Winter tires may have a different tread pattern. In Russia, tires are more popular, which can be called winter off-road tires. These are tires with a large tread pattern. Often, the pattern of these tires is a herringbone, but not necessary. A car with such wheels will grip the snow tightly. Therefore, you will not get stuck in the parking lot and successfully overcome the road that you did not have time or did not want to clear of snow. If the tires are spiked, then ice is not a problem for you. Soft rubber and multiple sipes improve traction on all surfaces.
The disadvantage of these tires is their behavior on clean asphalt. A large protector is sure to make noise. The spikes also add their own noise. Moreover, both domestic tires and famous brands are noisy. Expensive and hyped up Nokia tires are considered noisy. But as soon as the snow falls and the noise dies down, and excellent grip remains with the road. Steel spikes are believed to impair braking on asphalt. Of course, they worsen, but the grip on ice will be even worse. November is not the best month to buy tires: the demand is huge, there is no more choice in stores. If you want to save money, winter tires are worth buying in September, October or March, April.
Off-road tires designed for driving on mud. These are tires with a large pattern. The large tread allows these tires to grip well on soft ground and mud. At the same time, the tires themselves are self-cleaning from dirt. On a paved road in warm weather, off-road tires also allow you to ride. But we have to admit that such tires will not give additional grip on hard surfaces, but they will certainly make noise.
Is it possible to ride off-road tires in the snow in winter? Sure! A large tread will cling well to loose or compacted snow. The permeability of such tires, on a forest or country road, will be even better than that of winter tires.
But everything changes if you go out on ice. Off-road tires are summer tires. Their rubber will harden in winter. There are no small soft lamellas on these wheels either. For driving on ice, SUV tires are no better than summer city tires.
However, many SUV owners are convinced that they do not need special winter tires. What's the matter here? This opinion is based on experience. Even in winter, you have to drive around the city mainly on hard asphalt. Any tires are suitable for this coating. When city roads are covered with snow, of course, off-road tires will have an edge. There remain such insidious types of road surface as ice and snow on ice. We have to admit honestly, no spikes give a guarantee on such coverage. Off-road tires will slide on this surface. But we don't need tires by themselves, the tires included with the car are important. A four-wheel drive gives the car stability even when braking. It turns out that a car with four-wheel drive and off-road tires is unlikely to be inferior in handling to a front-wheel drive car with winter studded tires.
So should you change your off-road tires for winter ones? If your safety is dear to you, and you mainly drive around the city, then yes, you should. But if you drive summer off-road tires, all-wheel drive and ABS in winter, you will find yourself safer than a front- or rear-wheel drive driver on summer city wheels.
Good luck on the road!
Do you know how motorists differ from utility workers? For the former, winter does not come Unexpectedly.
Most drivers are so used to their cars that they drive them all year round. Therefore, they "change their shoes" not at minus 20, but when the first morning frost appears on the asphalt. However, for this you need to have a set of winter tires. It is more difficult for the owners of jeeps, because these cars are a special caste.
1 are they needed?
A large and strong car gives the driver confidence. The main thing is to make sure that it does not develop into SELF-confidence. Namely, this often happens to the owners of jeeps.
There are still drivers who DO NOT “OVERWEAR” such cars for the winter. They say that an SUV itself is heavy, plus four-wheel drive - it will get out of any snowdrift. You can't argue with that - he will get out, but is that the only thing? Winter tires for SUVs are, first of all, safety on the roads, and only then the ability to cope with snowdrifts.
It turns out that drivers do not change tires because of their confidence in their car? Not really.
Manufacturers often include all-season tires in their SUV kit. This is a great reason not to buy winter tires for SUVs, but to ride the same tires all year round. Of course, this option has the right to life - it all depends on the specific operating conditions. vehicle.
But generally speaking, all season tires is like a universal footballer. It seems to be able to play in any position, but weaker than those who have a narrow specialization.
So are all-season tires: worse than summer tires in the warm season and inferior to winter tires in the cold season.
Although, again, it is worth noting that much depends on the region and the severity of winter.
In addition, winter tires have a unique composition with special additives that make the rubber soft, and therefore the car is more stable on the road. Summer tires will simply freeze, becoming solid with all the ensuing consequences.
2 Studded tires for off-road vehicles: Yes and no
Of course, in the conditions of the Russian winter, studded tires for SUVs look preferable. But there are some nuances.
Pluses of thorns:
- Excellent grip on ice and snow "porridge"
- High directional stability
- Reduced acceleration time (approximately 10% faster than non-studded counterparts)
- Shortened braking distance.
That sounds good. But! If suddenly at the end of January the utilities gather their thoughts and clear the canvas, then all the pluses of studded rubber turn into minuses.
Due to the studs, the contact area of the wheels with the asphalt decreases, therefore the braking distance increases and the stability of the car decreases. And the studded tire itself wears out quickly in case of prolonged contact with the asphalt, which it also destroys. Therefore, if the path of an SUV in winter is standard (home-work-home) and the car drives on the roads of the metropolis, the authorities of which monitor the timely removal of snow, then studded winter tires should not be recommended.
