Winter tires

Townfair is ok... make sure you do a LOT of research on the tires you choose and get internet prices. Townfairprice matches, which is the only reason I'd ever go there. If you walk in off the street looking for tires, they will rip you off!

As far as weight, before I had my shell, I used to put 3-90lb weights in the bed, all the way to the front. Good tires is more important than the weight though. I've always run A/T tires for the winter, unstudded. Previous winters I used Cooper ATR, this winter I'm running Cooper AT3. For on road use, I've never had any issue with them and I can get anywhere I need to be. Studded tires are certainly the best you can get, but might not be necessary and you are required to have them off by a certain date.

 

Don't worry about studs, they are old technology. A great tire is the Goodyear Ultra Grip WRT. You can't go wrong.

I used to live the the Berkshires but I was a regional rep for a major tire manufacturer in New England and can recommend a good place. What general area are you in? New England is fairly large and your area will determine what type of tire your need.

 

studded tires are great if you encounter a lot of black ice. like most people suggested, get all 4 wheels equiped with proper snow tires...those who think that a A/T tire are great winter tire because they have the "snow flake" on them, are simply wrong...where i live (Quebec) a/t and all season tires are prohibited for winter use (yes, it's the law and you get a sour ticket if caught driving them).

all that to say, get a winter specific winter tire only (even the worse winter tire like the winterforce will be far better than any A/T and all season's) you need to have a lot of sips and a softer compound...and again studded if a lot of black ice. after all the main function of winter tires if BRAKING performance and then traction in the snow is second. my suggestion; nokian are i think the best if you have a bigger budget, but good value would be general altimax and the one i just putted on because i love them on my old dakota at only 800$ studded ; http://us.coopertire.com/Tires/Winter/DISCOVERER-M-S.aspx

 

I agree with most of what you said except the braking part... you're more apt to steer your way out of an accident than stop. Same as when on dry roads. The ABS won't stop you quick enough to avoid an accident, your steering wheel will.

Also, for New England winters, A/T tires with the snowflake rating will do very well. Not as good as dedicated winter tires, but they'll do very well for every day driving for someone who doesn't have the resources to have 2 sets of tires.

 

Agreed. They are mountain snowflake certified for a reason, not all season tires but actual mountain snowflake like the Silent Armors.

 

they are banned here and that's also for a reason...if you get into a accident and have these tires on you won't get coverage...


as for the baking; a winter tire with tons of sipps will stop quicker than anything else....and then if if you can steer you way out if you need more braking distance...

sorry but i will never beleive a/t's and all season are as good. i saw so many people crash from all season tires before the law passed...even the car insurance compagnie said that claims went down Big time since then....it all depend on how you consider your life and your family, in the long run , having 2 sets of tires wont cost you more $$$.

even car dealership can't sell you a car without winter tires, they give you 2 sets. better be safe than sorry!

 

Go to your neighbors on either side of you and the laws are different. Just because you have a specific tire law where you live doesn't mean it's there's necessarily a good reason behind the law.

At any real speed, you will be much better off trying to steer your way out because you won't be able to stop in time. ABS works on this premise. It does not stop you quicker but keeps your tires rolling so you can still control the vehicle.

Down here, no one is required by law to give you a second set of tires so it's a very expensive endeavor to have a second set of tires and have them mounted every winter (or buy a second set of rims). Not everyone has an extra $1,000 laying around...

 

X2.

 

Maybe the insurance companies saw accidents go down, but I'm sure they aren't charging you $800/year less (make up for tire costs). Keep saving them money

 

but having 2 sets of tires will cost you more at first but will last you twice as long....so at the end of it all, you will not have spended xtra money at all...i don't understand why you say so.

i understand that you can steer your way out....but you missed my point...at first when you press on the brake pedal before steering your way out...it will slow you down quicker before you see the rear end of that car in front of you then you can steer your way out....this is fact, it is proven that a well sipped tire with softer compound will stop quicker on ice...

as far as neighbors, we are the first but other provinces are in the talk to implement the same law very soon.

did you ever had any real winter tires on your vehicule? not to be rude but you sound like you never experience real winter tires? again the worse winter specific tire will be 10 time better than any all season's

 

little mathematic here ( based on 20000k's/year)

summer tires last generaly 2 summers/2 winters

winter tires will last you 4 winters

so you save 4 winters of not having to use your summer tires = right

so it not cost me 800$ more for having 2 sets of tire over the span of 4 years.


i hope i didn't lost you there...it's pretty basic understandind though...

