Driving in wet snow - What tires works best?

[Swine]

I know that for the BFGs, the load E tires generally are not severe snow rated, due to the harder compound needed to achieve the E rating. I don't know if that's the same for the Grabbers, but it wouldn't surprise me.

What sort of truck is this going on? The E load rating may not be necessary for you...

ETA: so far the best light truck tire I've had in snow was the Hankook Dynapro ATM (which is not a severe snow rated tire). I'm comparing to Falken Rocky Mountain/Wild Peaks, an older Hankook studded snow tire (may have been the I*Pike, but I'm not positive), and an older Goodyear Wrangler AT. Yes, you read that right, I found the Dynapro ATM to be better than the same brand's dedicated snow tire on everything except pure black ice. I'm planning to give Duratracs a go the next time around.

I put Duratracs on my truck last winter. Somewhere, in another thread, someone said they heard they heard Duratracs are quiver killers. They were right. Fantastic in wet, heavy, sloppy snow. Awesome in mud. Really good so far on all but sheer ice. Just the best tire I've tried On a truck, and I've used Silent Armor (pretty good for the first 30k, then half scary on slop), BFG T/A KO (really don't understand the love for this tire, underwhelming in my experience unless it's brand new), Bridgestone Dueler A/T (piece of shit), and Big O A/T (meh).

There is a bit of tread squirm at high speed with the Duratrac for the first few thousand miles, but that's to be expected with a tire that has such deep tread and large voids.


From a fone

[whyturn]

Nokkian happakalita has been solid on my forester

[bodywhomper]

Thanks for all the input

Here's a solid, recent AT tire test (not snow-specific):
http://expeditionportal.com/where-th...eets-the-road/

that ^^ link was pretty useful. it's too bad that a few other tires were not includes like the duratrac's and ko2's.

looking at cooper's, the a/tw caught my eye. anybody using them?

i'm weary of the "all weather" thing, given my unimpressed experience of the nokian WR's on my subi, but cooper throws out a 50k mi warranty on them, much higher claimed mileage usefulness compared to the WR's and the few consumer and online magazine reviews all seem to rate them high for winter, pavement, and offroad use.... they are also fairly affordable. the holy grail component has perked my interest. it's a TRAP?!

[PNWbrit]

a 50k mi warranty

I don't want to use the same tires for 50k,

I mean I don't want to use tires that will last 50k.

Certainly not when discussing their snow performance?

Snow tires should wear out reasonably quickly.

[oldblue]

i'm weary of the "all weather" thing, given my unimpressed experience of the nokian WR's on my subi, but cooper throws out a 50k mi warranty on them, much higher claimed mileage usefulness compared to the WR's and the few consumer and online magazine reviews all seem to rate them high for winter, pavement, and offroad use.... they are also fairly affordable. the holy grail component has perked my interest. it's a TRAP?!

AT/W's will probably be better than most AT tires but won't come close to a good winter tire. I would only buy them expecting them to be better than a Cooper AT3 in the snow but they ain't going to perform like a Hakka or Blizzak.

If real snow performance is a concern get winter tires.

[XXX-er]

the thread title is what tire works best? but snow tire threads are always a buncha guys talking about how much money and some guys (one of whom will be roj) who say you don't need snow tires ... not what is best

GF gets a cheap good boring 20yr old corrola with very low miles given to her, asks for help with snow tires, the dealer has these artic claw tires which are suposed to be pretty good/not too much $ but she asks what I have, I always buy studded haks but I point out yeah they are the best but that would make the tires and rims worth more than the car

she said "I want the best too"... female logic eh?

[bodywhomper]

I don't want to use the same tires for 50k,

I mean I don't want to use tires that will last 50k.

Certainly not when discussing their snow performance?

Snow tires should wear out reasonably quickly.

I would agree. this is definitely the conventional wisdom, and mine, too. even my nokian WR "all weather" tires lasted only for 20k-ish. however, my conventional wisdom is circa 2008-2010. one of the things that i'm wondering is if the conventional wisdom is a little behind the curve with tire tech. i would love to see some actual performance ##'s.

I agree with the ideas of "the best", but for me, part of the question is "best at what?". access changed this past winter in the northern sierra. 4wd trails that are generally deeply buried were only occasionally or partially buried.....

[Danno]

Having run the Grabber At2 for a few years I'd say stay the hell away. The rubber compound turns to hard plastic after a short time. Its an old tire design that doesn't fare well off-road either.

