For those who have already changed their tires, and for those who have delayed (it's already a bit late), the tire and wheel shop has prepared an article about storing, using, and choosing winter tires.
Storing Summer Tires
After buying winter tires, don't forget about the summer ones – to keep them in good condition until the next season:
1) Thoroughly wash and dry the tires. If possible, treat them with a preservative aerosol that slows down the aging process of the rubber.
2) Place each tire in a bag or cover.
3) Choose a dry, dark place for storing tires. Ideally, the air temperature in the storage area should not drop below 0°C.
4) Store tires without rims in a vertical position (do not stack them on top of each other!).
5) Store tires with rims horizontally ("well" style) or suspended, but not vertically. It is recommended to deflate the tires by 50%.
Winter Tire Tests 2014/2015
This time, we bring you the test results from experts at the world-famous Test World testing ground. The latest winter tire rating includes new models of winter tires in size 205/55 R16.
Friction Tires
1-2 places: 8.2 points. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice 2
Good on snow, ice, and wet asphalt. Low noise level.
1-2 places: 8.2 points. Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2
Best grip on snow and ice – even better than some studded tires! Downsides: a bit weak on wet asphalt.
3-4 places: 7.8 points. Continental ContiVikingContact 6
Decent performance on dry surfaces and snow, mediocre on wet asphalt.
3-4 places: 7.8 points. Michelin X-ice Xi3
Good on snow and ice, but not the best on asphalt and inferior to the leaders in rolling resistance.
5th place: 7.7 points. Maxxis SP02 ArcticTrekker
Chinese Maxxis tires pleasantly surprised test drivers on snow and wet roads. For their price, very decent tires.
6th place: 7.3 points. Bridgestone Blizzak WS70
Decent behavior and braking on snow and ice, but compared to competitors – average. Weak on dry asphalt – prone to skidding.
7-8 places: 7.2 points. Pirelli Winter IceControl
Excellent behavior on snow, mediocre performance on ice.
7-8 places: 7.2 points. Sailun Ice Blazer WSL2
One of the best on snow, average on ice. Not the best tires on asphalt – both dry and wet.
9th place: 6.8 points. Dunlop SP Ice Sport
Clearly weak on ice. Good on wet asphalt. Noisy.
10th place: 6.7 points. Vredestein Nord-Trac 2
Good on wet asphalt, but weak during acceleration on ice. Not the best directional stability.
Studded Tires
1st place: 8.8 points. Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8
The best studded tires in all parameters. Weaknesses: braking on wet roads and directional stability.
2-3 places: 8.6 points. Continental ContiIceContact
Excellent performance on ice. A bit weak on snow. Noisier than the leader.
2-3 places: 8.6 points. Pirelli Ice Zero
Good stability. Not the best braking on wet asphalt. Noisy.
4th place: 8.4 points. Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic
No obvious drawbacks, but also no obvious advantages in certain disciplines.
5th place: 8.3 points. Gislaved Nord*Frost 100
Good on snow and wet asphalt. Downsides: quite long braking distance on dry asphalt and high rolling resistance.
6th place: 8.1 points. Hankook Winter i*Pike RS W419
Quite decent on snow and wet asphalt, average on ice.
7th place: 8.0 points. Dunlop Ice Touch
Not the best on ice and dry surfaces, but one of the best on wet asphalt.
8th place: 7.9 points. Michelin X-Ice North 3
Good on dry and wet asphalt, quiet. Mediocre results on snow and ice.
9th place: 7.7 points. Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-01
Highly effective on snow, quite decent on dry asphalt. Otherwise – average.
10th place: 7.5 points. Vredestein Arctrac
Good on ice. For other parameters – "satisfactory".
Using Winter Tires
Consider the results of winter tire tests. Sometimes expensive tires may be only slightly better than more affordable ones. To make tires last longer and be effective in winter conditions, you need to:
1) Check tire pressure every three weeks. In winter, the pressure level should be 0.2 bar higher than in summer.
2) For even wear, rotate the tires (move from front axle to rear and vice versa) once per season.
3) Install less worn tires on the drive axle of the car – for reliable lateral grip.
4) Buy new tires if the remaining tread depth is less than 4 mm and/or the tire service life has reached 6 years.
5) Ensure proper seasonal storage of tires.
We hope this information helps you extend the service life of your winter tires and will be useful when choosing winter tires if you haven't bought them yet...
