Pick me some tires (F 150)

[IHateMyJob2004]

My F-150 needs new tires.

I am not picky. My current tires SUCK in the snow. So I want something better in the snow but at the same time I don't want something that has crazy road noise.

Prices are $600-$850. Well, I'll start by saying I don't want to spend $850.

http://www.sears.com/automotive-tir...2424?Tire Size=235-75-17&filterList=Tire Size

Your input is appreciated. I'll be ordering tires tomorrow.

 

[NutBucket]

http://www.falkentire.com/tires/light-truck-suv-cuv-tires/wildpeak/t3w-tire

I put those on a 2WD Silverado and they seem OK. Certainly not $850...I think $650 OTD from America's Tire. They're winter rated...but I think most AT tires are due to the large tread blocks.

 

[jlee]

I have Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs, and I think @JCH13 has Hankook Dynapro ATMs. Both are good in snow.

 

[JCH13]

The Dynapro ATMs are the current F150 OEM tires. They're quiet, grip well in the winter, and are cheeeeep. Look up reviews wherever you trust, TireRack, Amazon, Discount Tire Direct, they're universally positive. Buy a set from Amazon for <$600 shipped.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

I just ordered some good tires. They were either all season Goodyears of BF Goodrich. I forget. I spent a lot.

I was afraid of road noise on the Dynapro ATMs even though I initially wanted them. I can't stand road noise.

 

[Yuriman]

Snow tread patterns are different. Look for this:

That said, there's a fundamental difference between the tire compounds in real snow tires vs all seasons which you can't get around. Rubber's hardness is dependent on temperature, and a tire that grips well but doesn't wear quickly at 85F will be very hard and have poor grip below 40F. Any all season will suck vs a real snow tire.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Ya, no season tires. I get it. I lived in Potsdam, NY (see google) for 5 winters. I will tell you that I survived that place wit ha RWD truck and all season tires. They didn't plow the roads. You drove on the snow. If it snowed 8 inches during the day, everyone drove on it and packed it down. At night they literally drove graders around to level the snow.

That was my life for 5 months every winter for 5 years. I live in CT now and I get like 2 days a year that are "bad driving". This year was owrse than normal where for the first time in 15 years we had two snow falls that made the roads worse than I have seen in my life. I grew up in Buffalo, NY BTW.

Snow tires help. Better is 4 WD. even better yet is locking diffs. My friend had a SAAB with 4wd and locking diffs and it was ridiculous in the snow.

Anyway .... all I know is that my current tires SUCK in the snow. They are no season. And I know that there are no season tires that do well in the snow. To be honest, unless you are dealing with snowy hills, all season do fine.

 

[jlee]

Snow tread patterns are different. Look for this:

That said, there's a fundamental difference between the tire compounds in real snow tires vs all seasons which you can't get around. Rubber's hardness is dependent on temperature, and a tire that grips well but doesn't wear quickly at 85F will be very hard and have poor grip below 40F. Any all season will suck vs a real snow tire.

The exception I make for the snow/summer tire switch is truck tires. There are a few severe snow service rated all terrains that are (IMO) acceptable.

 

[Bartman39]

Granted I have a 2500HD Chevrolet but these were an awesome choice and the price was too... Both winter and summer they do perfect...
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Yokohama&tireModel=Geolandar+A/T+G015&partnum=675R6G015OWL&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

Oops here are the std load tires which you would need...
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Yokohama&tireModel=Geolandar+A/T+G015&partnum=675TR6G015OWL&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes

Oh and BTW a little less than $600 for all 4...

 

[JCH13]

I just ordered some good tires. They were either all season Goodyears of BF Goodrich. I forget. I spent a lot.

I was afraid of road noise on the Dynapro ATMs even though I initially wanted them. I can't stand road noise.

What made you think that the road noise would be unacceptable?

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

What made you think that the road noise would be unacceptable?

Tread pattern. I've heard trucks with tires like this before and I hate it. I'm anal about road noise. I hate it.

 

[mizzou]

Firestone Destination A/T

decent cheap tire


Toyo Open Country A/T

havent driven in years but seemed equal in performance

 

[JCH13]

Tread pattern. I've heard trucks with tires like this before and I hate it. I'm anal about road noise. I hate it.

I skimmed a number of reviews before buying mine and they all concluded that this tire is quite quiet. That has been my experience in my GX, and the several F150s I've driven that have these tires.

What exactly makes you think that you can judge the road noise level just by looking at the tire?

 

[ondma]

Check Consumer Reports or Tire Rack for ratings and customer reviews. If your present ti

Snow tread patterns are different. Look for this:

That said, there's a fundamental difference between the tire compounds in real snow tires vs all seasons which you can't get around. Rubber's hardness is dependent on temperature, and a tire that grips well but doesn't wear quickly at 85F will be very hard and have poor grip below 40F. Any all season will suck vs a real snow tire.