Bumping this thread because I remember this post from 10 months ago and went looking for it. At the time, I had new Grabber AT2s on my Sequoia for a few months and loved them. But I haven't been as crazy about them this winter. Last winter, it seemed I could not make my truck slide, the tires were just stuck to the ground. Now, the truck feels a lot more squirrelly, I have felt it slip a fair amount. But I have no idea if this is just poor memory or poor perception, it's hard to assess tires unless you get to do testing or are just more astute/perceptive than I am.

Since there are a lot of Grabber fans on this board, I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced what oldblue describes above. I'm not replacing them or anything, I'm stuck with them for a few years I guess, but I am not as high on them as I used to be.

[2FUNKY]

Nobody that I know, including myself, has ever described the Grabber that way. I'm on my third year with them and they perform flawlessly. Super quiet ride, awesome in snow and ice, great off road performance. Granted they are no MT, but I have never been stuck with them, I just use my brain and realize they're not a true mud tire. I don't go looking for mud bogs either, I am in the woods all fall hunting though. Pulls my boat up the frozen snow filled ramps during water fowl season with little/no slippage. Had to pull a buddy up a ramp last year when his Chevy with copper AT tires couldn't get him out. I never spun a tire.

[LightRanger]

Don't recall them feeling like that, but it's been a while.

Have Cooper AT/Ws on the 4R now. Pretty high on them. Way quieter than most ATs and rip in snow.

[east or bust]

Anyone running T/A KO2's?

[TAFKALVS]

I love my Duratracs.

[adrenalated]

I love my Duratracs.

X2

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Duratracs are nice but no nicer than less expensive Dynapro ATMs

[2FUNKY]

I love my Duratracs.

I almost put them in my truck. Soooo glad I didn't. Our garage put them on my work truck and I hate them. They're loud as shit and very buzzy. They do perform very well in wet snow and mud though.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

I almost put them in my truck. Soooo glad I didn't. Our garage put them on my work truck and I hate them. They're loud as shit and very buzzy. They do perform very well in wet snow and mud though.

Dynapro ATMs are a lot quieter and perform just as well in snow based on my experience. The Duratracs are a great traction tire and I think great for a truck that is mainly used off pavement.

[adrenalated]

I had Dynapro ATMs on my truck prior to the Duratracs. They were quieter on road for sure, and cheaper. On typical, plowed snowy roads/shallow fresh snow, the Dynapros were equal to the Duratracs. However, in deep, unplowed snow, the Duratrac is definitely superior. They are also much better off-road in the summer.

Both are great tires, but I prefer the Duratracs. If I didn't drive off-road in the summer or in deep untracked snow in the winter, the Dynapro would be the better choice.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

For a dedicated off road vehicle I would prefer the Duratracs but for general purpose tires with a mix of everything you mention the Dynapros win. Have you tried the newest ATMs? I didn't find them much different in mud or deep, heavy snow off road around here. I was a Goodyear and Cooper fan for years, a lot of it was because they are made in the US, but after reading reviews and looking at cost and durability the Hankooks were a no brainer.

[adrenalated]

Yep, the newest Dynapro ATM is what I used. Around here we don't get that much mud, more loose/rocky terrain, and I'm finding the Duratracs handle that better.

[TAFKALVS]

Duratracs look way cooler than the Dynapros. That's all that really matters.

They are louder than an AT, yes. But much much quieter than a pure MT.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Duratracs look way cooler than the Dynapros. That's all that really matters.

That would have been a consideration when I was your age but now it's all about practicality. You've seen my truck.

[TAFKALVS]

That would have been a consideration when I was your age but now it's all about practicality. You've seen my truck.

As a 65 year old man trapped in a 26 year old body, I've gotta have some excitement in my life.

[counterfeitfake]

I've put like 35k miles on my Duratracs, in the summers and snowy winters, they are great and they're not used up yet.

[That was Pontus]

Have Duratracs on the 4x4 and they're nice to have there. But for a pavement pounding highway machine I'm looking at the Kumho Road Venture SAT KL61 as an option.

[bodywhomper]

I have cooper atw on my 4x4. They were fresh in November and I have no complaints. Been great so far in snow, gravel, dirt, and mud. Frankly, I don't think they are old/worn enough for issues to show themselves. I use the non e-rated version.

I see that the new Yokohama at tire is severe snow rated. I have not seen them in the flesh, but have been happy with the older version for summer time dirt, roots, and gravel on my fwd minivan.