Heading to Upstate NY … tire rec

My son is heading to school in Upstate NY, we are currently in TX. Any suggestions on an A/T that excels in snow? Been looking at Falken Wildpeak AT3w and Toyo Open Country A/T3.

Running stock 265/65/17, will be moving up to 275/70/17 or 285/70/17.

 

Depends on which region.
ADks - get an an actual snow tire stock size
Western NY Thru-way I90 to Rome - get an actual snow tire stock size
Capitol region south to NYC - get an actual snow tire stock size
South finger lakes and southern tier - get an actual snow tire of stock size


NYC and LI - no comment

if you want your son to be safe get snow tires at stock size; if you want his truck to look cool when getting pulled out of a snow bank go with wide oversized tires.

New York snow is slushy sloppy heavy icy and unpredictable stock sized snow tires deal with this the best along with safe driving skills.

 

Michellins

 

^^^- This.
And I hope he can develop driving skills suitable for the conditions.
Good Winter conditions driving depends on a light touch on all pedals, except the clutch if it exists.
4x4 can help some when stopping. It can also help to get REALLY stuck when you think you're invincible.

 

Headed to upstate NY why not buy a tire made nearby in Buffalo? #Wildpeaks

 

I've lived in Buffalo all my life and I currently attend a college in a rural area. All you really need are tires rated for "severe snow service". There's even filters for these tires on most online tire shops. They will have this logo on them.

I personally bought Falken Wildpeak AT3Ws a little over a month ago and I'm loving them. When I bought the truck a little over 2 years ago, it had Bridgestone Dueler A/Ts that were abut 5 years old. They still worked fine in the snow despite being so old. While I haven't run the Wildpeaks in the snow yet, I trust them because they have this rating.

 

Some of the sizes are actually not even made in Buffalo. I'm from there and I had to have my Wildpeaks shipped from Florida because the local plant doesn't produce them in 31X10.5R15 apparently :/

 

Wildpeaks ftw

 

driving skills will be more important than which all terrain tire you get.

I’m doing great on my 265 75 16 KO2.
Also grew up here driving in the winter stuff.

 

Exactly! Driving skills can’t be made up for with tires, but they sure help keep you on the road.

I have 20+ years experience driving in snow of NY and slow safe driving with sure footed tires is a lot better than snow shooting off road wide tires. Snow shooters it’s what we would call tires with ‘meaty tread’ but couldn’t get any cold weather traction, which is what you need in the NY winter climate.

 

Bridgestone blizzaks

 

My General ATx tires are doing well. have not let me down in any conditions. A lot better than the BFG AT.

 

I’m running the wildpeaks in 285s. Running e rated since they have actual tread depth at 17mm vs the 12mm the SL ship with. I’m in New England and have run these both over a winter. The e rated have better grip in snow, mud, dirt anything over the SL, but are a little better in wet slush since they are a really soft compound while the e run a harder compound and need to warm up a little.

 

I grew up outside of Boston and learned to drive in real snow, driving front wheel drive cars with stick shifts, no snow tires, and surrounded by people who drive like idiots regardless of the season or weather conditions. Tires don’t matter if you suck at driving to begin with.

I’ve lived in western NY, Rochester, for the last 15 years and winter has been pretty tame out here compared to what people told me it would be like when I moved. I get the impression that it might have been much more snowy 50 years ago, but it really hasn’t been so bad recently. Don’t get me wrong, it snows a lot out here, but unless you are in a lake effect snow area, or Buffalo, where they get absolutely dumped on a few times a year, it’s pretty reasonable. People always seem to forget that they’ve driven in snow before for the first real snow of the season, but after that most drivers are actually pretty capable around here. Having 4x4 or all wheel drive systems on a vehicle will help you to move forward in snow, these systems don’t help
you stop- that’s on you and your ability to appropriately apply the brakes.

I’ve got Toyo Open Country AT/3’s, 265/70/R17 on my truck. They’ve been great on snow and ice so far.

 

The snow here on Long Island is usually a heavy, slushy mess as well and sometimes we get clobbered (this past winter was a bitch), sometimes we get nothing.

 

Get him a beater four wheel drive pickup that’s pre dented and he can pull all his buddies out of their parking places when the snowplows bury them. Leave the Toyota home until spring break. NY winters destroy cars.

 

Nokian Rotiiva AT Plus. Bigger tires are not helpful on snow covered roads.

/thread

 

Back in my Navy days, I lived in Ballston Spa, NY (Saratoga area) for about 5 years and was driving a beater 2WD Toyota truck (pre-Tacoma era). All I ever had on that truck were the cheapest crap tires I could find (Navy did not pay all that much back then!). I got around just fine during the winter and we averaged about 70 inches of snow up there per year. Snow tires certainly help, but it really is all about the driving technique in the white stuff.

 

Tell the kid to slow down. He’s not gonna find speed limits like Texas has either. If he’s going to SUNYA tell him to watch his speed going through most small towns in the area. (Especially Nassau on rte 20) Many towns rely on ticket revenue to balance their budgets and out of state college kids are easy pickings!
And the comments about driving techniques are probably a lot more important than tires. Number one, more gas once the tires are spinning is never gonna help. Drive like there’s an egg taped to brake and gas pedals and a bowl of milk on the seat next to ya and you’ll be fine in the nasty stuff. Spill the milk or crush the eggs and it gets expensive fast.
Or just wait for the roads to clear and the salt brine to dry up and it’ll be just like Texas driving. He needs time to study, right?

 

I live in New Hampshire and for all our vehicles, 4WD will be fine with any snow rated tires, 2WD get a set of snow tires. Easiest to get another set of wheels for those tires so you can swap them yourself every season.

Learning how to drive in the snow is the most important thing, 4WD doesn't make you invincible and no matter what you have, ice will get you.