Are Certain Wheels Suitable for All Weather Conditions?

We tend to drive with the same wheels and tyres throughout the year and don’t consider changing them for the winter months. But that’s because we live in the southern hemisphere. If we do this so blindly, are the wheels on our cars suitable for all weather conditions or are we taking our chances?

There are a wide range of options available that accommodate the everyday driver as well as race car enthusiasts. Whether it is suitable for all weather conditions will depend on which type of wheels and tyres you opt for. Generally, most passenger vehicle options are suitable for all weather conditions.

However, when choosing wheels and tyres for your car you need to consider cold, hot, and wet weather conditions. As they might go through all of these harsh conditions at some point during the year so they could get damaged. Or worse, they won’t be able to grip the road when you need it most, such as on wet roads. This could lead your car to skid dangerously across the road. Therefore you need to ensure that the wheels and tyres can handle wet conditions as well as cold and hot weather conditions.

In the southern hemisphere, snow isn’t seen much. However, cold conditions can affect the texture of the rubber on the tyre. A change of tyres for winter should only be considered if the temperature falls below seven degrees Celsius. In that case, choose ones that are made with a finer tread pattern for added grip. They are likely to stop quicker because they are made for slippery roads.

For wet seasons, the tread on the tyre should have longitudinal and lateral treads. This helps with traction on the road when water takes the resistance away between the tyre and road. Often the types of wheels and tyres that work best for most weather conditions would be the A/S (all-season) tyres.

When it comes to hot seasons, you have to consider that your wheels and tyres might get increasingly heated especially if you are driving fast or for a long distance. Heat causes your tyres to become overinflated and close to splitting due to the gasses that get compressed. You would have to drive slower to reduce the friction.

All season tyres are a good option for drivers in the southern hemisphere where they can be used throughout the year, as the temperature does not fluctuate that much between seasons. Wheel suppliers distribute the relevant types of wheels and tyres to each country meaning that weather conditions have been accounted for. So they won’t send snow wheels and tyres to the southern countries where snow does not fall.

A1 Wheel and Tyre is a private family owned and operated company specialising in the warehouse and distribution of wheels and tyres to the automotive fitment trade. The company has a well established operation in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Visit our website for details and images of our mag wheel range.