The 4 Best Upgrades for Harsh Winter Weather Driving

Posted by Ben Davidson about 4 months ago

Ensuring your car can withstand any harsh winter weather is all about the practicalities that can make a big difference to you, your passengers, and your car. If you've got a nice performance car that you cannot bear to part with you can make a few upgrades to your sporty speedster to get it, or any vehicle, ready for the winter.

Upgrading Your Tires

In winter weather, this is priority number one! Finding the best winter tires for your budget will always make a big difference. Winter tires will provide more grip in lower temperatures and if you can only do one thing to upgrade your car, make it this. If you are making long journeys during harsh weather, it's a good idea to learn how to put on snow chains, but also be aware of your tire pressure changes during colder weather. With every 10-degree drop, the tire pressure changes by approximately 1 PSI. So if you took a hard shoulder after a major temperature drop, you could easily cause a lot of damage to your tire or have an accident.

Change Your Suspension

If you're going to be driving around quickly in the snow and ice, you need to make sure you can get more ground clearance and weight transfer. When you are accelerating or decelerating, the weight can have a big effect on the traction of the wheels. Adding a softer and taller suspension can make a big difference here.

Adjusting Your Brakes

Your braking power is biased towards the front when you are braking on dry surfaces. When you stop, the vehicle's weight will transfer towards the front it stops quicker. When you are driving on surfaces like snow or ice, less weight will transfer to the front, resulting in reduced braking power, which is where a brake proportioning valve can be used to great effect. It sends more brake fluid to the rear brakes than normal, which will increase the stopping power at the rear of the vehicle. However, it's important to note that this will only work on vehicles that don't have anti-lock brakes.

Being a Better Driver

It's such a simple thing, but if you really want to upgrade your car for harsh winter weather, you need to take the time and learn how to actually navigate bad weather conditions. For example, if you get into a skid and you lose control of the vehicle, there are things you can do to regain control or, at the very least, minimize the damage to the vehicle if you think you're going to crash. Driving in harsh terrain is about taking effective action and understanding hazards quite a distance in front of you. This is where understanding your focus and attention as a driver can make a big difference in how you operate your car. Naturally, driving in harsh weather is far different than driving in sunny climates, and while some great customizations for your car will help, focusing your attention and reacting accordingly is one of the greatest upgrades.