Before we go into answering the question about whether just having winter tyres on the front of a car is safe there is some background information that we would like to cover.

Common questions we get about this subject are What are the winter tyres? How do they work? Do they boost the performance of your vehicle in winter? When should you replace your winter tyres? If you are planning to switch to winter tyres, all these questions might be bothering you. In this article, we will answer all these questions to make the idea of using winter tyres a more realistic proposition.

Winter tyres are designed with a specific purpose to provide optimum grip and traction during cold conditions. They come with softer compound, narrow cuts, and deeper grooves to ensure smooth moving in the harsh winter.

The rubber in winter tyres combines natural rubber and silica to make it softer in the cold weather and that will ultimately boost the grip of your tyre. With an enhanced grip, you can expect better road safety in icy and wet conditions.

Is using 2 Winter Tyres At The Front Safe?

You should never mount just 2 winter tyres on the front of your vehicle regardless of the type of vehicle you are using.

It is not considered safe to use two winter tyres. If you install only two tyres on the front, then there is a possibility that the rear of the vehicle will lose the traction when you use the breaks or corner on the roads in winter conditions. Having winter tyres on the front of the vehicle will create a grip imbalance between two ends of your vehicle. Just imagine, what will happen without proper balance.

You might not experience any problem while driving on straightforward roads. However, it might cause a problem when cornering roads regardless of the speed. Even if the speed is slow, your car might snap into the spin without giving you any chance to respond and stop the the spin.

Why use 4 Winter Tyres and not 2?

From the above, you might have an idea about the differences between using two and four winter tyres. You can use two winter tyres in favorable conditions. The favorable condition means straight roads, which are not very common. In straight roads, having just two winter tyres on the front can be effective to brake and accelerate.

However, when the road has complex bends and it requires you to corner your vehicle, then as mentioned earlier there is a greater possibility of the vehicle losing traction at the rear. It is difficult to deal with the skidding if you are not an experienced driver. There is also the risk of spinning while turning. If you only put two types in the rear, you will experience the same problem. Here the front tyres will cause the problem. So, avoid this possibility and consider installing four winter tyres. With all 4 wheels using winter tyres the vehicle will be better balanced with extra traction at both the front and rear.

How Do Winter Tyres Work?

Winter tyres are designed to stay flexible and soft to get a good grip in cold conditions. In the summer, tyres lose their effectiveness and become hard. Winter tyres feature a softer compound and more rubber. They can bend and grip just like your winter boor. Also, these tyres contain silica that means tyres will have a biting edge to perform well on the slippery snow.

Winter tyres have hairline cuts in the tread and tiny thousands of cuts in the rubber to offer the required grip and traction on snow and ice. Also, there are different types of thread designs to provide better traction and grip by pushing the snow and slush away. With four winter tyres, you can easily corner and brake.

The key objective of winter tyres is to offer safe driving in harsh weather condition. For this, drivers will need more traction and grip. Winter tyres are designed to offer both.

When to Replace Winter Tyres

You will have to consider a few things for replacing your winter tyres. The most important consideration is the tyre tread depth. You do not need to visit a tyre technician to check the tread depth. You can do it on your own. In addition to the tread depth, you will have to check other irregularities as well. You can simply remove your car tyre and check the tread depth and other irregularities.

If depth is less than 1.6 mm in the UK and other European countries then the tyre is considered to be illegal, not road worthy and must be replaced. Although the minimum legal depth requirement is 1.6 mm, the recommended depth is minimum 4mm. This is important to ensure proper grip and traction. Consider all these for deciding in the tyre tread depth. To find out whether you winter tyres have sufficient tread depth you may be able to use the tread indicators that come on the tyre or you can use a suitable tread depth gauge.

You may find that the tread depth is within safe limits however the tyre may still need to replaced if you discover other irregularities that could include bulges, cracks, bubbles, and delamination. If you find any of these, talk to a tyre technician to find out how severe the problem could be and go with the replacement when suggested.

In addition, you can replace winter tyres with summer tyres when the temperature is above 7 degrees Celsius. You can decide depending on your local weather conditions. You may have to wait for the weather conditions to stabilize before switching to summer tyres. If warmer weather continues for a few days, then the replacement will be a better option.

How Much would 2 winter tyres Cost?

Like summer tyres, the cost of winter tyres will vary significantly depending on the quality and brand. Your car and wheel size will also have a role in the price. However, in general, good winter tyres will cost you around £60. These are cheaper than summer tyres. More importantly, you can store them for the next winter. If you want, you can also get cheaper options. So if you were to invest in just 2 winter tyres you be spending in the region of £120 – £150.

Summary

Winter tyres are a great investment. You can use them for a long time. Winter tyres are made to meet winter needs of vehicles and support your driving in wet and snow conditions. These cost-effective options can save your vehicle in harsh weather and prevent an accident.

However, it is important to install four winter tyres to avoid any possible danger like spinning while cornering your vehicle. In a case like this you will be left with no other choice except being a mere spectator.