jsmoriss

Hi everyone,

I've been searching, comparing, thinking and pondering, but can't seem to find the winter tire I'm looking for. Is anyone running a large winter tire they would recommend? Here's what I'm looking for....

An LT285/75R16 winter tire that's NOT unidirectional, has a good sidewall, is fair-good in mud, good-excellent on dry and wet pavement (so lots of sipping and medium-soft rubber), and if it can be studded, well, that would be a bonus.

Does such a tire exist?

So far I have the following on my list, though none has all the features I'm looking for....

- Toyo Open Country G-O2 Plus; winter tire, but unidirectional
- Toyo Open Country A/T; average at everything?
- Toyo M-55 Studded & Sipped; long wearing, so rubber might be hard in winter?
- BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/AŽ KO (10/E not 8/D)
- Bridgestone Dueler A/T REVO with UNI-T AQ II

js.

jsmoriss

Most of my friends think I'm a little odd (in a funny way), 'cause I tend to research things I buy, and then buy the really left-field stuff. So, in the same way, I'm _strongly_ considering the Toyo M55s as my winter tire. I'll have 'em studded and might sipe them myself (my local tire shop doesn't sipe). The M55s have an _excellent_ reputation, but the sidewall is a little retro looking. :-) The only picture of a 285 I could find is a spare tire on a pickup (bottom view):



What do you think?

js.

whatroads

They Toyo's are decent tires. Since you are looking at a mud tire design, why not consider the new BFG MT design? They already have a considerable amount of sipping

jsmoriss

Hmmmm.... You mean the BFG MT KM2s? I wouldn't call this a "considerable" amount of siping. I'd call it pretty minimal, actually. :-)



js.

sloppyjoe

I have had both of these and they wore great and had wonderful traction for what they were. 33in Yokohama Geolander At+2's, and Nitto Terra Grapplers (265/75r16) both of these r good tires, and wear nice. Good luck hope that helped some. JOE>

coltc2000

go with the M-55 wear like iron and sipe them or go to another tire shop that does siping.I personally would not run studded tires

wayland1985

I've heard they're not too good for the snow

ez__rider

The BFG A/T's are good in the snow. I'm avoiding all MT's in my shopping because of the fact that I want low noise, and also for good snow performance. I'm pretty sold on the Nitto Terra Grappler A/Ts. for the price, they look like a solid choice.

Does Nokian make anything that big? Hankook? Michelin? these are leading car snow-tire brands, but I'm not sure about truck. most people just stick it in 4wd, and roll on A/Ts, etc.

Zee

I'm also shopping for snow tires....

I've narrowed it down to in order of my top choices:
1. Hankook Dynapro MT RT03
or
2. Interco SSR

I plan to hand sipe the inner lugs, and the inside of the outer lugs on either of these. WInter requires a softer compound on icy roads.

So called 'winter' or A/T tires are actually brutal in deeper snow because the lugs and sipes will fill up with snow then you are spinning virtual baldys. Although the winter tires (Blizzak type) are awesome on icy roads, the best compromise is an M/T type tire that self cleans well in deep snow, and sipes on the lugs. That's my opinion anyway.

I'm the same way, I do a LOT of research before buying, and never trust the salesmen.

Zee

I think you also want something a bit narrower for the winter, makes for more pressure on the contact patch, so for the Hankook I'm looking at the 295/75R16 (33.6"x11.6, 9"TW) and for the SSR LT275/75R16 (33.9"x11.4, 9.4"TW).

The SSR supposedly has a softer compound. It looks better, is taller, but I think the Hankook will be a lot less money, it is easily available locally, and can be studded, which is legal in Alberta.

Hankook



Interco SSR