What are all-season tires?

All-season tires are designed to provide a quiet ride with good handling in most weather conditions as opposed to other tires that are more specialized. «A good all-season tire is engineered to combine tread design and materials in order to provide good traction in both moderate winter conditions as well as summer wet conditions, said Russell Shepherd, technical communications director at Michelin. Winter tires have more intricate treads and rubber compounds that retain their flexibility in the cold. Summer tires often have less complicated treads with compounds designed not to get too soft in high heat.

An all-season tire is the best of both worlds, but it doesn’t function as well in the extremes of either season. If you live in an extreme weather environment, then you may want a more specialized tire. «Winter tires are designed to provide traction in both snow and ice. They are marked with a ‘3PMSF’ which indicates they meet a minimum level of snow traction based on testing,» said Shepherd. What about the other extreme? «Summer tires use tread compounds and sculpture designs to provide maximum dry and damp wet grip. As the tread compound on these tires approaches freezing temperatures, grip levels begin to degrade.»

Pricing for all-season tires can run from a low of around $100 to as high as $400, so there’s quite a price spread. You get what you pay for to a point, but the large selection of quality all-season tires available from reputable tire brands makes it easy to find one that fits your needs and your budget. You’ll also save a few dollars with all-season tires by avoiding the cost of having your tires swapped out as the seasons change.

It’s important to evaluate the tread when selecting an all-season tire, as it’s a strong factor in determining the tire’s reliability and performance. A good all-season tire will have grooves called sipes that allow water to pass through, while asymmetric tread patterns improve traction. Additionally, high-quality tires and treads are made of materials that withstand both cold temperatures and high speeds.

Types of all-season tires

All-season tires are broken down into several categories. This might seem confusing, but the idea is to help you find the right all-season tire for your vehicle and how you drive.

• Touring: This is the basic all-season tire suited to most passenger cars. It provides a smooth ride that delivers a good balance of comfort and traction.
• Grand touring: This is a step up from a touring tire. It offers a better ride with more refined tread patterns that reduce noise, vibration and harshness. They also come at a higher price.
• Highway: Much like a grand touring tire, a highway tire delivers a smooth, quiet and well-mannered ride that focuses on highway driving. That includes better traction at higher speeds and more controlled cornering.
• Crossover and SUV touring: This does the same thing as the touring tires found on sedans but is designed to manage the increased weight of SUVs. Many of these tires have added winter and rain capability since these vehicles are a popular choice in wintry regions.

Reading a tire sidewall

The about a tire. There’s a method to the madness so once you know the formula, you can read the sidewall on any tire and know exactly what kind of tire is on your vehicle. Let’s break down the basics.

Example: P 225/50 R 17 98 H

• Tire class: P stands for a P-metric or passenger tire. Light truck tires have an LT.
• Width: This number (225) is the width of the tread in millimeters from side to side.
• Aspect ratio: This number indicates the height of the sidewall as a percentage of the width, which is 50% in this example.
• Construction type: The R stands for radial, which is pretty much all you’ll see these days.
• Rim diameter: This is the diameter of the wheel that this tire will fit. Our example tire fits a 17-inch wheel.
• Load index: Covering a rating range from 70 to 126, this number lets you know how much weight a tire can safely manage and is generally only a concern for trucks that carry cargo.
• Speed rating: Depending on the letter, your tires may be rated anywhere from 75 mph to 186 mph. An H tire falls in the middle with a rating of 130 mph. Regardless of your tire speed rating, always obey posted speed limits.

Proper tire care

One of the biggest things you can do to make sure your tire doesn’t wear out prematurely is to keep it properly inflated. When I asked TJ Campbell, tire information and testing manager at Tire Rack for his top two tire maintenance tips, he responded, «Inflation, inflation, inflation, inflation, inflation. Make that my top five!» The reason this is so important is that your tire inflation changes over time even if your tire doesn’t have any leaks or damage.

«It drops about 1 psi per month and changes 1 psi for every 10 degrees the temperature changes,» Campbell said. If the weather gets cold and you haven’t checked your tire pressure since spring, the pressure is going to be way off, which causes uneven and premature wear. Not only will that have you shelling out money for a replacement sooner, but it’ll also increase the chances of tire failure. «Proper inflation pressure allows tires to do everything they’re supposed to do. If your tire is underinflated by 20%, then its life could be reduced by as much as 50%,» said Campbell. The correct tire pressure for your tires can be found on the sticker on the door jamb of your vehicle.

Campbell also suggests putting a priority on tire rotation: «Rotate early. Rotate often.» This is especially key when tires are new. «Tires are most susceptible to wear when they’re new, so being even slightly out of spec has a big effect on new tires.» Rotating your tires at least every 5,000 to 7,500 miles helps ensure all your tires wear evenly, but you can’t really do this too often. The rotation pattern depends on your vehicle and tires with some rotating front to back, others side to side, and sometimes even a combination of those two. Check your owner’s manual to see what the manufacturer recommends.

