Winter tires - what do you use?

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One of my renters ran some of those magic almond shell tires. He slammed into the back of my truck twice and almost went through the garage door another time.!

Sounds like you need new renters that don't destroy your property :p I somehow manage not to crash into everything I see on "magic almond shell tires" :rolleyes:
 
I run studded Hankook I Pikes. Popular tire up here. http://www.1010tires.com/Tires/Hankook/W409 Winter i-Pike

Ran these on the wife's last car, a Pontiac Grand Prix and they did great. Got a winter, a summer, the following winter, then 1/2 the next summer out of them before selling the car. Would have needed to put new on before that coming winter, but for the mileage she drives, all season's wouldn't have given her many more miles so I was impressed.

Put them on all 4 corners of my 2wd f-150 this year and am really liking them there.

For the reasonable price, very pleased with the tire.

pen
 
Here's a review article on snow tires. http://www.liftopia.com/blog/top-5-snow-tires/
NIce review BeGreen! The Rs are very well rated. I think one of the greatest thing about Nokian tires is the treadware indicator. It's a great feature and simply to implement.

run studded Hankook I Pikes. Popular tire up here. http://www.1010tires.com/Tires/Hankook/W409 Winter i-Pike

Nate: I-PIkes are popular. THe funny thing is that Nokian had the Hakka2s with that exact tread pattern in 2004 and they kept it every year since.

I've exclusively used Nokians for my winter tires since 1988 (first set were the NR09s). The Matrix has studded Hakka 7s, the Tacoma has studded Nordman SUVs, and the Grand Am unstudded Hakka 1s (the previous owner of the Grand Am did not believe in studded tires).

All of my snow tires are mounted on dedicated rims, so changeovers are a snap. I just bought another small sedan today for one of my children and next week will be mounting studded Hakka 7s on four steel wheels sourced from a regional auto salvage yard ($35 each for the rims).

The Nokians are expensive, but well worth it given the level of control that they afford. Too many people do without snow tires especially those with 4WD or all-wheel drive. Most of the vehicles that I see off the road most likely are shod with "all season" tires.
I can't say I have been using them since 1988..I was only 8 years old. LOL. I agree, they are expensive but well worth it in my opinion.
 
Ran these on the wife's last car, a Pontiac Grand Prix and they did great. Got a winter, a summer, the following winter, then 1/2 the next summer out of them before selling the car. Would have needed to put new on before that coming winter, but for the mileage she drives, all season's wouldn't have given her many more miles so I was impressed.

Put them on all 4 corners of my 2wd f-150 this year and am really liking them there.

For the reasonable price, very pleased with the tire.

pen
Yeah Pen, they are a pretty good bang for the $. They have the same tread pattern as Nokians. What differentiates is the tire compound itself.
 
winter deep.jpg

I run these on all my big trucks in the winter. It's an Oliver recap. 30/32 tread new. Some diggin muthers! Years ago they made a light truck cap in this design. But ,, no more. BLAAAH !!!
Run Cooper S/T2's on my pickup for the first time this winter and will continue. Best winter pickup tire I've tried to date.
 
There's one tire place (with a few shops) that carries the Nokian tires but they are crazy expensive. I had went there a few years ago to get 4 tires MOUNTED for my truck and they wanted $365. Yes, over $90 a tire to get them mounted.
I know several people that are car dumb that have gone there (they are a big name... somehow?!) and dropped $1500-2000 on a set of winter tires... on tires that cost under $200 each elsewhere. :eek::eek:

Nate: I-PIkes are popular. THe funny thing is that Nokian had the Hakka2s with that exact tread pattern in 2004 and they kept it every year since.
 
He for sure wasn't the brightest bulb, but the tires truly sucked!

These were the tires http://www.greendiamondtire.com/

I guess compared to a regular summer tire "all season" they weren't horrible, but compared to a good studded winter tire the difference was laughable.

