With winter not too far away I have started to think about getting some snow tires for my '04 Tacoma. I was looking for opinions/suggestions for suitable tires. While the tires will be used for some driving in deep snow (Colorado powder), the reality is the majority of the miles will be on mountain highways. Previously I have had studded Cooper Discoverer M+S on my 88 4runner, but I would prefer a studless tire this time. The studded tires were loud and down right scary on dry concrete roads. Consumer reports gives a thumbs up to the Blizzack DM-Z3 and the Michelin Latitude X-Ice, does anyone have experience with either of these?
Winter/Snow Tires
- Thread starter Rando
- Start date
Box Rocket
Well-known member
Why not just look at a good all-terrain or mud-terrain type tire that can be run year round? Some people say they don't like them, but I'm on my second set of BFG all-terrains on my Land Cruiser and they may not be the best in DEEP snow but I've been impressed with them year round. I also got 70K miles from my last set. That's hard to beat.
For other options, I have heard very good things about the Super Swamper Trxus in the snow. It may not have the best road characteristics, but I'm guessing it will still be better than your studded tires you've been running.
I've also heard decent things about the Procomp Extreme All-Terrain. Good looking tire and should be on par with some of the others.
For other options, I have heard very good things about the Super Swamper Trxus in the snow. It may not have the best road characteristics, but I'm guessing it will still be better than your studded tires you've been running.
I've also heard decent things about the Procomp Extreme All-Terrain. Good looking tire and should be on par with some of the others.
Yokohama Geolander AT II's 265/75/16. These came on the truck (the truck is relatively new to me after having my last Tacoma bought back fro the frame rust issue) and are not what I would have chosen. Unfortunately they have a lot of life left in them so I should probably stick with them for now. I haven't tried them in the snow, but from looking at them they are not going to be very good. They have a simple tread pattern and almost no siping. They are also a bit wider than I would like.
KevinNY
Adventurer
Wider than you would like? You can't go much skinnier. I know almost everyone here has had a cup of the 255-85 Kool Aid, but 10mm wider is only about 3/8". No one can tell that difference in the real world. Nitto Terra Grapplers might be a good year round tire for your needs, aggressive for an AT and well siped. A number of friends have had good results with them as winter tires in the NE. I put a set on my wifes Land Cruiser.
Excellent (and appropriate) photo! I think would prefer a specialist winter tire. I had BFG ATs on my old 4runner, and while they were excellent all around tires, my studded Cooper M+S were significantly better in the snow. I would really like something with similar snow/ice performance without the scary noisy and road wrecking studs. I would pay a fairly decent premium not to be white knuckling over Red Mountain Pass this winter!
Why not just look at a good all-terrain or mud-terrain type tire that can be run year round? Some people say they don't like them, but I'm on my second set of BFG all-terrains on my Land Cruiser and they may not be the best in DEEP snow but I've been impressed with them year round. I also got 70K miles from my last set. That's hard to beat.
For other options, I have heard very good things about the Super Swamper Trxus in the snow. It may not have the best road characteristics, but I'm guessing it will still be better than your studded tires you've been running.
I've also heard decent things about the Procomp Extreme All-Terrain. Good looking tire and should be on par with some of the others.
Box Rocket
Well-known member
In that case I would look at the Trxus as a non-studded option. Heard nothing but good about them in the snow. Tread is pretty aggressive but they have decent siping.
I will definitely look at the Trxus, I had mostly been focusing on tires sold specifically as winter tires.
I was actually thinking about 235/85/16 would be my preferred size. That is 30mm narrower than my current tires, which is fairly significant. Particularly for a winter tire to drive primarily on-road it seems that narrower would be preferable as you want to punch through and hit the pavement under the slush/snow.
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
I have 245/75/16 Cooper Discoverer ST/C's on my truck, and I was pleased with their performance last winter. I found they were about as effective as a cheap snow tire, and there would be little reason to use another set of snow tires. Where they don't work as well is on ice. Even cheap snow tires should have a silica rubber compound, which remains more flexible at low temperatures and works better on ice, slush, and cold pavement.
