If I had to drive my trail vehicle 60 miles everyday. I would probably go for a set of all terrains. I have some Goodyear AT/S on my daily driver, four wheeled it once last winter( my Jeep was broke down ), and they seemed to do pretty good. Radial M/Ts can be a handful on icy roads, and they do wear faster than A/Ts, I really can't comment on brand, but I have friends with BFG's, MTs and ATs, that really like them on there everyday drivers.

Thanks, Ray

 

Whoops! I said Mud tred, what I ment was aggressive tred. I do not mind a BFG all terrain, they would be the only all terrain i would consider though. They make a 33x10.5 that would suit my needs real well. It is a hard choice, you do not want a tire that clogs up when the going gets gooy on the trail, but the fact is that snow sticks to snow, even better than rubber, so if your lugs clean themselves real good you have a bad snow tire. Well, any comments on the BFG all terrain? I don't mud much, but I need a tire that climbs well on loose rock surfaces and also places like Moab. I suppose they will work out all right, better than what I have. Thanks.

John
yes, my user name is a typo, go figure.

 

Hey Hurc,
Whatever tire you decide on, get them siped. I come up to the high country all winter long pulling a snowmobile trailer that weighs around 8000 pounds fully loaded and having siped tires has made the difference between stopping to chain up and keeping going. I have used the same tire both siped and unsiped and the siped ones are the next best thing to tire chains in the snow and ice. Siping makes hundreds of biting edges for the tires to grab what little traction there is. They also have lasted longer and the traction on wet conditions is much better, especially when braking. I don't know of anybody in Vail that does it, but if you buy in Denver, Discount Tire will sipe your tires for you.

'75 CJ5,258,T18a,4.27's,33's,On-board air

 

On snow nothing beats a tall thin (cookie cutter) snow tire

 

/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif Actually, Hurc,.....the best snow system was invented by the Goodyear bunch when the wranglers first came out, and what they did was develop a rubber compound (top secret back then) which would squeeze snow and momentarily melt it, then it would re-freeze to the packed snow on the ground and the iced reverse-tire-print would be the traction for the tire. When I first bought some Wranglers in about '73, I could NOT understand how they worked.....the tread came up clean, but they hung on ....somehow.....I later read an article on them and it explained it. I'm running Cooper discoverers and they are very good in snow. They use the same system as the early Wranglers did./wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif Squeeze-melt-freeze/wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif

CJDave
Moonguy before coffee /wwwthreads_images/icons/mad.gif....after coffee /wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif

 

Ah, the ultimate quest: the tire that rules in the snow:

the one that lasts the longest:

the one that does best in the rain:

the one that rules the mud:

But, ya want them all wrapped up in one. This is one of those times that ugly word "compromise" comes into play - actually, if it didn't there be a picture of a Swamper there for the "mud" tire, but since we're talking pavement here.......we'll skip those altogether. You just have to decide which priorities are highest & lean in that direction. Myself, I'd like a tire that's a little better in the rain than a mud terrain, but typically if I'm experiencing rain, I'll soon be in mud. So, whaddayagonnado? For me, I end up with the mud tires just 'cause most of the time I have to lock in, there's at least SOME mud involved (even if it sometimes is below several inches of snow). But, that's just me.

TEX

http://sites.netscape.net/gumboracing

 

Dave, I hate having Hurc spelled herk, just to let you know, it is an accepted typo now.

THanks you guys for the info in the siping, i think someone in Glenwood could do it to save the trip down to denver. If any of you guys are around the Frico area August 11th through the 14th stop on buy the Best western, lots of us from the Jeepster-Commando BBS and AJC will be around wheelin for the anual Commando Raid. Check out www.off-road.com/jeepster for more info. Thanks.

John
yes, my user name is a typo, go figure.

 

I put the majority of my miles on in the winter. Driving on icy and snowy roads. Go with a siped tire. On ice, the more rubber the better. In deep snow, side lugs like on a Mud tire are best. In any case go with sipes. As far as melting and freezing, All tires melt the snow. Depending on the temp. and pressure, will determing if refreeze takes place. The tire is on any section of ice such a short time that I doubt much refreeze takes place. I do know that a softer tread compound seems to work better, simmiliar for rock crawling. They just wear faster. For deep snow or if you see a lot of slush, stay away from a wide tire. Winter driving dictates you dig down, either compact the snow yourself, or get to the compacted snow underneath. Width sucks HP and hydroplanes terribly in slush. About a 10.50 is max for winter. I think 33x9.5 would be the ticket. (Or metric equivalent)


Enjoying Montana's Big Sky (& rocks & rivers & mountians etc, You get the picture.)

 

/wwwthreads_images/icons/blush.gif I got on my moonguys'/wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif little asses about the name thing Hurc. I think they are straightened out now./wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif

CJDave
Moonguy before coffee /wwwthreads_images/icons/mad.gif....after coffee /wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif

 

Alright Dave, let your Moonguys slide this time. /wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif Got to love em'

I got a really decent price on the 33x10.5 BFG AT tires, $507.64 walkin' out the door with road hazzard (why don't they just buck up and call it off road hazzard?) and them on my Jeepster. I was worried about the width issue, that is why I did not opt for a 12.5 tire, they seem to do real well on the trails around here, but I will just air down, no big deal. The 9.5 just does not give the track width I am looking for, lift and skinny tires don't mix on my Jeepster as with most Jeeps. Hate to roll the Hurc, body parts are pretty damn scarse! Thanks, I will get the BFG's siped as i don't think they are, we will see how they do, the Jeepster handles real well in the snow, about 2X better than the Black Squirrel (my wrangler), but it does have that tendency to want to play turtle with me, so hopefully I will survive one more winter. If they had some more choices for a pizza cutter 35" tire I would go for those, but i am out of luck there, I can fit them with plenty of clearance and only a 1.5" body lift with mildly trimmed fenders. I could not belive it myself until I strapped on the sucker. Thanks

John
yes, my user name is a typo, go figure.

 

Siping is a very good idea. A friend of mine that work at a tire store said he would do mine for free, I just havn't had the time to pull em off, and get them overthere.

Thanks, Ray

 

I think you'll be happy /wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif with the BFG A/T's. I've had them on my '79 Ramcharger (31"x10.5") and on my '95 RAM 2500 (265-75-16's) and I loved them in the rain, snow, and some light mudding/fire roads. These vehicles were mainly daily drivers, but I didn't want to have a "wussy" street tire. They performed well and I'll buy them again...if I ever get my CJ done...oh wait, maybe I should start on it before I think about finishing!/wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif

Mike H.
1983 CJ-7 Laredo
2000 Durango SLT
1983 Dodge Ram (2wd)
I can't go to work today...the voices said "Stay home and clean your guns!"