Making 92 more snow ready?

[slambson]

My kids made the local ski racing team at the end of the season last year so this coming year looks to be some early mornings punting up the hill before the lifts open. This often means we beat the snow plow up the hill too. My truck did o.k. last year and I only managed one accident while trying to pull someone else out of the ditch.

Anyways, would it be worthwile to swap in a Transfer case with a viscous coupling? Is this possible? Is the VC transfer case more traction worthy?

Suggestions on tires would also be appreciated. It would be great if they also served as mud or all terrain tires but dedicated snows are not out of the question. I have a stack of 16" snow tires in the garage but none have more than a 60% profile,

Sorry, if the question seems a bit out of season but I have time to make the modifications now but will not come November. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Beowulf]

The swapping in a VC Xfer is not recommended.

Proper tyres are your obvious choice. Read IdahoDoug's posts on the Michelin Artic Alpins. Do a search as there is EXTENSIVE information on these and other snow tyres.

-B-

 

[Doc]

I second that. The biggest thing you can do is buy new, and appropriate tires. Get something with a M/S rating (mud/snow), and generous siping. I prefer Pirelli snow tires, but I don't know if they make them in land cruiser sizes.

 

[ace10]

wow, a topic that i can actually chime in on...

on our 80 i installed a set of pirelli scorpion ice and snows on some steelies. for my wife's 100 we use nokian hakkapelittas on an extra set of OE alloys.

here's my take: the pirellis are nice. they aren't noisy, they didn't wear too badly, but i did get a flat from a tear on the sidewall. no offroading, so either there was a defect or some general road crap that got me. we didn't get a ton of snow this year, so i can only say that they worked at least as well as my wife's rig, but again we weren't getting the huge drifts or more than 4-6 inches of snow at a time. the pirellis are cheap, around $100 per at tirerack. i am looking forward a more snowy winter so that i can get a better feel for them. they're one yera old and look like new so wear was good.

my wife's LX has the nokian hakkapelitta WRs in 265/70-16. THESE ARE AMAZING TIRES! they are only M&S rated, but holy crap are they sweet. we could use them year round, but i want them in top condition for the winter. her truck, in general, has more going for it in on-road conditions... it's got a much better abs system and stability control. two winters ago, when we had 24 inches on the ground, the thing was like a snowmobile. i did a ton of volunteer driving for the local hospitals, and the thing just got where i needed to go. of course, it was beeping and pulsing like crazy at times, but she was amazing. i recommend these tires to anyone who's willing to listen. if you want them, get them NOW. there are very few sources for them and i would get five, just in case. they're $140 each and i got them www.etires.com. nice place out of chicago. there's also a place in connecticut that will ship them in this slightly non-OE size.

bottom line. both of our rigs us the LTXs for three seasons and they're a pretty good road tire, but these dedicated snow tires a huge plus when it turns white.


$0.02

 

[squeezer]

Get a dedicated ice tire... Period.

Put a set of the Yokohama Geolander IT's (285-75-16) on my 80 for a trip back to my inlaws home at Christmas. Home is northern Saskatchewan. Was literally pulling snow-boarders on the lake in 2' of snow. The drive home was 1400 miles of snow storm, treacherous icy conditions almost the entire way. The $600 in tires paid for themselves in one trip.

Buy rims, get dedicated ice tires and never look back. Have run blizzaks with great success on the BMW's and love the Yokohamas. Nokians have a steller reputation as well. Was in the middle of buying them when the Geolander IT's in 285-75-16 and 315-75-16 caught my eye. Any dedicated ice tire is much better than a M/S rated tire.

 

[MTNRAT]

I also have the Yokohama Geolander ITs (315 75/R16). Exellent winter tire. My wife has Blizzaks, which are also very good. I would not even consider anything but a dedicated ICE RADIAL. To think that an M/S tire is even close would be fooling yourself. I live where it snows 15-20 feet every year and most of us here going with ice radials of some type or other. BTW where are your kids skiing out of? I live and ski in Fernie B.C.
Cheers,
Sean

 

[GXO]

Winter? what's that?

 

[cary]

As others have said, there is no substitute for true snow tires. BTW, the M+S rating is outdated. You want to look for the severe snow rating which has a snowflake symbol. BTW, the only non snow tires that have this rating are BFG A/T's and Procomp A/T tires (there might be others but I haven't found any). See this link for some more information.

http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/severe.html

 

[slambson]

The swapping in a VC Xfer is not recommended.

-B-

Could you tell me why? Can it be done? It would seem that the VC differential would be a great boon in the traction department. I loved my 2000 2.5RS with the VC center and limited slip rear it went quite well in the snow. That is until the snow got too deep to push any more.