Sounds like you need new renters that don't destroy your property :p I somehow manage not to crash into everything I see on "magic almond shell tires" :rolleyes:
 
I wish we had those tires on the tractors at work. We have 3 trucks. The old one has some semi decent siped tires and it doesn't do too bad. It only has a PDL, no lockers. The two new ones have some "Florida" tires that are worthless. PDL and lockers on both axles just means you polish 4 spots on the ground. :(:mad:


View attachment 93013
I run these on all my big trucks in the winter. It's an Oliver recap. 30/32 tread new. Some diggin muthers! Years ago they made a light truck cap in this design. But ,, no more. BLAAAH !!!
Run Cooper S/T2's on my pickup for the first time this winter and will continue. Best winter pickup tire I've tried to date.
 
There's one tire place (with a few shops) that carries the Nokian tires but they are crazy expensive. I had went there a few years ago to get 4 tires MOUNTED for my truck and they wanted $365. Yes, over $90 a tire to get them mounted.
I know several people that are car dumb that have gone there (they are a big name... somehow?!) and dropped $1500-2000 on a set of winter tires... on tires that cost under $200 each elsewhere. :eek::eek:
That is an INSANE price!!!!!!!! No thanks
 
View attachment 93013
I run these on all my big trucks in the winter. It's an Oliver recap. 30/32 tread new. Some diggin muthers! Years ago they made a light truck cap in this design. But ,, no more. BLAAAH !!!
Run Cooper S/T2's on my pickup for the first time this winter and will continue. Best winter pickup tire I've tried to date.
What won't that go through?!?!?!
 
One guy at work "justifies" the cost because they will balance and rotate the tires and patch any flats with the "insurance" he bought. <>

The shop justifies the cost because "it's Alaska.. it costs us to ship these tires". Sure it does, but why then can I get a pallet load of tires brought up here on the barge for about $150. I'd be surprised if shipping costs them $25 a tire.

That is an INSANE price!!!!!!!! No thanks
 
He for sure wasn't the brightest bulb, but the tires truly sucked!

These were the tires http://www.greendiamondtire.com/

I guess compared to a regular summer tire "all season" they weren't horrible, but compared to a good studded winter tire the difference was laughable.

Hmmm...never heard of those-I thought you were referring to the Treadwrights. They use crushed walnut shells in their molds. Like I said, best mud tire I've ever run in snow, but no snow tire.
 
Hmm with all the praise for nokians maybe I have to try them next time around. I've heard the legend but never bought them as they are hard to find in local shops.


Any online source for them in the us? I know tire rack doesn't carry.
 
Dont know if this counts, but on my jeep i run BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A year round, and most the time i dont even have to use 4wheel drive in the winter except in extreme situations. (Like yesterday and today, SEE BLIZZARD....)
 
Hmm with all the praise for nokians maybe I have to try them next time around. I've heard the legend but never bought them as they are hard to find in local shops.


Any online source for them in the us? I know tire rack doesn't carry.
Hey jeremy,

Check out http://www.tiresbyweb.com/m-108-nokian-tires.aspx?pagesize=99999 or https://www.tiresavings.com/nokian.php

They are the best, not sure why shops won't keep them. Some people think they are expensive: about $225 a tire. A cheap tire around here would be $175 or so. Is $50 a tire a big difference over 4-5-6-7 years?? Personally I don't think so..

Andrew
 
Dont know if this counts, but on my jeep i run BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A year round, and most the time i dont even have to use 4wheel drive in the winter except in extreme situations. (Like yesterday and today, SEE BLIZZARD....)
I friend of mine swears by those..I tease him and he teases me. But he loves them too!

Andrew
 
Running Michelin xi3's on the wife's 2008 Grand Prix. Very happy with their performance. I pushed it pretty hard the last storm and felt like I was on rails. Bought myself a 2002 bare bones 2wd Ranger in late spring. Came with "Winterforce" tires on the winter rims. Lots of tread but it felt rock hard. Scrapped them and put on a set of Yokohama Geolander I/T G072. I am blown away by these tires. Best winter truck tire I have ever had.
 
My uncle had GEolanders on a Chev pickup. He loved them when he had them. He then purchased a Toyota FJ Cruiser and agreed to try the Nokian Hakka SUV. He said he will never get Yokohama again :D They are good tires though. Lots of people I know have those exact ones on their pickups. Especially on a 2WD truck in the winter. Almost a necessity!
 
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