Off-road tires good for winter, too?

[One Sick Puppy]

Since I'm planning on buying a new set of wheels for mild off-roading, I wonder if they would also be good for snow and ice? I remember someone told me that winter tires are made of different rubber for better traction in cold temperatures. It doesn't usually get under -10C here in Victoria, B.C., but in the winter we do get some snow and ice occasionally thruout the winter.

 

[fordboi415]

yeah offroad tires work wonders in snow and ice, especially mud terrain tires, the pro comp mud terrains have holes in the outer knobs so you can stud them if ice is a common occurance

 

[Ozwynn]

yep, I have geolanders on the minivan and Mickey thompson baja claws on the cruiser, both did fine.

 

[Chris.S.]

Sorry, but I've got to completely disagree with the previous posters here.

Mud tires are good in snow that is fluffy and deeper than 3"-4" or slush. Less snow than that or on ice they are actually some of the worst handling tires I've used in winter-the large tread blocks just freeze solid and have basically zero traction, especially on hard pack snow, ice they are almost completely useless.

You can stud them if you want but then your mud tires are ice tires and have fun taking those studs out after the heads are ground off.

Don't get me wrong, I knew exactly what to expect when I put muds on so I'm not complaining just stating it as it is.

I know snow (grew up driving in blizzards all winter) and I know good snow tires, mud tires are not snow tires. You're actually better off running an all-season for winter up here. Winters are often made of a softer rubber compound and are usually very heavily siped, with fine tread blocks. It's having many many edges like that that makes winter tires really excel.

But you don't really need to worry about snow THAT much in Victoria do you? YOu probably just need an aggressive A/T out there, unless you want muds for playing in the mud.



My two cents.

 

[Ozwynn]

Sorry, but I've got to completely disagree with the previous posters here.

Mud tires are good in snow that is fluffy and deeper than 3"-4" or slush. Less snow than that or on ice they are actually some of the worst handling tires I've used in winter-the large tread blocks just freeze solid and have basically zero traction, especially on hard pack snow, ice they are almost completely useless.

You can stud them if you want but then your mud tires are ice tires and have fun taking those studs out after the heads are ground off.

Don't get me wrong, I knew exactly what to expect when I put muds on so I'm not complaining just stating it as it is.

I know snow (grew up driving in blizzards all winter) and I know good snow tires, mud tires are not snow tires. You're actually better off running an all-season for winter up here. Winters are often made of a softer rubber compound and are usually very heavily siped, with fine tread blocks. It's having many many edges like that that makes winter tires really excel.

But you don't really need to worry about snow THAT much in Victoria do you? YOu probably just need an aggressive A/T out there, unless you want muds for playing in the mud.



My two cents.

yeah well I Live in Michigan and ran mud terrains on my cruiser all winter long (and we didn't do much plowing or salting this year, just wasn't in the budget) and Geolanders on the minivan and had no problems. only thing that would have been better was studded tires.

 

[Jason]

I ran mud tires for one winter here in Buffalo. Never again. I have been running Toyo A/Ts since and I love them.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I ran mud tires for one winter here in Buffalo. Never again. I have been running Toyo A/Ts since and I love them.

+1, my Dunlops are downright scary on packed snow/ice. The semi-bald car tires that came with the truck were better.

My Widetrack Baja AT's are far better for winter driving.

 

[One Sick Puppy]

Thanks guys. I'll prolly get some A/T's then for winter and off-road.

 

[wahlstrom1]

It all depends on the tire....My Krawlers with absolutely NO siping blew my BFG AT's outta the water as far as winter driving goes. They also work better then the toyo all terrains on our 2500HD shop truck.

The BFG MT's on my buddies dakota suck ass, and he can barely move across an icey parking lot without 4wd. It's all in the compound of the tire, and some definitely work better then others.

-andrew

 

[MikeInIdaho]

My un-siped Firestone Destination AT's kick royal ass in the ice and snow, almost as good as snow tires. Just my personal opinion, but I think AT's do a hell of a lot better in the ice and snow compared to MT's. Mud tires do better in deep, unpacked snow and on snowy trails, the larger side lugs acting as paddles.

 

[AKBroncoII]

The trxus MT's I had were by far the best winter tires I've run. Best all around mud terrains I've ever owned. Maybe even tire for that matter.

 

[mjonesjr]

I am running Mastercraft M/T's on my BII and they out preformed any A/T tire I have ever had this year in the snow and ice.

 

[MikeInIdaho]

The trxus MT's I had were by far the best winter tires I've run. Best all around mud terrains I've ever owned. Maybe even tire for that matter.

I've heard the trxus MT's were really good in the ice and snow.

 

[midget]

Alot of the problem is the size of the tire as well as the compound. The bigger the footprint the better it works on loose snow ive found thinner tires work good on hard packed. Ive got Goodyear MTR's on my Xterra and they are awesome in the snow..... but they are a terrible tire for Iowa mud.... its give and take really you can drive in snow with bald tires if you know what your doing. By the way I've had to pull trucks out of ditches that had the truxxus mts not so hot in the snow in my oppinion...

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

I'll also throw in that the truxus MT's are pretty damn good in winter conditions.