Tag: Winter Tyres

Summer and winter tyres are the best combination for all year safety

The best way to battle the challenge of changing weather between the seasons is to have two sets of tyres and change tyres between the summer and the winter season. This will allow you to have the best tyres for each season and the best safety and performance from the tyres. It is always difficult to design a tyre that can manage such a big difference in conditions.   This is why you will need to change the tyres. During the summer you will need a much different tyre, a tyre that is performing well on dry and wet asphalt and can manage high speeds and have good cornering properties. The tyre should also have good properties for preventing aquaplaning.

A summer tyre would perform very poorly in cold and winter conditions as the rubber compound used in summer tyres is optimized for warm temperatures. This means that at low temperatures, the rubber would become very hard and would not be able to provide the necessary grip required during the winter. This is why you would need to change tyres to a set of winter tyres. Winter tyres have a completely different rubber composition. The composition is optimized for cold weathers, so that they will stay soft and able to comply with the road surface for optimal grip.

With winter tyres you can also choose if you want to have studded or non-studded tyres. The studded have metal studs protruding from the tread to ensure good grip. This will be the best option for icy surfaces. For the non-studded tyres, they use a unique tread design to create the grip on ice, which give you still good grip, but not as good as with the steep studs. When it comes to snow, both these tyres will perform good, except on tightly packed snow, which becomes almost like ice and here again the studded will be better.

This is the best option for making sure that you will stay safe all year round. The main challenge will be when to actually make the change. With studded tyres you often have restriction on the period that they can be used, but you want to make sure that you have them mounted on your car before the winter weather arrives, as it is not safe to drive without them on your car.

For more info regarding summer and winter tyres, visit: www.nokiantyres.com

Best ways to select the best SUVs tyres for you

Do you need to have SUV summer tires, SUV winter tyres or SUV all-weather tires? In some cases you can manage with an SUV all-weather tyre for all year round use.

Do you need to have aramid-reinforced sidewalls of the tyres?  This is great to protect your tyres from sharp rocks when driving off-road, but they also protect your tyres from hitting curbs in city driving, so it can be useful to have even when you are not off-road.

For more information regarding SUV tyre selection, visit: https://www.nokiantires.com/

Do I need special tyres for my electrical car?

Electrical cars and hybrid cars are heavier than normal passenger cars due to the battery packs. This is why it is advisable to use tyres that indicate that they can be used on electrical cars. These tyres can handle the extra load, have a low rolling resistance and are wear resistant so they don’t wear out prematurely. Electric cars accelerate faster and steer more precisely so you will need a high quality tyre that can accentuate these features.

As electrical cars have instant high torque, the stress can be higher on the tyres. That’s why you should rotate the tyres more often than you might be used to. Rotation intervals should be around 5000-8000km to ensure even wear and that the tyres don’t wear out too quickly. You can increase the lifetime of the tyres by rotating them.

Due to the fact that electric or hybrid cars are heavier than normal cars, the tyre pressure becomes even more important to check and assure that it is correct. Low tyre pressure will cause your tyres to wear out faster than expected and also the rolling resistance will increase, so that you will get les distance out of a full charge.

Checking the tyres frequently to see that they are free from cracks or cuts is essential. Also measure the tread depth and remove any stones that might be stuck in the tread, as that can damage and wear out the tyres. Make sure that the tread depth is above 4mm. The tyre pressure is very important as the weight is higher, so you need to check this on a monthly basis as well as when you have big differences in the temperature.

When you have good summer or winter tyres on your vehicle, the driving experience will be enhanced. Good tyres will give you the precision and stability even at high speeds. You will also reduce the risk of aquaplaning when you have good quality tyres. For aquaplaning prevention it is also important to have enough tread depth. Low tread depth increases the braking distance and makes the driving less safe, so make sure that you change tyres as soon as you go below 4mm tread depth.

For more information regarding high quality tyres for electrical and hybrid cars, visit: https://www.nokiantyres.com/

Good tyres will improve your safety

Tyres are vital for your safety when you drive. Good high quality tyres will improve your safety in the same way that bad tyres will jeopardize your safety. When you go to a tyre shop, you will see a wide range of different tyres at differet prices. Without extensive knowledge it is difficult to make a correct choice. EU has made it mandatory for tyre manufacturers to add a label to the tyre with information regarding the tyre’s wet grip, fuel efficiency and tyre noise. This is to at least simplify the selection a bit. These might not be the most critical factors for you, but everyone should understand what they mean. The first decision is, however, if you need a summer tyre or a winter tyre.

I think most of us want to have tyres with a low rolling resistance, which means that they have good fuel efficiency. The wet grip, which also translates to safety, indicates how fast you can get a vehicle to stop on a wet surface. This will basically give a good indication of how safe the tyres are. Wet grip is harder to achieve than dry grip. The tyre noise will affect the driving comfort. A high tire noise can be very disturbing in the long run.

It is not only purchasing good tyres that have an impact on the safety, tyre maintenance is just as important. Good quality tyres with bad tyre pressure will not behave optimally, so it is very important that you keep checking that the tyre pressure is according to the car’s owner manual. Low tyre pressure will make the tyres wear out faster and will increase the rolling resistance. So if you selected a set of tyres because they had low rolling resistance and then you run them with low tyre pressure, you will negate that effect.