Some car enthusiasts act cunningly: they call in to the tire service, where they "solder" spikes into the all-season tires. Yes, there is such a method. True, in most cases, the thorns fall off in best case a week later. You need to be confident in the tire service personnel to carry out such an operation. But even so - to be the owner of a massive SUV and save on buying normal studded wheels ... Somehow it is not solid.
If you still dwell on this option, then reviews of tires for SUVs show the popularity of oval studs. Drivers and experts alike find them ideal.
By the way, there is one more precedent. In European countries (except for the Scandinavian region) studded tires are prohibited. This should be taken into account by those who like to travel in winter by jeep.
Taking into account the cataclysms that have been tearing Europe apart in recent years, it may be that something will change, but so far the ban is in force.
3 Winter tires for jeeps: distinctive features
In general, all winter tires are characterized by a tread pattern. It is European and Scandinavian. Interestingly, SUV tires have their own special pattern. It features free-standing rectangular or diamond-shaped elements.
So, here are the parameters by which you need to buy tires for SUVs:
- 1
Tread width. In the dimension marking, this is the first number. The lower this parameter for the selected SUV tires, the better;
- 2
Profile (height). The second number in the marking. The dependence is inverse - the higher the priority. This parameter shows how the car will feel on a snowy road or a canvas consisting of water and snow. On low-profile tires, it is easier to get out of snow blockages without damaging the tires;
- 3
Loading capacity index. Are the tires suitable for size, quality, price, etc.? Don't be in a hurry. A parameter such as a lifting capacity index requires attention. In no case should it be lower than that recommended by the manufacturer. Otherwise, the tires may collapse, affecting safety.
How to choose winter tires
for SUVs?
- 1
It is necessary to cooperate only with professionals. Otherwise, they can advise this ... There were situations when spikes were installed on summer wheels.
- 2
- 3
During the seasonal tire change dealerships Continental is frequently asked questions from SUV drivers about how much it is necessary to change their cars for the winter. Continental experts answered the top basic questions about 4WD.
Does it matter what kind of drive your car has? Do I need to change shoes, for example, crossovers and 4x4 SUVs?
- It should be understood that all the drive wheels have a positive effect only on acceleration and controllability, there are no differences from a mono-drive in braking. According to the laws of physics, all other things being equal, an all-wheel drive car slows down worse, since due to the transmission and reinforced structure, its weight is noticeably higher than a mono-drive analogue. A winter road requires winter tires on all vehicles, even off-road vehicles. It is at this time of the year that you can fully enjoy the advantages of a 4X4 car - after all, it has an increased level of cross-country ability on abundant freshly fallen snow. Take care of buying quality winter tires on time, because your safety directly depends on it.
Are there any differences between winter crossover tires and other tires?
- Typically, SUV tires have an SUV designation on the sidewall. In addition, this rubber has an increased load index, which allows it to cope with the significant weight of an all-wheel drive vehicle. These indicators are achieved by certain design features, namely an additional layer of cord, as well as some changes in the composition of the rubber compound. In tires for SUVs, there is a clear adaptation of the tread pattern to a specific size, which allows you to maximize the character of the car. High-quality winter tires for SUVs contribute to an increased level of cross-country ability in deep snow, better maneuverability and controllability on snowy or wet roads, as well as increased stability during emergency braking and cornering.
From the Continental tire range, we recommend IceContact 2 SUV studded tires and ContiVikingContact 6 SUV Velcro. The studded model uses an innovative new way studings. The spike is covered with a special adhesive compound, which, upon repeated vulcanization, is sintered with rubber, after which the force to extract the spike is 5 times greater than that of its counterparts. These tires have high grip and are simply made for active riding on icy and snowy roads. I would also like to note that, despite the spikes, the tire is very quiet and meets all European standards.
For those who prefer versatility and drive mostly on well-cleaned winter roads, the ContiVikingContact 6 SUV Velcro is the perfect choice. With maximum component efficiency and a three-section tread, the tire offers improved performance on snow, ice and dry roads.
What are the features of changing tires on four-wheel drive vehicles?
- All tires must be of the same model and from the same manufacturer, otherwise skidding may occur. When changing shoes, in addition to balancing and overboarding, we recommend immediately doing similar camber.
If you are only choosing tires, then pay attention to where in most cases you travel and on which road: city or country, clean asphalt or ice.
By the way, Continental provides an extended warranty for tires, a kind of free CASCO, so that if they are damaged, the company will replace or repair them free of charge.
Before deciding on the choice of tires and the location of the tire fitting service, we recommend that you carefully evaluate all aspects, including the quality of tires, additional promotions, the availability of an extended warranty, and others.
SUVs are one of the most popular vehicles, largely due to the mythical heightened safety of driving them in winter conditions. Freshly baked jeep owners naively believe that they are equipped with all-season tires that can be ridden both in winter and in summer. However, the similarity of the tread pattern of SUVs with universal tires is misleading and often causes accidents on the roads during the winter season.
