It amazes many who live in warmer climes that those up north regularly as a matter of course as a vehicle owner have to get their “car ready for winter”. Many think its simply a matter of checking your antifreeze coolant levels in their radiators , making sure that that windshield washer antifreeze is good for 40 below zero , that their batteries hold a good charge ready to start their vehicles on the coldest January Northern Alberta night and lastly that their interior heaters work “just right”. Few think of their tires when it comes to the pre-winter seasonal tune ups at their local garage or auto dealership.
Some people and authorities will hold that all season year round radial tires are “just fine”. Others will say not and that you need a distinct set of tires for the winter-time season , these are referred to as “Snow Tires”. To the greatest extent it depends on what geographic areas that you live in and traverse, your climate and your driving habits and trips. You may have roadside assistance offered as part of a package from your new or used car dealer that you purchased your auto , tires or battery from , but why take the chance of inconvenience and delay ?
You may well have heard the click click click sound of studded snow tires emanating from a passing vehicle. Studded tires ones with tungsten , carbide or ceramic studs buried in the tyre treads perform well on packed snow or ice, almost as well as winter-time snow “chains” However due to the damage done to highways and roadways not all states allow the use of wintertime studs. At last count for the 2009 / 10 winter season fully 36 out of the 50 states allow these traction devices – within seasonal time of year , geographic with some provisos on modifications of the devices. Six states (Colorado, Kentucky, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Vermont, and Wyoming) allow virtually unrestricted use of studded tires on state roads and highways. Lastly there are seven states , mainly in warm southern climes, who distinctly prohibit their use. Think again if you are going to traverse the United States highway beltway system, from home in Northern or Edmonton Alberta escaping Jack Frost for a well earned Christmas break vacation in Florida or Texas, and driving safely over ice with studded tires. Take the time and expense to switch back to your all season or even summer set of radial tires yet you have nice discussion and highway traffic fine from a friendly state trooper just waiting there for you.
In terms of tire” studs” as mentioned earlier that due to their destructive affect on highways and roads many locales do not allow the use of studs or “studded wintertime tires” on their roadways. Note though that if allowed in your driving areas – that on both packed snow and ice these devices work very well at reducing stopping distances.
In terms of tire chains the experts state that all considered that the welded lug types are the best type to purchase and choose if you do install and use the chains often. This can well be the case if you live in an area of the Rocky Mountains or are planning a ski trip to Banff , Lake Louise or Montana. Consider also the the overall convenience to motorists of chains involved for simple , simpler and easy to install alternate models, These models are a very good choice for the driving demands of many drivers and motorists that can easily and simply be installed without jacking up or moving your vehicle – be it truck, car or S.U.V..
Wintertime Dodge Ram Truck Winter Tires Studs ChainsEdmonton and Winnipeg Used Auto Info
