One tire to do it all - snow and offroading (2 Viewers)

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Jun 24, 2019
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CO Mountains
I will preface this with the fact that I know one tire cannot do it all the best, but this is a 3rd car (son's car for him to learn how to drive) and I'm not really interested in putting dedicated snows on it.

Looking for new tires for my Hundy since I picked up some 18" Tundra TRD rims this weekend. We are up in the CO mountains all summer and winter long and I'm looking for a tire that will do well in snow as well as moderate offroading. LC is still stock. Lots of trips up over Berthoud Pass can make for some interesting driving at times.

I'm considering the following tires. Definitely only want tires with the 3PMSF symbol.

BFG KO2 (not DT version)
Goodyear DuraTrac
Michelin LTX A/T2 (can't tell if I can get these with 3PMSF?)

Thoughts on which would be the best combo of snow and offroad tire? Am I missing a better choice?
 
They all pretty much suck on firm snow and ice.

He is a young driver what not put him on proper winter tires? If it saves one wreck it will be well worth it. Why not pick a less expensive tire (but still very capable) off road like cooper AT3 and then a less expensive winter tire like the Nokian Norman 7?
 
They all pretty much suck on firm snow and ice.

He is a young driver what not put him on proper winter tires? If it saves one wreck it will be well worth it. Why not pick a less expensive tire (but still very capable) off road like cooper AT3 and then a less expensive winter tire like the Nokian Norman 7?
Son won't be driving in the mountains, I will. Should have been more clear on that. He's still a year or so away from having a license.

Not so worried about ice. We don't get a lot of that. Just snow and packed snow on the roads.
 
I've been pleased with the Falken wildpeak AT 3W. Nothing is good on ice.
falken.jpg
 
I had good luck in the snow around Lake Tahoe the last couple winters with my Cooper S/T Maxx, but from what I have heard/read the Dura-Trac seems to be pretty much unmatched in the snow. Everywhere else (noise wise, road manners, etc.) I have heard it just sucks.
 
After more research, particularly about how the DTs seem to suck in everything except snow, they're off the list. At this point, I think it's between the KO2s and the AT3Ws. They seem to be comparably priced at right around $300/tire (285/65 18), so price isn't a deciding factor.
 
I have the ST/maxx on my 45 and the Wildpeak AT/3 on my AWD Express camper van.

I have driven both off road but have not really had the 45 out on snowy highways.

The AT/3 is an awesome tire in the winter. It has a lot more siping that the ST/maxx.

Both tires I have in the E-range IIRC. Both are 235/85/16.
 
so I recently went through a similar thing. I ended up with the Nitto EXO Grappler AWTs. I will keep you posted on their performance.

Nitto Terra Grappler G2s on my fiancees GX460 were FLAWLESS last winter and we live in Jackon Hole.
 
Be weary of Duratrac thin sidewalls......
@Chewbacca
Edit: I see you are between the BFG and Falken. Can I ask why 285 65 18 instead of 275 70 18? thinner the tire the better for snow and ice.
 
Be weary of Duratrac thin sidewalls......
@Chewbacca
Edit: I see you are between the BFG and Falken. Can I ask why 285 65 18 instead of 275 70 18? thinner the tire the better for snow and ice.
I like the look of the bigger, wider tires (and the FAQ says the 285 65 18s are the biggest you can put on without rubbing or a lift) but might do those just for a slightly skinnier tire for better snow performance.

It's all about tradeoffs, isn't it?
 
I like the look of the bigger, wider tires (and the FAQ says the 285 65 18s are the biggest you can put on without rubbing or a lift) but might do those just for a slightly skinnier tire for better snow performance.

It's all about tradeoffs, isn't it?

Thats the truth. with 275/70 you gain a bit of sidewall height compared to 285/65. I finally was sick of trying to figure out which tire and size and just went for it.

1571267275051.png
 
No issues on fit with the slightly taller tires?
 
No issues on fit with the slightly taller tires?

Nope. Plus the 275 is stock width. No issues until you move to a 34 in and up tire.
 
Got the Wildpeaks a couple weeks ago and we had a sizeable snowstorm today. Love the new tires in the snow. Very surefooted, almost no slipping and sliding.
 
For snow and mud, you want a tall and narrow tire with mud tread and wide space to clear the snow. For snow alone, more weight is better as well.

Those ideal factors will kill you on ice, you'll be in the ditch. Most Winter tires are siped, and softer, with more closed tread for the ice. A tire that stops best on ice may get you stuck in the snow.

The Duratrac is somehow a compromise, but it will evaporate against a Toyo M-55 on gravel roads. The M-55 has solid treads, no sipes.

I run the M-55 until the ice comes, and then fit winter tires.
 
Wife and I have the newer variants of the Cooper Discoverer AT3 and both have been exceptional in the snow around Tahoe. My old S/T Maxx only lasted about 35k (which isn't bad for an unrated tire) so I ended up putting on the Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT in 31x10.5x15 while the wife has the Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT in stock size on her 4Runner. Both have been exceptional in the snow that we just got with this recent storm, almost zero slippage except in super slushy or icy conditions (4wd not engaged) and have been great otherwise. I do notice a slight hum from the AT3 LT on the 4Runner when we are on the freeway but really only something that I notice (wife says she doesn't hear it). Have not had a chance to take either off road as the we don't do that with the 4Runner and I just put the new tires on my 60 (AT3 XLT) in September and we have been gone a lot since.
 
My 2004 has stock size (18) Hankook Dynapro HP2 RA33s. Yosemite had a sleety rainy freeze for 2 weeks last year and I could not make my LC even slip on the roads at all... snow or ice. Those tires blew my mind. Not sure it helps much in this thread since the tires aren't even really rated for offroad or winter too well... they are all-season. But I've spent many winters in NM and CO on BFGs and Michelins over the years, and the Hankooks are surprisingly sure-footed and never hydroplane either.
They perform far better than the Michelin Defender LTX M/S's I have on my 1999 LC.
Maybe I have a bad set... it happens.
 
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I have KO2's on my 100 and Falken at3w's on my 200. The only advantage the KO2's have over the Falken's is a 3ply sidewall. I have had two sets of KO2's replaced under warranty(one around 10k miles, the other around 30k - this set was worn almost perfectly across, all tires measured 10/32 in the center, and 11ish on the outer tread blocks - am currently on my third set only because of partial warranty coverage.

The Falken's are hands down better in snow/ice conditions in my experience between the two. They also start out at 18-19/32 tread depth from new and come with a 55k mile warranty. I have around 22k miles on them, and honestly they've worn better than I thought they would. They have seen extensive, horribly maintained forest service road usage(I use to live literally next to a National forest). They do as good as an "all terrain" tire can in mud, but I have never had an issue.

But ultimately neither will do as well as dedicated snow tires. But I wouldn't buy the KO2's again.
 
I’ve been pretty happy with the 285/75/16 Cooper XLTs on my 80 as well in snow/ice. Seem to recover well from side slips, maybe don’t quite have the forward/reverse traction I remember of BFG KOs. Might try the Cooper 4S as my next set but that’s years away probably.
 

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