Winter tires for an SUV are even more necessary than for a regular sedan. This is true even when it comes to a 4x4 wheel arrangement. There is a misconception that 4WD SUVs are safer and more adaptable to winter conditions than front- or rear-wheel drive. However, in fact, this is a big misconception. 4 wheel drive cars only accelerate faster, but their braking distance is the same as that of conventional mono-drive models. Therefore, the increased safety of jeeps in winter is a myth, and nothing more. And such cars need to be shod with special care. Reviews of studded tires from different manufacturers allow you to navigate the sea of rubber for SUVs and other types of cars. For SUVs, it is best to choose tires with an aggressive deep tread pattern and pronounced spikes that improve traction. Reviews about car batteries help to choose them taking into account the peculiarities of operating conditions, and with tires everything is exactly the same: reviews about tires for SUVs posted by different car owners allow you to make the right choice for a particular region with its unique climatic conditions.
Owners of SUVs in winter need to be especially careful and change their summer driving style to winter. Driving speed in winter should be at least 20% lower than in summer. You also need to maintain a large distance between the jeep and the vehicles in front so that there is enough room for maneuvering or emergency braking. Most SUVs are characterized by high ground clearance, which in winter does not play into the hands of drivers. The fact is that cars with large ground clearance cannot boast of stability on the road, and this increases the risk of getting into a traffic accident. SUVs have one common problem - windage and poor aerodynamics. Under difficult road and weather conditions, this may well become the cause of an accident, since an unstable car with poor aerodynamics on slippery road- a source of danger not only for the driver and passengers of this vehicle, but also for other road users.
The ideal element for an SUV is sections of the track with loose, uncleared snow, but in urban conditions one usually has to deal with a different situation, namely, rolling snow and ice. And in such conditions, SUV drivers need to be doubly careful and more careful than the owners of ordinary sedans. And it is very important to choose good winter tires, since the comfort and safety of driving a jeep in winter depends on this. It is generally accepted that since SUVs are quite heavy vehicles, this plays into the hands of the grip. Yes, indeed, the force of gravity makes itself felt. However, there is also a downside to the coin, namely, increased inertia. All other things being equal, a massive SUV will carry by inertia on an icy track one and a half times longer and farther than a less heavy sedan. That is why high-quality studded winter tires with a deep tread and enhanced anti-slip properties are indispensable. They provide the necessary comfort, a sense of security and good handling of the jeep on a slippery road.
Of course, cars in the SUV segment are exposed to much more intense mechanical stress than conventional cars. Especially if you regularly have to drive on a snowy and icy roadway. But even specialized specialists will not be able to give you an unambiguous answer to the question: which is better. The fact is that the best grip on the coating is due not only to the presence of "thorns", their number and arrangement along the rim, but also to others. The composition of the rubber compound and its resistance to temperature changes also play a key role. After all, if the tire hardens in the cold, it will lose its tenacity properties and will be useless when maneuvering. Among other things, the tread pattern and special moisture-cleaning grooves are of particular importance, which, in fact, provide information content of the steering, minimizing the deviation of the chassis from the trajectory. Therefore, even if you have to drive strictly through snowdrifts, crust and ice crust, it is not a fact that thorns will always help.
As you know, "thorns" make the tire heavier, and with aggressive "pedaling" they can easily bury the wheels in the snow, putting the car on its belly. But what can I say - in the absence of experience, they will not save in a skid, sending a hefty car to. We are not talking about the increased noise level, which almost all studded tires sin. No, of course, this does not mean that Velcro is clearly in a winning position, but in some cases it may be more effective.
Moreover, tire technology does not stand still and with each new model... Remember what rubber was 7-10 years ago, and what, if you compare it with products that left the market, it has become now - these are completely different products. Simply put: heaven and earth. Indeed, the developers systematically carry out comprehensive tests, laboratory studies and other checks. As a result, today we get tires that can not only significantly shorten the braking distance or pull a car out of the snow captivity, but also significantly. One of these novelties, by the way, was boasted by Japanese engineers by launching specially modeled winter tires for crossovers and SUVs. This is a non-studded model, the main feature of which is the special composition of the rubber compound. Using the Multi-Cell Compound technology, the Japanese have created a rubber with a hydrophilic coating that has absorbent properties and microscopic pores that effectively absorb moisture from the contact patch (be it snow, ice chips or water film). Of course, not the least important are the micro-grooves, which contribute to the rapid drainage of water.
Special attention should be paid to the directional tread pattern and three-dimensional sipes, which together provide the most rigid adhesion to the surface and, as practice has shown, more than. Taking into account the fact that SUVs are subject to serious dynamic loads and fluctuations in their service life, specialists have designed the shoulder blocks of the tire so that they evenly distribute pressure and weight, they maintain an ideal gap between the sipes. Simply put, they contributed to the most effective removal of snow-ice porridge. And additional ones guarantee the smallest cavities in the lamellas and a large number of bridges. In general, frictional Bridgestone tires The Blizzak DM-V2, which has demonstrated excellent driving performance in multiple consumer tests, is
