Jack Williams

Snow Tires Make a Difference

A Few Facts about Winter Tires

· Snow tires (also known as winter tires) have tread patterns specifically designed to dig down and bite into snow and ice.

· Winter tires are made from softer compounds that retain their flexibility in cold weather, allowing the tire to better conform to the surface of the road. (Regular tires tend to get hard and brittle in cold temperatures.)

· Winter tires keep a better grip on snowy and icy surfaces than regular all-season or summer tires. Grip is critical -- not just to avoid getting stuck, but to ensure that the car can stop and steer.

· All-season tires are not good enough. All-season (also known as all-weather) tires are designed to cope with all sorts of conditions, including dry roads and rain, but are not optimized for any one condition. They are generally made from harder materials that don't conform to the road surface as well in low temperatures.

· It's not a good idea to leave your snow tires on all year long.

- Snow tires tend to be noisier.

- The softer compounds from which snow tires are made means they will wear out faster, especially in warm weather.

- Wear is critical, because winter tires rely on their deep tread to dig into snow and ice.

As soon as the snow is gone for good, remove your snow tires and reinstall your regular tires. The good news: Since you're savvy enough to use snow tires, you don't need to stick with the all-season tires that came with your car for the rest of the year -- you can choose a "summer" tire that will provide better handling, better traction in the rain, or a smoother, quieter ride.

Jack Williams Tire and Auto Service Centers specialize in all of your vehicle's service needs. Whether your vehicle needs factory scheduled maintenance, state inspections or mission inspections, Jack Williams' ASE certified professionals know just how to help you. Visit any of our 29 locations to meet with Jack Williams' team of experts for alignments, brakes, shocks, struts, exhausts, batteries, fluid services, oil changes, filters, belts, hoses, diagnostics and more! Jack Williams Tire is proud to employ ASE certified technicians.