Are your tires ready for winter? How much prep do you need to do for the colder months, and how much is overkill? Here’s a quick rundown on getting your tires ready for a Texas winter.
Every year there’s a big hubbub about getting your car ready for winter. Should you flush your coolant system? Should you pack an emergency kit? Should you let your car warm up in the morning, and if so, how long? Should you learn morse code and practice it with your headlights? Sometimes the internet advice machine can get a little crazy with winter prep articles. You might need that advice if you just moved to Minnesota or Siberia, but you live in Dallas, which literally averages one inch of snowfall every year. So we’ve put together a few realistic tips for getting your tires ready for the winter in Texas.
Winter Tires
If you’re not familiar with the difference between winter and summer tires, check out our article on it [link]. The short version is that winter rubber compounds stay softer in colder temperatures, providing better traction. There are also snow tires, which use a winter compound, but with an aggressive tread pattern that cuts through snow and ice.
In truth, a good set of all-season tires will probably take care of you in Dallas, unless you’re planning on some kind of performance driving application. However, just because you don’t need winter tires doesn’t mean you don’t need tires for the winter. Which brings us to our next point.
Examine the Treadwear
Even though Dallas doesn’t see much snow, winter gets wet. And worn out tires with low tread can be dangerous in wet conditions. The tread on your tires is designed to channel water away from the contact patch, creating an area of grip between the tire and the road. But that tread wears away over time, and when it’s gone, the tire begins to ride on the water, not the road. This is called hydroplaning, and it’s fairly dangerous, because a thin sheet of water doesn’t provide much traction.
So if your tires are wearing thin, winter is the perfect time for a new set. You can measure the treadwear with a tread depth gauge, which you can pick up for a few bucks at a parts store. And tread depth does matter. A recent study found that a car with 2/32" of tread, which is still legal to drive on in most states, takes twice as long to stop as the same car with new tires.
Dallas is famous for its traffic, and that means you’ll need to make quick decisions over the rainy winter months. Are your tires ready for that?
Check Your Tire Pressure
Tires are designed to offer the most grip when they’re aired up to the right pressure. Add too much air and you’ll shrink the contact patch. The tire won’t be supple enough to offer proper grip. Too little air and the tire will wear quickly, with uneven friction distribution. You can find the proper air pressure specs on a sticker on your door sill.
Get an Alignment
Speaking of unnecessary friction, proper alignment can prevent it. Alignment deals with the direction your wheels are pointing in relation to each other and the car when the steering wheel is centered. It can be professionally adjusted, but over time, hitting potholes and other bumps can mess it up again. If your car is out of alignment, your tires will rub, not unlike that one sticky wheel on your last shopping cart. Improper alignment will wear your tires out faster than almost anything.
In fact, uneven tire wear is a great way to diagnose alignment issues. For example, if the inside or outside edge of one tire is worn down, that wheel is off camber, the adjustment that determines the “tilt” of the wheel, outward or inward toward the car. If an entire tire is wearing faster than the one across from it, that tire may need a toe adjustment. You can also tell your alignment is off if your car drifts drastically to one side or the other when you let go of the wheel.
The Most Important Adjustment
You can have the best tires and the safest car, but the best thing you can do for your tires during the winter is to make sure you’re paying attention on the road, staying focused on the act of driving. Extending your reaction time is crucial during the dark, wet winter months. That means a constant focus on your commute. If you need to use your phone, adjust your GPS, eat a messy burger, or paint your nails, just find a safe place to pull over and do it. You won’t be saving any time if you get into an accident, and it’s better to arrive safely and late than not at all.
Winter in Dallas won’t bury you in snow, and it probably won’t even give you frostbite. But it still comes with its own brand of hazards, and making sure your tires are up to spec can help reduce risk and get you where you’re headed safely.
If you’re ready for a new set of tires before winter rolls in, you’ve come to the right place. Simply order online, schedule a time and place for your mobile tire installation, and Zohr will deliver, install, and balance your tires at your home or office. We offer hundreds of models, covering just about every car, truck, and SUV on the road, and we can usually get them on your vehicle within a single business day.
How to Get Your Tires Ready for Winter in Missouri | Zohr
