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If you’ve been in northern Ohio for long, you know what winters can be like here. At Van’s Tires & Service, we’d like to answer some questions and hopefully dispel some misconceptions about winter tires:

Q: Can’t I get by with all-season tires?

A: There’s a compromise involved with any tire. An all-season tire that’s designed for 80,000 mile warranty life uses tread designs and compounds that wear for a long, long time. Unfortunately, many of those tires harden up and stiffen at temperatures below 32 degrees, ruining their winter traction abilities. Winter tires are designed to stay flexible in extreme cold, giving them a distinct edge over all-season designs.

Q: Aren’t winter tires noisier?

A: Winter tires have come a long way since the heavy, clunky, loud “snow grips” on your dad’s Buick wagon 40 years ago. Newer winter tire designs have the low noise and road manners of the best touring tires.

Q: Do I need four winter tires? Really?

A: Yes, you do. Even if only two wheels are driven, it’s never a good idea to use different designs of tires on the front and rear axles. It’ll mean that one end of the vehicle isn’t going to have the same traction and control as the other, and that can be just plain dangerous.

Q: But my car has AWD/ABS/traction control!

A: That’s great, and those can all help. Winter tires, however, can give you an extra edge in control and traction and can multiply the advantage you gain from all those features.

Q: What about ice?

A: There’s not really any tire that performs well on ice, any more than there’s any kind of shoe that helps you walk better on ice. You should know, however, that many winter tires do come pre-drilled to make it easy to insert metal studs for ice. Studded tires are permitted in Ohio from November 1 to April 15.

Q: Can I keep using winter tires year-round?

A: No. The softer, more flexible rubber compounds of winter tires means that they’ll wear quickly when the temperatures are above 40 degrees.

All things considered, the softer tread formulations and more aggressive tread designs of winter tires make them a smart investment when the weather turns ugly. It’s nice to just stay off the roads in winter, but sometimes it’s just unavoidable. If you’re considering winter tires, give us a call and set up an appointment at Van’s Tires & Service before the snow starts flying!