A lot of “surprises” await the drivers on the winter road: ice, snow porridge, ice, snow-covered track. Such weather conditions are a real test for tires. After all, the safety of the car owner and passengers, as well as the stability of the vehicle, will depend on them. For regions with harsh winters, studded tires are ideal . Let us consider in more detail what kind of “studding” is in greatest demand.
Do I need to “change shoes”?
With the approach of the first cold weather, most drivers think about the next "shoe" of their "iron horse". Is it even necessary to change summer tires to winter tires? Any automotive expert will give a positive answer to this question. No matter how warm the winter, at a temperature of + 7 ° C, summer tires begin to “tan”, which negatively affects its performance. Winter tires remain elastic even in severe frosts. This allows you to maintain a high coefficient of friction with the roadway.
Winter tires have a more aggressive tread, which helps it to quickly self-clean from adhering snow. The tread is endowed with many drainage channels, which positively affect the grip. According to reviews, studded tires have increased cross-country ability and well resist lateral drifts.
Winter tires: types
For the operation of the car in the winter, there are three types of tires: studded, friction ("Velcro") and all-season. It is better to conquer snow-covered roads with Velcro, because such tires have an increased number of tread blocks, which provide excellent adhesion to the road surface.
Confidently move on ice will help winter studded tires. Steel “teeth” easily pierce the top layer of the ice crust and, as it were, cling to the road during start and braking. This greatly improves the convenience of driving and improves safety. Drivers who make frequent trips outside the city should also pay attention to studded tires.
"All season" - the most budgetary option "shoes" for the car. However, it should be remembered that such rubber wears out much faster. And in terms of performance, it is significantly inferior to both winter and summer tires.
Varieties of spikes
Each manufacturer of automotive rubber has its own idea of what a stud should look like. For the first time, studs of the “nail” type were used for studding tires. They had a simple structure, a steel case with a smooth cylindrical surface and a cap at the end. Inside was a core with a circular cross section. Such spikes were a real discovery in the tire industry, but at the same time they had many shortcomings.
Two- and three-flange steel “teeth” are considered a more reliable option for studded winter tires. The transverse flange allows the spike to be more securely mounted in the tread, which extends the life of the tires.
The stud body is made of various materials. Most often, steel, aluminum or two-alloy compounds are used for this purpose.
The spikes also differ in shape from one another. The most common are round spikes, which are present on many budget tires. They provide poor grip on icy road surfaces. A large area of contact of the steel "tooth" with the road have spikes of oval shape.
The developers of the Nokian tire brand have patented tetrahedral spikes, which can only be found on tires of this company. Ideal traction is provided by sharp edges and edges with which steel "teeth" are pressed into the ice. Good wear resistance and minimal risk of falling out of the seat are significant advantages of tetrahedral studs.
Diamond or hexagonal spikes can be seen on tires from the most expensive segment. Such metal elements are made of high quality alloys with high hardness.
Best Studded Tires: Rating
Most vehicle owners choose tires based on ratings from popular car magazines and reviews from other drivers. It is this approach that will help to choose the most suitable rubber. It should be borne in mind on which roads and under what weather conditions it will be operated.
Among the best studded winter tires, the following models should be noted:
- "Nokian Hakkapelita 8".
- Continental IceContact 2.
- "Nokian Hakkapelita 7".
- Michelin X-Ice Nord 3.
- Nokian Nordman 5.
- Goodyear Ultra Ice Arctic.
- Bridgestone Blizak Spike 01
- Dunlop Grandtrek Ice 02
- Pirelli Ice Zero.
- "Gislaved Nord Frost 200."
The listed models of car tires belong to the premium segment and are of high quality. Manufacturers of studded tires of a budget class offer products with very decent performance and at an affordable cost. Such models as Cordiant SnowCross, Sava Eskimo Stud, Formula Ice (a subsidiary of Pirelli brand) are popular among such “spikes”. They have already managed to gain the trust of many domestic motorists.
Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8
A review of studded tires should begin with the leader of numerous ratings - tires of the famous Finnish brand Nokian, which is considered an expert in tire production. The company specializes in creating rubber for difficult weather conditions.
Nokian Hakkapelita 8 will cope with any difficulties on winter roads. The brand introduced this model to the general public back in 2013 and since then it has been leading in various ratings.
Hakkapeliitta 8 studded tires provide excellent grip on both snowy and icy road surfaces. This was achieved due to the updated two-layer structure of the tread. When creating rubber, a unique compound was used, which is characterized by increased strength. This ensures uniform tire wear and allows you to securely hold the spike.
The manufacturer also made sure that the rubber is suitable for any type of car. That is why the lineup contains 59 sizes of tires Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8. The cost of tires starts at 3600 rubles per wheel.
Continental IceContact 2
The products of the German tire giant Continental are very popular among car enthusiasts around the world. IceContact 2 winter studded tires are considered to be one of the most popular. When creating this model, the developers used unique spikes (CristallDubb), which have less weight. This allowed us to increase the number of “teeth” on the tread, which positively affected the patency of the “studding” and helped to reduce the braking distance.
The Continental IceContact 2 asymmetric rubber has excellent handling both on ice and on dry road surfaces. There are “ice pockets” around the spikes to prevent snow and ice from sticking. In them, ice is first collected, and then scattered on the sides due to the action of centrifugal force.
Tires are not afraid of snowdrifts and have excellent cross-country ability. Confident traction is manifested when driving in wet snow and snow porridge. Among the shortcomings, many drivers note the late response of the steering wheel, braking on dry and wet asphalt. The minimum price per wheel is 3200 rubles.
Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice Arctic
Studded tires Ultra Grip Ice Arctic from Goodyear, an American tire manufacturer, has a directional tread pattern and spikes that help you easily and confidently move along icy and snowy roads.
MultiControl Ice technology helps maintain excellent vehicle handling in all weather conditions. This was made possible due to the unique process of manufacturing the spikes, as a result of which it was possible to increase the contact spot of the triangular spike and the road. On top of each steel "tooth" has a carbide insert with sharp edges, providing effective acceleration and reliable grip.
How do these studded tires behave on slippery surfaces? Manageability has been greatly improved thanks to the unique, patented Goodyear 3D-BIS technology.
You can buy a set of studded tires Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice Arctic for 12700-16000 rubles.
Dunlop Grandtrek Ice02
Dunlop is a company with British roots, owned by two tire concerns - Bridgestone and Goodyear. Among the "winter" wheels produced under this brand, drivers received special attention Grandtrek Ice 02 tires. This is a directional studded model, ideal for SUVs and crossovers.
According to reviews, rubber provides reliable stability and excellent vehicle handling on winter roads. A set of studded tires Grandtrek Ice 02 in the amount of 215/65/16 will cost the car owner 12800-13500 rubles.
Why is it necessary to run the “spikes”?
During the production of winter tires, they are coated with special grease. Some of this grease remains on the tread surface. This significantly reduces the quality of adhesion of the wheels to the roadway. Running studded tires involves the operation of tires for the first 500-600 km at a speed of 60-70 km / h. During this time, the grease residue will be erased and the tires will acquire the necessary porosity. Run-in is best done on a dry road.
The new studding is quite vulnerable to mechanical damage. Therefore, it is better to run-in on more or less good roads. It is recommended to avoid slipping and abandon extreme driving style.