Thanks everyone for the tire recommendations. I have used the Hakka 1's and 10's and the Toyo Observes but prefer a studded snow tire. The Hakkas I have for the Saab I did not get studs in and unfortunately once driven on most shops will not stud them. I'm using these now and they are a good tire with studs. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Wintermaster&tireModel=Plus

I was just hoping to get by without another set of dedicated snow tires. There are three sets in the garage now and another set of 265/75-16's takes up a bunch of room.

 

[pound3151]

I've had good luck with the Bridgestone Dueller REVO's in 33's. Great all around tire and did great in the snow and on ice.

 

[Beowulf]

>> Could you tell me why? <<

Very low bang for the buck. Tyres are high bang for the buck.

>> It would seem that the VC differential would be a great boon in the traction department. <<

Why? You have a locking center differential just like the VC versions. The only thing you don't have is the viscous coupler and I don't think it will provide a "great boon" in extra traction.

>> Can it be done? <<

I am sure it can; most anything can be done. If you're convinced you want to go this route then hook up with some of the guys that want to do a P/T conversion. They will need your non-VC xfer and may be willing to work some type of swap.

-B-

 

[Augie]

I've had good luck with the Bridgestone Dueller REVO's in 33's. Great all around tire and did great in the snow and on ice.

Revo are good but they are not dedicated snow tire. I have Revo now but siped GY MTR I have before give much better snow and slush performance.

 

[MTNRAT]

slambson, I am sure everyone means well when they reccomend a M/S tire or other winter tire that works Ok for them. With all due respect, if you have not run on both a dedicated ice radial and been able to compare it to BFG a/t, geolander a/t, revo or any other a/t m/s etc etc, tire that is not a soft compound highly siped dedicated ice radial you do not know the true difference. I will never use anything but a true ice radial for winter road driving. My last words on this subject forever. BTW search the archives, as this was gone over alot last winter.
Cheers,
Sean

 

[IdahoDoug]

Sean's got it. Way more bang for the buck to get competent tires. For packed snow, ice and conditions a typical driver encounters for winter driving, I'd get a dedicated tire in the flavor of the new generation studless. Examples are the Blizzaks or Michelin Alpins in their SUV versions. For your specific need (first tracks up unplowed mountain roads) I'd go with a studded mud tire, which is a shrinking category. I've used a half dozen of these and by far had the best luck with the Cooper Discoverer S/T (not the STT) with studs and sipes cut into it. If you're going to focus on that one admittedly small percentage of your driving as the key need, then that's the tire that will do it while giving up very little on the other 99 percent of your driving.

DougM

 

[cruiserdan]

I'm old school, I guess.........Chain up when it's Bitchy and no worries.................Of course that is not at all practical but you should know that I grew up around old Power Wagons and they all had chains in the vehicles at all times. Nothing beats proper chains in extreme conditions.

 

[scottm]

Cooper Discoverer S/T (not the STT) with studs and sipes cut into it.

He talked me into those (but no studs in Michigan) a couple winters ago. Excellent all around tire, look great, nice quiet hum. I siped them at Discount tire. I pulled a good size trailer to & through construction sites for a couple winters with them, they performed well and haven't worn much. Good on the highway as well. My 265s have wider tread than the stock tires, same diameter.

 

[landtank]

I put on some X-terrains by Pro-Comp last year. A few days later I was driving home from NY through some rough conditions, Must have passed 30 wrecks and found myself once in a scary situation travelling at highway speeds down hill with two piles of cars at the bottom. Slowed easily down to a safe speed and drove through the mess. These are my first and only M/S tire so I can't compare to anything else but they saved my ass that day. They seem very good in the thick heavy snow as well as the packed stuff.

 

[pound3151]

Power Wagon

I'm old school, I guess.........Chain up when it's Bitchy and no worries.................Of course that is not at all practical but you should know that I grew up around old Power Wagons and they all had chains in the vehicles at all times. Nothing beats proper chains in extreme conditions.

Dan, my dad still drives around in an old beat up power wagon in the winters, and the chains remain on the tires all year round. LOL

 

[Tooth Fairy]

Check the tires for that "Snow on the Mountain" symbol. I know the BFG A/T has it and I love those in icey/snowy conditions.
I've also had really good luck with, believe it or not, Swamper TSL's that I cut the lugs and siped. I would not recommend that though.

 

[CDN_Cruiser]

I also have to agree that if you want strong performance in snow, you need a dedicated snow (not AT not MS) tire.

My tires (Mich Cross Terr) generally perform well in snow (Mich rates them a 9/10 in snow), but they are not nearly as good as a dedicated snow tire (I run Blizzaks on my car). I've been debating buying dedicated snow tires for the truck....but don't really want to spend the >$1K to do it at this point....wait til winter!

One thing to note with snow tires - they REALLY SUCK in rain. Where I am, you can have periods at the start and end (and middle) of the snow season where it's wet, but not snowy. I've left some really lllllooooooonnnnnnggg skids as I remember that the wet traction is awful and readjust my driving.

Cheers, Hugh