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What snow tires are you running this season?

25K views 56 replies 29 participants last post by  windsurfnut 
#1 · (Edited)
What snow tire is everyone using this season, or have you used in the last two seasons on the Jeep?

I'm picking up some laredo x wheels and it seems a bit rough to find a large selection of tires in the 265/60 18 size. My options seem to be the Nokian Hakkapelliita 7 SUV, Blizzak DM-V1 and one or two off brands. I had Blizzak LM-25V's on my previous awd car and they were decent, but I was never really overly impressed with them. They did ok, just seemed over hyped. Any suggestions?
 
#3 ·
I run Hankook iPike's. We didn't have much for snow here last season but the little we did get... I was impressed.
 
#4 ·
Picked up a lightly used set of Pirelli Scorpion Ice and Snow tires in 255/50/20 on my oem wheels. Great reviews on TireRack. I had the blizzak lm25s on my M3 and they were great for the first couple winter seasons and only put about 3k miles each winter on them. They didnt perform nearly as well as I was expecting last year after only 6k miles on them. They did perform excellently in the rain, cold and dry but not great in snow and ice.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Most here in ice and snow country use the Blizzak DM-V1. Tirerack, and other sites, users seem to give the Blizzaks a much better rating than the Pirelli, and better than any other snow tire in any size for that matter. The DM-V1 works better on ice, but they do wear fast on the highway and at higher temperatures. A quiet snow rated tire. The DM-V1s seem to be much better snow/ice tire than the LM-25s, which I never liked much.

I hear the firestone winterforce tires are a pretty good snow tire if you aren't into Blizzaks.
 
#6 ·
I have no issues with the blizzaks but they are my only experience with a winter tire. I also don't like the fact that the special rubber compound they use is gone after 50% of the tread is gone.

Either way, I'll probably put 5k a year tops on them during the winter season. So I guess they'll last awhile.
 
#8 · (Edited)
I've been running Falken Eurowinter HS439 265/60R18's tires for the past two winters on my Overland, and have been very happy with them.2:thumbsup:
 
#9 · (Edited)
What snow tire is everyone using this season, or have you used in the last two seasons on the Jeep?

I'm picking up some laredo x wheels and it seems a bit rough to find a large selection of tires in the 265/60 18 size. My options seem to be the Nokian Hakkapelliita 7 SUV, Blizzak DM-V1 and one or two off brands. I had Blizzak LM-25V's on my previous awd car and they were decent, but I was never really overly impressed with them. They did ok, just seemed over hyped. Any suggestions?
I've run Nokian winter tires in the past and found them to be excellent winter snow/ice performers. Right now I'm running these all-season Nokians (P275/55R20) w/snowflake on the mountain winter rating. Nokian Rotiiva AT AT They are excellent!

Nokian does make the winter only Hakkapelliita SUV in an "R SUV" version that does not have metal studs like the "7 SUV" ones you mentioned.

Nokian Hakkapeliitta R SUV R SUV

You may also want to look into these as well.
 
#13 ·
This will be my second winter with GoodYear Ultra Grip Ice WRT tires. I have them on alloy wheels, with TPMS - from Tirerack . They worked well last winter and I'm satisified with them - so far. First time I've bought GoodYears since 1972.

Of all the various winter tires I've had on vehicles 40+ years, my favorite ones were Yokohama (can't remeber the model.) Didn't like the Blizzaks as the soft rubber wore VERY quickly and Michelins were OK, but expensive.
 
#14 ·
I saw the good years. I've read some.good reviews.on them. How.are they holding up and how do they compare to other winter tires you've had?

They seem priced well too.which is a plus.
 
#19 · (Edited)
This is the combo I want to run... that way I have something for those trail rides as well. Plan to keep the 20s for summer street duty and the 18s for winter/trail duty.
The BFG all terrain is perhaps the best tire to pull double duty.



 
#20 ·
I used the stock Latitudes last winter with no issue here in Pittsburgh, PA and have BFG Rugged Terrains this year. Not expecting any real change between the 2 and the Latitudes did just fine.

I do put winter tires on my Ford Fusion though but I just have some crappy Pep Boys specials on there that seemed to do very well over the past 3 winters. I had Blizzak's and x-ice's in the past and was not impressed. These $70 winter tires do just as good.
 
#21 ·
If you are in an area where snow and ice stay on the driving surface for most of the winter, then a dedicated snow and ice tire makes sense.

Below winter tire ratings from TR do not include the Nokians or Hakkapelitas, both great snows:

Consumer Survey Results By Category

If you otherwise find yourself on pavement for a good part of winter, then an AT with strong snow ratings makes sense. The AT can also stay on year round. Note these are NOT all seasons.

