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Winter Tires for 4WD SUV

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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2012-12-04          185599


Do any of you have thoughts on whether it is a good idea to put four winter tires for snow season instead of the all season tires that come with the SUV OEM?





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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2012-12-04          185602


It's 99% dependent on a) where you drive, and b) how you drive.

For Kenny in Myrtle Beach, a 'mature' driver (and in the insurance business) not likely.

For someone in 'snow belt' of Canada, it should be required by law IMHO.

As an example, my own personal ride, an over-powered SUV, it's like driving on a hockey rink with all season radials.

BTW, as an aside, I don't think they should be allowed to sell them as "all season" tires north of the Mason-Dixon Line!!!

With good winter tires though, in my case Michelin X-Ice's, I can punch through snow deep enough it comes up over the hood without so much as a single wink from the traction control system light.

In other parts of Canada it's not only the law to equip your vehicle with winter tires, you get charged with 'careless' or 'reckless' if you're in an accident without winter tires. You don't want to know what your insurance company has to say about it afterwards either!!!

In your neck of the woods, I'd highly recommend them.



Best of luck. ....


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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2012-12-04          185605


I'm absolutely with Murf on this one. I used to think All Seasons would be enough, and they were in CA and AZ, but up here in Oregon there is NO WAY I'd be caught without good studded snow tires. Six inches of ice on a road has a way to make a believer out of skeptics! We have tried a few different brands over the years but my favorite are the Nokian Hakkapeliitta studded snow tires. Yes, the studs are noisy and do damage the roads, but I'd be willing to pay an extra fee to help cover the damage vs. go without.
....


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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2012-12-05          185612


Quote:
Originally Posted by kwschumm | view 185605
.... NO WAY I'd be caught without good studded snow tires. .....


I have not used studded snow tires since I started buying front wheel drive cars years ago. It seems that they are still legal here in NJ though, but I have not noticed any cars with them here. I have to check and see if they do many of them in NJ.

The winter tires sound like a good idea though. Since both my cars take the same size tire and wheel, they still could be used on the other car if I trade the older one in.


....


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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2012-12-05          185615


In NJ it is not required to put the TPMS sensors in the wheels . Did you skip them for your winter tires? ....


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harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2012-12-07          185635


I have seperate sets of wheels and mount 4 studded winter tires on all vehicles here. I do run the TPMS in the wheels bought them on the internet $25 apiece. ....


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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2012-12-07          185636


Quote:
Originally Posted by DennisCTB | view 185615
In NJ it is not required to put the TPMS sensors in the wheels .Did you skip them for your winter tires?


On the Tacoma I bought an extra set of four OEM alloy wheels and mounted regular steel stems and tires. I bought the TPMS sensors on eBay to use but the dealer wanted $200 to reprogram the system with the new sensors so screw that.

The Baja is a 2003 so no TPMS (yeah!)

On the Impreza I pay the tire shop $55 to do the changeover with the original wheels and TPMS sensors. ....


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greg_g
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1816 Western Kentucky
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2012-12-08          185637


Quote:
Originally Posted by Murf | view 185602
It's 99% dependent on a) where you drive,
Couldn't agree more. I for example, haven't bought a snow tire for over 40 years. After retiring to western Kentucky in '92 - and seldom traveling during the winter - it soon became clear that a year 'round rain tire was most appropriate. Yes there is the occasional cold snap where the softer rubber compound would be good. But there aren't enough of them to justify a thousand dollar set of tires dryrotting in the garage the other 9 months of the year. So I put that money into the best set of all-season rated rain tires that I can get. I generally lean toward Michelin. Their HydroEdge was great, as is the Pilot Sport A/S. My Porsche is currently on a set of Michelin Lattitude Tour HP. Even from a dead stop, those tires enabled me to tow a 4 ton load uphill on damp grass.

