Bracing up for the harshest rides as temperatures keep dropping? Well, you might be wondering about the best winter tire options for your trucks. Being the fleet owner, you have new responsibilities to shoulder. Driving a truck on icy, wet, or snowy roads calls for precision at the steering. To assure optimal safety, you’d consider switching to winter tires for your trucks. Remember, the design and effectiveness of truck tires matter as much as the dexterity and skills of your drivers do.
What are winter tires for trucks?
Truck drivers encounter several hindrances while driving on icy surfaces during winters. To address these challenges and dangers, the leading tire manufacturers have come up with specially designed tires for trucks. The tread rubber used in tires contains certain chemical compounds to enhance their performance. Along with this, the tires carry a tread pattern.
- Tread rubber
You must be knowing that summer and all-season tires are designed for warm climates. They can withstand the head during the other months. These tires are not suitable for cold temperatures. Exposed to cold climates, they tend to stiffen. Under such conditions, they fail to deliver the desired degree of traction to stop the truck or accelerate. The reputed manufacturers use tread rubber to enhance the flexibility of truck tires at extremely low temperatures.
- Tread pattern
Winter tires for trucks carry the tread pattern, which distinguishes them from summer and all-season tires. Here, the treads are deeper, with a greater number of sipes and slots. Sipes refer to small slits in the tire, that enable the vehicle to hold on to the ice edges. These unique designs enable the tire to dig into the snow deeper and hold on to the ice harder. This provides the truck driver with a greater degree of control.
Understanding the design of winter truck tires
One of the common myths among drivers is that all tires are created equal. No, this ideology doesn’t hold good during chilly winters. To make your fleet compatible to hostile environmental situations, you need to explore the winter subset of tires.
Let’s explore the broad categories of winter tire options for your trucks.
- Studless tires
The tread design in studless tires is incredibly complex. These tires are particularly designed to pump away standing water from the respective treads. Besides, such tires are capable of gripping packable snow and holding onto ice. Studless tires come with extremely soft rubber. They carry tread-block structures or patterns on the surface in multiple layers. These intricate patterns provide the vehicle with a greater degree of traction on icy roads.
- Studdable tires
Studdable tires are designed to configure metal studs. As compared to studless tires, they are less complicated regarding the tread. However, the use of metal studs can significantly enhance their traction on ice. But they have a visible disadvantage when you drive on a clear road. With no snow or ice present on the surface, they cause potential damage to the surface. In many states, the authorities have banned these tires. Eventually, you might not be able to deploy these tires to their full potential.
- Performance tires
The aim of performance tires is to focus on driving on clear road, then on ice or snow. Even if you do not experience a snowfall, it is recommended to use winter tires on low temperatures and cold weather conditions. These tires come with softer rubber grips. This enables them to hold on to the surface of the roads, despite lower environmental temperatures. Eventually, the driver gets greater control over the performance of the vehicle.
With the best winter tires, your vehicles would gain more traction under unpredictable conditions during the winter. With the roads slippery and perilous, it would be a logical decision to switch to winter tires. Most importantly, truck drivers would be at ease, with the vehicles stopping and accelerating faster with the right type of tires.