HOME IMPROVEMENT & CAR CARE
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015
HERMISTON HERALD/EAST OREGONIAN • PAGE 5
THINKING OF STUDDED SNOW TIRES?
Think about studless
tires instead
By SAM BARBEE
Staff Writer
When the winter months
approach, drivers begin to
think about switching to
snow tires on their vehicles.
Most will go with studded
snow tires to dig into the
soft precipitation and give
more grip.
But use of studded snow
tires is beginning to recede.
Several organizations, in-
cluding the Oregon Depart-
ment of Transportation are
beginning to wonder wheth-
er studded snow tires are ac-
tually a problem. According
to Loren Pursifull, the man-
ager of G&S Tire Factory in
Hermiston, ODOT is trying
to move drivers away from
studded snow tires and to
studless snow tires, which
are less damaging to roads.
“ODOT’s saying it’s
costing a lot of money,” Pur-
sifull said of studded snow
tires. “The studded snow
tire ain’t going anywhere,
but you’ll see (them used)
less and less on passenger
rigs. You’ll see more stud-
less on passenger rigs.”
In addition, rubber tech-
nology has increased to the
point where studs are almost
unneeded. According to the
Bridgestone Tire website,
“breakthroughs” in tire tech-
nology have “nearly elimi-
nated” the need for studs in
tires. Though studless snow
tires aren’t new, they’re be-
coming more common as
the technology improves
and prices go down.
“Every tire manufacture
now is coming up with (a
studless),” Pursifull said.
“Even the cheapest tire
made out there is coming
out with its own studless
snow tire.”
G&S Tire Factory manager /oren 3ursifull e[plains the beneÀts
and rise of studless snow tires last week in Hermiston.
STAFF PHOTOS BY SAM BARBEE
A studded snow tire sits at G&S Tire Factory in Hermiston. Note the metal studs embedded in
the tread surrounded by siping, or narrow slits cut in the tread.
Studded (foreground) and studless snow tires sit side by
side at G&S tire Factory in Hermiston. Note the similarities in
siping of the two tire types, yet the absence of studs on the
tires in the back.
Studless tires have be-
come cheaper as the rubber
compounds become easier
to produce. For a time stud-
ded tires were the norm be-
cause of the affordability of
them. Studless snow tires
were just too expensive.
Now, however, studded tires
run at about $130, and some
studless tires can be pur-
chased for a similar price.
“Really, the studs are for
an extra traction, ice, that
type of deal,” Pursifull said.
Pursifull also said that
Give your car a checkup before winter
By ANTONIO SIERRA
Staff Writer
Extreme weather of any
kind can be hard on a car,
and winter’s no exception.
Jerry Enders, the owner
of Fenders by Enders, said
his Hermiston auto repair
shop performs free winter
preparedness checks.
But if car owners are go-
ing at it alone as they prepare
for the oncoming ice and
snow, Enders had a number
of tips to keep local vehicles
running strong through the
winter months.
Enders said drivers should
always check their car’s Àu-
ids, like transmission and en-
gine coolant, not just to see
if its at the right level, but to
also make sure its clean.
Car parts that are made
of rubber, like engine hoses
and windshield wipers can
also take a beating from the
cold. Enders suggested tak-
ing a look at those parts and
replacing them if need be.
Regardless of car owners’
willingness to get their hands
dirty, Enders said it’s always
a good idea to get a profes-
sional to look at a car before
the winter hits.
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Whether it’s an auto re-
pair shop or a dealer, Enders
said the variety of cars on the
roads these days means each
vehicle has different needs to
make it to spring.
if you are one to make use
of the mountain passes reg-
ularly, it is recommended
that you carry a set of chains
with you. They are relative-
ly easy to install with just a
couple of steps (most sets of
chains come with instruc-
tions) and can be required
through passes even if you
have traction tires on your
vehicle.
But, Pursifull pointed
out, it all comes down to
preference. Those who feel
the need to be safe will get
studded tires regardless.
But those who want the best
bang for their buck will go
with an all-season set of
tires that doesn’t need to
be changed or the studless
tires with siping that give
as much grip as tires with
studs. Tire siping, according
to the Les Schwab Tire Cen-
ters website, is the procces
G&S Tire Factory of Hermiston is ready for the winter
months, with some studded snow tires (right) and studless
snow tires (left) on display for sale last week.
of cutting thin slits across
the surface of a tire. This is
done to improve traction on
snow, ice or wet roads. It can
also reduce tire heat when
road are extremely hot.
Studded tires, though,
end up looking almost iden-
tical to studless — both
have siping — it’s just that
studded tires have studs.
The type of driving, amount
of driving, type of vehicle
and budget are all variables
that affect how people buy
tires. At the end of the day,
Pursifull said, it’s about
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what people want to put on
their cars.
“The way people drive
and how they are nowadays,
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in stone for anybody,” he
said. “I’m gonna put you
in something that you’re
comfortable in and that I’m
comfortable with. I don’t
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That’s what it’s all about.”
The ¿rst day studded
tires can legally be used is
Nov. 1, and the last day is
April 15.
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