Wanted to see how many of you swap out your summer/all season tires for snow tires once winter comes around.
Snow Tires - Yes or No?
Doogals
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Yaa, chains too. My theory is if you really need studs or chains, no one will mess with you. If the cops don't have said traction equipment, how will they catch you? Studs are a little more covert. Chains are pretty obvious.
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2,365 Posts
I will be installing Continental Extreme Winter Contact tires, mounted on 16" factory take offs, on the PAT for winter use. As temperatures drop below 45-degrees, so does an all-season tire's ability to grip the road, translating into longer stopping distances and less driving control...
This will be my first winter w/ the PAT.
I still have studded DC M/Ts for the Avalanche.
The locals run chains...
![Image]()
This will be my first winter w/ the PAT.
I still have studded DC M/Ts for the Avalanche.
The locals run chains...
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59 Posts
I think the patriot does just fine without the snows but that doesn't mean that it wouldn't outperform nearly everything on a snow and ice covered road if it had snow tires on it. I didn't believe it would make that much of a difference until I put a set of snows on my wife's mini-van. That mom-mobile is a tank on slick roads and I would venture to say, gives the pat a run for its money with the snow tires on it. It accelerates great and most of all it holds the road and stops great in slick conditions. I am getting a set of wheels for my pat and will be putting snow/winter tires on it. I am super excited because it will make a great all weather vehicle into a tank on our Minnesota roads.
True, any vehicle can do just fine if you go 30 mph when there is any percipitation on the road but I want to pass these vehicles doing a more decent yet responsible speed.
To say that winter tires make no difference is a bad case of "sour grapes" IMO...
True, any vehicle can do just fine if you go 30 mph when there is any percipitation on the road but I want to pass these vehicles doing a more decent yet responsible speed.
To say that winter tires make no difference is a bad case of "sour grapes" IMO...
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1,911 Posts
WHAT????
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12,505 Posts
I have my chains in the Jeep already, although I doubt I'll need them till after January.
Better to have them and not need them, then to need them and not have them.
I only use them off road though, mostly just to get up my driveway.
I'm going to cut up and modify some old tire chains to fit my new snowblower too.
I wish I could get a snowblower for the front of my Tracker.
Better to have them and not need them, then to need them and not have them.
I only use them off road though, mostly just to get up my driveway.
I'm going to cut up and modify some old tire chains to fit my new snowblower too.
I wish I could get a snowblower for the front of my Tracker.
If you have 4x4, then I say don't waste your money.....just air down your standard tires a little and throw it in 4x4 when needed, and drive a little slower, keep your distance from the leading vehicle, brake early and steady for red lights and stop signs, don't pump your brakes (new vehicles braking systems have ABS and BAS systems).....etc etc etc (you all don't need driving lessons)
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988 Posts
You should know better than anyone how important proper tires are in the winter. All-season tires do okay in the snow, but I find them to be absolutely abysmal on the ice, unless they are a higher end M+S rated tire, and four-wheel-drive is useless if the tires don't bite. I live across the pond from you, we get 100"+ of snow every year and deal with ice covered roads for 3 months out of the year. I have run snows on both mine and my wife's vehicle for the past 8 years... never an accident, almost never stuck(she high centered our Grand Caravan a few times) and most importantly, decent stopping power.
I also run winter tires is to get the alloy wheels off of the car when there is salt on the road. All it takes is a chip in the coating and you start to oxidize. It also extends the life expectancy of my more expensive tires. Winter tires are cheap, I have had good luck scouring craigslist for my past few sets, In fact, I just got OEM steel wheels w/TPMS sensors and center caps, 4 practically new Firestone Winterforce tires, mounted and balanced for under 400 dollars.
Another issue is the idiots on the road who only replace tires when the state tells them they have to, or the chords are showing. I avoid these people like the plague, they are usually talking on their cell phone, smoking with the windows up, blasting the radio and yelling at their kids at the same time. It is in my best interest to stay the hell out of their way on the road, and the additional grip helps me do just that.
