Tires
Getting your tires ready for a Missouri winter
Cold mornings, ice and freeze-thaw cycles are hard on tires. A short checklist before the first cold snap.
Kansas City winters swing from mild to icy in a day. Your tires are the only thing touching the road, so they're worth a few minutes before the weather turns.
Check your pressure more often
As the outside temperature drops, so does tire pressure. A tire that was fine in September can be low on the first cold morning. Check monthly, with the tires cold, using the numbers on your driver's door jamb sticker.
Check your tread
Worn tires lose grip on wet and icy roads first. Do the penny test, and if you're close to the limit, replace them before winter rather than after.
Think about winter tires
If you drive early mornings, hills or rural roads, dedicated winter tires are designed to grip better in cold temperatures and snow. All-season tires are a compromise. It's worth asking which fits how you drive.
Don't forget the rest of the car
- Brakes that pull or pulse are worse on ice. Get them checked now.
- Worn shocks and struts make a car harder to control on rough, frozen roads.
- Keep a winter kit in the car: scraper, blanket, flashlight and phone charger.