 

What about having two sets of wheels? Or what about the cost and time to have tires swapped if you only have one set of wheels. I see what you are saying and you have a valid point but the winters really arnt that bad down here compared to up north or out west, and most people in new england still drive on pavement 90% of the time during the winter. Winter tires dont make sense for alot of people around here. I hafta say there is a huge difference though, i have driven in the snow on bald tires, all seasons, all terrains, winter tires and studded, it is crazy how much better traction you will get with snow tires.

 

I had a set of Michelin X-Ice on my Mazda Speed3 for 2 winters and loved them.. They cut through just about anything.. I would say i would of easily be able to get another 2 winters out of them if not 3. As others have said, add sandbags or something heavy in the back for better traction.

 

Yes, I have had real winter tires... studded and everything. I actually agreed with you that they are better but they are not necessary just because you live in an area that gets a little snow. I'm actually one of those people that does have 2 sets of tires and wheels. One set is H/T tires for the summer, the other is a set of A/T tires for the winter. A dedicated snow tire is made of a softer compound than a snowflake rated A/T tire so they will wear out quicker. If you don't have 2 sets of wheels, you are going to pay $15-20/tire to get them shuffled at the beginning of winter and then again at the end. You then have to have a place to store another set of tires for the year. It's not feasible for everyone and certainly not necessary for everyone either. I've never had a problem running a siped A/T tire for the winter.

 

I wish we had laws here mandating the use of appropriate tires for the conditions. It's pretty maddening to prepare your vehicle and then get stuck behind some idiot for miles doing 5mph and sitting in a pile of their own excrement.

 

I just moved out of Alaska recently having lived there for 4.5yrs. The snow is around for a good chunk of the year and the popular WINTER tire are the blizzaks. The are a softer compound and they have A LOT of siping. I have them on the wife's car year round. They wear fast if you drive aggressively on during the summer months but other than that bit I wouldn't buy another brand tire if I remained in Ak.

 

do all 4 if your doing them. Studded i've found are much better then studless... they are a little loud on dry pavement but worth their weight in gold on ice. i mean you have metal spikes in your tires.

I had goodyear duratrac's that were studded (31x10.5 15's) on my jeep liberty and it was a TANK in the winter... crazy traction in every and all conditions.






i imagine some studded duratracs with a little weight in your bed your truck would be a monster... if you dont have a locker or limited slip that would be a great investment.. Detroit Tru Trac is great in snow.

 

i hear you badger! i used to live in calgary where they get only a handfull of snow fall each winter. each time one happened the whole city was paralized, cars spinning up the hills/slidding down the same hills, everywhere in the ditch and of course the tough guy driving a 4wd crazy fast only to see him later rear ending another car!!! maybe it's because i grew up in a place where real winter occurs but i would never use anything else but winter tires even if there's only one snowstorm / winter. for my own safety and family...

 

^^ this... back in my high school days, i drove a piece of crap suzuki esteem with little "pizza cutter" tires, that were some of the smallest, skinniest tires i have ever seen in my life, and that car was a god in the snow here in utah. The skinny tires act just like a "pizza cutter" cutting through the snow.

Most ANY all terrain tire that has sufficient "sipping" groves will be a decent tire in the winter. This is what makes winter tires as grippy as they are. They also offer sipping that you can do to tires that greatly assist with grip. I have toyo MT tires that were crap in the snow, got them siped, and they are night and day difference. My next set of tires will be Goodyear Duratracs, which also have a snow flake snow approval rating in an AT tire, VERY good tire there. Good luck with your choice.

Also, look at it in this perspective... sandbags in the winter are like condoms, I would rather have them and not need them, than need them and not have them... load up on the sandbags, you can always remove them if they arent needed.

-Erik

 

wow....your math is truly impressive!

Now, only getting 25-30,000 miles out of a set of all seasons, that's pretty weak.

If you get a strong all season like the Silent Armor, they will easily last 50-60k.

I do agree that snow tires are incredible, but the value proposition of having to purchase the complete extra set of tires, wheels and installation isnt worth the incrimental difference that I will gain and most places down in the states have the roads cleared within 24 hours anyway. My wifes rav4 made it through a winter of 110+ inches of snow with her stock Yokohama Geolanders, with no problems whatsoever.

IMHO it isnt worth it unless you live near the top of a mountain or have 2wd sedan.