Over time as the tyres start to wear, it is important to monitor the tread depth to ensure that the depth of the grooves is more than 4mm. Once you go below that, you lose a lot of properties such as short braking distance, control and safety. The risk for aquaplaning is also increased.

For more tips regarding good quality tyres, visit: Nokian Tyres

If you drive fast, you will need tyres that are designed for that

Tyres are designed for different conditions; you have, for example, special winter tyres, summer tyres and all-weather tyres. High speed puts more centrifugal force and generates more heat build up in the tyre. If you select a tyre with too low speed rating you might risk tyre failure. When it comes to safety, you do not want to have tyre failure when you are pushing your car to the limit when it comes to speed. Tyre is what provides safety to your car and allows the car to exhibit its inherent safety aspects, but unless the tyres provide enough safety to keep the car out of accidents, your car will have to exhibit these safety aspects more often than anticipated.

Tyres will bring you the necessary grip and control over your vehicle while you drive regardless of speed. You need sufficient grip to be able to take sharp corners and turns, to have a short braking distance, to avoid accidents and to maneuver your vehicle. Depending on what conditions you plan to drive in, you might need to purchase special seasonal tyres. Severe winter conditions always require winter tyres or at least winter approved all-weather tyres.

Summer tyres of high quality will be able to handle the conditions that you will face while driving during summers. Most tyres are designed for driving on normal road surfaces and not in off-road conditions. If you plan to drive mainly off-road, you need to purchase special off-road tyres. Summer tyres have been designed to provide driving comfort on dry and wet roads alike and to prevent aquaplaning. The better quality tyres that you choose, the better they will be able to avoid this phenomena. Aquaplaning can happen in summer when you have rain or thunderstorms and thus a lot of water on the road.

Safe driving with high speeds – even though you would have the best high quality tyres with the correct speed rating on your car – you need to ensure that you have the correct tyre pressure. It is essential to check the tyre pressure because driving with wrong tyre pressure at high speed can be dangerous. Low pressure increases the heat build up and the tyre wear and can cause tyre failure at high speeds. Too high pressure will decrease the grip and increase the braking distance and will not be able to provide the best performance.

For more tips about high-speed tyres, visit: nokiantyres.com

Avoid accidents with good tyres

Some of the car accidents happen because the most important safety accessory of the car, the tyres, are not in good condition. As we all know, accidents do happen and you can wonder why they happen. There can of course be numerous reasons, like distraction, something unexpected happens or people are driving too fast. Some of these could be avoided with better tyres. Good high quality tyres enable you to stop faster and in shorter distance than with tyres that have bad tread depth or are in bad condition.

Taking care of your tyres, regardless if you use summer tyres, winter tyres or all-weather tyres is essential. You will need to check that they are in good condition, that they have sufficient tread depth, which is above 4mm. Tyre pressure is also important. If you have over inflated or under inflated tyres, they are not performing optimally, and you will not have optimal control over your vehicle. Since the temperature has an affect on the tyre pressure, it is important to check it more regularly when you have big temperature shifts. Also when you drive on a summer vacation, from e.g. Northern Europe to Southern Europe, the big temperature difference makes it very important to check the tyre temperature also when you have arrived to your final destination.

Wrong tyre pressure also impacts the rolling resistance, making your tyres to wear out faster than intended. This means that you will need to replace them sooner than expected and your replacement cost increases. Your fuel consumption also increases as your vehicle will consumer more petrol as you drive. So not only your safety is impacted, but also your finances, as you end up spending extra money while being less safe and be more likely to be in an accident.

The braking distance will increase when driving with wrong tyre pressure, with bad tyres or with tyres with low tread depth. This impacts your driving safety and you will have less control and grip when you drive. This is what mainly causes accidents, losing control over your vehicle due to aquaplaning, or when taking curves or then having tire failures. The longer braking distance due to bad tyres is also increasing the chance to be in an accident.

For more info regarding high quality tyres, visit: www.nokiantyres.com

How To Best Maintain Your Tyres

When you buy new tyres, it is important to maintain them to ensure that they last you a long time. Here are a few ways to maintain your tyres.

Visual inspection

It is importation to check the quality of your tyres on a regular basis. Check for any visual damages and possible cuts or cracks. If you notice any problems with your tyres, then you should visit a tyre dealer for consultation.

Tread depth

Check the depth of your tyre’s treads. You can do it by pushing a coin into the tread and measuring how far it could be pushed in. Some tyres have wear indicators on the tyre tread, which indicate when you get to the 4mm or indicate for each mm of remaining tread. If your tyres go below 4mm in tread depth, it is time to change tyres.

Tyre rotation

Rotate the tyres between the rear and front axles to ensure that the tyres will wear evenly. You should rotate the tyres when the difference between the front and the rear tyres is larger than 2-3mm. If you alternate between summer and winter tyres, then it makes sense to rotate between each tyre change. Proper tyre marking is key when you change the tyres.

