Winter is coming. What tires?

[nickw]

Hey Guys,

I have decided to move from All Terrain tires to a separate summer and winter tires. I want something more aggressive for the summer (mud terrain or LTB). And I also know, nothing beats a dedicated studded winter tire in the winter.

I have heard good things about Nokians, BFG Winter Salom's, and Mich X-ice, others....

What is going to be the best all-round winter tire?
-For ice
-Slush
-Wet snow
-Dry snow
-Deep snow (this is important. Offroading in winter)
-etc....


I am wanting a tire that can be studded, and is good in ALL winter conditions.
I imagine most will be good onroad. But what about offroad?
Some of the winter tires look like they would plug up easily?
How would they do, when we get 1.5 feet of snow overnight.
Where I live this happens. Average dump is 3 inches to a foot.
I don't want to have to chain up to drive around town.

So there it is?
What is going to be best for everything (including deep snow)

I would like a 255/85/16, or a 33" (skinny preferred)

Thanks,
Nick

 

[SizzleChest]

33x9.5 BFG A/Ts would make for an excellent winter tire.

 

[jcolvin]

But no studs possible on the BFG AT (pity!!!). I have a set of Nokian, studded. Fantastic in the rain and snow, but a bit spendy. Went for as tall and skinny as I could get. You don't want wide tires in the snow. I think studs are a must-have.

 

[Greg_B]

33x9.5 BFG A/Ts would make for an excellent winter tire.

After running 255/85R16's for years on my BJ42 I bought a set of 33x9.5x15 BFG AT's to go on some white powdercoated stock 15's I was given. Glad I do not run it as a daily now. I am sure I would get used to it, however I really don't like the sway and squishiness around corners. The 255/85R16 was tons better. I can't imagine how it would be on a 6000lb 80 series, or when aired down to 20pis for gravel travel...Uggggggg.

gb

 

[Greg_B]

Nic, what about Green Diamond tires? http://greendiamondtire.com/

No experience with them, simply an interesting concept.

hth's

gb

 

[cruiser88]

buckshots are cheap and i think you can get them studded.i believe i was told 150 bucks for 33 inch tires

 

[SizzleChest]

After running 255/85R16's for years on my BJ42 I bought a set of 33x9.5x15 BFG AT's to go on some white powdercoated stock 15's I was given. Glad I do not run it as a daily now. I am sure I would get used to it, however I really don't like the sway and squishiness around corners. The 255/85R16 was tons better. I can't imagine how it would be on a 6000lb 80 series, or when aired down to 20pis for gravel travel...Uggggggg.

gb

interesting. i've been running the 33x9.5 on my pickup for the last 9 months or so and it runs great. granted, it probably is a whole different ball game with a heavier vehicle, but right now i'm getting awesome gas mileage and the truck handles nicely. i've never run a 12.5 on my truck but i did briefly have a set of 33x15.5r15s tsl/sx on my cruiser when i first bought it and they were some heavy SOBs to turn, especially with armstrong steering.

one other thing for nickw, for deep virgin snow, a wider tire will do you much better but a narrow tire will be superior on the street.

 

[Greg_B]

interesting. i've been running the 33x9.5 on my pickup for the last 9 months or so and it runs great. granted, it probably is a whole different ball game with a heavier vehicle, but right now i'm getting awesome gas mileage and the truck handles nicely. i've never run a 12.5 on my truck but i did briefly have a set of 33x15.5r15s tsl/sx on my cruiser when i first bought it and they were some heavy SOBs to turn, especially with armstrong steering.

one other thing for nickw, for deep virgin snow, a wider tire will do you much better but a narrow tire will be superior on the street.

I was not suggesting a wider tire. 255/85R16 is tallish/skinnish (33.3x10.0 or so) but better sidewalls, less sidewall profile, which is less squigally (is that a word?) at road and lower pressures = more control...imo. I noticed a dramatic difference between the 16" and 15" tire, with the sizes we are talking about, in road manners.

hth's

gb

 

[BiffS]

Anything but Mud style tires. Lack of sipping makes them suck in the snow. Zero side control, but they go forward great!

 

[nickw]

Nic, what about Green Diamond tires? http://greendiamondtire.com/

No experience with them, simply an interesting concept.

hth's

gb

Those look interesting, and like a good choice.
I wonder if I can get them out here.

Cheers,
Nick

 

[FLYINGLOW]

Anything but Mud style tires. Lack of sipping makes them suck in the snow. Zero side control, but they go forward great!

Uh, or sipe some mud tires..... I got my swampers siped and they are awsome in the snow. For highway driving you should get a disignated winter tire. Not an AT, especially where you live. What are you askin a bunch of south coasters for anyway?

 

[brownbear]

Nick,
My fav is the Nokian hak 2, studded. Get the 235/85 r16. its a good size almost 33 inch.

I have haks studded on my car, at work, on may dads golf, on his tundra .... they are awesome.

Absoultely nothing better. Also they last longer than traditional winter tires. expect 4 seasons or more out of them.

The nokian studded tire is a combo of winter tire with studs. Normal studded tires are harder material and not as good when the studs wear down. The nokian has a great sipped tread that conforms to ice and snow really well.

IMOP anyhow. And no I don't sell them

 

[nickw]

Nick,
My fav is the Nokian hak 2, studded. Get the 235/85 r16. its a good size almost 33 inch.

