How to get your tires ready for winter in Kansas

Winter weather in Kansas can vary greatly depending on the area, and winter can be unpredictable from one year to the next. As they say, “If you don’t like the weather in Kansas, wait 10 minutes.” However, the roads are almost guaranteed to get wet and icy at some point and possibly covered in snow at least a few times.

Whether it’s getting to work, dropping kids off at school, or running errands, it can be challenging when the temperature gets close to or below freezing. Your tires are the most important safety component on your car, and that’s especially true when roads are slick. Here’s how to get your tires ready for winter in Kansas.

The first thing to do is to make sure the tires on your vehicle are appropriate for winter weather. Winter in Kansas can require anything from all-season tires to full winter tires, so it depends on exactly where you live, how well the roads are cleared, and how much you really need to get around if there’s snow on the ground. If you’ll need to get around safely when temperatures averaging around 45°F or colder, all-season tires are the minimum requirement for just about anywhere in Kansas.

Here’s how to get your tires ready for winter in Kansas

Tire age
Dryness and cracking are obvious signs, but regardless of how your tires appear, age plays an important role in tire safety. Use the four-digit date code on the sidewall of your tires to determine the age of your tires. The first two digits are the production week and the second two are the year—a tire with “3619” on the sidewall was produced during the 36th week of 2019.

Tires that are 5-6 years old are very likely due for replacement, but even if they’re just a couple or few years old, double-check them for signs of aging or sun damage. Cracked rubber or bulging sidewalls mean they should be replaced as soon as possible.

Tread depth
Adequate tread depth is crucial for tire safety, especially during winter in Kansas where you might see measurable snowfall. Even full winter tires with the 3PMSF (three-peak mountain snowflake) symbol require a minimum of 6/32 tread depth to work effectively, so if your tires are close to that or less, extreme caution is advised when the ground is wet and particularly if there’s any snow on the roads.

Treadwear
Tread depth, as mentioned above, should be measured, and be sure to do so across the full width of the tire, measuring the inside, middle, and outside tread. This ensures that you catch any obvious signs of odd wear, and you’ll be able to tell if any parts of the tires are wearing faster than others. Tread depth that is different across the tread or shows any odd wear patterns mean it’s time for a wheel alignment at the very least.

Air pressure
Check the air pressure in your tires! Tire pressure is not a set-it-and-forget-it sort of thing. Get in the habit of checking it on all tires regularly, and especially during the winter. Even if your vehicle is equipped with TPMS (tire-pressure monitoring sensors), double-check for correct air pressures manually anyway.

Your driver’s side door or the owner’s manual will have the correct tire pressures for your car, and checking them in the morning when the tires are “cold” is the best time. Tire pressures can rise or fall by one PSI for every 10 degrees of temperature change.

Set them in the morning to the recommended specifications and don’t use higher or lower pressure than what’s recommended. Just make sure you adjust them when needed as temperatures change through the winter.

Tire type
As already mentioned, make sure you have weather-appropriate tires for your area. Summer tires deliver great performance in warm weather but become downright dangerous when temperatures dip into the 40s. And don’t even attempt to drive them on snow or ice.

All-season tires are ideal for year-round use in most areas. Their rubber compounds are designed to work better in cooler temperatures, they evacuate water well, and they usually have additional siping and other technologies that give them a good safety margin in cooler, winter temperatures.

Keep in mind, there are different categories of all-season tires, ranging from high-performance to grand touring. And there’s a growing category of genuine “all-weather” all-season tires that are engineered with for light winter performance and stamped with the 3PMSF symbol.

M+S-rated all-season tires are the minimum to have mounted to your vehicle for winter in Kansas. Winter weather can vary greatly throughout the state, so if you live in an area that simply gets cold but rarely has snow, or if snow is always cleared quickly, then all-season tires should be fine.

If you know you’re going to encounter measurable snow regularly, then all-weather tires might be a better choice if you’d like just one set of tires that stay on the car all year. 

For optimal winter performance and safety in areas with snow and ice, however, winter/snow tires are the best option in Kansas. Even during winters with minimal snowfall, they’re better suited to sub-freezing temperatures, you’ll have an extra safety net when roads do get icy, and you’ll have the confidence to get around safely when the roads happen to be covered with snow.

Whether you need help changing your wheels at work or rotating tires at home to get your car ready for winter in Kansas, or if you need help choosing the best tires for your car, truck, or SUV, contact Zohr online or call/text us at 816-800-9175. Our mobile tire technicians will go to you for wheel changes or rotation, or we’ll deliver your new tires directly to you and install them at your home or office in Kansas.