In Auto Mechanic Traning? Here are a Few Tips for Choosing Winter Tires

With the exception of Quebec and parts of British Columbia, there are no laws about whether or not you must install winter tires in Canada. However, many provinces have guidelines, recommendations, or regulations for certain types of vehicles. Wherever you live, if you drive in the winter, these tires are probably a good idea.
In general, winter tires provide grip when you drive over snow, slush and ice so they make winter driving more comfortable and safer. They improve braking, ease driving uphill and reduce sliding when you go around corners. This is possible because they are typically made with a softer rubber and specially designed treads to hold up under winter precipitation and temperatures. If fitted to the right vehicle, they should last about three winters or 30,000 kilometres. Here are a few things to know.

The Basics

After automotive technician school you will want to be able to advise car owners on whatever their car needs are, including snow tires. The basic questions that need to be answered are:

• What is the tire size?
• What is the size of the car?
• Do you drive mainly on city streets, rural roads, highways or a combination?
• What is your average mileage per winter or per year?

Experts generally advise that it is even more important to install winter tires if you drive a small sedan because they are more likely to have trouble and skid in winter conditions. If a driver does a lot of highway driving then tires that are good for ice may be a priority because they have better traction on dry surfaces, but can still do snow handling well. With respect to mileage, this should give an idea of how many winters the tires should last. In rare cases, a driver may also want to consider studded winter tires.

Use Your Auto Mechanic Training to Advise on Maintenance

Winter tires can be a big expense so drivers will want to make sure they get the most out of them. Just like many other parts of a vehicle, winter tires require an attentive driver to make sure they last. When you learn how to install winter tires in auto mechanic training  you will also want to know how to maintain them.
First, drivers should get four matching tires. Some may want to just get two for their front-wheel drive vehicle, but this can be dangerous and cause a car to spin out. Also, low tire pressure can cause undue damage or wear, so the tires must be inflated properly and checked often. Next, drivers should keep an eye on debris. If the treads get clogged up the handling won’t be as smooth or safe. Finally, the tires should be changed back to regular ones as soon as possible after winter because warmer conditions are bad for winter tires.

Budget, Premium, Warranties and More

The other factors drivers will consider when choosing winter tires include price, warranties, installation options and more. Depending on how much a car is driven and the typical conditions there will be a range of flexibility in terms of balancing price and quality. Some tires perform better on ice, while others are better in the snow.

In terms of warranties, winter tires are unlike regular or all season tires in that they will likely not cover treadwear. However, warranties for the rubber and make of the tire are good things to look out for once you have all the other information in place.
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