Signs You Need New Winter Tires

Winter tires are a tricky subject. Their tread starts at the same level as a regular all season tire, but they lose their winter traction and are more vulnerable to the external elements affecting them. As a result, it is important to keep an eye on your winter tires to notice any issues on time.

To prevent your tires from giving out during the drive, you need to regularly check them. Most importantly you need to inspect your old set thoroughly before you mount them on your vehicle.

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Tread Depth

Winter tires need deeper treads to perform safely. Most manufacturers suggest changing winter tires once they reach 4/32nds of an inch of tread depth. Why is this an issue?

The deeper tread enables the winter tires to enhance their performance. They increase the model’s traction when driving through snow and on snow-covered road surfaces. If the tire has a shallow tread, it will be unable to firmly grip the driving surface, which can cause dangerous consequences.

As a result, it is important to frequently check your tires. This can be done with a penny test or with a tread gauge – which is more accurate than a penny. If all else fails, you can look at the tire’s tread wear indicator bars that show the minimum amount of tread required for the tire to maintain its traction. However, keep in mind that these bars are usually at 2/32nds of an inch, which is a bit low for winter tires.

Modern tire designs tend to incorporate tread wear indicators into the tread pattern. These indicators visually represent the tread wear left on the tires and they make checking the tread depth quicker and easier. Most of the models made by General are equipped with tread wear indicators.

Tread Design

The wear of a tire slowly changes the tire’s tread pattern as well. This is especially true for winter tires. The tread pattern of tire models which do not feature full-depth siping details, becomes smoother with wear. This means that the siping pattern disappears with the tread wear which dampens the tire’s grip on the road surface.

Winter tires need their siping design to ensure a safer driving experience. These high-density and delicate sipes on their treads enhance their grip on the ice- and snow-covered road surfaces, by increasing the number of biting edges gripping the road surface while the tires are in motion.

Older tires do not feature the detailed siping pattern that newer tires do and, unfortunately, as a result, they are unable to provide the same traction as new tires.

Tire Damage

With age and exposure to the environment, tires can develop tiny cracks along its tread and sidewall area. Dry rot affects most older and used tires when they near the end of their usability. It develops due to the weather affecting the tire during its exposure to sunlight.

The issue with dry rot is that it can easily cause damage to the tires. They start as small cracks that can easily develop into larger issues which will cause tire defect.

Another issue which can arise are bulges and blisters along the tire. These can mean that either the tread is damages or that the tire has an internal, constructional damage. This kind of damage can lead to bubbles forming along the sidewalls or, potentially, to the tire’s blowout.

If you notice any of these on your old set, consider purchasing new or newer tires to prevent any type of damage which may lead to accidents.

Vibrations

Road vibrations are part of everyday driving. However, when you notice any difference in the severity of the vibrations, it's time to get your vehicle checked.

When we consider vibrations, the issue is not always the tire. The vehicle’s incorrect alignment or unbalanced tires can be a cause as well. The problem is that leaving the vehicle to experience these vibrations will cause damage to the tires. It can damage its tread area or internal structure, which will cause tire failure quickly.

Higher levels of vibrations are never a good sign, and in most cases the problem will be fixable.