Winter tires vs. offroad

So, I've checked the tire forum, but to little avail. I have a '16 TRD sport 4x4, and the factory tires it comes with are... Sub-optimal for New England in the winter.

With tax returns coming up, I'll have enough money for tires. On past vehicles, I've always run separate summer/winter tires. But none of my past vehicles has been a Tacoma.

So my question is this: For those of you who do a lot of snow driving, do you think I should look into regular road snows, or if I get non-snow off-road tires will they be sufficient?

 

Offroad tires will be sufficient. I've had no issues at all this winter with the Goodyear Wranglers that come in the TRD OR models. Getting dedicated snow tires would be slightly better, but likely not enough to justify having 2 sets of tires and having to switch them out each season (and possibly the added cost of getting a 2nd set of rims to do it yourself).

 

Get OffRoad tires that are winter rated. The most that can help you in rain/snow/ice is common sense.

 

Michelin ltx ms2's or maybe the at2's

 

That might be where I go then. I know that tires alone can't save you if you don't know how to drive in winter conditions. But on the other hand, if you DO know how to drive in winter conditions, they can be pretty beneficial.

 

Ko2s have been great for me in snow this year. I like the extra weight of the E rated tires. Especially on my small reg cab.

 

I run 2 sets of tires for couple of reasons. I wanted to keep my sport rims looking nice all the time because of the salt and such. So I got a set of steely's for $100 for winter. I figured, It would be time to rotate them anyway come spring time and just put the sport rims back on for summer. And I wanted meaty off-road/ winter tires because I hunt in pretty ruff conditions in the winter and new the stock tires would never cut it. Incidentally, I got rid of the stock tires, and put a better set of summer tires on also. Look at my pics

 

Oh my, an inferno crew cab with a sunroof? HNNNNNNNNG. I have an access cab with no sunroof. Only thing I'd change. I'm thinking of doing steelies and winter tires, I've always run separate tires/rims as well.

 

I know the second gen trd sport wheels would corrode/flake after 2-3 winters where I live, which is why most people that care about their vehicles run separate winter wheels around here.

To your original question, lots of off road tires out there with the winter snowflake rating. Just do not get a mud terrain tire for a lot of winter driving, been there done that! Not fun at highway speeds in icy/packed snow conditions! Live and learn....

 

Exactly what he said!!!!! especially the part about mud tires.

 

This x2

 

Get some kind of tires that have the mountain+snowflake symbol on them. They qualify "as" winter tires, but are all season. This kind of tire is a lot more common for trucks than they are for cars. I think there are about 1 or 2 different models available in north america for regular passenger car tires that are all season, but qualify also as winter tires.

 

Get winter tires for winter driving. The compound used to make winter tires makes a huge difference, not to mention the extra sipes and winter specific tread.

 

I know about the compound. Wasn't sure if the difference between snow-rated off-road tires and true snow tires was that significant. I know that for regular summer or all-season it is.

 

I'm sure that you have lots of experience driving on snow, being from **New Mexico**....

 

Funny but yes, quite a bit in my area - plus experience from the New York State area - and from many years of driving in Scandinavia. My own simple side-by-side testing confirms this *to me* - anecdotal, granted, since it's only my experience, but still.

 

Tires are a lot better than they used to be. The rubber is a lot different now, holds its stability over a much wider range of temperatures. A good set of tires is good year round. And frankly, some of those dedicated "winter" tires actually are loaded with compromise, especially for a truck, where they simply don't have enough meat to bite into something like packed snow. "winter" tires may be ok on a paved road that has already been plowed, but nowhere else.

 

Agreed.

We'll have to agree to disagree on that

 

I am just up the coast from you in Nova Scotia so our winter conditions are very comparable.
I run Cooper Winter Weather-Master-WSC Tires.

I have to ride in the snow 200 miles each week to and from work. I have to say having a true snow tire rather than an offroad or all terrain tire is the way to go. Tire compound is softer and adds to the gripping effect.

 

I also live in Nova Scotia, and if you stick to the roads, then I agree a dedicated snow tire is the best. If you venture off road in the winter, some of the tighter lug patterned winter tires fail. I work in the woods for a living and run Avalanche extremes. Cheap tire, good lug pattern for lots of winter conditions, did I mention they are cheap? Lol also pinned for studs.