Wide or Narrow Tyres for the Winter Season?

It’s a question that is often asked by motorists: are narrow tyres more suitable for the winter season? In the past the answer would have been certainly yes, but now things have definitely changed.

The main reason why in the past it was recommended to install narrow tyres in winter had to do with better driving in snowy conditions (“cutting the snow”), but modern winter tyres “work” based on another principle, they do not try to cut the snow. Instead they make the car adhere perfectly , using the numerous lamellae present on the tread, exploiting the phenomenon called “snowball”.

So a wider tread provides a greater surface area , a greater number of slats, and a better grip on the snow.

This translates into a better grip in almost all conditions , on dry, wet and snow or ice, translating into better grip, better braking distances and more safety.

On the other hand, the larger surface also produces negative effects, caused by the increased friction, such as slightly higher fuel consumption and a slightly lower tread life.

Narrow tyres in winter: what changes

Narrow tyres have a great advantage in case of stagnation of water , when the rain hits hard and the asphalt has stagnant water, the central tread channels may not be able to expel the water fast enough, in this case creating the aquaplaning effect, and the tyres start to “float” on the water creating a dangerous loss of control for the vehicle.

Narrow tyres reduce the risk of aquaplaning .

But this result is achieved to the detriment of performance in almost every other circumstance, in braking, in lateral curves, in acceleration, and in the event of sudden changes in direction (perhaps caused by the need to avoid an obstacle).

Even on snow and ice, a narrower tyre has less grip, less road holding, and less directionality than a wider tyre.

Always choose the measures approved by the manufacturers

In order not to make mistakes and risk fines or even the stop of the vehicle it is always good to consult the vehicle registration before choosing your tyres.

The vehicle registration document shows the measures allowed for the vehicle, and they are the only ones allowed, in case of checks by the traffic police you can risk up to 300 euros fine and the seizure of the vehicle, better not to take risks.

Tyre dealers and car tyre dealers recommend periodic tyre pressure monitoring , which is essential for several reasons; in case of loss of pressure, in fact, driving safety decreases – in particular road holding and adherence of the covers – increases fuel consumption and leads to greater wear of the tread, which will also be more exposed to risk of punctures and damage.

 

What are the causes of loss of pressure in tyres?

There might be several reasons:

• faulty or damaged valve causing air to leak inside the tyre
• incorrect positioning of the valve on the hole in the rim
• small cuts or holes in the rubber that generate a slow loss of pressure, a different phenomenon from the drilling that usually leads to a rapid deflation
• low temperatures : yes, in winter the loss of pressure is more frequent and to overcome this problem the inflation pressure must be slightly higher
• penetration of the air through the components that make up the tyre
• damage of various types to the rim, such as splitting, scratching or rusting
• inner layer of the tyre leaking seal thus favoring the escape of air
• possible damage to the “heel” of the rubber occurred during assembly / disassembly on the rim
• residues of dirt or foreign bodies between the heel of the cover and the rim

All these elements could lead to not having an optimal tyre pressure , so the checks must be periodic, roughly once a month.

 

What is the correct inflation pressure?

The value changes according to the model of the car and to know how many atmospheres you have to inflate the tyres of your car you can check on the registration or on the inside of the cap of the tank. An aid to drivers comes from technology : starting from November 2014 , in fact, all the cars sold within the European Union must be equipped with the TPMS system, ie sensors that automatically detect the tyre pressure. Thanks to this system, specific equipment is required to provide for the disassembly and assembly of seasonal tyres, to avoid damage and ensure the correct operation of the device. Through these sensors the driver is informed if the tyre pressure is correct and if it is necessary to intervene in case of deflation.The TPMS system can be of two types, direct – offers real-time pressure information and is mounted on high-end vehicles – and indirect, on board instead of cars belonging to lower classes. This way the control and the information related to the inflation pressure are more accurate and the driver does not have to manually check the pressure level of his tyres. For all cars sold before November 2014, the control is manual and can be done by the car owner or the trusted tyre repairer.