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 condom chemical compound is able to rest softer at sub-freezing temperatures, making it ideal for mutual depression temperature conditions.

What temperature attain are wintertime tires designed for? 

Winter tires are designed for rattling depression temperatures, good below freezing, too are designed to rest flexible too pliable inwards these conditions. 

If you lot were to utilization wintertime tires year-round, what negative consequences would at that topographic point be?

1. Faster article of apparel - the condom of wintertime tires is significantly to a greater extent than flexible than all flavour too summertime tires. This volition drive it to article of apparel downwards rapidly inwards summertime temperatures.
2. Decreased surgery - wintertime tread is a flake also 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 oft say to a greater extent than pressure level tin last beneficial for snow/winter driving. Is at that topographic point whatsoever truth to this, or should people stick to OEM tread width? 

There is no perfect answer, but it is mutual exercise amongst tire too bicycle packages to croak downwards a bicycle size too department width. Part of the argue is the toll of the wheels too tires volition last cheaper. This tin last beneficial inwards deep snow. With deep snowfall environments wider tires volition stimulate got to a greater extent than of a plowing effect, where narrower tires volition teach deeper down. It's of import to realize that to a greater extent than or less complications tin occur amongst size changes, such every bit ensuring the tires tin comport the load, stimulate 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, too seize amongst teeth particles tin all assist inwards wintertime traction. 

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

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

When would it last ameliorate to stimulate got all-season tires? 

There are typically 2 reasons why i would utilization all flavour tires. 

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

Is at that topographic point a departure 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, too so wintertime tire would probable stimulate 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 last quite every bit good, too thence fuel economic scheme is probable to decrease.

Specific Questions on the Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 Tire

What specific features most 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 particularly of import inwards icy conditions (the worst conditions possible). In icy conditions, a sparse layer of H2O forms on the surface. This could last from the pressure level of the tire, or from the surroundings (sun shining on ice). The chemical compound is designed to give you lot the best possible endangerment to teach past times at these conditions. 
2. The hydrophylic multi-cell chemical compound draws H2O to it inwards fellowship 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 blueprint catches snowfall inwards it. Snow on snowfall traction is genuinely really good, fifty-fifty though it's unremarkably sentiment 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, too significantly to a greater extent than siping versus a summertime or all flavour tire. The zig-zag sipes are beneficial for creating an extra edge. The shape helps stabilize the block, too so the block doesn’t deform every bit much if it was take away across, thence improving handling. Zig-zag sipes also render an additional lateral edge. 

What is “Tube Multi-Cell” too 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 last to depict inwards to a greater extent than water.

It’s stated that multi-cell chemical compound acts similar a sponge too pulls H2O away from the surface every bit it grips the pavement. How does this H2O teach 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 too slush.” What does this mean? (Literature on the WS80) 

The quantity of tread blocks is higher, too at that topographic point 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 you lot alive anywhere where temps are consistently depression plenty that at that topographic point is a threat that roads could last covered amongst snowfall or nice, wintertime tires may brand sense. Also, if you lot stimulate got summertime tires on your car, ameliorate safe than pathetic too 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 upwards most 50% of the tread wear. Will it notwithstanding deed every bit a proficient wintertime tire after the multi-cell chemical compound tread has been worn off?

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

Is at that topographic point a intermission inwards for WS80 tires?

Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 tires characteristic a micro-textured surface from the factory, too so at that topographic point is suitcase correct from the start. It may last most 500 miles earlier you've started to article of apparel into the multi-cell compound. 

The Future Of Tires

Where does Bridgestone run across the time to come of Winter Tire tech going? What sorts of technologies are going to croak to a greater extent than mutual inwards wintertime tires? Do studded tires stimulate got a long future?

1. On the horizon - all the tire makers are looking at minimizing surgery tradeoffs. The sentiment is to create a wintertime tire that volition article of apparel longer too grip better. 
2. In the non too so nigh future, companies may last looking towards adaptive tires - tires that tin accommodate to unlike conditions. 
3. Airless solutions are the “holy grail" of tire manufacturers. People don’t croak along proper tire pressures, too punctures do occur. Airless solutions do stimulate got a future. “DriveGuard” is a Bridgestone technology scientific discipline too is an development of where things tin go. Airless tires tend to last on low-cal weight vehicles for now, though overtime the technology scientific discipline volition improve. 
4. Studded tires may notwithstanding serve a role on high mount passes or where regulation requires.