber compound of all-season tires.

6. Swapping Tires Can Be Easy

Swapping your winter tires with all-season tires will be easy. You do not have to put in a lot of effort.

You do not have to spend a lot of money. There are even auto shop centers that can do it for free.

If you want, they can even store your tires for the next winter season.

Things That You Need to Know About Winter Tires

Winter tires are safer to use in the winter season. Some auto shops may even offer easy access to winter tires.

But before mounting your winter tires, you may need to know some interesting things about them. Consider the following:

Winter Tires are Not Just Helpful in Snow

Winter tires are not only good in snow. They can also do great in icy and slushy conditions.

Winter Tires are the Safest to Use in Winter Seasons

Just like the name suggests, winter tires will be the best for the winter season. You may think that all-season tires can be enough.

But this is not true. You need specialized tires that are specifically designed for the winter season.

With winter tires, you can have the perfect driving that you need. You can ensure safety on the road.

You Need Winter Tires When the Temperature Drops at 7℃

Cars cannot adapt to extremely cold weather. It needs a specialized tire that can handle extremely low temperatures.

All-season tires can become stiff because of low temperatures. You will have less traction and it will be harder for you to take brakes.

Read More:  Are All Spark Plugs the Same Size?

But winter tires are made so that you can maintain your grip on the road in icy conditions. Thus, you can avoid accidents.

Winter Tires Need Regular Checking

You need to check the tire pressure when you are driving on winter tires. It is because cold weather can lessen the pressure.

Have a tool that can check the tire pressure regularly. When the temperature becomes 6℃, the tire pressure can become 1 psi.

Remember that you should maintain a 30 – 35 psi tire pressure.

If you want to know how to check the tire pressure in winter, you can watch the following video:

YouTube video

FAQs

Why Should We Not Use Winter Tires in Summer?

The soft tread of winter tires is good for winter. But it will not be good in summer when a high amount of heat will be generated on the tires.

Because the tires become too warm, it will become unstable to drive. It will be difficult to steer the tires.

Here are other reasons why you should not use winter tires in summer:

  • Winter tires are only made for icy conditions.
  • Tires wear down easily in hot weather.
  • Winter tires are not like all-weather tires.

How Fast Can I Drive on Winter Tires?

Do not drive more than the speed of 75 mph. This is the recommended speed because as tires grip on icy conditions, great speed can damage them.

Here are the tips that you can use in driving on winter tires:

  • Keep the recommended tire pressure.
  • Use a specific size of winter tires.
  • If the tread is below 4 mm, you should replace your tires.
  • Do not mix winter tires with all-season tires.
  • Have an expert replace your winter tires.
  • Make all your four tires winter tires.
Read More:  How To Destroy An Engine Without Evidence [3 Simple Methods]

Can I Drive on Winter Tires in Summer?

Driving on winter tires in summer can make the tread wear so easily. The heat can be a source of a blowout.

You can also have the danger of hydroplaning. Winter tires do not have a good grip in hot weather.

What Temperature is Too Hot for Winter Tires?

Do not drive above 45 degrees Fahrenheit or 7 degrees Celsius. Driving above this temperature will destroy the tires and can make them wear faster.

Is More Gas Used in Winter Tires?

No, less energy is used on winter tires. It is because of their hydrophilic rubber material.

This material is designed to make the tire to be always soft in cold temperatures, using only a low amount of fuel as you drive on the road. The tires also have special grooves that keep their grip on the road.

How Long Will Winter Tires Last in Summer?

Winter tires can last for about 30,000 miles in summer. The length will depend upon driving conditions and the type of vehicle.

They cannot last for long because the tires wear 60% faster due to the heat in summer. This denotes that tire life decreases by about 12,000 miles.

Can You Drive in 70 Degree Weather on Winter Tires?

You should remove your winter tires when spring comes. You cannot drive on winter tires in temperatures over 45 – 50 degrees.

The tread will not be firm enough to have the right traction.

When Should You Remove Winter Tires?

Once winter is over in your place, you should remove your winter tires. They are not suitable for the next season.

Read More:  How To Drain Windshield Washer Fluid in Quicky Easy Steps

You may not predict when a snowstorm will come. But when the temperature is consistently above 40℉, you do not have to worry about a snowstorm that can still happen.

How Much Should I Inflate My Tires in Winter?

You should inflate your tires with a tire pressure of 30 – 35 PSI. This will enable your vehicle to run comfortably in snow-covered places.

You can have the risk of hydroplaning if the tire pressure of your tires will be too low. You will lose control of your vehicle.

So, inflate your tires properly.

For How Long Will the Winter Tires Last?

Manufacturers advise us that winter tires can last for six seasons. But some say that they can last up to 10 seasons of winter.

But you can predict that in six years, the tread of the tires will already be worn.

Leave a Comment