Question #20: Snow tires

[Badgertits]

Well as I've stated, I live with snow 5 months out of the year, sometimes 6, and drive to and from work sites hundreds of miles away daily. So studded tires in the aren't something that I'm familiar with for multiuse vehicles. But I will watch for you on this season of ice road truckers so I get some REAL experience! You really should just recommend a snowcat or snowmobile, KO2's have no place in your snow!

Just pointing out what should be obvious. And I’m not exaggerating- the difference between a studded snow tire & an AT in the winter is bigger than a max performance & a DR in the summer.....

Add the variable of the Raptor having the widest factory tires of any truck (and wider = worse snow performance) + all the power & it can be a little hairy in winter weather if you don’t wanna drive like a grandma

personally....I enjoy driving my truck in the winter weather “as if” there wasn’t any, makes for much less stressful travel.

I’ll gladly pull ya outta a ditch tho

;-)

 

[DFS]

Just pointing out what should be obvious. And I’m not exaggerating- the difference between a studded snow tire & an AT in the winter is bigger than a max performance & a DR in the summer.....

Add the variable of the Raptor having the widest factory tires of any truck (and wider = worse snow performance) + all the power & it can be a little hairy in winter weather if you don’t wanna drive like a grandma

personally....I enjoy driving my truck in the winter weather “as if” there wasn’t any, makes for much less stressful travel.

I’ll gladly pull ya outta a ditch tho

;-)

Definitely don't disagree studded tires are better than unstudded in snow/ice? My only argument is out of regular everyday tires (not studded) KO2 are good in the snow and all around (AT?) tires. I'll be sure to give you that call when I'm stuck, hope you're ready!

 

[Tr4ckD4ys]

35” KO2s in 305mm width = not Great for nasty northeast winter weather = no siping = sliding around on ice like a rink = treads get stuffed with hardpack snow = not great at turning/stopping obviously fine @ getting going.

I’m guessing a replied to this thread already, but once you experience what it’s like driving a 4x4 truck w/ studded snows in the northeast (or CO/UT etc) you’re not going to wanna compromise again.

you literally drive like there’s nothing on the ground, cruise by plows doing 70 in 6” of blizzard heavy ass snow passing hwy plow trucks, slam on the brakes @ the same speed and it’s like MAGIC!!! You actually stop!!!!

I always mic drop this convo by reminding people- the difference between a dedicated studded snow tire & an MT/AT or “all season” ture is greater than an all season vs an AT & greater than a max performance vs a DR or a slick

and YET all the Hardos saying “you don’t need snow tires in a 4x4 w/ KO2s” would be the first to shit on a guy running all season 20”s “offroad” or putting street tires on their drag car @ the strip.

if you have never experience the difference or don’t know- **** & don’t chime in

I’ll fight you

anyway - of course you can always do better, especially when talking studs. But for the average Illinois or northeast winter driver, the KO2s will do just fine when driving very respectfully and with care. Not like 70mph passing the plow truck with 6” blizzard snow then hitting the breaks to troll the folks behind you...

 

[NASSTY]

I wonder how bad at driving you have to be to not be able to handle snow with a Raptor and 35" KO2's...

Pretty bad... I've never ran dedicated snow tires on a 4x4 truck. The last vehicle I ran snow tires on was an 81 Grand Prix back in the early 80's.

 

[CoronaRaptor]

35” KO2s in 305mm width = not Great for nasty northeast winter weather = no siping = sliding around on ice like a rink = treads get stuffed with hardpack snow = not great at turning/stopping obviously fine @ getting going.

I’m guessing a replied to this thread already, but once you experience what it’s like driving a 4x4 truck w/ studded snows in the northeast (or CO/UT etc) you’re not going to wanna compromise again.

you literally drive like there’s nothing on the ground, cruise by plows doing 70 in 6” of blizzard heavy ass snow passing hwy plow trucks, slam on the brakes @ the same speed and it’s like MAGIC!!! You actually stop!!!!

