By David Moysey (Wahoo) on Monday, November 19, 2001 - 09:36 am: Edit

I have read many of the postings on tires, which has narrowed my list to the GY MTR, Dunlop RT, and BFG MT. The Dunlop RT seemed like a good all around tire but should I get a MT tire instead? I know any of these tires will work well off-road but what about in the winter? I ski allot in VT and need a tire that will handle snow, slush and ice well.

90% street
10%offorad

Thanks

David

By PerroneFord on Monday, November 19, 2001 - 10:56 am: Edit

Well,

I've not owned any of these tires, but if you look at them on the surface....

The GY has no sipes at all (you can fix that for $10 a tire)

The BFG has no sipes and I've never heard anyone say these are good in snow. Actually I'd LIKE to hear some comments on that, particularly from someone running the new KM tire.

The Dunlop RT seems to be the best bet.

Its really a trade-off I guess. How good you want to be in the mud, versus how scary you want to be on the street!

Is there anyway you can buy new rims and have two sets? It seems like that would be your best solution. Certainly cheaper in the long run.

-P

By Discosaurus (Discosaurus) on Monday, November 19, 2001 - 04:12 pm: Edit

If you want a tire that will handle ice and hardpack well, stay away from any MT's unless you have the lugs siped.

Now, deep wet snow is another story...

keith
discosaurus w/ GY MT/R's

By PerroneFord on Monday, November 19, 2001 - 04:30 pm: Edit

Keith, how scary ARE those GY MTRs in the snow? Should I be scared to go to ski country with them fitted? How about if I get them siped?

Thanks,

-P

By RVR OVR (Tom) on Monday, November 19, 2001 - 05:28 pm: Edit

Perrone,

I have Swamper TSL (Bias) Siped. Good in the Chicago snow. (I tried them last pre-lockers).

Tom

By Steve (Steve2) on Monday, November 19, 2001 - 05:53 pm: Edit

david

if you go to the tire rack website and look at the comparo chart of all the mt's - the dunlops are rated #2 - the much vaunted bfg's are #5 or 9?

the number one rated mt?

the ones on my truck - bridgestone dueler mt 673s. quiet - good fuel economy - i expect 50-60,000 miles out of them

steve

By Larryg on Monday, November 19, 2001 - 06:44 pm: Edit

I have the "old" BFG MT's and live in Colorado. I got them siped when I bought them. They handle the snow just fine. I have never had any real traction problems. They don't handle as well as the tires on our Passat 4Motion, but that is another story. Siping will also help with traction on slick-rock, it seems.

Just my thoughts,
Larry
'90 RR

By Milan on Monday, November 19, 2001 - 07:39 pm: Edit

GY MT/R's. Great in the snow. No need to sipe them, though siping wwould make them even better I'm sure. They will for sure be better than BFG MT in the snow.

By Phillip Perkinson (R0ver4x4) on Monday, November 19, 2001 - 09:06 pm: Edit

whast siping.....are they like studs

By Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) on Monday, November 19, 2001 - 09:23 pm: Edit

Phillip,

If you look at a set of snow tires, usually they have little "cuts" in the surface of the rubber. Those cuts are the sipes. They improve a tire's performance in wet and icy conditions...

-L

By RVR OVR (Tom) on Monday, November 19, 2001 - 10:29 pm: Edit

Philip,

Here's a link that describes it. Discount Tire is the only place that I know of that does it.

http://discounttire.com/tireSiping.html

Tom

By Ira on Monday, November 19, 2001 - 11:47 pm: Edit

I live in SLC, UT and have been very pleased with the Dunlop radial rovers A/T (235/70r16). I saw my gas mileage increase, interior sound level decrease and better steering response.

I snowboard a lot in the winter and have had nothing but positive experiences with the Dunlop's. I'm sure the Disco deserves some credit thou...

PS I purchased the Dunlop's for $68 a tire from Tire Rack!!!

