LR3 owners sound off, which tires?

jckstein

Observer
Follow up question:

Had anyone run the non-snowflake rated Grabber AT2 in 255/60R18 and had and experience in winter conditions?

My local dealer in Maine is recommending this path, as it is apparently a setup they often suggest for their customers. I'm very skeptical that this is the best idea, considering its one of the only sizes in this tire that isnt Snowflake approved..

Anyone have any specific experience?
 
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Jwestpro

Explorer
Yes, i was looking down the road of the AT2's, but i've decided to just run a designated winter tire with XL rating until the BFG KO2's come out.

I think you will really appreciate that plan. Where and when you'll be driving a lot you'll get to make good use of them.
 

Jwestpro

Explorer
Then again, the very best all around-er for you could be the Nokian Rotiva. VERY good snow properties but also the rest of the year. Kind of what it sounds like Nitto is doing with that EXO Grappler mixing a better winter-ish compound with AT characteristics.
 

mpinco

Expedition Leader
Thinking we are splitting hairs here.

Quick google:

Why is the General Grabber AT2 size 235/70R16 rated for severe snow but the 245/70R16 not?

Read down through the comments to replies from the manufacturer and from TireRack. All AT2's are M+S. Per Continental all are snowflake rated. Per Tire Rack, unless it is marked they don't list it. Looks like Continental needs to send out some communications and add the symbol.

Bottom line all AT2's have the same tread pattern. Block spacing may be slightly different? Some slight difference in snow performance? Your Maine dealer is probably speaking from experience of customers.
 

jckstein

Observer
Thinking we are splitting hairs here.

Quick google:

Why is the General Grabber AT2 size 235/70R16 rated for severe snow but the 245/70R16 not?

Read down through the comments to replies from the manufacturer and from TireRack. All AT2's are M+S. Per Continental all are snowflake rated. Per Tire Rack, unless it is marked they don't list it. Looks like Continental needs to send out some communications and add the symbol.

Bottom line all AT2's have the same tread pattern. Block spacing may be slightly different? Some slight difference in snow performance? Your Maine dealer is probably speaking from experience of customers.

Thats the thread I ready initially before asking this. I really honestly don't know what to trust from that though. Seems like a whole lot of misinformation flowing around.

The thing that sets it off for me is that on the General Tire website, it specially says that the 255/60R18 Grabber AT2 does not have snowflake rating. I feel as though if there were some additional information, they would footnote it or something, but its pretty clearly marked as uncertified.
 

mpinco

Expedition Leader
Will you really be able to tell the difference between a M&S tire vs. an M&S with the same tread design but slightly different block spacing?
 

Eniam17

Adventurer
Follow up question:

Had anyone run the non-snowflake rated Grabber AT2 in 256/60R18 and had and experience in winter conditions?

My local dealer in Maine is recommending this path, as it is apparently a setup they often suggest for their customers. I'm very skeptical that this is the best idea, considering its one of the only sizes in this tire that isnt Snowflake approved..

Anyone have any specific experience?


A bunch of guys at dealer are good friends of mine; I have talked to them about the at2's and their pros and cons on the lr3's a bunch of times. I had same tire/size you're asking about on my lr3 before switching to the toyo AT2's.

They were ok in winter conditions in Maine; as good as any all terrain tire for the most part. Don't mean to be rude but you are spending way too much time worrying about tires and the snowflake vs non snowflake thing. Any well known all terrain will be decent in Maine winter conditions , not phenomenal. As others have said numerous times, get a set of snow tires if you want excellent winter condition performance. Obsessing over the all terrains and snowflake vs nonsnowflake is a waste of your time.
 

jckstein

Observer
A bunch of guys at dealer are good friends of mine; I have talked to them about the at2's and their pros and cons on the lr3's a bunch of times. I had same tire/size you're asking about on my lr3 before switching to the toyo AT2's.

They were ok in winter conditions in Maine; as good as any all terrain tire for the most part. Don't mean to be rude but you are spending way too much time worrying about tires and the snowflake vs non snowflake thing. Any well known all terrain will be decent in Maine winter conditions , not phenomenal. As others have said numerous times, get a set of snow tires if you want excellent winter condition performance. Obsessing over the all terrains and snowflake vs nonsnowflake is a waste of your time.

