Have you noticed lately that you actually enjoy being outside? That you can roll your windows down without fear of frostbite? Yes, it’s spring time in Kansas City. That means more sunshine, green grass and endless cruises on the open road, but or some reason, you’re still rocking those winter tires. So, we're here to remind you that it’s time to switch to summer tires for better grip, durability and even gas mileage. Here’s why you should get some summer tires, and how we can help.
Winter tires vs. Summer tires
Winter tires and summer tires have drastically different characteristics. It starts with the rubber. Imagine a big, pink eraser, like the kind you used to chew on in first grade. If you tried sliding it across your desk, it would likely just stay in place, gripping to the surface of the desk. However, if you’d put it in the freezer for an hour or two, and repeated the attempt, it would have slid nicely.
Rubber’s adhesion is very dependent on its softness. A softer tire offers more grip, but like that eraser in the freezer, standard rubber gets harder in the cold, and therefore offers less grip. That’s why some extremely smart people, probably in white coats, developed winter tires. The rubber is formulated to stay soft, even at very cold temperatures. You can read more on how the heat affects your tires on our blog!
But there’s a trade-off. Rubber that stays soft in the cold gets very soft in the heat. And rubber that’s too soft can wear too fast. If you leave your winter tires on in the summer, you’ll wear them out too fast, which means you’re not getting your money’s worth. It also means you’re on the fast track to a dangerous tire failure.
Winter tires are great! Just not in summer time
Winter tires also feature unique tread patterns, more robust tread, and siping which improves their grip in the snow and ice, but increases rolling resistance. On warm, dry roads, this rolling resistance will actually make your vehicle less efficient, and could cost you gas mileage.
The good news is that just as winter tires are designed for winter, summer tires are designed for summer. Those same geniuses in the white coats formulated summer rubber to provide excellent grip in the summer heat with minimal wear. Summer tires are made of a harder compound.
They also require less tread, offering a better contact patch with the pavement and less rolling resistance. They still provide excellent traction on wet roads, but without ice and snow to churn through, a summer tire’s surface area can be devoted to grip, which means less resistance and more efficiency.
If you’re still rolling on those winter tires, or if you’d like to get more grip than your all season tires, it’s time to make the switch to summer tires. And we can help.
Let Zohr help with your new set of summer tires
Zohr Mobile Tire Service comes to you, so you don’t have to waste your time sitting in a tire shop across town. Our mobile tire service unit will drive to your home or office with your brand new tires on board. Once there, we’ll professionally mount, balance, and install your new tires. While we’re there, we can take care of any TPMS service you may require, and we can even clean your wheels. Finally, we can take your old tires for you, to ensure that they make their way to the proper tire recycling facility.
If you’re ready to take advantage of the superior grip, durability, and high-performance of a set of fresh summer tires, give us a call or text us at 816-800-9175, or head over to Zohr.com for a free quote.
COVID-19
