mondeo
New member
No, I'm saying that the squirm and squeel are from the tread design (and sidewall stiffness.) The wear rate is because of the compound, chosen for higher grip.
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Driving techniques w snow tires to save tread?
- Thread starter jaywbigred
- Start date
So, you don't think that the softer compound contributes to the squirmy feeling at all? I'd think it'd be a combination of the tread design/sipes and the compound that contribute to the squirminess...
I'm pretty sure they use a softer rubber in snow tires to help with traction. The sipes contribute to a degree, but the softer rubber does as well. I doubt you could sipe a set of "engery" tires they put on hybrids and get a good snow tire. Those tend to be a harder rubber to maximize mileage...and really suxor in the snow.
Hawkshot99
Active member
Why do race tires use a very soft compound? To have a firm feel on the road and better traction. If softer tires caused squirmieness then they would not be using them.
mondeo
New member
My previous set of summer tires was about the same as winter tires in compound. Drastically different responsiveness. The stiffness of the rubber is a second order effect relative to the tread construction.
darent
Active member
race tires have no tread, except for rain tires,race tires use different compounds for different tracks, winter tires can feel squirmy,a product of both rubber compound and tread design{big blocks with sipes} higher spead rated tires can eliminate the soft squishy feeling in winter tires
darent
Active member
winter tires do use different compouds than summer tires. winter tires stay softer in cold temperatures, that's what makes them work, all season tires get really hard in really cold temps, thus less grip in cold weather. it is all about tire compound, tread design. sipes and material used in the compound, like walnut shell pieces
mondeo
New member
Softer rubber helps in general, no matter the surface. Sipes are specifically for snow and ice (particularly ice) to give more edge length, which can help increase the local pressure and sorta dig into the ice.
But as far as squirm goes, it's all about the stiffness of the tread block. Blocks are essentially beams in bending; the stiffness is inversely proportional to the height cubed, and proportinonal to the elasticity of the material (softness of the rubber,) and second moment of inertia. The second moment of inertia is proportional to the length in the direction of bending cubed and the width. So, if you cut a block in two across the direction it is being pushed against, the stiffness drops by a factor of four despite having the same amount of material. Winter tires in the direction of motion have tread blocks with 5-6 sipes, and tend not to have any real continuity in tread to speak of. Sure the compound may be, say, 30% softer, but that's only a 30% decrease in stiffness. Chopping up the tread like that does a whole lot more. Also snow tires tend to start out with deeper tread, which at the beginning of life will make it that much more apparent.
SKIQUATTRO
New member
honestly, my winters handle better than the stock all seasons on dry.
winter: 17" Firestone WinterForce
Stock 20" Bridgestone Dueler H/L
winter: 17" Firestone WinterForce
Stock 20" Bridgestone Dueler H/L
mondeo
New member
My stock summers handled better than winters, but they also have a shorter life span.
Geoff
Well-known member
Siping is intended to give water a place to go when it's near the freezing point. The water layer over the ice is what makes it slippery. When it's subzero with no water layer, you can get OK traction on ice. Siping doesn't do much of anything for traction in deep snow. The tread pattern is what matters in that condition.
