Discussions

they are made only to work in sub zero temps folks driving with them on all year will just kill them faster  
 
soon they will be mandatory and why waste what you have now  
 
i even passed a person yesterday still driving on studded tires thats a killer

Winter tires are made using a softer rubber compound, so in essence they function like racing rubber at above freezing temperatures providing more grip, albeit at the expense of reduced tread life. I was told it depends upon how much driving you do in a year has a factor on how rapidly the tread will wear down.

Our snow is all gone but 5 hours north of us just had a big snow storm with freezing rain which made the roads more like skating rinks. I leave my studded tires on until it's mandatory or until I know I won't be travelling back home.

Alvin Hansen said "Winter tires are made using a softer rubber compound, so in essence they function like racing rubber at above freezing temperatures providing more grip, albeit at the expense of reduced tread life. I was told it depends upon how much driving you do in a year has a factor on how rapidly the tread will wear down. "

My elderly mother doesn't put many miles on her car. Her winter tires (non studded) are on year round.

Life of any tire depends on how much you drive so that doesn't really apply to winter tires. Softness of tires depends on what ply you buy. You can buy softer summer tires if you like. It's people's choice if they want to leave their winter tires on. It's their money.

There is actually a bylaw on studded tires.  
http://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/regs/current/_pdf-regs.php?reg=220/88  
 
October 1st till April 30th is the only time one is legally allowed to use studded tires on their vehicle. As for non studded winter tires that is all up to the owners choice. Personally I used the mpi winter tire program and put them on a cheap set of rims and swap them out appropriately.

Alvin Hansen said "Winter tires are made using a softer rubber compound, so in essence they function like racing rubber at above freezing temperatures providing more grip, albeit at the expense of reduced tread life. I was told it depends upon how much driving you do in a year has a factor on how rapidly the tread will wear down. "

Not really. The tread blocks are too soft and squishy, braking and handling is worse than with all season tires, especially on wet roads. All season tires will be safer in warm weather.

weather forecast?  
Tonight will be -7.

I"ve seen cars that drive winter tires all yr round.  
 
All seasons can handle -7, especially without snow on the grounf

Seems the norm is when temps reach over +7 the stopping ability on Winter tires diminishes. Due to the softness of the tire it can actually cause you to stop longer than your non winter tires.

My studded tires stay on till the last day April 30th!

Rain and freezing temperatures in the forecast. Sounds like a studded tire forecast.  
I remember plenty of Easter snow falls that made for a dangerous driving home from Mom's.  
 
Edited by loeog, 2017-04-16 14:39:18

You can probably be alright around Brandon taking your Winter tires off, not so much in The Pas and north. If drive in town, you won't hurt them too badly right now but after May, definitely switch them. Personally, I wish all new vehicles in Canada should have All Weather tires on them, not the so called 'all season' tires. This opinion is agreed upon some of the auto review shows.  
 
Studded tires need to be off by April 30th.

For those who don't know K K Penner will change your tires fairly cheap n send you on your way in no time at all. They will store your tires as well

of good winter tires and when they become mandatory and you need another set maybe people opinions will change

That regulation says you MAY use studded tire during the dates specified. It does not state that using them outside of that time period is prohibited. So, if that is the only regulation that speaks to it they can be left on all year. But, if you do you are throwing money away...

All weather tires have low km ratings. I have summer and winter tires may cost more but my tires have lasted four years

PJC said "That regulation says you MAY use studded tire during the dates specified. It does not state that using them outside of that time period is prohibited. So, if that is the only regulation that speaks to it they can be left on all year. But, if you do you are throwing money away... "

Safety studded tires:  
2 A person may from October 1 of one year to April 30 of the following year, both dates inclusive, equip a vehicle with tires with safety studs composed of metal with an exposed central core of tungsten carbide or entirely of ceramic material.  
--------------  
 
While the regulation may be inadequately worded, what would be the purpose of having the regulation at all if your interpretation is correct?

fargobob said "    PJC said "That regulation says you MAY use studded tire during the dates specified. It does not state that using them outside of that time period is prohibited. So, if that is the only regulation that speaks to it they can be left on all year. But, if you do you are throwing money away... " Safety studded tires:   2 A person may from October 1 of one year to April 30 of the following year, both dates inclusive, equip a vehicle with tires with safety studs composed of metal with an exposed central core of tungsten carbide or entirely of ceramic material.   --------------     While the regulation may be inadequately worded, what would be the purpose of having the regulation at all if your interpretation is correct? "

