Walnuts - Frapontite - Silica

Slowly the message is getting out there, “When it’s winter – it’s time for winter tires!”

The 2007/2008 winter season saw Quebec make winter tires mandatory and this probably sent a message to Ontarians that perhaps winter tires are a good thing.  Yet it’s still amazing how often I across the “I’m a good driver – I don’t need winter tires” mentality.  And to answer the question that’s asked repeatedly this time of the year- “Do I really need FOUR winter tires?” The answer is – “If it’s winter at both ends of your vehicle, you need winter tires at both ends of your vehicle!”

At the SHIFT_into gear event hosted by Nissan, TOYO  Tires had a booth displaying its line of winter tires.  I talked to Tim o’Shaughnessy, Toyo’s National Account Manager who explained the 3 models – the Observe G-20 for the worst winter conditions, the Garit KX for performance vehicles, and the Snowprox S952 for extra winter traction.

Tim also showed me three small containers, each containing the main ingredients necessary to make tires that work in sub-zero temperatures -

Walnut Shells – it seems walnut shells are one of nature’s hardest substances and crusted shells are mixed into the tire compound to add that extra grip.

Frapontite – these tiny crystals are a key ingredient and have the ability to absorb water.  It’s not the inability of the tire to stick to ice that causes loss of traction but the thin layer of water between the tire and the ice.  What water doesn’t get sucked into the sipes (the spaces in the tread pattern), gets absorbed by this compound.  It’s then quickly released once the tire surface is no longer in contact with ice.

Silica – silica is used to keep the tire compound soft in lower temperatures.  Unlike the ill-named “all-season” tire that gets hard, winter tires remain soft and flexible and it’s this characteristic that allows the tire to grip and therefore provide control while steering, accelerating and stopping.

The benefits of a complete set of good winter tire are obvious. How well winter tires work is dependent upon many factors, but nothing substitutes for intelligent driving in winter conditions.