Aspect ratio and winter traction

Obviously taller tires give you better clearance but narrow tires increase point loading necessary t grip the snow. Really, the tread design is more important . Going to a narrower snow tire is good, but I just use the same width 265 but with a snow tread designed tire even though the narrower gives more bite. You still do most of your driving on bare roads and the wider tire gives you better braking and handling on bare roads.

 

Physics, DOT, Rally, Overland, Snow plow trucks, everyone from the Midwest, etc have well established that a skinny tire is preferred over a fat one. Haha There's really no debating a proven fact. Sure, all applications have an exception or two, but fatties are for floating in something deeper than your frame. Skinnies are for, you know, driving in the snow haha.

 

I'll add my 2 cents. I previously had 295/75/16 on my truck and they were terrible in the snow. I couldn't leave a parking spot in 2wd. Granite the tread was getting pretty low but I still felt that I should have been able to move. I just recently bought 255/85/16 and they are way better. I felt the 295 were too wide for how light my truck is and I'd just float over hard pack snow. The 255s seem to bite a little bit in the hard pack since there is more weight on each lug. Just my experience. Take it for what it is. I wish I'd had the 295 from new to get a better comparison.

 

You're going to notice a much bigger difference between a 295 and a 255 than you would a 245 and a 265.

But, a legitimate snow tire in a 295 will do better than a mudder in 255. Siping helps more than you know! Along with tire compound.

 

Yet if you have two of the same winter tire the skinny will do better.

A snow tire will do better than a mud tire. Isn't that an achievement.

 

.....because 35s!

Seriously, I have Nitto Trail Grapplers and the large open lugs clear the snow well. I have eaten down into deep snow to reach road and dirt and haven't had any issues.

 

But.. we're not here to talk about deep snow.. It's the ice that's the real issue here!!

 

Cool story bro. I eat peas with a butter knife and haven't starved yet.

 

Don't bring hidden talents into this....

 

I plow with LT265/70R17 HanKooks and they do very well on hard pack.

 

Just to clarify, all else equal...



This is the result of less available contact area on the 245. A narrower tire has no choice but to deform more harshly than a wider tire at the same psi.

 

Longer contact patch is better than wider. Think of a tank track. Super long and skinny in comparison to its width. A skinny tire has a longer contact patch in relativity to its width.

 

Exactly. That's been the biggest misconception of this whole thread.

 

Packed snow, wider tires. For example, my ms2's with all the sipes are great on packed snow/ice, with a 265 tire.

As far as aspect ratio, i dont think thats it. Width and tire OD should be your parameters. Aspect ratio means nothing in the sense if i had to make the choice between a larger OD tire vs a taller tire, OD wins if width is the same. This also takes into consideration your rim size

 

All info above taken into account, get the tire size you like best on your truck and buy a snow tire in that size if winter traction is a priority.

Now, what's your favorite snow tire? Mine's the Dean Wintercat (many years of experience with it). This year I'm trying out the Toyo M55 siped but not studded.

 

Story about skinny tires better for snow is complete BS.
Especially on ice where extra pressure melts ice and makes tire slipp easier.
My rule is simple,widest, biggest tire possible with most edges ...
Skinny if for ice skating, if skinny tire was that much better people would be still driving on bicycle wheels.

 

Science be damned...

 

Does the longer contact patch not make sense to you all?

 

No because its incorrect statement.
Contact patch is either smaller or bigger and not longer or wider. This is true for wheels that supposed to transfer power (drive wheels) Skinny is only good for Front wheels on RWD vehicle because they will have less resistance . I am guessign thats where whole "skinny is better" came from. Old people used to driving rear wheel drive vehicles.

 

Well thats why i was saying its less about aspect ratio, which was the whole premise of the OP's original. A larger OD tire has a longer contact patch. I was just trying to simplify it with width and OD, rather than mudying things trying to figure out aspect ratio. People just enjoy jumping on things with their own point rather than try to understand someone elses