Consumer Survey Results By Category

Both the Bizzacks and Firestone Dest AT's are sold in equal numbers here in CO.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Update:

I was going to go with the Goodyear Ultra Grip WRT tires since they were pretty well priced. I ended up getting a deal on the Nokian Hakkapeliitta r suv tires for $10/tire more than the Goodyears. Had them mounted and balanced on 18" Laredo X wheels that I picked up. I ended up having the day off and the tire place had a bunch of cancelations so I took the opportunity to get them mounted during the "hurricane".





Hopefully we get some big snow storms this year.
 
#23 ·
Looks good- I'm not a fan of having winter-specific tires only because here in MD we don't get any snow. I know there's an advantage of having winter tires in any temps below 40* though- so I did go ahead and order some tires to replace to the stock Forteras.

Ordered the new Nokian Rotiiva AT - looks like they have great potential in winter/snow.
 
#28 ·
Looks good- I'm not a fan of having winter-specific tires only because here in MD we don't get any snow. I know there's an advantage of having winter tires in any temps below 40* though- so I did go ahead and order some tires to replace to the stock Forteras.

Ordered the new Nokian Rotiiva AT - looks like they have great potential in winter/snow.

I'm running the Nokian Rotiva AT's (brand new Nokian design) and love them! Not a "winter only" tire but a all-season on/off round tire with snowflak on the mountain ice/snow rating. I've run Nokians for years & find them to be as good as it gets for winter performance! Nokians are the best selling winter tires in northern Europe & are the absolute best for ice and snow winter driving.
 
#24 ·
I've used Blizzaks and studded snows, and the blizzaks have outdone the studs. Used the DM-V1 on wrangler 255/70/18, and they will go on grand. Have 20's for summer, 18 wheels coming for Blizzaks. Also depends if you get deeper snow, or more light snow, ice, black ice type. I'm on border of snow belt kind of, some times the deeper snow packs up the blizzaks, almost need more open tread, but they can't be beat in lighter snow and ice. If we got deeper snow, i would get GY Duratracs for open tread, they have good siping, and can be pinned for studs. Have to look at which blizzak you get too, some are the softer multi cell compound(think tiny little sponges), some are a silicone enhanced compound(solid) that hold up longer, but don't flex as well on the ice to grip. Anything is better than what comes on it. In winter look for siping for water evacuation and ice gripping, and need a little open tread to clean out for deeper snow...all depends on your situation. If you drive a lot, and don't take them off early spring, you are gonna wear them out. Had a friend drove them all year, and bitched they wore quickly...duh.
 
#25 ·
I had great luck on my company truck with Nitto Terra Grapplers, it was a ram 1500 4x4, and I put 500lbs in bed(since i don't pay for gas). My dually i got last year though sucks with stock A/T, even when new, they sucked in snow with 900lbs in bed. Swapping them this year for Nittos, they spin even in the rain now with only 30k on them...maybe it's the 800lb-ft of torque out of my Cummins:thumbsup:
 
#35 ·
I'm glad to hear you like the Nitto TGs. I am thinking about putting these on my WK2.

I can't justify running a snow only tire--even though I am in Colorado.
 
#29 ·
seeing those pics makes me kind of exicited to get the jeep out in the snow and play a bit...then I gotta get it in the garage and wash it cuz i have issues with dirty vehicles:detailer:
 
#33 ·
I'm also running Nokian, but the WR G2. They are great - same as Blizzaks in the winter and you can use them all year arround. Go and use Blizzak in the summer - good luck!
 
#34 ·
I ran the original WR's for several seasons and liked them alot. Great in the ice and snow, of course, but more of a road tire, not really suited for any ruff duty or off-road use. Great all-season tire with excellent winter ice/snow perfomance though! :thumbsup:
 
#36 ·
I only got 40k out of the the Terra's in a year and a half, on my half ton, with the bed full of equipment(it raised about 2" when I emptied it), they got me through landfills, hard pack gravel(kills tread), woods, snow, mud(more than I thought I would get through), rail yards, steel mills, never left me stuck, and always had good wet traction right to the wear bars. Toyo's(A/T 1st version) were a little short in wet/snow/ice traction vs TG's. I justify 2 sets because one tire can't truly do everything. And with the mileage the wife drives, I can get about 4 winters out of a set of blizzaks, and the "summer" tires last longer too...usually car gets traded before I have a chance to actually wear out tires, so I sell the snow tire/wheel combo, and put it towards the new car combo. Terra's going on the dually, boss tells me, get what you need, don't go crazy...Terra's fit the bill. Don't think you'll be disappointed, but I haven't run them on lighter vehicles, but guys at work and the place I buy them from, everyone loves them.
 
#39 ·
Just ordered the Terra Grapplers. I'll repot back with a review after I get some miles on them.
 
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