Automotive

How Does Weather Impact All-season Tyres?

All-season tyres are well known for offering balanced performance throughout the year, no matter the weather conditions. Although they can't compare when paired against seasonal tyres that are designed to handle particular weather, like winter tyres during winter or summer tyres during summer, they still come out on top when talking about convenience or value for money. But how do they actually fare against varying weather conditions, and does the change in temperature make it harder for them to function? 

These are questions most car owners have in mind when they go to buy Cheap All-season Tyres in Corby. And we understand why people have such doubts. Those who live in regions that are prone to extreme weather conditions and temperature changes worry about the practicality of all-season tyres, which makes the following blog all that crucial. Here, we talk about the impact of different weathers on all-season tyres and whether one should use these tyres throughout the years. 

What Do We Mean By All-Season Tyres? 

First, let us try to understand the concept behind all-season tyres. These are tyres that are specifically designed to handle varying weather conditions. Thus, you can use them in summer and expect them to offer the same road grip on hot roads, or use them in winter and get the same performance during the chilly weather. These tyres are made using a special rubber compound that remains soft during winter yet durable enough to handle the summer heat and prevent overheating or other damage. Moreover, these tyres have large tread blocks that help them channel water away from the center, hence making them a suitable choice for the rainy season. 

When you inspect these tyres, you will also notice that they have additional sipes to provide additional road grip on snow-laden roads; thus, it can be concluded that all-season tyres feature a design that can handle most weather changes and challenges. On a closer look, you will notice that these tyres also have a different treated design than summer tyres. They feature a V-shaped pattern and offer diagonal grooves instead of simple circumference grooves found on summer tyres. 

Impact of Summer on All-Season Tyres

Buying cheap tyres in the UK is not enough if these tyres are unable to handle the varying climate of the country. As most of you already know, the UK has different seasons, but nothing that goes beyond what all-season tyres can handle. So, these tyres can easily handle UK weather. But how these weathers actually impact these tyres is another question. During summer, the hot temperature can easily impact tyre performance, especially when it comes to tyre pressure, road grip, and wear and tear. 

  • Overinflated tyres: Yes, the hot temperature will make the air inside the tyres expand, leading to more air pressure, which will result in overinflated tyres. Now, overinflated tyres will severely impact the performance of the car. It will not only wear out faster due to the additional stress and overheating but also increase the chances of tyre blowouts. However, all-season tyres are durable enough to withstand such problems. 
  • Loss of road grip: When tyres become overinflated during hot temperatures, the contact patch decreases, leading to a severe loss of road grip and traction. This makes driving faster and cornering a hassle, as there is an increased chance of skidding or losing control of the car. This is where all-season tyres make use of their diagonal grooves to grip the road properly.

How Winter Affects The Performance Of All-Season Tyres 

Just like summer, winter also plays a huge role in the performance of your car tyres. The chilling temperature combined with snow-laden roads can easily cause problems for the tyres, causing them to freeze and skid on the road, leading to accidents. Tyre flexibility is also a concern when driving during winter. To overcome these challenges, we can suggest using all-season tyres as they can, to a certain degree, prevent such problems. 

  • Underinflated tyres: During the winter, the temperature is low, which causes the air inside the tyres to contract, leading to low air pressure and underinflated tyres. Such tyres are problematic as the contact patch increases as the tyres become wider, leading to additional friction that can cause faster wear and tear. Also, underinflated tyres can cause your car to burn extra fuel, which is bad for both your wallet and the environment. 
  • Frozen tyres: Due to the lower temperature, the tyres can also freeze if the rubber compound used is not suitable for the weather. The good thing is that all-season tyres, just like the winter tyres, are made of softer rubber compounds, which remain pliant even in chilly temperatures, thus allowing you to drive without any complication. 

How Rain Affects All-Season Tyres 

Finally, let's talk about rain and how it impacts your tyre performance. You should know that when you drive on a road that is submerged in water, you are at risk of hydroplaning, which is losing control of the car. This is very dangerous and can cause an accident. However, all-season tyres come with a wider tread and larger blocks that allow the tyres to channel water away from the center, which allows the tyres to grip the road without much problem.

Chances of hydroplaning: As explained, when you drive on wet roads, there is always a chance of hydroplaning, as there is a layer of water between the tyres and the road. However, when using all-season tyres you don't have to worry as much, because these tyres have a deeper tread groove and large blocks to channel the water away from the center. Thus, the tyres are able to maintain their grip on the road.