By lynden on Tuesday, November 20, 2001 - 11:23 am: Edit

Good thread... I've got Dunlop MT's and will do a lot of skiing, does anyone have experience w/ them in the snow. I'm debating getting them siped, just don't want to go up and realize too late that I should've got off my ass and done it. Let me know.
Thanks,
Lynden

By tenacstud on Tuesday, November 20, 2001 - 11:31 am: Edit

I also live in SLC, UT and do to snow and Moab I went with the Dunlop RTs. I just bought them three weeks ago so havent given them a true test yet but street wise I love them.

tenacstud

By Scott Hayes (Scott_H) on Tuesday, November 20, 2001 - 12:02 pm: Edit

David
I was up in southern Vermont over new years when it snowed like crazy last year. I had RT's on and was amazed at their handeling. Prior to that I had run all terrains in the winter with Studs and I think these performed at least as well.

As for BFG mud terrains, I have heard not so good things about these in ice. I have a friend with a D-90 in Idaho and he takes his MT's off in the summer and runs snow tires. Said the MT's were too scary.

Best of luck.

Scott H

By Discosaurus (Discosaurus) on Tuesday, November 20, 2001 - 12:04 pm: Edit

Perrone, they're not scary at ALL in the snow, as long as the snow is deep or wet. That kind of snow acts just like mud and is handled with hardly a notice. But, when the snow gets hardpacked and icy or there's simply ice (black or otherwise), there is hardly any control due to the fact that the MT/R's have few "biting" edges (which is what makes traction on these surfaces).

One gets good at rally technique on hardpack with MT/R's - drift out the back end, point the nose and get on the throttle to square of the corners.

Would I drive the MT/R shod LR in icy conditions before I drove my wife's VW Passat with 4-season radials ? Hell yes ! Would I drive the LR over my Audi Quattro with Dunlop HP snow's ? No way !

It's all a factor of what kind of winter surface you're driving on - remember the Inuits have hundreds of words describing different snow. Some of them favor MT's, some favor dedicated snow/ice tires like the Blizzaks and on some you're hosed no matter what's on your wheels.

...rambling again - sorry - it's just that snow is so damn much fun (sometimes)

keith
discosnowus

By Discosaurus (Discosaurus) on Tuesday, November 20, 2001 - 12:06 pm: Edit

Lynden...

Are you in the US ?
What size are those Dunlop MT's you run ?
I've got a brand new one I'm sure I could price right for you in 245/75-16 !
Let's talk !

By lynden on Tuesday, November 20, 2001 - 12:38 pm: Edit

Keith, I need a 5th one, I just traded Mike Watson a steelie for a castor so I'm in the market for a 5th for the rear. What are you looking to get? I'd be interested for sure. Email me.
Lynden

By Brian Jackson (Nerover) on Wednesday, November 21, 2001 - 04:31 am: Edit

Lynden,

I found the Dunlop Mud Rovers to be downright scary in the snow. I also thought my BFG M/Ts were scary... Interested to try my MT/KMs. I have no ABS, so I could have more control, but they sure lock up ALOT faster than with a BFG AT/KO. That's what I would recommend for the person who started this thread. They're good on road and off, good in the snow, rain, dry...all around great tire, IMO. I've got 20k and one winter on my 31/10.50s on a Pathfinder. (NOT XTERRA!! :-) )

Brian

By Milan on Wednesday, November 21, 2001 - 02:30 pm: Edit

I believe black ice or ice with light snow on top are those surfaces where, unless you have studs or v-bar chains, it does not matter what you have.

I still believe that from all the true off-road tires I have tried, the MT/R's are best all-around with execllent road handling. I think MT/R or BFG MT are ture all-terrain tires and what we know as AT's are really just good all-season tires. Regardless, no tire can do it all, but the MT/R comes very close because outside of mud and ice it's better than average anywhere else. Other tires excell in couple of areas and are horrible in others.

I also feel that the Disco, being heavier than Audi Quattro or similar vehicle, will always be harder to handle once it gets loose on ice no matter what.

Go MT/R.