For The Northerner's..........

[rwcarpet]

For us CC'ers that live North, and have to deal with snowy and icy roads, do you use "snow radials" for Winter drivin'? I just put 2 on the rear of my Chevy Extended Express. With all the weight, it handled OK with good all season tires, but this year I'm trying out some snow radials.

Hell, I remember 40+ years ago when I worked for Sohio (Standard Oil). During the winter, we were swamped with bias belt snow tires, hand-installing ice studs in each tire. Those were the days.

 

[Chris A]

The oem tires on the chevys suck, last year I put a set of uniroyal all seasons on my extended 1 ton, made a huge difference. I've never ran snow tires though.

 

[Derek]

i've used snows on the car and the van for the past 12 years. i finally bought some real nice all-seasons last spring, General Grabber HTS. they are handling the winter roads about as good as my snows do...i might leave'm on all season.

but generally i find when i put snows on, it is like i got 4-wheel drive.

 

[Connor]

The oem tires on the chevys suck, last year I put a set of uniroyal all seasons on my extended 1 ton, made a huge difference. I've never ran snow tires though.

I thought Uniroyals were the standard tire on Chevys?

 

[Chris A]

Bridgestones

 

[Mark Saiger]

http://www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/wra ... ilentarmor

Been using these tries on all my vans for about 8 years now. You will get 30,000 to 50,000 miles per set depending on how much weight you are carrying all the time. They make them in more than one load range. Get the load "E" range or 10 ply I believe it is. Anyway, get the heaviest carrying load range they make is what I reccomend. These tires are great and I run them all year. They do not howl on the road with the Kevlar reinforced and silent tread technology. Great tires and almost like putting 4 wheel drive on your van.

Mark Saiger

 

[sweendogg]

I have the same tires on our install van Mark.. Made a HUGE difference for winter weather. I went from not getting up a 10 degree incline to actually some confidence in that van. (of course I always get into trouble when we aren't loaded! ) I'm also spoiled with my plow truck so getting back in to a 2wd vehicle after plowing all day/night is always humbling.

 

[Derek]

i was planning on buying those ones Mark, after your review of them here several years ago.

Dunn Tire didn't have them, so i went with "Consumer Reports #1" blah blah blah...they seem very good tho.

 

[Contemporary Carpet Clean]

Derek,

Do yourself a favor and go and get some MASTERCRAFT COURSER AT/2 TIRES. THEY HAVE A SIMILAR TREAD TO THE GENERAL GRABBER AT/2. HANDS DOWN THE MASTERCRAFTS ARE THE BEST TIRES WE HAVE EVER OWNED. NOT REALLY NOISY AND THEY LAST 30-40K DEPENDING ON WEIGHT. I HAVE TURNED OTHER LOCAL CARPET CLEANERS ON TO THOSE TIRES AND THEY SAY THEY ARE THE BEST THEY HAVE EVER HAD TOO. IF YOU GET A LT 245 75 16 LOAD RANGE E TIRE SIZE THEY SHOULD RUN YOU ABOUT 150-175 EACH. THEY SHOULD BE ALOT CHEAPER THAN ANY GOODYEAR TIRE. MASTERCRAFT TIRES ARE MADE BY COOPER TIRE.

 

[jcooper]

yokohama geolander a/t-h

its an of road tire and has worked great in snow & ice. Got them last year for 100 bucks each!

 

[Clean Response]

This is my first winter with my new van. I paid extra for a locking rear differential. It makes a work of difference it gets around very nice. Next best thing to 4 wheel drive. I was planning on driving my old van on snowy days in case I get in an accident but the new van get around so well I like to take it out in stead.

 

[Dr Vapeur]

Being from Quebec, I have always put winter tires on my car and vans. The problem with all season is when the temperature goes below -7 C the tires become solid as a rock. It is not the depth of the thread that counts, it is the softness of the rubber. When soft rubber is able to get rid of the snow. Of course when it is warm winter tires fall apart quick.
Richard Gagne

 

[rwcarpet]

Derek,

Do yourself a favor and go and get some MASTERCRAFT COURSER AT/2 TIRES. THEY HAVE A SIMILAR TREAD TO THE GENERAL GRABBER AT/2. HANDS DOWN THE MASTERCRAFTS ARE THE BEST TIRES WE HAVE EVER OWNED. NOT REALLY NOISY AND THEY LAST 30-40K DEPENDING ON WEIGHT. I HAVE TURNED OTHER LOCAL CARPET CLEANERS ON TO THOSE TIRES AND THEY SAY THEY ARE THE BEST THEY HAVE EVER HAD TOO. IF YOU GET A LT 245 75 16 LOAD RANGE E TIRE SIZE THEY SHOULD RUN YOU ABOUT 150-175 EACH. THEY SHOULD BE ALOT CHEAPER THAN ANY GOODYEAR TIRE. MASTERCRAFT TIRES ARE MADE BY COOPER TIRE.

Richard...by the looks at where you live, you get that "lake effect" snow off the Great Lakes, which comes by the foot, not inches! That's experience.

 

[rwcarpet]

This is my first winter with my new van. I paid extra for a locking rear differential. It makes a work of difference it gets around very nice. Next best thing to 4 wheel drive. I was planning on driving my old van on snowy days in case I get in an accident but the new van get around so well I like to take it out in stead.

Ahhh...locking diff is the key. I used to plow snow with a Blazer that had posi/locking differential. Very seldom needed 4 wheel drive.