winter traction tires

[fr8train]

Have a 1995 2/wd with posi rear. Looking for a good traction tire for this winter. Size, 245/75R16. What are other people using? Hard to get all that torque to the pavement in winter. Last year I just left it home in iffy weather & used the old Bronco.

 

[RonaldLarson]

Good winter tire

In my humble opinion, is to use the Bronco in winter! I drive my '89 Ramcharger in winter. If you really intend to drive it in winter, then I'd look at Bridgestone KO or KM series radial all terrain T/A's. The compound is hard as heck, so I'd get them studded for sure. Should last a while, and I haven't stuck them yet. Got forced off the trail by a flatlander two years ago in our favorite spot for elk, and got in so deep I bent the steering stabilizer. It just backed out like it was on flat paved road. Great tires.

Ron

 

[WDaniels]

Discover A/T's are good. Lots of siping.

WD

 

[illflem]

Siping is the key, don't buy a tire that it can't be done to. The only thing better is tire chains. Costs about $7 - $10 per tire http://www.can4x4.com/articles/siping.html

 

[Blakers]

Originally posted by illflem

Siping is the key,

I used to think so, but I have really great results in snow and ice with an aggressive mud tire like the BFG Mudterrain. What I have is generic, but about the same tread as the Mudterrain. Great traction in mud, snow and ice... and wears great on the highway. Pretty hard rubber too. I think the weight of these trucks makes the siping unnecessary.



Blake

 

[Big_Daddy_T]

Take it from me, there is no substitute for a snow tire. The best tire for me that I have found to date is the Nokian Hakapalita , period. Hands down it is the best ice tire I have ever owned. They are extremely popular up here in Alaska and we have to deal with alot of black ice(ice that you dont see on the surface of the road). They are directional which is a plus. For absolutly the best ice tire available it is the best money you will spend. I have put in excess of 220k on different sets of nokians and they wear very well.

 

[illflem]

Originally posted by Blakers





I think the weight of these trucks makes the siping unnecessary.



Blake

Blake, I don't think you'd say that if you had a 2wd...



The Nokian Hakapallita's are studded aren't they?

 

[nickleinonen]

nokian tires can be studded or now. they are pinned for it. i have had real good sucess with the nokian hakk. 10lt which is a all terrain tire, but i use it winter only on my pops truck. now nokian has a hakk. lt. which is a dedicated winter/snow/ice tire. . also, i think the goodyear g124's are avalable in the 245/75/16 size, and the tread on them looks like they might be a pretty good winter tire. .



link to nokian tires web site --->http://www.nokiantires.com



tread shot of hakk 10lt and hakk lt



10lt --->#ad




lt --->#ad

 

[MJawsman]

I agree that on snow and ice, nothing can beat a "true" snow tire (assuming of course you're unable to run chains or studs). Look for a large "snow flake" molded into the sidewall for designation as an ice and snow rated tire. Nowadays, many tires have the traditional M&S rating, but that doesn't say how well the tire will perform in the sticky white stuff.



Bridgestone makes the Winter Dueler in the LT245/75R16, and it's even a 10 ply! Being that it's a 4X2, I'd also suggest about 1000 lbs or so in the bed just to add a little more traction.



Good luck and have safe travels this coming winter season!

 

[jsnyder]

One additional benefit of siping is that your tires will last longer unless you do quite a bit of driving on gravel. The sipes help the tire stay cooler.



Sand bags over the wheel wells will certainly help also.



Jason

 

[willyslover]

please remember to tie the bags / weight down good..... IT HURTS WHEN IT HITS YA IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD... . btdt

 

[drawson]

The best tire I have ran to date is the LT255/85R16 BFG Mud T/A KM that was Siped. They only siped the middle not the other ribs. The day I had it siped we had a big snow storm and the differance after the siping was incredible.



A soft, agressive, siped, and narrow tire is what will do the best in the Snow and Ice.

 

[Forrest]

Costco - Michelin LTX/MS ... I was really impressed with them in 2WD this last winter.

 

[rspinks]

Ditto Drawson on 255/85 MT's with siping, I ran these on my '94 and they were great in all conditions. I had these siped full-width, also had my current MTR's siped full width as well. On a full-block mud-terrain type tire siping will make a HUGE difference on ice and compact snow.

 

[Todd G]

I like the All Terrain tires better when the snow is really deep. A friend of mine and I went snow wheeling a few years ago and he destroyed me in the deep stuff with his AT's. My MT's would claw and dig and throw all kinds of stuff in the air but would slip and slide all over the place. His AT's would pack up with snow and his traction was unbelievable. I would never have believed the results. Now this was going slow and road speeds may be the opposite.

 

[jrobinson1]

I use Goodyear AT, best tire yet I have used. I have used them in CA and HI conditions.



Rain Ice Snow Mud Rivers not a problem. Sand, haven't tried them extensively but the don't seem too good.



I carry a shovel and load the back with snow when going gets bad. Melts out in good weather. Our truck weight is up front, gotta keep you rear down. Best snow travel I get is carrying about 1500lbs back there. You stick! Most times I don't need front drive and infact have had it bind on me in the snow on curvey roads



I also tote v-bar chains for when it gets bad. They still look new.



Love my tires.



james



PS I do hear GY send out a bit of blems. I had one ? set but I had other vibration probs so I am not sure they were actually bad.

 

[Blakers]

Originally posted by illflem

Blake, I don't think you'd say that if you had a 2wd...

Like I said, I never would have believed it before I tried them. I always thought less agressive and more siping was better, but the mud tires worked great.



Now... maybe the siped ones will work greater??



Blake

 

[Power Wagon]

The closest I found to a "real" truck tire (10 ply) was the Cooper Discoverer M+S



Siped into infinity, very flexible and sticky compound, DEEP tread.



Don't use these things in the summer.



They meet all the wishes I had in a snow... durable, weight carrying, and real traction. I drove on snow and ice and found that the torque could still make driving a headache, but the tires had several times the "stick" ability in snow.



You drag racers would love them, too. VERY good traction on pavement. With thier soft compound, you merely need scrub them a little to clean the dirt off, and away you go.

 

[boathead]

NOKIANS

Best tires I've ever owned, right now I only have the WR's(all season)on my '98 VW Jetta, but I will be looking to shoe the Dodge with 'em maybe this summer and kick the michelins to the curb as backups! These tire will outperform anything out there on snow or ice. I can just imagine that the Haka's would impress me even more.



Those Finns know what they're doing!!!!!

 

[Tomscreek]

I'm running BFG AT's 285's and I like them a lot. I was in quite a bit of snow with them this fall and was very impressed considering that they are getting pretty worn. They have an aggressive lug which is the key for snow traction and they are quiet and wear good. The stock Michelins that came with the truck were pure junk for traction, purely a highway tread. I don't know where they get their "mud and snow" rating? I've been looking for a cheaper replacement for the BFGs and I haven't seen one that has the big deep lugs like the BFGs. Cooper and the others I've looked at all have that same in between type of tread and trust me, they work ok all aroung but when the snow gets deep they don't work very well.