Truck Tires for my wagon?

mjbrox

Well-known member
Jun 30, 2008
1,812
48
Golden CO
I have a 2000 E320 4matic wagon.

My snow tires are worn out and my all seasons really should not be put back on.

We live in Colorado and the wagon has been demoted to only Family Hauling Duties or snow days for my wife. So this means, that in the winter I will get driven every time it snows and almost every weekend to the ski resort. During the summer, I will take it on long trips fully loaded with family and gear

The issue we run into is that i really need snow tires through April, but this also means I end up driving with them on very warm days which kill the snow tires.

Then there is the issue of spring trips to Grand Junction. I currently have a snow tires on but want to take my boy mountain biking in the desert. So If I take the benz, the snow tires will get trashed.

Finially, hate changing out the tires and dealing with storage etc.

So the thought came to me. What if I ran truck tires rated for Mud and Snow all year like Michelin Defender LTX m/s.

TireRack wants $169 per tire, but my alternative would be new all seasons in april, then new snow tires in october.
 

Tugela

Well-known member
May 21, 2007
4,754
561
Seattle
The General Grabber AT-2 is snow rated, or has a snowflake logo on it, whatever that means. Not sure if that comes in a size that will work for your MB, but they are probably cheaper than Michelins if they do. Maybe you'd need different wheels. I frequently see Subarus with AT tires out here in Seattle. Yours is just another AWD car with some extra storage space.
 

garrett

Well-known member
Jun 18, 2004
10,931
5
53
Middleburg, VA
www.blackdogmobility.com
Quite a few equine vets, etc that drive AWD wagons and run BFG ATs around here. But it's mainly because of all the gravel roads we have in the area - not snow. They seem to like them.

Snow rated and snow tires are quite different. You'll never get the performance out of an AT that you do in a true snow tire. Mainly on packed snow cover roads.
 

mjbrox

Well-known member
Jun 30, 2008
1,812
48
Golden CO
I would be all about some Grabbers or ATs but i dont think they come in my size.

Tire rack showed the Defenders as the only truck tire that would fit.

I understand that they are not as good as true snow tires, but the benz does weigh 4k lbs and people run these tires on lightweight trucks with good reviews.
 

garrett

Well-known member
Jun 18, 2004
10,931
5
53
Middleburg, VA
www.blackdogmobility.com
I would be all about some Grabbers or ATs but i dont think they come in my size.

Tire rack showed the Defenders as the only truck tire that would fit.

I understand that they are not as good as true snow tires, but the benz does weigh 4k lbs and people run these tires on lightweight trucks with good reviews.

My vet is running a slightly larger tire than original on her Outback. No rubbing. From looking at it I'd assume there would be, but imagine if she got aggressive there will be. Maybe they changed up the tire sizes when they went with the new style BFG AT - as hers is the older style still.
 

jim-00-4.6

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2005
2,037
6
61
Genesee, CO USA
We live in Colorado and the wagon has been demoted to only Family Hauling Duties or snow days for my wife. So this means, that in the winter I will get driven every time it snows and almost every weekend to the ski resort. During the summer, I will take it on long trips fully loaded with family and gear
Get whatever tires that have a snowflake on it, or the "M+S".
It's not like they don't plow the roads here.

When they activate the "traction laws", you have a snowflake, you're good to go.
Yeah, they close 70 until they get around to plowing it. But then they plow it.
And it's open again.

This state makes way too much money from all the winter sports people to inhibit anyone's ability to get to the mountains and spend every penny they have.
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
Looks like a single ply with high turn up, to me; with lots of tread and belt stabilizers.

That means they're relying on the sidewall to get a smooth ride. I wouldn't suspect they'd handle well, but they'll probably shrug off most nails and screws.

The tread pattern is good. I just hope Michelin fixed their compound. If they try to increase filler mass around the bead on the compound they were using a couple of years ago, it's going to crack pretty quickly.

I'd give that bead area a squeeze when they show up, before mounting. Make sure it's not too different from the carcass rigidity halfway up that turn up if you're enthusiastic about the vehicle; not too much stiffer, and not too much...

Whatever the fuck the opposite of stiff is. Floppier? My mind ain't working right now for some reason. You know what I'm on about. :rofl:

That car doesn't use a lot of sidewall, though; so I'd expect a slightly stiffer ride quality as compared to tires designed in the opposite manner. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't actually put those on any truck, though. They're built like passenger car tires one might fit to a 2000 Lincoln Continental...

EDIT: Got a picture. Make sure these two areas are not too different so far as stiffness is concerned, and there is a smooth transition from point to point in rigidity. They'll be different, naturally, but you don't want to feel a rock next to a bag of jelly.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

mjbrox

Well-known member
Jun 30, 2008
1,812
48
Golden CO
well, either way its too late

They are at my cousins shop. The benz weighs a lot for a passenger car. I know i wont get blizzak type traction, but i think it will still be very good