What most drivers are not aware of is that the weather has a massive effect on the performance of their car tyres. This knowledge of the relationship will enable drivers to make informed choices regarding tyre care and replacement, ultimately keeping them safe on the road.
The Science Behind Tyre Performance
It is beneficial to understand how tyres work before delving into the nuances of different weather conditions. Tyres are constructed using rubber compounds which must strike the appropriate balance between grip and durability.
Tyre tread patterns are tailored to direct water off the road, offer traction on various surfaces and keep the road in contact. Rubber is sticky and squeezy when it is warm. The same fundamental concept influences the braking distance down to the fuel consumption.
Hot Weather Challenges
There are tyre challenges that come with summer driving. The air inside the tyres eventually expands due to high temperatures and that can result in overinflation. Tyres that are overinflated have reduced contact with the road, which diminishes grip and results in a rough and bumpy ride.
On sunny days, hot pavement may be in the 140°C or higher (60°C or more) range. Such high heat can lead to overheating of tyres, particularly during long highway journeys. Tyres that have overheated also have a higher risk of bursting, which is hazardous at high velocity.
Cold Weather Complications
Perhaps the greatest issues with standard tyres are in winter. This causes a decrease in the gripping performance of the tyre on the road, as the distances to be stopped increase and the performance of the tyre at the moment of acceleration goes down.
A one degree Fahrenheit (0.56°C) decrease in temperature generally resulted in a 1-2 PSI (pounds per square inch) reduction in tyre pressure. Tyres that are underinflated develop a higher rolling resistance, thereby lowering fuel economy and resulting in uneven wearing of the tyres.
Most drivers find out that their cars are not responsive during cold weather. This is not mere fantasy, tyres actually have different performances at temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7°C). It is at this stage that the rubber materials in summer and all-season tyres begin to lose their elasticity to a large extent.
Rain and Wet Conditions
The most hazardous driving situation is found on wet roads, and tyre performance is critical in this situation. Once the water accumulates on the road surface, the tyres need to move it away to ensure that contact is maintained with the pavement. Here, the tread depth plays a very crucial role.
The lesser the depth of the tyre due to normal wear, the less effective its water dispersion capability. Tread depth becomes less than 4/32 of an inch, and there is a high risk of hydroplaning (the tyre has no contact with the road at all). The car can then seem as though it is floating, and the steering becomes unresponsive.
That is why most professionals suggest changing the tyres when the tread depth is 4/32 of an inch instead of 2/32 of an inch as the official minimum. The rubber compound too is an issue in wet situations. The softer compounds usually have better wet grip, although they wear more quickly.
Snow and Ice Challenges
The ultimate test of tyre performance is snow and ice. Ordinary tyres just cannot offer sufficient traction in such circumstances. The hard rubber compounds and tread designs used on dry and wet roads do not work on snow and ice.
Winter tyres are made with rubber that remains compressed even when it is freezing. The snow performance of ordinary tyres in comparison with winter tyres can be dramatic. With appropriate winter tyres, stopping distances can be reduced by 30-40%.
Winter tyres are a huge advantage to even all-wheel drive cars because AWD can assist in acceleration, but can do little to enhance braking or cornering on slick roads.
Seasonal Tyre Strategies
With such weather issues, the question all drivers ask is how to choose tyres in the best way. Some of the strategies include:
All-season tyres are made in such a way that they offer decent performance in various conditions. They are a middle ground that performs reasonably well in light snow, rain, and moderate weather. But they do not do well in any one country, and might not be adequate in regions with harsh winters.
Other motorists prefer to use seasonal switching between summer and winter tyres. Summer tyres are good in warm dry conditions but are also dangerous when used in cold weather. Winter tyres are good in snow and cold conditions, but wear fast and are poor in hot conditions.
Many motorists are also finding all-weather tyres that are not the same as all-season tyres. All-weather tyres are intended to work effectively in summer and in snow, but they might not be quite as good as seasonal Car Tyres Bletchley.
Conclusion
Weather conditions greatly influence the performance of tyres, which influences all aspects, including safety and fuel consumption. Tyres are all that the vehicle is attached to anyway, and it is important that the vehicle has its share of the road in all weathers.