winter tires

[solodan]

I used to run BFG AT's on everything. Now I run BFG MT's on my F-350 long bed. A long truck like that, is just too light in the rear end, and I need a more agressive tread. In my neck of the woods you really can't get by real well with a 2 wheel drive. Just too many hills. My local highway is closed over Sonora Pass for 6-7 months due to snow, Around 9000' elevation the road is at 26% grade and some of the 20' snow markers are still completely buried when the road opens in june. I drive the roads all winter in the 4000' to 7000' elevations. Some steep stuff, sometimes more than a foot on the roads. Most folks from out of state wonder why we use chains out here. Well one trip with 18" of snow on a steep narrow heavily traveled highway, and you see how useful chains can be. If conditions call for an R-3 that is 4 wheel drive with all four chained up, it is interesting. Funny thing is most of the poulation in California lives in snowless areas, but in the mountains we can get a ton of it, sometimes over 1000" during a winter. The problem with driving on the snowy icy roads here is that you are sharing the road with those "other" Californians.

[rebocardo]

> your car doesn't have winter tires on you are fined.

Kind of funny, but, when crossing into Ontario for a trade show they made me take OFF my snow tires. I guess STUDDED snow tires are against the law. Luckily I always carry two full sized spares on long trips. 

[isawlogs]

 I had a pair of studded tires once , wont happen again .. they are way to noisy on the road . I do beleive Ontario has a law for studded tires . Here in Québec , studded tires may be used between October 15 and May 1.

[Don_Papenburg]

I saw an add for retreaded tires that had carbide bits (small chunks) imbedded in the retread mix . Suposed to give super traction on ice/snow  and not have the drawbacks of studded tires.

[sawguy21]

Studded tires only work for one season. They get too worn to be of much use after that and the tires cannot be re studded. Run 'em one season, pull the studs and go till they drop.

[bitternut]

> your car doesn't have winter tires on you are fined.

Kind of funny, but, when crossing into Ontario for a trade show they made me take OFF my snow tires. I guess STUDDED snow tires are against the law. Luckily I always carry two full sized spares on long trips. 

What the heck does a guy in Atlanta Georgia have studded snow tires for?

[solodan]

 Here in Québec , studded tires may be used between October 15 and May 1.

Marcel, law is the same for us, but I think it may vary county to county here.

[Quartlow]

I run an aggressive tread on the rear all year round, mainly because you don't drive in and out of fields pulling wagons with all season radials.
That and I have yet to find one that can get out of the driveway when it snows bad. The ones on the Suburban and the wifes caprice whee made in Canada. Can't tell you the name right now but they where what was cheap  I think I paid $110 bucks for the ones on the back of the wifes Caprice.
The 16's for the Suburban where about $200 for the pair. I can drive the Suburban right around to the backside of the shop and its a mud hole pulling the trailer and not get stuck. As for the noise, if its too loud your too old       

[snowman]

Years ago I was going to work up ap a logging rd in Montana. Overnight it had got warm then froze up solid, a sheet of ice. My falling partner slid into the cutbank and I stopped behind him. He was holding onto my mirror talking to me when my pickup started sliding backwards. Nothing I could do. Ended up going off the road tailgate 1st,headlights shiing up into the sky. Came down on the roof very hard then rolled 2 times into a tree, it was the end of my new pickup with 24 k on it and nearly the end of me. Then the crummy showed up which was running studs. They all got out and looked, then cruised on up the road.I now run studs.

[slowzuki]

I'll admit I'm a bad person.  I always have snows but this winter my snows are shot so I'm riding on all-seasons.  I drive a rear wheel drive 2 door tracker, the 4wd helps but you can't leave it in 4wd on the highway etc.  Hope to get some snows for next year.

Best winter vehicle I have ever comuted in a was an AWD subaru with 4 winters on it.  What a great rig for traveling in snow.