The snow tires vs tire chains debate will probably never end. The intensity of this discourse often dies down during the summer season. But when winter comes around, it’s almost inevitable not to hear questions about which is best between snow tires and tire chains.

Tire chains and snow chains are possible solutions to the problems posed by driving in winter. Driving in winter can be a risky task, and you need to think about safety. 

In Canada, one insurance payment for natural disasters relating to winter amounted to about $3million. And even with vehicle insurance, you don’t want to go through the hassle that comes with vehicular damage. Snow tires and tire chains can protect your vehicle. 

Both options offer your car tires some traction to protect you during winter. This guide is yet another comparison between snow tires and tire chains. With the information, you can easily choose whether you want snow tires or tire chains. 

Snow Tires Vs Tire Chains: How Do They Work?

Snow tires and tire chains aim to help during winter, but they have different meanings. Also, the way they operate is not the same. 

Before we get into comparing snow tires vs tire chains, let’s define both. With snow tires, you’re dealing majorly with the tire’s body. On the other hand, tire chains add chains to the tires to ensure their firmness. 

Snow tires are like standard car tires, but this time, it comes with a specific design for snow. The treads on snow tires are different from that of standard tires. These treads are responsible for the extra tire grip you get with your snow tires. From the rubber materials used to make snow tires to their treads, the overall design aims at improving vehicular grip and driver handling on slippery roads. 

In a city like Quebec, it is a law that your tires must be snow tires between December and March. This makes it popular and gives an edge in comparing snow tires vs tire chains. 

While a snow tire is an actual replacement for your car tires, tire chains don’t work like that. Also known as a snow chain, tire chains are a temporary accessory you attach to your car tires to give you an extra grip. Usually, the metal chain has multiple joints and hooks that allow users to attach it to the car. 

Working Process of Snow Tires

Because snow tires become very helpful during winter, many think their operation is all about the snow. Contrary to popular opinion, snow tires are effective during winter due to the temperature and not the snow. 

When temperatures fall below 7°c, the rubber used to make regular tires becomes stiff. The stiffness will make it lose a bit of traction, and it won’t be a safe option for slippery winter roads.

There are two different types of snow tires, namely studded and non-studded snow tires. Non-studded winter tires are more common. These winter tires have softer rubber materials, and their treads contain sipes. The sipes are usually around the tire’s tread as small slots. These sipes ensure that the traction coming from the winter tire remains strong. 

Studded winter tires are just exactly like the snow tires, but they have studs around them this time. These studs are either metal or plastic. The studs offer snow tires a better grip on slippery grounds. 

While the metal studs on the studded snow tires give it some advantages vs tire chains, it does have its disadvantages. These metal studs make loud noises while driving and can also spoil the roads. While plastic studs may not damage the roads, they wear out faster. The best time for studded snow tires is when the snow is thick. 

Working Process of Tire Chains

There are two things a tire chain adds to your tires; traction and wheel spin. Tire chains work with your standard tires by going around them to offer more traction. Unlike snow tires, tire chains are not a permanent accessory on your car, which is why many consider them the best option. 

Depending on your car tire sizes, you can have tire chains that ensure around your tire for traction. Instead of your tires getting into the snow, the chain does the job. Moreso, these chains help to reduce the possibility of wheel spins. 

Your car engine supplies your tire tread with force often repelled by the friction on the surface. During this winter, this friction is an impossibility, but the chains come to the rescue. They provide an added layer of friction that makes it easier for your tires to move on slippery icy roads. 

If you’re on a budget and need to choose between snow tires or tire chains, you may want to consider tire chains. If you’re fixing your tire chains on a 2-wheeled vehicle, you need it on both cars. However, if you’re fixing a 4-wheeled vehicle, the most common case, you only need it in the drive wheels.

Tire chains come in different sizes and even come with some design flexibility. There are some snow chains designed to wrap the tires all around. These chain types contain tensioners to ensure the chains don’t come off. 

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Snow Tires vs Tire Chains: The Pros 

You can’t possibly compare snow tires vs tire chains without considering the advantages they offer. Both snow tires and tire chains are here to help you drive conveniently through winter. 