People should actually look up the full regulations on the subject. It's Manitoba law that studded tires are not allowed to be used outside of those dates.  
 
http://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/ccsm/h060e.php#43  
http://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/regs/current/_pdf-regs.php?reg=220/88  
 
Restrictions on protuberances on tires  
43(3) Subject to subsections (4) and (5), no tire on a vehicle moved on a highway shall have on its periphery any block, stud, flange, cleat, or spike or any other protuberance of any material, other than rubber, that projects beyond the tread of the traction surface of the tire: but it is permissible to use tire chains of reasonable proportions upon a motor vehicle, where required for safety, or to use on dirt-surface roads only, tractors and implements of husbandry with tires having protuberances that will not injure the highway.  
Regulations as to safety studs on tires  
 
43(4) The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations authorizing motor vehicles to be equipped, during such period in each year as is stated in the regulations, and on such of the wheels thereof as are specified in the regulations, with safety studded tires.  
Authority to use safety studs  
 
43(5) Notwithstanding subsection (3), where regulations are made under subsection (4), motor vehicles equipped as provided therein may be used on highways.

Good job looking that up! I think most people knew in fact the law prohibits them outside of certain dates. But most people on eBrandon usually don't have a hot clue what they're talking about or bother to look up the real answers ha ha. I get a chuckle out of the people that come on here asking complete strangers for advice.  
 
But if you studded tire folks want keep rocking those studs for another week and half go for it. The tire shops will love ya because they'll be seeing ya sooner and spending more money!!  
 
Edited by TWENTY, 2017-04-20 08:28:36

I run winter tires all year round. I don't see the problem with it. If you take the cost of changing them over twice a year, I would rather leave them on and buy a new set every three years or so. Chances are if you are changing them, after three years they will be pretty weather cracked and the shop will tell you to buy new tires anyway.

zero_one said "I run winter tires all year round. I don't see the problem with it. If you take the cost of changing them over twice a year, I would rather leave them on and buy a new set every three years or so. Chances are if you are changing them, after three years they will be pretty weather cracked and the shop will tell you to buy new tires anyway. "

You have more money than me!  
 
https://www.kaltire.com/what-happens-when-you-use-your-winter-tires-all-year-round/

Just do what the Kal Tire link says and buy nokian tires. They work very well in summer and winter. They cost more than just summer or winter tires, but way less than both.

Ironic that you would link to a place that would love to sell you two sets of tires and charge you to change them over twice a year.

Popular Mechanics instead? They don't sell tires.  
 
http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/a3111/can-all-season-tires-really-handle-the-snow/  
 
Here is another one. They don't sell tires.  
 
http://openroadautogroup.com/blog/5-reasons-why-treating-your-winter-tires-all-seasons-dangerous  
 
Oh and here is one from CAA (also don't sell tires...)  
 
https://www.caaquebec.com/fileadmin/documents/PDF/Sur_la_route/Securite_routiere/Pneus_dhiver_en_ETE_Version_finale_Septembre_2008ABANG.pdf  
 
Ironically they all say the same thing.

Another hazard with keeping your winter tires on is that rocks can get in the larger treads and end up in someone's windshield.

It is recommended that winter tires are fitted when the temperature stays below +7 degrees. So logic would think that you take them off when it stays above +7 degrees, which we all know is not yet the case. This is after all Manitoba. I remember April 15th 2011 and I still had 2 feet of snow all over my yard.  
They also forecast -3 to +3 on Monday with rain snow mix. I would rather be safe than sorry. My winter tires (not studded) will be staying on for a little while longer.

Why gamble with your traction?  
You have winter tires, why gamble and take them off 2 weeks early just to save a little tread.  
Same thing goes in fall, why wait until it snows to put them on.

I was told by someone who has been in the tire business for thirty years, that the way winter tires are being made today is way better than the ones that were made ten-twenty years ago. I got a lesson in how tires actually work. What the different tread designs mean and how they work differently for separate applications. He said since I don't drive a lot of gravel, having a winter tire would be fine. (Gravel is bad for every tire) This will be my second winter set that was put on, I put the first set on three years ago. I drive a mid size suv, I got a little over 80000 kms. Most tires aren't going to last more than that anyway. I also didn't buy the cheapest winter tire out there. You buy cheap, you get cheap.

It ain't exactly summer out there. If my only concern were to make my tires last as long as possible, I wouldn't be buying winter tires in the first place.  
 
I'll be keeping mine on until the forecast is consistently above +7, which (as stated above) is the correct time to change over if you're concerned about traction.