Severe winter-rated tires?

[steved]

Nokian Tires



These are some of the best winter tires in the world' I have run on my rally car and daily driver for years. Just do not have enough snow for a need on my truck. People that I've talked with about them on trucks have nothing but good things to say.

The only thing I didn't like about them (and therefore didn't consider them) was the fact they are hard to find. I checked all the stores I could call in the area, and not one could get them.



steved

 

[steved]

Well, they are on...



A little disappointed in Big O here in Santa Fe, but I figure I was "pushed" since I was an out-of-towner. Took over 3 hours to pin, mount, and balance four tires. They also ran my lugnuts on with an impact... and didn't tighten the nuts in a zig-zag... so I got to loosen them tomorrow and tighten them in a criss-cross so that things are right (with me). They also didn't air the tires uniformly... the rears had 50psi (good), but one front had 70psi and the other had 45psi?? No wonder it was pulling!



First impression... WOW is the tread DEEP! I like the fact the tread cuts are clear to the carcass, and not "wear bar" like. These hold a whole lot of studs... sounds like I got a bunch of gravel stuck in the tires (I actually get a lot of strange looks!). They are also VERY aggressive... more so than I anticipated, almost a cross between a AT and mud tire (with a lot more sipes).



On a side note, the Arctic Claws are available in a LR E 265, and they look like they'd do really well. They have a LOT of stud holes... probably 25% more than the coopers. They are severe weather rated also. If I could have seen these in person (the pictures on the website are poor), I probably would have bought them instead.



Another tire that was severe weather rated was the BFG AT/KO... but after my bad experiences with BFG, I wouldn't have considered them. I rode in a Cherokee with new BFG AT/KOs, it was less that stable in snow... I was less than impressed. And then my bad experience with 315s... I'll never buy a BFG truck tire again.



I'll get some pictures in the morning... initial impressions, I like them.



steved

 

[steved]

Well, here are some pictures...



That's a penny in the tread for depth...



#ad




My meaty finger in one of the grooves...



#ad




And one final shot on the truck...



#ad




steved

 

[Grizzly]

They look good steved, you did well.

 

[steved]

They look good steved, you did well.

I hope so, for $1k I hope they perform well!



steved

 

[steved]

Well, I got to test these out first hand today!



They are nothing short of incredible in snow... fresh powder, wet slush, packed snow, and ice were nothing... drove from Los Alamos through the Jemez Mountains on Highway 4 and Highway 126 to Cuba. Road varied from mountains with upwards of 10 inches of snow, to hard packed snow and ice, to a dirt road I was breaking the first tracks through! I was really impressed... they are very surefooted... I would highly recommend these for snow. I was able to drive normally... I was surprised when I was following a couple 4wds, both were spinning taking off from redlights.



I even got a little chance to test them in "hog snot", some pretty slippery wet clay, on the way to Chaco Canyon. They were sure footed in everything I was in today!



steved

 

[steved]

OK, got around 3k miles on these now... drove home from NM to PA last night and Sunday.

The only thing I don't like about them is they are "lumpy"... they tend to shake a little more than normal at highway speeds. I had them rebalanced this AM and they still have a little shake (the tires are perfectly round, and balanced nicely the second time).

Not an ideal tire for extended highway service, but for a snow tire, I really like them. I hit one pass out of NM into CO that was glare ice (i. e. mirrored ice) on the road... without any weight, I had very little traction issues in 2wd, and none in 4wd (remember, these are studded).

steved

 

[RRees]

Steved,



Good report on the tires. I'll need some new tires about this time next year. Have approx. 21k on my BFG Rugged Trails. (factory upgrade). I was surprised at how well those did. I'm a volunteer for the Emergency Management here in Polk County, Iowa (our 4x4 club does this). They worked well during our blizzard earlier this year.

 

[steved]

Steved,



Good report on the tires. I'll need some new tires about this time next year. Have approx. 21k on my BFG Rugged Trails. (factory upgrade). I was surprised at how well those did. I'm a volunteer for the Emergency Management here in Polk County, Iowa (our 4x4 club does this). They worked well during our blizzard earlier this year.

I hated my Rugged Trails from day one, they were always slippery. The Coopers are night and day better than the Rugged Trails in snow, no comparison. Of course, they should be better, they are not only severe weather rated, but studded.



steved

 

[darkhorse]

I sure love the looks of those studded Coopers. The law won't let us in Wisconsin run studs. #@$%! so I just ordered Blizzak w965's. When the snow gets deep & the NW wind blows I'll still have to put chains on to get into the farm. I've had a lot of practice & when I'm properly caffinated it takes about 10 minutes a pair.

 

[steved]

If I had it to do again, I probably would have left the studs out...



If I quit putting a lot of miles on this truck, like is the plan, I may run a unstudded set of these year round...



You do need to stay on top of them as far as rotation... I have worn the rears down a bit more than the fronts, probably just from the shifts with the manual trans as they have been babied. But they are a spare set of wheels/tires that only get run in the winter.

 

[darkhorse]

I'd like studs because of the ice I so often encounter on the back roads I drive daily. I also have a spare set of wheels so I'll switch to summer tires as soon as we get past the snow/ice season, about mid March.

 

[GHarman]

Recalled Cooper and others

Am looking at M&S Tires again. Probably got another year on the BFG's mounted for the truck. The Cooper Discoverer looks like it would be the best. I found this doing an internet search. Thought I'd pass it on. Tirereview - Global Tire News



Stay away from the Big "O" Arctic Claw's. For the money, the BFG's are better. The Arctic Claw is great for the first couple thousand miles, then traction in the snow falls off. I have them on a Toyota Highlander and a Ferd Taurus. I wont do it again! GregH

 

[JLEONARD]

I just mounted a new set of Discoverer M&S w/studs on my 05 gasser. They worked so well on the CTD I had to stay with them.

 

[CRuth]

I have the bridgestone dueler at revo's (265 17 E) that are m/s rated but don't have the snowflake. I was very impressed last snow trip. Never felt any slipping and sliding. Haven't got to test them in deep snow yet though.

 

[fkovalski]

I opted for the Arctic Claw.



I was out the door for about $900 at Big O for (4) LT265/70/17 E 121LI mounted and balanced.













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[icman95]

Love my Discoverer ATR's but was concerned by the recall link Gharman posted above. I emailed Cooper to see is my particular tires might be included or how to tell. Waiting for reply from them. Otherwise, they are killer in snow. Actually have them on all 3 vehicles.