The cold winter weather and icy roads in Missouri might make you want to stay home and crank up the heater, at least until you remember you need to get to work or school. However, even when roads are wet and icy or covered with light snow, life and your many responsibilities mean you still need to get on the road and get things done.
Getting around safely is a big concern when temperatures get close to freezing, and your tires are the most important component on your car for getting you where you need to go. Here’s how to get your tires ready for winter in Missouri.
The first and most important step is to make sure you have weather-appropriate tires on your vehicle. For winter in Missouri, you need good all-season tires at a minimum. Unless you have a car that’s going to sit in the garage until average temperatures get to 45°F or higher, summer tires won’t be safe.
These are the key factors to consider for safe winter driving in Missouri
Tire age
Age plays an important role in tire safety, often regardless of how the tires appear. Use the four-digit date code on the sidewall of your tires to determine their age. The first two digits represent the week they were produced and the second two represent the year. So a tire with “4218” on the sidewall was produced during the 42nd week of 2018.
If your tires are 5-6 years, there’s a good chance they’re due for replacement, but even if they’re younger than that, double-check the visual condition for signs of age and sun damage. Cracking of the rubber or bulges in the sidewall are clear signs that they should be replaced as soon as possible.
Tread depth
The depth of your tread is important for safe tire functioning at any time of the year, but especially during winter in Missouri when there’s a chance of light snow. Even genuine winter tires require a minimum of 6/32 tread depth to work effectively, so if you’re near that or less, extreme caution is advised when the ground is wet or if there’s any sign of snow.
Treadwear
While you’re checking the tread depth, be sure to do so across the full width of the tire, measuring inside, middle, and outside tread. Not only will this ensure that you’ve visually inspected the tire for any obvious signs of odd wear, but you’ll also be able to tell if any parts of the tires are wearing faster. If you notice odd wear or see that tread depth is different across the tread, it’s a good idea to get a wheel alignment.
Air pressure
Check your air pressure! This is something you should get in the habit of doing regularly anyway, but especially during the winter. Even if your vehicle is equipped with tire-pressure monitoring sensors (TPMS), double-check that your air pressures are correct.
Use your owner’s manual or the information on your driver’s side door to verify what your tire pressures should be, and check them in the morning when the tires have no heat built up. Keep in mind that tire pressures can fall or rise about one PSI per 10 degrees of temperature change.
You don’t need to use higher or lower pressure than is recommended for winter weather. Just be sure your cold pressures are set based on the recommended vehicle settings, and adjust when needed as temperatures change through the winter.
Tire type
As mentioned above, but it should be repeated, make sure you have the right tires for the weather in your area. Summer tires are great for warm weather and driving in the rain, but that changes quickly when the ambient temperature dips into the 40s. Summer tires also become pretty much useless when it’s colder than that, and they should never be driven on ice or snow.
All-season tires have rubber compounds that 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 slight edge in cooler, winter weather.
Keep in mind, there are a variety of all-season tires, ranging from performance to touring, and there are even genuine “all-weather” all-season tires that are engineered with light winter performance as a priority.
Make sure you’ve at least got M+S-rated all-season tires mounted to your vehicle. Winter weather can vary greatly throughout Missouri, so if you live in an area that simply gets cold but rarely has snow—or snow is always cleared before you drive, then all-season tires should be fine.
If you know you’re going to have measurable snow on the ground regularly, you’ll want to consider all-weather tires (all-season tires with the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol) if you’d like just one set of tires that stay on the car all year.
For the best winter performance and safety, however, winter/snow tires are a good option in Missouri even if you don’t get a lot of snow. They’re better suited to sub-freezing temperatures, you’ll have an extra safety net when roads are icy, and you’ll have added safety and confidence when the roads are covered with snow.
Whether you need help changing wheels or rotating tires at home to get your car ready for winter in Missouri, 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 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 Missouri.
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