It’s also important to check your alignment. Bumps in the road, potholes and especially off-road driving can wreak havoc with your alignment. You may even feel a telltale vibration in the wheel, but there’s also a possibility everything will feel just fine even when there’s a problem. Checking your tire alignment, and correcting it if necessary, helps prevent premature tire wear.

When should you replace a tire?

Each tire has a recommended tread life. Once you pass that mileage limitation, you should be looking for a new set of tires, but your tire may need to be replaced sooner. It’s about more than just having a functioning tread.

«Damage, bulges, bald spots and severe cracking are all immediate cause to take a tire out of service,» said Campbell. Tires are an integral part of your car. If your tire is failing, it’s not safe to keep driving. Some damage, like punctures, may be able to be repaired, but that’s not always possible. Sidewall damage is particularly troublesome and often requires tire replacement rather than repair. Seek an expert’s assistance and if they say it’s not safe to repair, then it’s wise to follow that advice.

Even if you’re within the recommended tread life and there’s no specific damage, if your tread is worn out, then replace your tires. Tires have wear bars that become visible in the tread pattern when the tread is too low. There’s also the good old penny test. Take a penny and insert it between the treads with Lincoln’s head facing down. If you can see the top of his head over the tread, then it’s below the recommended 2/32 of an inch and is due for replacement.

«This is when your tires will fail, so people call it the legal limit,» said Campbell. While this is true in state’s that require inspections, it’s not an entirely accurate way to look at things. «A tread depth of 2/32 is not adequate for all driving conditions,» said Campbell. It may work fine on a dry road, but rain or snow at this depth could be a problem.

Campbell recommends a depth of 4/32 in these conditions. You can check this depth by using a quarter instead of a penny and looking for the top of Washington’s head. If you drive in snow, then you need closer to 6/32 of tread depth. Sorry, no coin trick for this one.

Uneven wear also means it’s time to replace your tires. The possibility of uneven wear is a good reason to check the depth of your tread in multiple locations on each tire. Test it on both edges, the middle and in a couple of different areas in case it’s mostly fine but worn only in one region. Sometimes you can even feel uneven wear with your hand. Run your palm along your tire and if it feels smooth in some spots but not in others, then the wear is uneven, and the tire should be replaced.

Age is also key. Even a tire with low mileage needs to be replaced if it’s old because rubber degrades over time. «We recommend replacing tires after six years of service or 10 years from the date of manufacture,» said Campbell. You can find that date on the sidewall of your tire if you’re unsure. Cracks, bulges and problems with tire pressure are all signs of tires that are getting old and need to be replaced.

What to look for in a new tire

Tires perform the essential task of maintaining traction, so it’s important to get the right tires not just for your vehicle, but for how you drive. «Our philosophy is finding the right tire for how, where and what you drive,» said Campbell. While you can go with a cheap no-name tire, it’s not a great idea. «Major manufacturers are more tech-focused and do things at a higher level,» said Campbell. «They have the ability, know-how and skill to make tires that perform at a high level across the board. Without those things, your end product isn’t as good.»

Tires are key in keeping your vehicle under control, so you need to be sure you’re getting what you expect when you buy a new set. The thorough testing conducted by the top brands ensures you get a tire that does what you want it to do, whether that’s highway cruising or making your way through snow. A known brand also brings newer technology in terms of tread patterns and compounds. Summer tires and winter tires have rubber formulations tailored for those temperatures, so be sure to get the tire that suits your environment.

Yes, you will pay more for a brand name than for random tires from some guy who knows a guy who can get you a deal. While brand names cost more, remember you don’t need to buy a brand’s most expensive tire. Highly specialized variants for snow, off-roading or performance driving cost more but aren’t necessary unless you plan to do that kind of driving. You’ll also pay more for tires with a longer tread life, so consider one from a reputable brand but a shorter life if your budget is tight.

Start by finding tires that fit (that’s the rim diameter mentioned earlier) and then narrow it down those choices based on how and where you drive. A performance tire is a great choice for high-speed driving, but you’re going to want an off-road tire if you’re hitting the dirt.

Do you need to replace all your tires at once?

It’s not usually recommended to replace one tire at a time because the tread wears down the more you drive. If your tires are old and you only replace one, then the thicker tread on the new tire can cause issues with overall handling and mess with your alignment. If your other tires are relatively new, you may be OK, but ask a tire expert to assess your specific situation.

It’s best to replace all four, but if you’re on a modest budget, then replace either the two front or two rear tires. They’ll have about the same amount of wear, so you won’t risk as many issues. Look for the same tires or as close as possible to what is already on your vehicle.

Many all-wheel drive vehicles include manufacturer’s recommendations to replace all four tires at once. While an expensive option, you should always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations when it comes to tire replacement for your vehicle.

Written by Nicole Wakelin for CNET

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