What constitutes a proper winter tires: winter tires are designed to ensure adequate grip when driving in very cold weather, snow and ice surfaces on the road… They consist of a rubber compound, which has a satisfactory elasticity even in very cold weather, to maintain the friction with the road, which is a safe-driving needed. You can see a proper winter tires because it is marked with the official symbol for winter tires “M + S”. These letters stand for mud and snow, to German: mud and snow. According to a regulation of the European Union tire must be designed M + S, that they offer a safer driving experience than conventional so-called summer tires in the snow and slush. The profile of winter tires is characterized by the fact that the grooves are larger and deeper and considerably by larger spaces are delineated.

Comes from the 07.01.12 a new definition in force stating that M + s tires ” Tread designed to tread compound or the building mainly compared with normal tyres to offer better traction and traction properties on mud and snow.” The designation M + S is mandatory within Germany for all winter tires, but no protected term, so that this term also to tyres can be found, which are not winterized. Especially tire manufacturers in the United States and China are also on summer tires use of this term designation. The snow flake symbol was launched as a precaution by the tire industry therefore, suitable for winter tires now clearly unfit tyres may be distinguished. This symbol is awarded organization NHTSA by the U.S. to tyre, which attain a certain minimum grip on snow and ice in specifically-oriented tests. Yet a further notch on which one should observe when buying tires can be found on all tires. This notch is found on the tire sidewall and should be explained briefly. The indentation is specified in the following format: 175 70 R14.

This example is the 175 for the width of the tire in millimeters. The tyre is so 175 mm wide. The second number, the 70 stands for the percentage where the tire width and tyre flanks height relate in the ratio. In this example they are so in a ratio of 70%. The third and final number (in this example the R14) specifies how big the rim matching to the tyre diameter has to be.