Tyre pressure

Make sure that the tyre pressure is according to the car owner’s manual. Underinflated tyres will wear faster and consumer more fuel than if they were properly inflated. Underinflation can also damage the sidewalls of the tyres. Overinflated tyres will wear out the middle tread and have worse traction than a properly inflated tyre.

Tyre storage

If you have winter and summer tyres, make sure that the tyres are stored properly between the seasons. Tyres should be stored in the dark and in cool temperature.

For more tips regarding how to maintain your tyres, visit: https://www.nokiantyres.com/

Time For A Tyre Change From Winter To Summer Tyres

As the summer is almost here it is time to change your tyres from winter tyres to summer tyres. Depending on country you live in, there may be some restrictions for when you have to change the tyres at the latest. If you will change the tyres yourself, then you don’t have to book a time. If you want to get a tyre service center to do it, then you should book a time for it, so that you are sure you can get it done.

Doing a tyre change is not so difficult, but most people don’t have the correct equipment. The tools that come with the spare tyre are not  the best tools for tyre change. If you do not have the proper equipment, it is  better to let experts to do the change for you.

When tyre experts do the change for you, you know that experts have changed with proper tools. They will also check the condition of your tyres and mark them so that they can be properly rotated upon the next change. They will wash them to get the salt and dirt away from the tyres. In some locations they can also store the tyres for you, so that you don’t have to carry them back and forth between the changes. Before mounting the summer tyres, they will check the valves and replace them if needed, check the balance of the tyres and the tyre pressure. They will check the tread depth and mount the tyres in the correct position based on the rotation.

If you do the change yourself, you will need to ensure that you mark the tyres, so that next time you know how to rotate them. Preferably you need to get the tyres correctly inflated while mounting them. If you don’t have tools to do that, you need to drive to the petrol station. Remember to store the tyres in a cool place away from direct sunlight.

When the summer tyres are mounted, it is just to drive and enjoy the summer.

For more info regarding summer tyres, visit: www.nokiantyres.com

Benefits Of An All-Weather Tyre

When it comes to tyres, it can be difficult to choose which one is the best for your vehicle. Each different category of tyres will have different benefits. The benefit with the winter approved all-weather tyres is that they can handle almost any type of weather conditions. Be it warm and sunny roads or icy and cold roads. If you need your car on a daily basis, with all-weather tyres you will always be ready to drive regardless of the weather.

The all weather tyres is also a good option is  you travel a lot across Europe. With all-weather tyres you won’t have any problems and there are no restrictions for these tyres.  This is what makes this tyre a very good alternative for countries where you might not have the harshest winters, but you still have four seasons. Or if you travel a lot to these countries and you will need the safety of winter tyres when you visit these countries that have winters.

It is good to realize though that an all-weather tyre is a compromise of a summer tyre and a winter tyre. If you want the absolutely best performance out of your car and your tyres in summer, a dedicated summer tyre will do better than an all-weather tyre and the same goes if you are in really harsh winter conditions with a lot of ice, then a dedicated winter tyre will outperform the all-weather tyre. Seasonal tyres are developed for the particular season and that’s why they perform better.

The all-weather tyre is though much better than a summer tyres during winter conditions. If you change to summer tyres during early spring and the winter weather returns, then you are in much worse situation than if you are using all-weather tyres. It is also much better to have all-weather tyres than winter tyres during summer. Even tough it is a compromise it is a really good and useful tyre combining the best properties of a winter tyre and a summer tyre.It may suit some countries perfectly, especially the countires, which don’t really have 4 distinct seasons.

For more information regarding all-weather tyres, check out: Nokian Tyres

When To Purchase New Tyres

Many drivers don’t know exactly when to change tyres. They seem to drive way too long on the same tyres before they change them. This is especially the case if they don’t rotate the tyres or change between summer tyres and winter tyres. In addition, they may forget to check the tyre pressure regularly and they do it only when the car is brought for service or during the vehicles mandatory inspection.

First of all, a driver should actively maintain the tyres and check them on a regular basis. All aspects of the tyre should be checked. Check the condition of the tyres, based on just looking at them in good light. How do they look, do they look worn out, are there any visible damages to the tyres? If you see any problems with the tyres, it is good to bring them to the tyre service station to let the professionals have a look at the tyres. They can easily assess if they tyres are still ok, or if you need to replace the tyre or all the tyres.

The second thing you should do is to measure the tread depth. The easiest way to measure it is to push a coin into the tread and measure how deep the coin could be pushed into the tread. The tread depth should be more than 4mm for you to still be driving with them. If the tread depth is 4mm or lower you need to purchase a new set of tyres. When you go below 4mm you loose a lot of the tyres’ key properties such as grip and stability. Also the braking distance is prolonged, and the likelihood of aquaplaning is increased.

The last ting to check is the tyre pressure; this should be checked on a regular basis. The tyre pressure can be found in the car manual. It is good to know that the tyre pressure varies with temperature. The valves might also leak and cause a loss of pressure. Driving with too low pressure is not good for the tyre and the tyre wear increases, as does the fuel consumption. So if you don’t keep them inflated, then you will need to buy new tyres soon.

For more information regarding new tyres, check out: Nokian Tyres