As soon as the snow melts and the spring-summer season sets in, motorists think about buying new wheels for their car. Many people know that winter tires are not suitable for summer driving; but only professionals know how to choose high-quality summer tires. The safety of driving a car depends on the quality of summer tires. There are some characteristics to consider when choosing the right tires.
What is the difference?
Road conditions are different in summer and winter. Snow or ice can interfere with driving in winter, and rain, poor asphalt or lack of it in summer.
Winter tires are softer, with a special tread pattern and small studs for good grip on icy roads. In summer, winter tires can soften even more and lose their properties. In addition, they make a lot of noise in the summer;
Summer tires are hard, quiet. Summer tires have different tread patterns for better grip on summer roads. In cold weather they freeze and become slippery;
There are also all-season tires. They are versatile, but only in conditions of slight cold weather. Such tires are popular in southern countries where winter temperatures do not drop below 10 °.
Tire size
In the documents for the car, the manufacturer always indicates which tire sizes are suitable for a given car model. You should always listen to these recommendations. If the documents indicate several standard sizes of tires, then remember: in summer, wider tires are worn on the car than in winter. This will improve traction and vehicle speed data.
Tread pattern
This is the most important point when buying summer wheels. The tread pattern is responsible for the grip of the wheels.
- asymmetrical pattern will provide your car with better grip both on wet and dry roads. Wheels with this pattern are wear-resistant, and the car is more controllable when cornering. Asymmetric tread can be recognized by the different patterns on the tire. Such wheels must be correctly installed on the axle of the car, otherwise its properties will not be fully disclosed when driving. On such wheels there are special recesses through which water passes when the car is moving on a wet road;
- directional tread suitable for wet roads. Its V-shaped pattern wicks away water perfectly, even in heavy rain. But these tires wear out faster and are quite noisy. They cannot be kept as a spare wheel, because they are only placed on a certain side of the vehicle;
- the symmetrical pattern on the tire is good enough on a flat dry road. These tires are inexpensive. They have the largest grip area. Because of this, their wear is reduced. Wheels with such a pattern are more often used on cars that drive little and not far.
To determine which tread pattern you want your tires with, think about how and how much you ride. If you use the car only in urban areas, then feel free to choose wheels with a symmetrical pattern. For residents of the northern and tropical regions, as well as for sports car enthusiasts, tires with a directional tread pattern should be chosen. And for drivers who drive not only fast, but also a lot, wheels with an asymmetric pattern are suitable. But they are usually more expensive than the rest.
What else to look for when buying summer tires
- when buying summer tires, take a closer look at the designation of the speed index. If you are driving slowly, then choose tires with a lower speed rating.
- wide-profile or narrow-profile rubber. The first type of tires is more wear-resistant, with sharp braking, it reduces the braking distance and does not allow slipping. Narrow profile tires are inexpensive, more versatile and have more aquaplaning resistance.
Price and quality
In the store, tires of famous brands are often much more expensive than others. And they rarely differ in quality. So consider whether it's worth overpaying for a brand.
Also, do not disdain tires that have already been used. It happens that they sell quality tires for a small price. It turns out that you can buy good summer wheels for the same price as low-quality ones in the store.
Choose summer tires correctly and only suitable for your car. And do not fall for the tricks of unscrupulous sellers.
