Symmetric vs asymmetric tread

[James Morse]

Eric, I'm having a hard time deciphering what the assembly is between the tire and the gate. Is this the jack in there or something?
I like the idea of having a swing-out tire carrier on the back the only thing there is how does it hinge to the bumper.

I'm tending towards a more snow friendly tire vs more mud friendly. Not a snow tire strictly, because the days I'd drive on snow, judging from being here 25 years, I could count on the fingers of one or two hands. If that.
And mud, I could run into it, but it would be iffy, and it seems to me a good a/t tire is going to do -something- in mud if it's not bad, plus there is always the choice to not go there.
The noise is a factor, even though I understand some mudders aren't that bad.

That said, the best way I can put it is to say when we do have snow, I want tires that will work for me. But I'm not going to run snow tires all winter and have 2 sets just for the occasional need.

Found another symmteric tire btw but not available now at least where I was looking.

Cooper Evolution MT looks like more of a mud tire.... comments welcome.

How about Goodyear Wrangler? Seems like a good a/t tire and would be pretty good on snow? They get high marks for quiet and might be good all-around for street/off road?

 

[ericbphoto]

That is my tire carrier. It's unique because I made it hinge out AND down to the ground. Full explanation in my build thread, plus...

Also, the tailgate....

 

[Chapap]

What makes a good snow tire? I would have thought that it'd have the same characteristics as a mud or sand tire. By looking at pics, most snow tires have many fine grooves and some have studs. My current guess is these snow tires are meant for street usage and bite into a thin layer of compacted, icy snow. Would offroading in deep snow need the same type of tire as mud?

 

[Roert42]

I hear a lot of bad reviews about the Goodyear wranglers. They seem to dry out pretty fast.

I bought a truck a few years ago that had a set, the tread was pretty full, but dried out and cracking. I think the date code on the tires indicated four or five years old. I ended up replacing them with a pair of General Grabber AT2s I had laying around that was about the same age.

I like the General Grabbers for off road use, they preformed well in mud. I like the cooper discoverer AT tires I had for mixed driving, fantastic in snow, did fine with basic off roading (did not go into any deep rutted muddy trials.)

 

[Blmpkn]

Eric, I'm having a hard time deciphering what the assembly is between the tire and the gate. Is this the jack in there or something?
I like the idea of having a swing-out tire carrier on the back the only thing there is how does it hinge to the bumper.

I'm tending towards a more snow friendly tire vs more mud friendly. Not a snow tire strictly, because the days I'd drive on snow, judging from being here 25 years, I could count on the fingers of one or two hands. If that.
And mud, I could run into it, but it would be iffy, and it seems to me a good a/t tire is going to do -something- in mud if it's not bad, plus there is always the choice to not go there.
The noise is a factor, even though I understand some mudders aren't that bad.

That said, the best way I can put it is to say when we do have snow, I want tires that will work for me. But I'm not going to run snow tires all winter and have 2 sets just for the occasional need.

Found another symmteric tire btw but not available now at least where I was looking.
View attachment 86155
Cooper Evolution MT looks like more of a mud tire.... comments welcome.
View attachment 86156

How about Goodyear Wrangler? Seems like a good a/t tire and would be pretty good on snow? They get high marks for quiet and might be good all-around for street/off road?
View attachment 86157

The first tire appears to be a roadone cavalry m/t or a crosswind m/t. Two of my buddys have ran them and been happy. They're not too terribly noisy and they grip well, not great in snow however. Chinese tires, expect 30k miles out of them.. give or take.

I've ran tires that are pretty much clones of those coopers... Achilles desert hawk m/ts and kenda klever m/ts. Loud tires, grip well, no good in snow. The Achilles would of went 30k, the kendas have a 50k warranty, and will make it there.

The wrangler is an excellent all around tire, BUT... the bfg a/t and the general grabbers are better. And probably closer to symmetrical than the wranglers.

 

[Roert42]

The general ATX is actually a fairly symmetrical tire now that I'm looking at it.

 

[James Morse]

Yes the General ATX is symmetrical IF you flip the two halves, this is very common, they make one side a mirror of the other side BUT reversed vertically. I guess it makes for a more interesting tread. Not symmetrical though.

It looks like a good tread for all around use if mud is not the big issue, so it might be a winner for me.

Yes Blmpkn that first pic is the Crosswind MT. Probably not one of my first choices but it was interesting about the tread. Also it was n/a where I was looking.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

What makes a good snow tire? I would have thought that it'd have the same characteristics as a mud or sand tire. By looking at pics, most snow tires have many fine grooves and some have studs. My current guess is these snow tires are meant for street usage and bite into a thin layer of compacted, icy snow. Would offroading in deep snow need the same type of tire as mud?

Depends... with snow you don't just get snow, you get ice, cold pavement and frozen ground.

An aggressive tire (mud tire) will just dig instead of grip. Digging sounds all and good but if you manage to hit bottom without laying frame what do you get? Either frozen ground that is basically muddy ice or mud. I think for offroading in snow MT's they just go big enough they float on top which is generally less than ideal on the street. I went from a MT to a snow rated AT in the same size and it was night and day different in snow offroad. I had to really pussyfoot around with the MT's to control wheelspin.

I have been very impressed with my General Grabbers in snow and was pleasantly surprised when I found I could order my wife's Bronco with them too.

Mud, sand, sand pavement... they do what I need done. If they were in stock in my size when I got the truck I would have gotten them for my F-150 too, maybe next time.

 

[James Morse]

Now I'm really tending to the Generals. I think they are US made as well.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Now I'm really tending to the Generals. I think they are US made as well.

Tires are hit and miss, some are and some are not even within the same brand/model.

I kinda think mine are made in Mexico but I am sicker than a dog and it is too cold to stagger outside to look.

 

[James Morse]

Yikes, well, I guess I'd have to tell 'them' I want to see them before I get them.... whoever 'them' is.
Seems like these days nothing can be simple and straightforward.

 

[Ranger850]

over 50 posts in this thread, and we're still on track. Great job, guys. Great JOB, indeed.

 

[Blmpkn]

I like bread.

 

[ericbphoto]

over 50 posts in this thread, and we're still on track. Great job, guys. Great JOB, indeed.

Did somebody say track?

 

[Roert42]

The ATX isn't perfectly symmetrical, but it looks a lot closer then most tires. The knobbies are not on nearly as big of an angle.