How to Pick the Right Snow Tires

April 21, 2024

The Green Bay Packers have fans dubbed the “Cheeseheads” because Wisconsin is America’s dairy capital.  Grown men and women don Styrofoam blocks of cheese, in public, and celebrate their football team while paying homage to the area’s economic lynchpin: cheese.  But not everyone wearing those crazy hats is an expert in cheese.  Shockingly, some people don’t know their provolone from their mozzarella.

Akron is known for its rubber industry, and just like everyone in a Packers jersey isn’t an expert in cheese, not everyone wearing an Akron Zips or Rubber Ducks jersey knows about tires.  We’d like to think that Northeast Ohio is full of tire experts, but the truth is, many people just aren’t sure which tire to pick when it comes to finding one that will work in the snow.

Here are some tips to think about when you are looking to pick out snow tires for this winter:

-A tire for all seasons?
You are in, or near, the Snowbelt. You need a snow tire.  An all-season tire is good until you encounter a full out ice or snow storm in Northeast Ohio.  A winter tire will help you stop faster, climb hills more easily and stop sliding.

-What’s up stud?
The old school residents of Cleveland and Akron will pine for a time when a real Ohio motorist had studded tires on their car and drove to work uphill both ways.  The reality is that while there are some advantages to having studded tires, they aren’t that much better than the new snow tires that are out now, and they also damage pavement.  They are illegal in most places, and it’s just not worth it to have them on your car.

-Four is better than two.
There is a prevailing logic that states you can get away with just putting two new snow tires on your drive axle and motor through the winter. The truth is, two wheels gripping and two slipping creates a pinwheel effect that can create a dangerous situation for you.

Still not feeling like an expert?  Let the team at Rad Air find the right snow tire for you.  Schedule a visit to meet with a snow tire professional at any of our Rad Air locations and let us get your car ready for winter.