Well i have the time to spend, so I might as well spend it on one of the most important 'mods' you can do to a car.
 

catmann

Active member
I have an LR3 and put new AT2's (255/60/18) on it last November. I was VERY impressed with the on-road performance all winter long (never took it off-road). I am in SE PA, which is not Maine by any stretch, but last winter was as bad as it gets around here and I can say the tires were flawless. My wife drove it all winter and felt comfortable going out in all conditions and when I drove it I was equally impressed. I had a Disco with Grabber HTS tires last year as well and it was NOT very good - never got stuck or anything, but the surefootedness was nowhere near what the LR3 was. FWIW, we drove alomost 10k miles exactly and one year later the tread is 9/32 from 13/32. They look like they have not worn, but I guess they have, so I am guessing I will only get 25-30k out of these if this holds true down the line. Maybe there is a different rubber compound between the P-metric and LT-rated versions? As for the snowflake symbol, I did not even realize they were not severe snow rated until recently as I am in the market for tires for our Disco replacement, an 08 Range Rover.

Our RR had brand new Bridgestone Dueller Alenza Plus tires when we bought it and within a week my wife wanted me to replace them - they are quiet and smooth, but not as sure feeling as the AT2's on the LR3 in her opinion and she is worried about winter snow driving on them. Since she has stock 19's (255/55/19) I am really stuck on the best choice for her, there is just not much available in this size or any size that would fit on her stock wheels (and she does not want to swap wheels with the LR3). She drives fast and hard in summer and wants sure handling in winter, but also does not want summer and winter tires, she just wants one set like the AT2's.

She does not like the appearance of the Copper Zeon LTZ's too much, so they are her third choice among the three options I have found. Her first choice is the Wrangler Duratrac, but I am unsure if it is a bit too mud-terrain oriented for her, especially for her fast driving in summer? But, I noticed that the 255/55/19 size she needs is the ONLY size of all the Duratracs that is made in Germany, is not severe snow rated, has a lower wear rating than all the others (320 vs 500 vs ? for LT), and has an A temp rating (versus B for all the others). Clearly this one size is different than all the others, but I am not sure why? I am guessing that the German plant must make another tire for the European market using a different rubber compound and Goodyear brings this one over to fill the niche for the size, but it is not clear how this will change the handling of the tire. With the A temp rating and faster wear rating, I am wondering if this one size may actually do ok in summer for my wife. Has anyone here run this size in the Duratrac???

The 2nd choice would be the newer Wrangler Adventure. This would be a 31" tire and has a 109 load rating, so I am concerned that the extra side-wall and lower load rating may make cornering worse for her in the summer months when she is racing around. Has anyone used the new Adventure tires in a non-LT size yet??
 
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A.J.M

Explorer
Hello.

I have the Goodyear Duratrac in 255/55/19 from the Germany plant.

I've had no issues with them for road driving, they do have a bit of extra road noise compared to normal Wranglers but it's not terrible.
Have driven in temperatures ranging from -12degs to 25+ degs, no conplaints.

I live in Scotland so they have had plenty of wet road use as well... ;)

Currently on 28k with about 6mm of tread left. I would expect about 30-32k before they will be worn down to 3-4mm at which point I'll change them for a new set of Duratracs.

Mine do come with a snowflake symbol on them, they are nearly 2 years old.

The tyre in that size is getting quite common and fitted to D3/LR3 models with good feedback.
 

catmann

Active member
Thank you for the feedback! I wonder why the ones here all say "not rated for severe snow" from the sellers? Maybe there was some change in the last two years?

I am ok with 30k miles on a set, that will last her 3 years and she claims to me that road noise does not bother her. She is much more inclined to feel confident than worry about tire noise. The RR is a good bit quieter than the LR3 by default, so I doubt the noise could be any more than she has been used to for the last year. My main concern is summer handling - our area gets to 95°F or 35°C during the peak of summer and she does like to race around.

If I give then a try I would not have to buy a 5th to have a matching size spare like I would with the Wrangler Adventurer.
 

A.J.M

Explorer
They will be fine.

My mate Kevin has them on his D3, he drives a lot harder than I am and has not had any handling issues.

If they are going to be road tyres only you will get more than 30k from a set, I've used mine a lot off road which has wore them out faster than just road use only.

Buy them!
 

05LR3AZ

Adventurer
Just ordered the LT285/60-18 Terra Grappler G2s.
Initial report will be next week, snow report may not be too long after...

I'm about to order the G2's. The original Terra Grapplers have served me well in all terrain for more miles than they should have...
 

vfly172

Observer
I have read through this entire thread. I'm going to run the L8 rods year round. I just want to confirm that 265/65/18 will be good for an 08 with the third row. I don't mind relocating lines but I don't want any rubbing.
 

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