I always mic drop this convo by reminding people- the difference between a dedicated studded snow tire & an MT/AT or “all season” ture is greater than an all season vs an AT & greater than a max performance vs a DR or a slick

and YET all the Hardos saying “you don’t need snow tires in a 4x4 w/ KO2s” would be the first to shit on a guy running all season 20”s “offroad” or putting street tires on their drag car @ the strip.

if you have never experience the difference or don’t know- **** & don’t chime in

I'll bite! Nobody is going to question a studded tire against a regular tire for traction performance, but I won't park or drive a studded tire on my driveway or garage stall, maybe if i had a gravel driveway. Lots of people drive with studded snow tires around here in their suv's and cars, but not trucks. I have used chains on my raptor before in Northern California/Oregon, but don't like the sound of metal hitting the road constantly, so will never put on studs.

 

[richnot]

Good to know, I was wondering how my OEM tires were going to be, this coming winter.

I'll never forget some years back at a local ski area that had a packed snow/ice covered parking lot, to park I had to pull around a 6 or 8" lifted manly-man driven bro-mobile Dodge with gigantic mudders on it because he was stuck and couldn't move. I was in one of my company mini-vans with snow tires and I easily drove right around him and parked. As I'm unloading my gear he's spinning and spinning while not moving an inch. He saw me laughing at him and yelled out the window, "What's so funny?!" I told him, "Maybe you should think about trading that in on a mini-van." Needless to say, he didn't think I was very funny.

I never knew before that, how useless big, giant, wide tires are on a truck in snow and ice. I was driving all over in my car with no issues.

Check out some of the pictures of Antartic trucks. You want to talk about big wide tires in the snow, the Russian site has even more insane trucks.

http://arctictrucks.com/

 

[xrocket21]

I’m unsure if you’re trying to point out the KO2s are good or not with those videos? That’s some pretty solid ice-driving there, I’m actually impressed how well they’re doing. I’ve read somewhere around here and the wrangler forum that KO2s are great in the mud, dry road and in snow. They’re known to be inferior on heavily wet roads and on ice.
There’s no perfect do it all tire but except for the wet traction, the KO2s come damn well close...

trying to validate my opinion as someone who really puts it to the test, rather than, "I drove on a tar road in a dusting of snow once"

 

[richnot]

How can you compare tires when there are so many variables involved, road temp before the snow, driving style, actual snow condition light and fluffy or heavy and easy to pack. Also driver experience in the snow

I went on Tireracks site and looked at the info there, it was a lot more than 8-10 people for each tire review, hundreds and thousands but each review is based on a lot of variables too.
They give a lot of information on winter tires, all terrain, mud and even what it takes to earn the snowflakes on the sidewall. Chances are you can find reviews on the tire you want in your area you live in

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testSearch.jsp

http://arctictrucks.com/blog/2018/07/18/4x4-adventure-in-the-icelandic-highlands/

 

[Big Blue]

Not sure why 8 out of 10 opinion threads always have to turn into a pissing match. The results are always the same.....I win. Count down to closure has begun.

 

[Badgertits]

I'll bite! Nobody is going to question a studded tire against a regular tire for traction performance, but I won't park or drive a studded tire on my driveway or garage stall, maybe if i had a gravel driveway. Lots of people drive with studded snow tires around here in their suv's and cars, but not trucks. I have used chains on my raptor before in Northern California/Oregon, but don't like the sound of metal hitting the road constantly, so will never put on studs.

don’t get me wrong you don’t NEED snow tires by any means, just like you don’t NEED KO2s either on a 4x4 truck to go offroad, run some highway all seasons, bet they’ll do just fine right? The 4x4 & power will take care of the shit tires right?

why is it people will obsess over which AT or MT to use when even the most hardcore off-roaders on this site still put 80% of their miles ON road, & yet wanna argue against the benefits of a dedicated snow tire over ANYTHING else in the winter.

I get it, it’s not a “sexy” “mod” - but I have to LOL guys toil over which AT tire to run & barely push the truck or spend $3k on friggin led lights but a set of snows that will keep you, your truck, your family, & everyone else on the road safer & you’re a “wimp” or something for advocating for em

Sorry but you guys are just wrong and I’m sure, positive, that none of the people saying “nah you don’t need em” have never run em, period, on a truck.