Snow?

[steamron]

For all of the snow country cleaners.
What do you use on your tires to get around, tires, chains, etc?

Thanks

 

[Mike Draper]

I run Toyo M55 tires on the rear. They are 10 ply. It's the most used tire out in the oil fields in Wyoming where they drive on dirt roads all day. I get double the life out of these compared to others I've had. Very aggressive tire though.

 

[Scott S.]

im just running aggressive all seasons, but im not out in the country.

Mark Saiger probably has the best setup i've ever seen.

 

[Mark Saiger]

Cooper ST Max I believe mine are this year...so far really like them!

 

[Mark Saiger]

For all of the snow country cleaners.
What do you use on your tires to get around, tires, chains, etc?

Thanks

Found my thread with the tires

http://www.mikeysboard.com/threads/winter-made-it-today.281142/

 

[Charlie Lyman]

I just use what came on the van. But we only get an inch or two at a time. Our roads melt fast.

 

[Russ T.]

What's the best place for tire/wheel packages?

 

[Onfire_02_01]

I use my standard issue tires, I ask for the best all around tire. What tire doesn't matter as much as new tires. new tires no matter what will grip the road better than worn down tires (doesn't even need to be bald, just worn down). City and highways do a pretty good job of keeping the road clear here, along with all the traffic going down the road, I have to worry more about the traffic jams from the people with worn tires going slow than getting stuck where I am working. I also don't go offroad either.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Try to keep new rubber or at least new enough with good tread on the vehicles in the winter

 

[rjwood]

The meaning behind winter or all-season where tires are concerned is in the rubber compound. Rubber hardens in cold weather, so the added winter/all-season compound allows the rubber to remain pliable in snow and on ice. That's important in stopping and cornering. Tread dept is vital for the tire to reach down through the elements for stability.

I spent 11 years in the tire industry with one of the major manufacturers.

 

[GCCLee]

I have thought about chains.

But there also comes a point where being a slave to it....
Has to stop.

Plus, being able to actually sit at home with my kid for a few days, once in a while atleast,
.is why I went into business for myself to begin with.

Tax Man loves the effort : )

 

[Cleanworks]

I always find it best to put true winter tires on (softer compound gives more traction on ice) and go back to summer in the spring. It makes both sets last longer (your only driving 6 months on each set). We don't get much snow but lots of black ice.

 

[Mark Saiger]

We just run the same all year long and about every couple years put on new just before winter... To many other things we run into during the summer too that I need traction

 

[rjwood]

I always find it best to put true winter tires on (softer compound gives more traction on ice) and go back to summer in the spring. It makes both sets last longer (your only driving 6 months on each set). We don't get much snow but lots of black ice.

Actually, the compounds in snow tire treads are the same as in all-season tires (or at least was back in 1990). The technology allows the rubber to harden in warmer conditions and become more pliable the colder it becomes. The real difference in snow tires verses other types lies in tread design. Snow tires are terrible in rain; are not very fuel efficient; and can be rather noisy at higher speeds.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

I've got Cooper ATs on my pickup truck and they are the best tires I've ever had. They plow through anything, rain, snow, ice, mud. They handle very well in any driving conditions. They are quite meaty so yes a little loud but actually not as bad as I expected.
The work van has Falken ATs and they too handle the snow and ice well, but when I replace them it will be with Coopers. Falkens wear out really fast.

 

[rjwood]

Federal safety regulations have forced all the manufacturers to sell only safe tires these days. Before those regulations when the industry was strictly driven by market forces purchasing tires could be a fairly hazardous proposition.

 

[Cleanworks]

We are constantly told here that all seasons are not the same compound and at below 7 degrees celcius, they will not perform the same as snow tires. It is the law here to have designated snow tires with the snowflake emblem or a mud and snow rating on it. In some areas of the province, they have tire checks and will turn you back if you don't have the appropiate tires.

 

[rjwood]

Think about it, Ron. How can a tire labeled as all-season not qualify as a tire for wintry weather in the context of temperature? I have no idea why you're being told that. When it comes to dept of snow or mud it's the tread that makes the difference and that would be why you'd be turned back in certain conditions, I'd imagine. All season tires are not made for strictly deep mud or snow conditions especially for more heavy duty vehicles. Snow or all-terrain tires are more suitable for those type conditions.

That said, I'm not familiar with Canadian laws either.

 

[rjwood]

I've been reading and it appears you're correct, Ron. Though the information I've gotton is from tire sellers' websites which have a motivation to sell sell tires. That said, the industry has changed in the past 25 years and I'm obviously out of the loop now.

Sorry for the misinformation.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

I'm kinda surprised, because what you said makes sense Bob.

 

[rjwood]

It was all true 25 years ago.

The sellers want to sell as many tires as possible so they're motivated to define and exploit differences in tires. Some of the info I've read is nonsense, but I'd be crazy to take a chance of misinforming people here in any general way. For example, the sites say all season tires cease being effective in conditions under 45 degrees (f). That's absolute hogwash, they'll go much lower than that before any compromise in pliability.

Industry has a tendency to overstate safety of their products for good reason, and for the most part, I think that's smart of them.

Just have two sets of tires, that's all. It's just money, after all.

 

[Kellie Hiler]

My brother in law is a big wig at Discount Tire, and he has always said that the ATs are the best for Colorado. No need to swap them out for the seasons.
We get anywhere from 10 below (rare but it happens) and 100, and they have always performed well. And I'm one of those drivers that needs tires that hug the road well, lol.
I've got Michelin all seasons on my Ford Fusion and those babies are amazing, that thing handles the road way better than my Range Rover ever did!