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506 Posts
I totally agree, at the end of the day 4x4 or not you only have the same four small contact patches of rubber like everybody else....better that rubber is made for the winter than not...also most decent brand winter tyres will work all year round and nowadays its a fallacy to say they wear out quicker...only place that may be true is in areas with extremely hot weather in the summer and they tend not to have snow anyway!
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988 Posts
We get lake effect snow here, generated by cold Canadian air masses pushing south over a warm lake. The front sucks up the moisture from the lake, and it returns to the earth about 5 miles from shore as ridiculous amounts of snow. In order for a snow day to be called here, there must be at least 18 inches on the ground. When I get to a computer, ill see if I can find the picture of my son next to the 7 foot snowball the city was nice enough to deposit on my sidewalk... Because there was nowhere else to put it.
Sent from my PC36100 using AutoGuide App
Found the pictures
before I attacked it with an ice pick, shovel and a snowblower
![Image]()
after
![Image]()
Sent from my PC36100 using AutoGuide App
Found the pictures
before I attacked it with an ice pick, shovel and a snowblower
after
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60 Posts
The main reason I went with snow tires was to get an advantage in avoiding the majority of Seattleites who have no clue on driving in the wet concrete snow we occasionally get.They may have 4wd or fwd or rwd but they are still clueless on how to manuver up and down the hills. I also like to travel over to the eastside of the state which requires crossing mountain passes and I want any edge I can get.I have driven various 4wd vehicles and found if you drive properly with good equipment the only thing that should stop you is too deep of snow.
I run the stock 32" BF Goodrich Baja Champion MT's on my JK, I just air them down a bit in the winter and even in the worst snow/ice storm its like I'm driving on perfectly dry road.....I just can't justify spending money on more tires that in my opinion, for my Jeep, are pointless.
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2,365 Posts
BINGO! Well said.
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3,126 Posts
I have these tires and while I also have awesome winter tires I left my 727's on until we had our first good snowfall for the season. They work very well in the snow, best all season tires i've used in the snow, packed snow lots of grip even on ice they do well, wayyy better in the snow that the original goodyear wrangler sra"s that came with my jeep.
If I didn't do alot of driving on unplowed roads I would have kept the 727's on but I need something with a deeper tread to get me down those roads. If you get the 727's you won't be disappointed in their winter performance.
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97 Posts
I totally agree. 4x4 doesn't change anything when it comes to stopping distance and actually the higher ground clearance and centre of gravity in comparison to smaller and lower cars doesn't help in that either.
Yesterday I swapped my Goodyear Nordics for the 3rd year. Now ready for another winter in Canada.
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The winter tire set is installed on the PAT. All is well. There was snow on the grade this evening. The PAT hooked up well.
From the NWS...
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM
PST THIS EVENING.
* TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 1 TO 3 INCHES IN THE SURPRISE VALLEY
AND NORTH OF GERLACH...WITH 2 TO 4 INCHES WEST OF HIGHWAY 395
ABOVE 5000 FEET. ACCUMULATIONS UP TO AN INCH ALONG HIGHWAY 395
FROM SUSANVILLE TO THE NEVADA STATE LINE AND NEAR GERLACH.
* IMPACTS: SLICK AND SNOW COVERED ROADS NEAR AND ABOVE 5000
FEET...WITH SLUSHY PATCHES DEVELOPING THIS EVENING ON ROAD
SURFACES BELOW 5000 FEET.
More to follow...
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107 Posts
Calling from northern Canada...never used snow tires a day in my life and no problems. That said, if you have the extra money and they help -- whether psychologically or in reality -- then I say go for it.
Tyler, thanks for the affirmation on the Hankooks...got them installed earlier this summer after reading tirerack.com reviews...they've been an awesome tire for the Riot thus far...smooth ride, easy rolling, good grip on wet roads...They should be okay around Detroit. I'll be interested how they do on unplowed parking lots and driveways when I roll into work at 4 am...
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