Winter Tires - Faqs - Bridgestone Blizzak Ws80

General Questions About Winter Tires

What is a wintertime tire?

Winter tires are designed to offering ameliorate traction inwards extreme cold, icy, snowy, or slushy conditions. The safe chemical compound is able to stay softer at sub-freezing temperatures, making it ideal for mutual depression temperature conditions.

What temperature make are wintertime tires designed for? 

Winter tires are designed for really depression temperatures, good below freezing, as well as are designed to stay flexible as well as pliable inwards these conditions. 

If yous were to utilization wintertime tires year-round, what negative consequences would in that place be?

1. Faster article of apparel - the safe of wintertime tires is significantly to a greater extent than flexible than all flavor as well as summertime tires. This volition motility it to article of apparel downwards speedily inwards summertime temperatures.
2. Decreased functioning - wintertime tread is a flake likewise flexible for a quick response inwards warmer temperatures.

Is it smart to teach a narrower width tire for wintertime tires rather than the OEM tread width? People oftentimes say to a greater extent than pressure level tin give the axe endure beneficial for snow/winter driving. Is in that place whatever truth to this, or should people stick to OEM tread width? 

There is no perfect answer, but it is mutual exercise amongst tire as well as bike packages to buy the farm downwards a bike size as well as department width. Part of the argue is the toll of the wheels as well as tires volition endure cheaper. This tin give the axe endure beneficial inwards deep snow. With deep snowfall environments wider tires volition get got to a greater extent than of a plowing effect, where narrower tires volition teach deeper down. It's of import to realize that but about complications tin give the axe occur amongst size changes, such every bit ensuring the tires tin give the axe bear the load, get got an acceptable speed rating, permit for clearance of the brakes, amid other considerations. 

What techniques are used inwards designing wintertime tires to optimize traction inwards snow? 

Studs, soft tire compound, deep tread width, sipes, multi-cell compounds, as well as seize amongst teeth particles tin give the axe all assist inwards wintertime traction. 

Will wintertime tires offering ameliorate stopping distance inwards dry out conditions versus a summertime tire, inwards mutual depression temperature weather? 

As temperatures are dropping below freezing, the wintertime tire’s pattern volition supply ameliorate performance. 

When would it endure ameliorate to get got all-season tires? 

There are typically 2 reasons why 1 would utilization all flavor tires. 

1. In a "middle" climate zone, 1 amongst mild winters that is brushed amongst snowfall occasionally. 
2. For those inwards warmer regions, all flavor tires supply greater tread life than summertime tires.

Is in that place a deviation inwards rolling resistance for wintertime tires versus summertime or all-season tires? In colder temperatures, which tire has the greatest rolling resistance?

As a full general rule, rolling resistance is non a primary do goodness that wintertime tires are looking to deliver, then wintertime tire would probable get got to a greater extent than rolling resistance. These tires are focused on maximum traction rather than reducing rolling resistance. 

What impacts on fuel economic scheme volition wintertime tires have?

As a full general dominion at a high level, a wintertime tire’s rolling resistance won’t endure quite every bit good, as well as therefore fuel economic scheme is probable to decrease.

Specific Questions on the Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 Tire

What specific features nearly the WS80 teach inwards an ideal wintertime tire?

The WS80 is a studless wintertime tire, which achieves traction that long agone was solely possible amongst studded tires. 

1. One characteristic is the Multi-cell compound. At the microscopic level, it’s a porous compound. This is peculiarly of import inwards icy conditions (the worst conditions possible). In icy conditions, a sparse layer of H2O forms on the surface. This could endure from the pressure level of the tire, or from the environs (sun shining on ice). The chemical compound is designed to give yous the best possible lead chances to teach past times at these conditions. 
2. The hydrophylic multi-cell chemical compound draws H2O to it inwards social club to maximize traction amongst the H2O ice below. 
3. Bite particles are also included inwards the tread compound, these particles scratch the surface to give to a greater extent than grip.
4. The tire chemical compound is pliable at depression temperatures (soft compound).
5. The tread pattern pattern catches snowfall inwards it. Snow on snowfall traction is genuinely really good, fifty-fifty though it's usually catch that snowfall packed inwards the tread reduces traction on snowfall surfaces.

What makes the tread design/pattern of the WS80 ideal for wintertime conditions (as far every bit the channels, shapes, patterns, etc)? 

The tread pattern has much to a greater extent than border quantity, as well as significantly to a greater extent than siping versus a summertime or all flavor tire. The zig-zag sipes are beneficial for creating an extra edge. The shape helps stabilize the block, then the block doesn’t deform every bit much if it was instantly across, therefore improving handling. Zig-zag sipes also supply an additional lateral edge. 

What is “Tube Multi-Cell” as well as how does it improve traction?

Tube multi-cell is the latest generation of multi-cell compounds. The pours are a flake bigger than they used to endure to depict inwards to a greater extent than water.

It’s stated that multi-cell chemical compound acts similar a sponge as well as pulls H2O away from the surface every bit it grips the pavement. How does this H2O operate out the tire? 

Centrifugal forcefulness every bit the tire rotates.

The WS80 features “Increased block edges past times 20% (compared to WS70) for ameliorate treatment on snowfall as well as slush.” What does this mean? (Literature on the WS80) 

The quantity of tread blocks is higher, as well as in that place is to a greater extent than siping.

Does the increased block edges of the WS80 outcome inwards decreased tread life?
No.

What are the minimal conditions someone should utilization wintertime tires? (Simply a personal recommendation)

If yous alive anywhere where temps are consistently depression plenty that in that place is a threat that roads could endure covered amongst snowfall or nice, wintertime tires may brand sense. Also, if yous get got summertime tires on your car, ameliorate safe than lamentable as well as switch to wintertime tires during the winter. 

The multi-cell chemical compound of the WS80 tire every bit good every bit the seize amongst teeth particles brand upward nearly 50% of the tread wear. Will it withal deed every bit a proficient wintertime tire after the multi-cell chemical compound tread has been worn off?

The tire withal delivers proficient wintertime traction from pliability as well as siping, after the multi-cell chemical compound has worn off. 

Is in that place a intermission inwards for WS80 tires?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 tires characteristic a micro-textured surface from the factory, then in that place is pocket correct from the start. It may endure nearly 500 miles earlier you've started to article of apparel into the multi-cell compound. 

The Future Of Tires

Where does Bridgestone come across the futurity of Winter Tire tech going? What sorts of technologies are going to buy the farm to a greater extent than mutual inwards wintertime tires? Do studded tires get got a long future?

1. On the horizon - all the tire makers are looking at minimizing functioning tradeoffs. The catch is to create a wintertime tire that volition article of apparel longer as well as grip better. 
2. In the non then close future, companies may endure looking towards adaptive tires - tires that tin give the axe accommodate to dissimilar conditions. 
3. Airless solutions are the “holy grail" of tire manufacturers. People don’t buy the farm on proper tire pressures, as well as punctures do occur. Airless solutions do get got a future. “DriveGuard” is a Bridgestone technology scientific discipline as well as is an development of where things tin give the axe go. Airless tires tend to endure on lite weight vehicles for now, though overtime the technology scientific discipline volition improve. 
4. Studded tires may withal serve a utilization on high mount passes or where regulation requires.