Are you wondering about the different types of tires and their purposes? This introduction will cover the basics and help you decide what kinds of tires are right for your car.
First, what’s the purpose of a tire in general? Well, the tire is basically a cushion between the road and your car. Most tires you see these days will be pneumatic, meaning they’re oval shaped, and made of inflated wires and cords. They’re made mainly from rubber and fabric. They also include a selection of compound chemicals, and these chemicals may differ between the various manufacturers.
The different types of tires and their purposes arose in direct response to the needs of drivers. Different tires exist for every type of weather and performance need. Whether you drive an RV, station wagon, or sports car, you will be able to find the ideal tires to help your vehicle’s performance.
Learn About 3 Different Types of Tires
- All Season Tires
All season tires are common in countries that have two distinct cold and hot seasons. They are meant to perform adequately in any month of the year. One benefit is that they are easy to use and convenient, but on the other hand, the drawback is that these tires are not designed to be high-performers in either winter or summer. They are pretty average. These are the kind of tires that most people have on their cars, and for most of us nothing more fancy is needed. If you live in a muddy or snowy area, however, you may need the extra traction provided by mud and snow tires. Keep reading to learn more about those. - Mud and Snow Tires
Mud and snow tires are specifically engineered for low temperatures, using a special chemical make-up. They have a soft tread compound to ensure a good grip on snow or ice. When you look at a mud or snow tire, you will see more grooves in the tread pattern than in all season tires; these additional grooves provide extra grip for slick surfaces. You will also notice M&S or M+S marked on the tire, telling you that it is designed to be a mud and snow tire.- More About Snow Tires: Some snow tires have metal studs. Again, the metal studs are just one more way to increase traction in extremely wet and icy conditions. They work by roughening the ice on the road as you are driving along. You won’t typically see metal studs on an ordinary car, as they do tend to damage a road surface over long periods of time. They are a specialty item that you may see on tires used for ice racing and other sports.
- More About Mud Tires: These tires have very large chunky tread patterns that help clear out any mud that gets trapped in the tires. Mud tires tend to be wider than the other different types of tires. This is so the weight will be distributed over a wider area. As you can imagine, this helps your vehicle avoid sinking into the mud – always a good thing!
- High Performance Tires
High performance tires are not needed on your average car. You would want to invest in a good set of high performance tires if you own a sports car or do a lot of racing. These kinds of tires have a softer rubber compound than other kinds. This softness gives them better traction control, which is key for high speed cornering. In contrast with snow tires and mud tires, high performance tires have shallow treads. The idea is that you want your tires to have increased road contact so you can go faster. Now these tires won’t last you a long time, because you tend to work them pretty hard.
Now you know all about three different types of tires and their purposes. Just be sure to know the road rules around tires to avoid getting a ticket. You can also use devices like speed camera detectors to save money and keep your license.