Regardless, I had no trouble at all serving as recovery crew during a Pro-Rally up in Quebec in Febuary. That required me to maintain pace with the rally, and I had no problem at all. Never did I think the tires were a liability.
From the cheap winter tires, you step to a premium conventional tire like the X-Ice. This has a good rubber, with a sophisticated tread pattern with huge amounts of siping. These will give a marked improvement on ice, hardpack snow, etc. They still won't likely give you better traction if you're just trying to paddle through deep powder.
And then you have Blizzaks, which are in a whole other league. They offer perception-altering levels of grip on ice. After you've experienced Blizzak traction, it's hard to want to go back to regular tires. The problem with Blizzaks is they are pretty terrible on dry pavement.
Lately I have been running Dunlop Wintersport tires on my passenger cars. I find these offer good snow traction (still only the same as A/T's) and decent ice traction, but more importantly, they offer fantastic pavement traction, much better than other snow tires, which is important for the other 80% of the time when the roads are clear.
Regardless, I had no trouble at all serving as recovery crew during a Pro-Rally up in Quebec in Febuary. That required me to maintain pace with the rally, and I had no problem at all. Never did I think the tires were a liability.
From the cheap winter tires, you step to a premium conventional tire like the X-Ice. This has a good rubber, with a sophisticated tread pattern with huge amounts of siping. These will give a marked improvement on ice, hardpack snow, etc. They still won't likely give you better traction if you're just trying to paddle through deep powder.
And then you have Blizzaks, which are in a whole other league. They offer perception-altering levels of grip on ice. After you've experienced Blizzak traction, it's hard to want to go back to regular tires. The problem with Blizzaks is they are pretty terrible on dry pavement.
Lately I have been running Dunlop Wintersport tires on my passenger cars. I find these offer good snow traction (still only the same as A/T's) and decent ice traction, but more importantly, they offer fantastic pavement traction, much better than other snow tires, which is important for the other 80% of the time when the roads are clear.
Bugspray
Adventurer
I have non studded Blizzaks on my Jeep XJ and they scared me how good they were in the the snow AND ice. I think studs would be detrimental to the performance or at least unesscesary. Mind altering is right....the best winter vehicle I've ever had, I REALLY had to try to make it lose traction, never got stuck all last winter, pulled out several vehicles, etc. I have so much confidence in the Blizzak/Jeep combo, my wife who is just learning how to drive (she's from Peru) will inherit the Briarwood.......Oh yeah BTW we had over 600" of snow last year!!
IggyB
Adventurer
We've ran Yokohama IT072 snow tire on my wife's 2000 Xterra for the last winter. I've BFG AT's on my 2000 Frontier. Vehicles are almost identical - driveline, body to B pillar, etc. Both tires were brand new last year.
The traction with the Yokohama's is much greater than with the BFG AT's. Ice, snow, packed snow they are far ahead of AT's. The thread is nice and open and throws snow out
Friend's Xterra with Michelin X-ice tires could barely get out of its own way, the tires performed poorly.
The traction with the Yokohama's is much greater than with the BFG AT's. Ice, snow, packed snow they are far ahead of AT's. The thread is nice and open and throws snow out
Friend's Xterra with Michelin X-ice tires could barely get out of its own way, the tires performed poorly.
computeruser
Explorer
Yokahama Geolandar I/T have done me well on the Jeep. Even at 31-10.50 they're handled everything better than expected; I wish I could have found a 31-9 or 31-8.5, though, on such a light vehicle.
thecriscokid
Explorer
X2
I second that motion.
Yokohama IT GO72's
I don't know if there is a better winter truck tire. I have the 285/75/16 on my Tundra. I have driven a lot of different tires over the years and these are great.
Honorable mention: Blizzack and Nokian of coarse for cars.
I second that motion.
Yokohama IT GO72's
I don't know if there is a better winter truck tire. I have the 285/75/16 on my Tundra. I have driven a lot of different tires over the years and these are great.
Honorable mention: Blizzack and Nokian of coarse for cars.