Winter Tyre's Are They Worth It? Check That You Have Your 'Locking Wheel Nut Key'.
Its that time of year again!
Check to see if you have your vehicle’s 'locking wheel nut' this Winter! You’ll need this when changing over your Summer Tyre's for Winter Tyre's! If your 'locking wheel nut key' is missing or broken we can supply a replacement 'locking wheel nut key'. Please go to our 'SHOP' page to purchase your replacement 'locking wheel nut key'.
Follow our '3 Step Simple Process' and order your new replacement locking wheel nut (key) now.
As soon as the first sleet and snow makes an appearance, marking the start of winter proper, chaos can descend on the roads as drivers struggle to maintain control in slippery conditions.
There are now a number of solutions available to improve traction and safety in wintry conditions. The main ones are winter Tyre's and snow socks. While they are increasingly heavily promoted by Tyre makers and fitters, winter Tyre's can prove a significant investment to prepare for what may only be a short spell of bad weather.
So are they worth investing in?
In this guide, we cut through the hype to help you make an informed decision.
What are Winter Tyre's?
Most UK cars are fitted with summer Tyre's, and some with all-season Tyre's. But winter Tyre's are designed specifically to remain supple in colder temperatures and maximize traction when driving on snow and ice. The key differences are:
they use a softer rubber compound (usually by including more natural rubber in the mix)
the surface of the tread blocks is covered with little jagged slits – called sipes
they generally have deeper tread grooves than conventional summer Tyre's
How much do they cost?
As with regular Tyre's, winter rubber sells at a wide range of prices, with budget models in a common size suitable for a family hatchback available from less than £50 per wheel. A comparable winter Tyre from a premium manufacturer can cost around £100 but, as with their summer counterparts, they are likely to offer greater levels of grip and braking performance.
What are winter Tyre's good at?
They are good at gripping in cold, damp conditions below 7degC, and offer improved traction on slippery surfaces. The key to their improved grip on wet and ice-covered surfaces is the sipes, which provide hundreds of small extra ‘edges’ to grip the road as the Tyre rotates. The sipes help not only because of their edges but because they enable localized movement of the rubber as the soft compound clings to the road. A larger single solid-tread block, like the ones you see on summer Tyre's, would stay rigid in such conditions and be unable to maintain grip as effectively. Winter Tyre's are also designed to gather a snowy 'in-fill' in the tread grooves and in the sipes to help with grip on packed snow. Nothing grips snow better than snow itself and winter Tyre's exploit this by gathering and holding as much of it as possible. The extra-deep tread grooves also help the Tyre's to disperse surface water and usually increase resistance to aquaplaning, where the Tyre passes on top of the water rather than through it, increasing the risk of losing control of the car.
What are winter Tyre's bad at?
At temperatures above 7degC they offer significantly poorer performance in dry conditions than summer Tyre's. This can mean a marked increase in braking distances and poorer grip on bends. Winter Tyre's also suffer from increased wear rates if used in warmer temperatures.
Are they just for snow and ice?
No. They are designed for use in all winter conditions – Tyre manufacturers claim this means any weather below 7C. Ideally, you need a second set of rims on which to fit your winter Tyre's. In many countries where winter Tyre use is mandatory drivers often opt for steel rims, which are less likely to corrode after exposure to winter grit. They are also less expensive to repair or replace if you accidentally slide into a kerb. If you’re fitting winter Tyre's, it’s worth carrying a winter spare as well since fitting a summer spare alongside three winter ones could make your car’s handling more unpredictable due to different levels of grip at each corner. Unless you have room in the garage or shed, you'll probably also need to pay to store your 'out-of-season' wheels – several fast-fit centers, car dealers and even removal companies offer this service, though prices vary.
Do I need winter Tyre's in the UK?
Winter Tyre's aren’t mandatory in this country, although they are in other parts of Europe that experience extreme weather for prolonged periods each winter. However, they can be a prudent investment, particularly if you live in remote areas at risk of being cut off in bad weather without a functioning vehicle. If that sounds like your situation, try to buy winter Tyre's early in the season. It's no good waiting until the bad weather arrives, as you'll find you are unable to get to a Tyre retailer to have them fitted. Also, the volume of Tyre's produced for the winter is limited, meaning retailers don’t have a never-ending supply. When they are gone, they won't be replaced until the run up to next winter. However, for drivers who use well-serviced urban roads, it can be harder to justify the hassle and expense of switching to winter tyres during a cold snap, despite their improved performance.
When should I fit winter Tyre's?
They need to be fitted before bad weather strikes. Waiting until the roads are frozen and the car is under a snow drift will mean you’re unlikely to be able to fit them. In the European countries where the use of winter Tyre's is mandatory, most people have them fitted around October and then replaced with summer Tyre's around March, when the worst of the cold weather has passed. What alternatives are there to winter Tyre's if it turns cold? All-season Tyre's are a halfway house between winter and summer Tyre's. They can be left on the car all year round, but generally don’t perform as well as the best summer Tyre's in warm weather or as well as good winter Tyre's in cold conditions. There is also a newly emerging class of T, first seen with Michelin's Cross-Climate model, that is essentially a summer Tyre, but with the requisite tread pattern and supple rubber compound for Winter-Tyre classification. This means they can legally be used year-round in countries that enforce winter Tyre use, whereas all-season Tyre's cannot. Tyre socks are a quick fix to get you off a slippery snowy drive or un-gritted side road. These fabric ‘socks’ wrap round the Tyre and give extra grip on the snow and ice. They cost around £50 for a pair.
Will winter Tyre's affect my insurance?
Initially, as winter Tyre's were something of an unknown quantity, there were a number of instances of them being treated as a modification in the eyes of insurance companies, resulting in increased premiums. However, most insurers now recognize them as a worthwhile safety improvement and don’t penalize drivers for using them, but it’s worth double checking with your insurer.
If I don’t fit winter Tyre's, what are my options in snowy conditions?
Check your existing Tyre's are in good condition - preferably with at least 3 mm of tread left across 75% of the Tyre width, but certainly with more than the 1.6 mm legal minimum. Look for any signs of damage to the tread or sidewalls as this could cause sudden Tyre failure, which will be even harder to control in poor conditions.
If your locking wheel nut key is missing or broken we can supply a replacement locking wheel nut key.
Please go to our 'SHOP' page to purchase your replacement locking wheel nut key.
Follow our '3 Step Simple Process' and order your new replacement locking wheel nut (key) now.
