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Tom
| | Posted on Friday, January 17, 2003 - 01:02 pm: | 
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For a '97 Discovery which I just purchased.
The road to my house in Idaho is 3 miles of steep winding dirt road, but usually gets plowed within 24 hours of a snow dump. My dirt driveway is about 200 feet and also quite steep. I don't always clear it, especially when the snowblower acts up.
I totaled my 2001 Montero in Colorado (what a relief) two months ago, but had fitted it with Blizzaks in the winter. They're an amazing tire.
With the Montero, when the snow in the driveway gets over 8 inches, I could not get through it with the Blizzaks. There's nothing like getting half way up and then sliding down backwards out of control and trying to keep from going over the edge. Chains were the only way.
Enough background - Would studded tires be better than a studless tire in this situation, or will that amount of snow overwhelm the studs the same as it does the tread?
Any other tire suggestions? They definitely need to be a true snow tire, not a M+S type.
Thanks - Tom |
Jaime (Blueboy)
| | Posted on Friday, January 17, 2003 - 01:18 pm: |
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studs work well if there is something for them to dig into. like on ice. or real hardpacked snow.
my guess is no.
not being familiar with the Montero, did it have a center diff lock?? if not, at least with the Disco you'll get power to the front axle.
Jaime |
Tom
| | Posted on Friday, January 17, 2003 - 04:04 pm: |
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The Montero did have a center differential lock.
Thanks Jaime. |
Jaime (Blueboy)
| | Posted on Friday, January 17, 2003 - 04:35 pm: |
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hopefully you'll get a few more responses to this other than just mine.
Jaime |
Bill Ross (Billr)
| | Posted on Friday, January 17, 2003 - 04:51 pm: |
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Nokians are the way to go. I have a set of Hakka 1 on my RR Classic and they work great in both the ice, snow, mud and sand that we get have in Northern Ontario. Especially work well once the temp drops below about -20C. Plus, unlike Blizzaks, you can run them later into the spring as the compounding isn't as soft as the Blizzaks. |
Jack (Jack)
| | Posted on Friday, January 17, 2003 - 08:57 pm: |
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Tom,
I live in snow country and have both. Blizzaks on my DII, studded Winterfires on my Explorer. We've had snow packed roads since November. Both tires work well, the studs are slightly better on sheer ice, the Blizzaks are better on softer snow and in slop and of course, the studless are better on hard surface than the studs. However, the Blizzaks are squirmy on the highway, as Bill says above, the Nokians will behave better as they are not as soft as Blizzaks. However, the Winterfires with studs were about $42 each from TireRack, the Blizzaks were about $110 each - from a cost perspective, the studs are a better all around snow tire. If money doesn't matter, go studless.
-Jack |
Jack (Jack)
| | Posted on Friday, January 17, 2003 - 10:01 pm: |
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Tom,
One more thing. I got the studs for my Explorer because I was tired of constantly engaging 4WD. Now, I seldom use it, 2WD plus studded tires gets me around mountain roads pretty well. How many miles were on your Blizzaks - they lose effectiveness as a snow tire once worn about half-way
Jack |
Ron
| | Posted on Friday, January 17, 2003 - 10:13 pm: |
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For deep snow you need something with a bite. The bizzaks and nokians are good for ice and shallow stuff but you need something with some decent lugs for deep stuff. I think studded RTs or super tractions would get you up. The super tractions without studs go everywhere really well but they don't like ice, with studs you could probably go up even in deep stuff.
Ron |
Tom
| | Posted on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 08:20 pm: |
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This'll probably show up twice now...
Thanks for all the answers. Who makes RT's and Super Tractions?
BTW, when I wrecked the Montero it had summer tires (not Blizzaks) on it, as I was passing through Colorado on the way back from Florida. We were in blowing and drifting snow and black ice at night. The idiot in front of me was coming to a complete stop in the middle of the interstate. I was doing 35 mph luckily, but just the slightest turn of the wheel was enough to turn me 180 and roll it twice.
Tom |
Andrew Clarke (Aclarke)
| | Posted on Monday, January 20, 2003 - 11:36 am: |
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RTs are Dunlop Radial Rover RTs. That's what I have, and they are apparently the only MT type of tire (that I know of) that are "rated for extreme winter use" (according to Dunlop's web site). They also accept studs.
I got them when I was up in British Columbia in November but then ended up coming back to Southern California before the snow started falling so I haven't had a chance to test them in snow yet. I have 235/85s on my Disco 1 and they're definitely more tippy around corners than the stock sized tires I had before but overall they're OK. Off-road I have no complaints at all. They haven't let me down yet! |
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