Winter tire recommendation

[mtsoxfan]

OK, I tried, I really did. No lie, spent over an hour searching and reading.

Live in upper VT. On dirt road, atop a mountain. Snow sticks around, and drifts on my road. I do 60/40 highway and dirt roads. I'd like to run taller thinner snow tires. Currently running stock tires, 17, which did very well in CT, but snow conditions clean up/melted faster than here in VT.

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[BK553]

I don't want to get stuck with my wife in truck.

The jokes write themselves...

 

[CO2Ranger]

The WildPeak AT3's are winter rated and a solid performer in all conditions from what I've read. I'll be running them year-round on mine.

 

[slowmachine]

One thing you might do is ask your neighbors what they are running. Ask a local tire shop what they are selling for your specific conditions. If I were dealing with mud and snow much of the time, I would consider something like the Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac, or the BFG KO2. I think they suck a lot on pavement, but will do well everywhere else. For everything on-pavement in New England, Bridgestone Blizzak and Michelin X-ice are everywhere, and very good. There are other brands, but these are the market leaders. I was doing a bit of tire shopping this morning, and it looks like the newest Michelin X-ice Snow weighs 5 pounds less in 265/65-17 than the same size Blizzak, in the same load rating. If this is true, and not a typo error, that tips the scales heavily toward Michelin for fuel ecomomy.

 

[mtsoxfan]

The truck is leveled with 1.25 spacers.

 

[Dgc333]

I had Firestone Winterforce tires on my old Dakota 4x4. They are a beast in the snow. Much much better than the all terrains that came on the Dakota. I also put them on my wife's Focus and they were just as good on a FWD car. They are studdable if you think you need the extra traction.

The General Grabber ATx tires that came on my Tremor have the mountain snow flake rating so I will give them a try before deciding on a dedicated winter tire.

 

[mtsoxfan]

Thanks for input so far.
As far as asking neighbors, most of the people I know buy by price. It's a snow tire, it's $600. They think they got a good deal. Yes, I overthink things, but I want to get not only a good price, but the performance I am looking for. I feel "a snow tire is a snow tire is a snow tire" not to be true.
I'm also looking for the tallest tire I can get without mods beyond the spacers and leveling kit I have. I'm looking to go thinner as well for the dedicated snow tires.
Is there a chart of some sort that will show largest tire to fit without more mods?

 

[Flowgod]

I have the Toyo ATIII's and they are three peak winter rated. I just used them on a dirt road with about 3-4 inches of wet snow and they performed really well. I didn't put it into 4x4 once, tried the diff lock to help me turn around at the top though

 

[EJH]

If you are on the stock tire size, my current favorite winter tire that fits is the Continental VikingContact. Best of 5-6 winter tires I've used in the last 10 years. It tops out at our stock size though (265/65R17).

I have used:

Dunlap WinterMax
Hankook iPike
General Altimax Arctic
Continental WinterContact SI
Continenatl VikingContact

IMHO, anything that is studdable sucks if you don't stud them (and I don't). Hence why, for me, both the Hankook and General winter tires performed poorly). I only look at non-studdable winter tires now.

If you don't want to swap wheels twice a year, get a snowflake rated all terrain. Not quite as good as a dedicated winter tire, but better than a normal tire.

 

[D Fresh]

Thanks for input so far.
As far as asking neighbors, most of the people I know buy by price. It's a snow tire, it's $600. They think they got a good deal. Yes, I overthink things, but I want to get not only a good price, but the performance I am looking for. I feel "a snow tire is a snow tire is a snow tire" not to be true.
I'm also looking for the tallest tire I can get without mods beyond the spacers and leveling kit I have. I'm looking to go thinner as well for the dedicated snow tires.
Is there a chart of some sort that will show largest tire to fit without more mods?

I might have got the last set in the country for a bit.

But I just put Toyo Open Country AT3s on in 255/80 17. Factory wheels, Fox level factory set @ 2" with global rear leafs, crash bars intact.

They're not snow tires, but do carry the 3 peak rating, should be just fine for me on the front range of Colorado. Regardless, that same size should work for you.

 

[JimJa]

Suggest you use Tire Rack's rating and customer reviews and rating. Not necessary to purchase from Tire Rack, but using their customer reviews and testing can find the tire with performance features important TO YOU.

As an aside, your requirements sound very much like my own here in Wyoming. For me, I want something that has a strong rating in snow, although our snow is light and dry compared to yours in the east, and equally important is noise. I want a tire that is quiet.

 

[mtsoxfan]

Thanks all, great info. I do use tire rack for reviews etc. Lots of info in one place. I'm not looking to stud, hate the noise, so those are out. Had them once on a 2wd Dakota with a posi rear and never, ever had an issue with traction. But the noise...
Yes, the snow here can be greasy at times, dry other times. But a normal winter has snow on roads most days, and with most roads in town being dirt, they don't get plowed as much.
Can anyone tell me the tallest tire that will fit leveled, 1.25" spacer added? My thought is a thinner tire will cut through snow better, at least in my experience. I was thinking 255 75 17. Thoughts? I'm looking to fill in the wheel well, that's why taller.

 

[OC4095]

I'm in north Texas and I see nothing but Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs on normal full size trucks that are not lifted or anything else. That leads me to believe they must do well on ice since roads get icy here in the winter.

 

[D Fresh]

Thanks all, great info. I do use tire rack for reviews etc. Lots of info in one place. I'm not looking to stud, hate the noise, so those are out. Had them once on a 2wd Dakota with a posi rear and never, ever had an issue with traction. But the noise...
Yes, the snow here can be greasy at times, dry other times. But a normal winter has snow on roads most days, and with most roads in town being dirt, they don't get plowed as much.
Can anyone tell me the tallest tire that will fit leveled, 1.25" spacer added? My thought is a thinner tire will cut through snow better, at least in my experience. I was thinking 255 75 17. Thoughts? I'm looking to fill in the wheel well, that's why taller.

If your only suspension mod is the
1 1/4" spacer I'd stick with the 255/75 17s you mentioned to keep some travel.

Check this thread...

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/biggest-tires-no-lift.2458/page-5

The page I linked to has a user posting 255/80 17s on factory suspension with slight rubbing at full compression. You might fit those, but the tire selection is very limited in that size.

 

[driverdenali]

The WildPeak AT3's are winter rated and a solid performer in all conditions from what I've read. I'll be running them year-round on mine.

best all around tire, only tire ill ever use, had them on my fjcruiser, theyll be going on the ranger once the stock tires need replacing.

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