When you are thinking of purchasing all-weather tires, one option is the Firestone WeatherGrip tire. We review the Firestone WeatherGrip tire for your consideration.
What Is an All-Weather Tire?
If you are dealing with harsh weather, you will need all-weather tires. All-weather tires have crisscross and zigzag tread patterns on the tires. These tires also have deep middle tread channels to expel water and slush, a function to prevent hydroplaning.
Differences Between All-Season and All-Weather Tires
The differences between all-season and all-weather tires may seem confusing because all-season and all-weather tires sound similar. Your best choice for tires comes down to what weather you experience while driving.
All-season tires can be utilized throughout all seasons. However, they can only manage light snow conditions during the winter. All-weather tires offer better traction in contrast to all-season tires. All-season tires, unlike all-weather tires, lack the traction necessary for a safe ride through moderate snow, sleet, and ice conditions.
Differences Between All-Weather Tires and Snow Tires
While all-weather tires are thicker and can tackle moderate snow, sleet, and ice, you will need snow tires for deep and fast-falling snow. All-weather tires, for example, can’t handle blizzards or accumulated snow conditions.
Who Should Use All-Weather Tires?
All-winter tires are ideal for driving through mild winter weather. For the occasional visit to winter-weather destinations, all-weather tires are also ideal since they can handle unexpected snowfall.
What is the Firestone WeatherGrip Tire?
The Firestone WeatherGrip tire is an all-weather tire offered in 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 inch sizes. The WeatherGrip is intended for use on cars, minivans, and CUVs. This tire comes with a 65,000 miles limited warranty. The WeatherGrip also comes with a 90-day buy-and-try guarantee, meaning drivers can try the tires for 90 days and return the tires if they are not satisfied with the performance.
Technical Specifications
The WeatherGrip has industry-standard construction for its tire class, with two steel belts reinforced with nylon and a strong polyester casing to give you a comfortable ride while keeping the tire durable. Its tire construction has strong shoulder blocks to add better contact with the road to improve traction. Shoulder blocks wrap over the tire’s inner and outer sidewall to provide uninterrupted contact with the road while you are steering the car.
For light snow, the tires use Snow Traction Claw Technology to keep tires close to the road in snow and ice. 3D Tire sipes are in a zig-zag design for increased friction and better snow traction. The WeatherGrip is 3PMSF rated for superior snow performance. In addition, its Hydro-Grip feature with full-depth grooves and open shoulder slots makes for better water evacuations on wet surfaces, as well as a rounded footprint to reduce hydroplaning.
Weight Load and Specifications
The WeatherGrip has a tire weight of 18 pounds. The maximum load the tire can bear is 1,235 pounds, which means it can handle moderate loads plus occupants. However, it is not capable of heavy towing or cargo.
Benefits of the Firestone WeatherGrip Tire
The Firestone WeatherGrip tire boasts best-in-class snow performance, a long-term 65,000-mile treadwear warranty, superb aquaplaning resistance, and a comfortable ride over various surfaces. Its 3PMSF rating gives the Firestone WeatherGrip Tire longitudinal snow traction. The 3PMSF rating means the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has rated the tire as fit for snow conditions. The Firestone WeatherGrip tire is rated for mild to severe snow.
The WeatherGrip has excellent braking and handling, performing well on icy roads. The tires are noted for safe, predictable handling in light snow conditions with top acceleration on icy roads. This is due to slush, water, snow, or mud not clogging the tires’ contact patches.
For traction, the WeatherGrip features a short braking distance as well as a highly responsive steering control. The Firestone All-Weather Tire is rated best with traction on wet roads and performs well in driving rain. With these factors, the WeatherGrip delivers safety in inclement weather such as snow. That said, different state departments of transportation have various regulations about what all-weathers are legal during severe winter driving conditions. Check with your local DOT before using WeatherGrip tires for your vehicle during snow.
Downside to the Firestone All-Weather Tire
While the Firestone All-Weather Tire offers many benefits such as a comfortable ride, the ride can be noisy as its traction grips the road. You may experience a growling sound if you drive fast on highways.
Where Does the Firestone WeatherGrip Perform Best?
The Firestone WeatherGrip tire performance has decent traction on dry tarmac but your ride is less smooth as if you are using winter tires instead of all-weather tires. While not very responsive on this terrain, the Firestone WeatherGrip works well on dry roads, helping enhance braking, and stability.
The Firestone WeatherGrip is not made for off-roading. The tire lacks the necessary traction when driving on unpaved, slippery roads. The Firestone WeatherGrip is not cut and chip resistant. Any sharp object can puncture the tire, a no-go on gravel and dirt roads.
How Often to Replace Your Firestone WeatherGrip Tires?
To keep your vehicle in good working condition, you should replace your Firestone WeatherGrip tires every four to five years or every 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. Be sure to check your owner’s manual for more information about the care and replacement of your Firestone WeatherGrip tires.
Warranty
The WeatherGrip tire includes five years or 65,000 miles, whichever comes first for its tread life warranty. The tire also includes a uniformity warranty, which includes five years of workmanship and a materials warranty. A free replacement is available, but only for the first three years. This replacement is valid at a prorated charge providing the tire is not worn to 2/32 inches. You have, however, a warranty allowing you to buy and try the tires for up to 90 days.
The Firestone WeatherGrip tire offers both good road reliability and comfort. For more information and reviews, check out the FIXD website. We offer tips, techniques, and information for fixing your vehicle.
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