Snow Tires (1 Viewer)

[hntashdjian]

Hey Guys,

We're planning on going to the local mountains tomorrow and Cal Trans shows this on their site:

CHAINS ARE REQUIRED ON ALL VEHICLES EXCEPT 4-WHEEL-DRIVE VEHICLES WITH SNOW TIRES ON ALL 4 WHEELS

Are the stock Bridgestones considered Snow tires? The last thing I want to do is turn back to buy some chains.


Harry

 

[TonyP]

I'm not going to say chains/straps wouldn't be helpful but when I bought my 200 I drove though the I80 corridor through Wyoming in a storm (hell) and did a couple months of Utah winter on stock tires/wheels. Tons of 4x4 vehicles slid off, tons of jackknifed 18 wheelers on the I80. I drove through fine.

The 200 goes fine, just be mindful of stopping distances. Semi-plowed roads are fine just trust your traction control. These things are phenominal on stock rubber and damn near magical on A/Ts in the snow.

 

[hntashdjian]

I'm not going to say chains/straps wouldn't be helpful but when I bought my 200 I drove though the I80 corridor through Wyoming in a storm (hell) and did a couple months of Utah winter on stock tires/wheels. Tons of 4x4 vehicles slid off, tons of jackknifed 18 wheelers on the I80. I drove through fine.

The 200 goes fine, just be mindful of stopping distances. Semi-plowed roads are fine just trust your traction control. These things are phenominal on stock rubber and damn near magical on A/Ts in the snow.

I'm pretty comfortable driving in the snow, but I'm more worried about the CHP making me turn back because I don't have chains. Not a good thing with 2 kids under the age of 3

 

[TonyP]

I've driven all over the world (over 30 countries), and I've never seen someone stop drivers and check their vehicle for proper tread/chains. Then again I've never driven through California in the winter. I doubt they have the government financing to pay a dude to check tires all winter but then again, who knows?

 

[LX5708]

I've driven all over the world (over 30 countries), and I've never seen someone stop drivers and check their vehicle for proper tread/chains. Then again I've never driven through California in the winter. I doubt they have the government financing to pay a dude to check tires all winter but then again, who knows?

Haahaa.. we don't.. the cal trans guy Asks for 4wd and you say yes. they will close I-80 if your land cruiser can't make it... they have already closed it couple times this year already.

 

[hntashdjian]

Sounds good, I'm not gonna worry about it

 

[TonyP]

Haahaa.. we don't.. the cal trans guy Asks for 4wd and you say yes. they will close I-80 if your land cruiser can't make it... they have already closed it couple times this year already.

Well I didn't want to go into a political diatribe but I had a triple locked 4runner on duratracs and I couldn't get through Rawlins, WY. The only reason was a gate, not a guard.

 

[LX5708]

Well I didn't want to go into a political diatribe but I had a triple locked 4runner on duratracs and I couldn't get through Rawlins, WY. The only reason was a gate, not a guard.

I hate those gates... I been stuck twice because of them

 

[Markuson]

Well I didn't want to go into a political diatribe but I had a triple locked 4runner on duratracs and I couldn't get through Rawlins, WY. The only reason was a gate, not a guard.

I keep a set of bolt cutters in back. Not because I go around cutting gates...but because if out in a serious blizzard, they might save your life.

 

[Rando Kuruza]

I guess it's time to buy some BFG KO2... it has the Winter Snowflake symbol on the tire... so technically it's a snow tire lol

 

[40Man]

In Ca any tire with the snowflake symbol works. Just go to wal mart, buy chains. When you go home, return the unused chains to wal mart. That way, if you get pulled over, you avoid a ticket.

 

[Dan Higgins]

Though I have KO2s (and had Nokian Hakkapalitas 2 on my LR4) I still go to Les Schwab tire very year and "buy" a set of easy-on chains. They were only about $100. I don't know if you have Schwab in your area but if you do they have a great deal. If you don't use the chains you can take them back after April 1 and get a full refund. So for merely the price of having $100 tied up for the winter you have an emergency backup and some that should satisfy the highway patrol.

 

[Markuson]

I guess it's time to buy some BFG KO2... it has the Winter Snowflake symbol on the tire... so technically it's a snow tire lol

It's not just technically a snow tire... KO2s are fantastic in snow! On my 100, I drove into the dead of winter with KOs, and even though I had chains on board, never used them. The KO2s are every bit as good.

KO2s = Snow Awesomeness

 

[40Man]

Keep in mind, as good as the KO2s are on snow (really just ok on packed, great in deep stuff) they absolutely suck on ice.

I run KO2s on my 12 4runner limited. My wife got stuck on a hill during an ice storm, and my 03 4runner with general grabber at2s was able to pull her up the hill. Due to the poor ice performance I now have a set of dedicated winter tires and rims (blizzak v2) on my 12 4runner, as my wife works in a hospital and has drive in, even during horrible weather.

A good snow tire actually retains snow in the tread (snow on snow creates the best traction). I have so much more confidence with the blizzaks. It is truly night and day.

 

[Markuson]

Keep in mind, as good as the KO2s are on snow (really just ok on packed, great in deep stuff) they absolutely suck on ice.

I run KO2s on my 12 4runner limited. My wife got stuck on a hill during an ice storm, and my 03 4runner with general grabber at2s was able to pull her up the hill. Due to the poor ice performance I now have a set of dedicated winter tires and rims (blizzak v2) on my 12 4runner, as my wife works in a hospital and has drive in, even during horrible weather.

A good snow tire actually retains snow in the tread (snow on snow creates the best traction). I have so much more confidence with the blizzaks. It is truly night and day.

That's a valid point worth mentioning. Ice is tough to deal with. I was in heavy snow... Ice is scary, and had I been in ice, my report would be different.

Also agree about retaining snow in the tire for snow-on-snow grip. Snow retention is seen here:

 

[chilibit]

I run Blizzacks, Ice3's and Haks. A good winter tire is 2-3 times as good as a A/T tire on ice in my experience and that is why I use them. Something else may get you by wherever you are but you are not maximizing your odds. Soft or even deep snow is totally different challenge. Snow gets you stuck. Ice gets you killed.

 

[40Man]

I ran for years with ATs, but after seeing first hand the control snow tires provide it is a no brainer to run a winter set. Just picked up my 200, so will need to find an extra set of wheels, and sensors (i understand the 200 can support two sets of tpms).

 

[Markuson]

I run Blizzacks, Ice3's and Haks. A good winter tire is 2-3 times as good as a A/T tire on ice in my experience and that is why I use them. Something else may get you by wherever you are but you are not maximizing your odds. Soft or even deep snow is totally different challenge. Snow gets you stuck. Ice gets you killed.

There was a time I got stuck...and it was due to ice. It looked ridiculous, because I was just barely on a dirt shoulder on an icy highway...but the raised edge of the road was icy, and my tires simply couldn't grip to get up and over. My rear tires were in deep snow. Before I had a chance to break out the winch (my 100 series), a guy pulled over and pulled me just enough to get past the edge of the icy road ledge. But wow. Ice is just nuts with how slippery it is.

 

[gaijin]

I ran for years with ATs, but after seeing first hand the control snow tires provide it is a no brainer to run a winter set. Just picked up my 200, so will need to find an extra set of wheels, and sensors (i understand the 200 can support two sets of tpms).

Nope, just one set of 5 TPMS sensors is supported on my 2013LC - may be different on other years, but I doubt it.

HTH

 

[Markuson]

Nope, just one set of 5 TPMS sensors is supported on my 2013LC - may be different on other years, but I doubt it.

HTH

This is where cloning a second set makes sense. The truck will think they are the same sensors.