Obviously the weather in every area of the country differs. Whether the length of true winter stays within the parameters of official winter varies from region to region. And you probably know your area weather well enough to determine when is the best time to replace your snow tires with low-tread rubber. But knowing when corrosive road salt will no longer affect your vehicle is a different story.
Installing winter tires is a safe option. Having them on your vehicle when the snow starts to come down gives you much more control and accident prevention. Having an alternate set on rims for the winter months not only gives you optimum tread in icy and snowy conditions, but also can also act as a protective measure for your warm weather rims.
Salt destroys aluminum alloy rims. There are measures you can have professionally conducted to reverse damage, but they tend to be quite costly. Spring showers do more than bring May flowers- they also rinse the roads clean of any reaming salt and salt dust. If you install your nice rims too early, remaining salt can be just as damaging in a dry spring, whereby rain hasn’t been effective in cleaning the roads, as it is January.
Installing an alternative set of rims with snow tires during the winter months gives you a double advantage. In addition to safety and control, you save yourself hundreds of dollars which would otherwise be used to replace your corroded rims. But knowing when the spring showers have washed away any remnant winter road salt is a must before determining if you should install your ‘summer’ rims.