However, in some light, each one has an advantage over the other. Let’s take a close look at the benefits of each over the other; 

Advantages of Snow Tires

Some advantages of snow tires include,

Amazing traction 

Snow tires have deliberate design features that help vehicle owners drive safely on cold, snowy roads. First, the snow tire usually has an increased siping. The sipes ensure the treads can grip the snow or ice without any hassles. 

With the siping across the treads working with its design, you can rest assured of a safe driving experience. Also, the tread designs push away snow across its path while you’re driving, it pushes all the snow on its way away. Therefore, the probability of snow building up in the snow tires is very low. 

More flexible 

When you ask if snow tires are better than tire chains, the answer will be a YES when it comes to flexibility. Already, the rubber material used to make these snow tires is softer. Hence, the tire’s texture ensures no slips in the snow. 

Irrespective of the rubber type and texture used in making snow tires, cold weather has its way of hardening rubber. The rubber in regular tires gets hard easily, and it becomes harder to grip the roads. But since snow tires are soft, there’s a lower chance of the rubber hardening. 

Proper brakes

A major problem on slippery winter roads is braking. If you’re riding with your regular tires during winter and you step on the brakes, your car will take a while to halt. 

With snow tires in place, you wouldn’t have to bother hitting your breaks. According to research, the snow tires halt at a better rate of about 30% better than the regular tires. Snow tires can attain this level due to their softness and design. 

Less hydroplaning

Your vehicle tires move smoothly due to friction between the road’s surface and treads. When your tire loses contact with the road, it causes hydroplaning. With snow tires, hydroplaning is almost an impossibility. The treads will always contact the road because it pushes snow forward and breaks through the ice. 

Versatility

Of all the advantages of snow tires, one that makes it stand out vs tire chains is its versatile nature. In this case, we are talking about the non-studded snow tires.

Without a doubt, the winter period remains the best time for these tires, but you can also use them during other seasons. You can use non-studded snow tires on muddy, slippery roads. However, have it in mind that the more you use the material, the more it wears off. 

Advantages of Tire Chains

However, there are some advantages tire chains have vs snow tires. Some of the benefits include; 

Traction

Of course, snow tires already offer some traction. But there have been cases where the snow on the road is too deep, affecting the efficiency of snow tires. Tire chains can work regardless of how thick the snow or ice is. The diamond or cable design of the tire chains will cut through the deepest of snows. In a case where the snow has become ice, the chains are there to demolish the thick blocks.

Easy turns

Turning while driving in winter is one of the advantages you’ll enjoy when using tire chains as compared to snow tires. It can be challenging to turn even when you are on snow tires. However, you’re not really on a high speed with a tire chain, and your brakes work better. Therefore, turning won’t be a big problem.

Easy Installation

Before now, installing your tire chains used to be a big issue. But with the new types of chains designed today, you can install the chains easily. Therefore, you don’t exactly need an expert to help you install the chains on your tires. 

Snow Tires vs Tire Chains: Are there any Downsides?

Although there is a popular comparison between snow tires vs tire chains, both have disadvantages. The main disadvantage of both is that you need to spend money on each one. While there may be some affordable options, you have to spend money on both. 

Another disadvantage of both the snow tires and tire chains is possible damage to the road. Using road chains and snow tires, especially studded tires, can affect the road. As much as possible, do not add any metal to your tires as long as there’s no snow. When you do this, you’re putting your road at risk of damages. 

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Final Thoughts

Snow tires vs tire chains may be a common topic globally. But as discussed in this guide, both are solutions to driving problems that become a factor during the winter season. 

Each one has distinct advantages over the other and comes with unique functions. Typically, the best option between snow tires and tire chains depends on how much snow you’re dealing with. It’s always better to use tire chains for thick snowy roads. 

Regardless of which you choose between snow tires and tire chains, you should purchase good products. You don’t want to install snow tires or chains that spoil within a few days. 

At Toronto Trailers, we offer snow tires and tire chains of different sizes and designs to suit your winter requirements. Check out our online store for snow tires, tire chains, and other car accessories today!