I have haks studded on my car, at work, on may dads golf, on his tundra .... they are awesome.

Absoultely nothing better. Also they last longer than traditional winter tires. expect 4 seasons or more out of them.

The nokian studded tire is a combo of winter tire with studs. Normal studded tires are harder material and not as good when the studs wear down. The nokian has a great sipped tread that conforms to ice and snow really well.

IMOP anyhow. And no I don't sell them

Hey Brownbear,

I tried to get Nokian locally and no one had them.

I ended up going to my local tirecraft.
I know the guys, shop there 90% of the time, and they give me a good deals.

He recommended some Coopers. 235/85/16.
They look awesome. Soft + sticky, lots of siping, and nice big tread gaps for deeper snow. He said they were his favorite, plus they are a reasonable price ($800 for 4). I think I will get some. He said even in deeper snow, he rarely chains up with them.

Take a look:
http://www.coopertire.com/us/en/ProductDetails.asp?ProdType=LtTruck&id=206&title=Light+Truck+Tires

I am still not sure on summers.
I think I will get some Interco LTB (34x10.5).
A friend has some. They handle very well and not like a traditional bias ply.
They are no louder than a MT and are tought and great offroad.

Cheers,
Nick

 

[jcolvin]

Hey Brownbear,

I tried to get Nokian locally and no one had them.

I ended up going to my local tirecraft.
I know the guys, shop there 90% of the time, and they give me a good deals.

He recommended some Coopers. 235/85/16.
They look awesome. Soft + sticky, lots of siping, and nice big tread gaps for deeper snow. He said they were his favorite, plus they are a reasonable price ($800 for 4). I think I will get some. He said even in deeper snow, he rarely chains up with them.


Nick

Kal tire will either have Nokians or can order them in for you.

I'd really recommend studs. They make a world of difference when its slippery (ie hardpacked snow or ice), and you won't need to use chains unless you are really going hardcore. Can you stud your coopers? Chains suck, putting them on and taking them off sucks, and you can't go fast in them. Don't buy non-studded tires until you've tried some with studs.

 

[Deny]

Are you sure those are the LTB, cause mine are loud as hell, I drove from home (Whonnock to Fort St. John) during cruiser days last year, and I blew my front wheel bearing and didn't even hear it for the 15hours back. The bearing was so bad, it rubbed a groove into the spindle. With my old BFG muds or Mudkings, I could hear if my bearing was even loose!
They are great off road though.
Cheers,
Deny

 

[nickw]

Are you sure those are the LTB, cause mine are loud as hell, I drove from home (Whonnock to Fort St. John) during cruiser days last year, and I blew my front wheel bearing and didn't even hear it for the 15hours back. The bearing was so bad, it rubbed a groove into the spindle. With my old BFG muds or Mudkings, I could hear if my bearing was even loose!
They are great off road though.
Cheers,
Deny

He does have the LTB's. 34x10.5
What size are yours?

His are on a suzuki.
It's lifted and has a mercedes diesel.
It is quite loud already.

What is your opinion of the LTB's?
Would you buy them again?

I want mine for a summer tire.
That means, lots of everything.
Road trips, 4wheeling, lots of hiking/camping/fishing which often means old deactivated FSR's. I often drive 6 hours to visit people, and then offroad when there.

A LTB is probably overkill for me. A Mud terrain would probably do it (AT is not agressive enough). I was going to go for the LTB because they were cheap, and he said they were no louder or worse handling than his old 35" MT.

What do you think?
I do like the price point of the LTB?
He paid $950 with tax for 4 tires.
I can pick them up in the US for about $130 USD each.
There is one LesShwab in the US that loves dealing Canadians.

They alaways gives good deals. And they diliver to the Canadian/USA boarder. The do a run a few times a week. Its about 45 min for them, which cuts down 1.5 hours of travel time for me. So I only have around a 2 hour round trip.

So I am very interested in hearing your thoughts.
Would you get them again? Likes and dislikes?
Also, have any pics of your rig with the LTB's?

Cheers,
Nick

 

[Deny]

Here is a post I did a while ago, I don't have a star anymore, so I can't post pics. You could also look around the swamp donkey site, and some of the wheeling trips might have some pics of the tires.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=55623

Current thoughts are still the same, I would buy them again if they made a 34 X 12.5, they are too narrow for my wheeling and how tall my truck is. definately need a 6 or 7in rim, 8in is OK if you don't air down, since the blown bead I haven't aired down and they have been good. I will probably be getting 33X12.5 TSLs this year. My thoughts on your truck would be probably a good choice, cause the turbo will spin them alot easier, and they probably are a bit quieter if some of the lugs wern't cut off, and they were balanced properly, stupid tire guys in FSJ said they can't balance them, so they put powder in them and I think that is no good. Also, your buddy thinks they are quiet and no different in performance, because it is a light suzuki, you could put wooden tires on the thing and it still would handle the same. LTB's are definatly a different tire than any MT. but it is your choice, and they do real well off road, but are not a commuter tire.
Cheers,
Deny

 

[Deny]

The pics of my truck on the swamp donkey page are on the exploritory run and what i did on may long weekend threads, there is some more opinions on my tires too.
Cheers,
Deny