Has anyone out there used winter ice radials & just left them on for summer driving. I know they will wear faster than all season ,but would they handle ok, also would they stand the heat of hot weather at 60 to 65 MPH & be safe. Also wonder if they would be bad for hydroplanning. I live in Canada but we do get some 90 to 100 deg. temp. Would only those who have had summer experience with these tires reply. Thanks in advance. Condos
As you mentioned, sticky real winter tires (Blizzaks, etc.) will wear faster during the summer. They are not summer tires and will be softer in corners and a bit “squirmy” at high speeds (80 MPH+) but actually better in the wet. Assuming you are not driving a BMW or Porsche at 9/10 they will be OK. The first 1/3 of winter tire tread is a sticky, open-cell compound that give great snow and ice traction. When they wear down they turn into all season (read three-season) tires.
Some people put their winter tires on in the fall and take them off in the spring. They will last a few years if you do this. Others I know buy a new set every fall, run them in the summer and buy another set next fall. Cost vs. convenience – your choice.
Twotone
You might want to check into Nokian winter tires. They make a winter tire that’s designed for year-round use; the Nokian WR. It might be just the thing for you.
Been there with winter tires with trucks…they are functional and some of the newer brands better so. Still don’t trust them in heavy rain and standing water. Friend after having done it for more than a year found it more expensive if you do much summer driving. The key factor is number miles you drive in your summer vs. winter. A dedicated winter car with winter tires would obviously be the exception. One summer’s driving eats up a lot winter time traction.
So unless you’re careful with your mileage, and buying new winter tires each fall, both summer and winter driving is less safe, and I would argue, less effective over all than a good set of all seasons with a decent snow/ice rating. Higher mileage winter tires are really false security and less safe all year round.
Biggest issue is wear. If you only drive a few thousand miles in the summer then the wear is something you can live with. In the rain and wet, no problem. High speed handling will not be a precise as summer tires and the winter tires will break away into a skid at lower speeds compared to a summer tire. Is this a safety issue. Likely not if you keep your speeds at the legal limit and below. Stopping distances will be slightly longer as well.
If you do any towing, I’d recommend switching to summer tires. If you really load up a your CR-V for a vacation trip I’d switch tires to summers. Your CR-V is “top heavy” and more likely to roll over. You won’t enjoy trying to muscle an SUV swerving out of control.
“…also would they stand the heat of hot weather at 60 to 65 MPH & be safe…”
No, they don’t like the heat. That’s why you find plenty of Q speed rated winter tires while typical all season tires are at least S rated.
So using them in the summer is a terrible idea, particularly if it gets to 100F.