//greg// ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2012-12-08          185638


Back whenever studded snow tires was the big thing my Father and Mother ran a mom and pop Standard Oil station. Dad sold a boat load of studded tires that i used to help him put the studs in and mount them when the first talk of snow came, that was in the 1970's, that rage soon fizzled out after a few winters. The tire shop I do business with now sells a lot of tires, I'd guess one of the bigger volume dealers in the east half of the state.
I'd have to ask for sure but I think they would have to special order anything other than an all season radial.
The all season Firestones on the Trailblazer right now I bought there at 40K, the current mileage is now close to 92K, but they are getting about shot. I wouldn't see any reason to buy a snow tire even if they stocked them. ....


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treeman
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 251 Wisconsin
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2012-12-08          185641


Search Winter tires on you tube to see tire tests.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlYEMH10Z4s ....


Link:   Video tire test

 

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2012-12-10          185655


I know little about driving on snow only seldom doing so. Here snow is a holiday but have no doubts serious snow needs serious tires. But a question, is there much difference between "snow tires" and "off road tires"? ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2012-12-10          185660


I bought a new pickup a rew years ago, it came equiped with the off road type tires, lots bigger and more agressive lugs tha a regular snow tire. I had the dealer change them to an all season tire. Both our houses are fairly close to hard surface roads, when those pickups with the big deep lug tires go past you can hear the tires roar for half a mile, I don't think regular snow tires make all that noise.

Frank.

PS we got about two inches Sunday, but it's all melted now. ....


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treeman
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 251 Wisconsin
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2012-12-10          185662


Tires with large lugs are great for deep mud and snow but do nothing for you on ice. Here is a comparison of off road tires. Read where the bigger the tread blocks are, the worse it is on ice. ....


Link:   Big tire comparison link here

 

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2012-12-11          185682


Frank, if you have my email address send me one. KT ....


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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2013-02-06          186159


Glad I did not buy winter tires this season.... Seems like global warming is giving us two snow free winters in a row.

All we get is a light dusting that I can barely pick up with the blower :( ....


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treeman
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 251 Wisconsin
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2013-02-06          186160


This is the first year I have installed winter tires on a modern car. They are the Altimax Artic tires that has a better gripping rubber with lots of siping. If you have ice, this type of tire will grip MUCH better than the snow tires of yore and ANY all season tire out there. In tests of summer, all season, and winter tires on ice, the all season tires test closer to the summer tires than to the winter tires. The winter tires has made driving on ice a little boring because they grip so good, but, I would rather have boring than accidents! ....


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treeman
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 251 Wisconsin
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2013-02-06          186161


Quote:
Originally Posted by DennisCTB | view 185615
In NJ it is not required to put the TPMS sensors in the wheels .Did you skip them for your winter tires?


I was able to find a set of near new steel wheels with hub caps, lugs, and tpms for a great price. It is the wifes car and it is nice not to have the tpms warning going off when she drives. ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2013-02-06          186162


I "Think" studded tires have been outlawed in Iowa, somebody correct me if I'm wrong.
You could always tell a car with studs going past on bare pavement by the distinctive "Sing" the studs made, I haven't heard that sound in years.

I was going to repalce the all season Firestones on the Trailblazr before winter, but they seem to be doing fine yet, so might as well get a few more miles out of them, they are at 53K now. I'm not a rompin stompin Firestone person, I'm open to any brand that will do better, but they have given me the most miles on an SUV of any brand I've ever had.

I did have to repalce a front wheel bearing a few days ago, but that's the first repair other than a battery in 93K
Frank. ....


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DennisCTB
Join Date: Nov 1998
Posts: 2707 NorthWest NJ
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2013-02-12          186181


Quote:
Originally Posted by DennisCTB | view 186159
Glad I did not buy winter tires this season.... Seems like global warming is giving us two snow free winters in a row.All we get is a light dusting that I can barely pick up with the blower :(


With the New England blizzard only a day so after my post I guess the farmers almanac or Weather.com will not be contacting me for an advisory position :( ....


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2013-02-12          186184


Funny thing, lots of folks emailed me to ask about the storm and how badly we got hit or to tell me how bad they got it. A friend in CT. got 40" and had to plow a couple miles of dead end road they live on to get out of the house.

I walked Deputy Dog a mile or two up & down the beach. Not a single flake of snow in sight. Weird. :)


Best of luck. ....


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