Not sure if they make them for trucks. I know they do for car and SUVs. There is a new kind of tire called "all weather" which is better than an "all season" tire in winter conditions, but can still be used year around. If anyone is interested, look up Nokian WRG3. Several other manufacturers are making them now, but the Nokians and the Toyo Celsius are more winter oriented than some of the others.

 

[Yuriman]

Check Consumer Reports or Tire Rack for ratings and customer reviews. If your present ti

Not sure if they make them for trucks. I know they do for car and SUVs. There is a new kind of tire called "all weather" which is better than an "all season" tire in winter conditions, but can still be used year around. If anyone is interested, look up Nokian WRG3. Several other manufacturers are making them now, but the Nokians and the Toyo Celsius are more winter oriented than some of the others.

Looking at the treat, it looks like 3/4 of the tire is a snow treat and 1/4 is more of a typical summer tread:

I wonder what compromise they chose in terms of wear. Where is the cutover point at which snow tires offer better grip than these? How is the wear when the weather is warm? The Nokian WR-G4's are rated for 60,000 miles. I wonder how road noise is? How is wet grip, since the tread patterns useful in standing water are very different than those for snow?

From Consumer Reports:

Average Snow Traction Performance
Our tests show that there is significant difference in snow traction among tire types. The data show the average distance that it took for a car to reach 20 mph.

Winter/snow: 58 feet
All-weather: 64 feet
All-season: 76 feet
Performance all-season: 90 feet

 

[ondma]

Looking at the treat, it looks like 3/4 of the tire is a snow treat and 1/4 is more of a typical summer tread:

I wonder what compromise they chose in terms of wear. Where is the cutover point at which snow tires offer better grip than these? How is the wear when the weather is warm? The Nokian WR-G4's are rated for 60,000 miles. I wonder how road noise is? How is wet grip, since the tread patterns useful in standing water are very different than those for snow?

From Consumer Reports:

That is actually the WRG 4, the replacement for the WRG3, which I havent found available in the US yet. (You can see the label on the side of the tire.) The WRG3 has a similar tread pattern, but somewhat less aggressive. The SUV tire also has a totally different tread pattern. The car model of the WRG3 was tested by consumer reports last year. link . The Nokian WR and Toyo celsius are more biased toward the winter tread, while there are other all weather tires with a more summer oriented tread. The treadwear is rated at 500, so less than a conventional all season tire, but much better than a winter tire if you use it in the summer.

 

[JCH13]

To the best of my knowledge, the only feature really needed to call a tread pattern 'winter' or 'summer' is the presence of siping. The shape of the actual tread blocks matters little to snow or pavement performance, but sipes sure do!

 

[monkeydelmagico]

BFG KO2 = Legendary status

Wee bit of compromise on road. Similar to the compromise made when running dedicated snow tires and it isn't actively snowing.

Probably a bit much for you as I doubt your truck ever sees any off road action. Most don't. So for the 360 odd days out of the year when your vehicle is on tarmac these tires are a waste.

They look the business if your into posing.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Well, now I am kinda regretting my tire choice. Mostly because they cost an extra $160 or so. I'll be fine. My current tires are some cheap POS tires from Wal-Mart that are horrendous in the snow. The tread has another year but each rear tire has a screw in it (I know one is repairable). But at this point, I just want them off. I figure I will need one more pair of tires while I own the truck so this will probably be the last pair. If I keep the truck it will be a second vehicle.

 

[jlee]

BFG KO2 = Legendary status

Wee bit of compromise on road. Similar to the compromise made when running dedicated snow tires and it isn't actively snowing.

Probably a bit much for you as I doubt your truck ever sees any off road action. Most don't. So for the 360 odd days out of the year when your vehicle is on tarmac these tires are a waste.

They look the business if your into posing.

I've read a lot of negative feedback on KO2's, both with performance and balancing problems.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

I've read a lot of negative feedback on KO2's, both with performance and balancing problems.

Did you not read the first sentence? Legendary status. That trumps any minor quibbles some anonymous interweb denizen might publicly whine about.

 

[ondma]

To the best of my knowledge, the only feature really needed to call a tread pattern 'winter' or 'summer' is the presence of siping. The shape of the actual tread blocks matters little to snow or pavement performance, but sipes sure do!

Both the WRG3 and Toyo Celsius have the mountain snowflake symbol which means they have been tested and verified to meet a certain level of winter traction. All season tires do not have meet any test criteria, but are classified as "all season" based on the tread pattern. Goodyear, Veredestein, Michelin, and some lesser known manufacturers also make all weather tires, but many of them are only available in Canada or Europe.

 

[herm0016]

i really liked the cooper at3 on my last truck 1/2 ton gmc, this one came with a set of Michelin ltx which are great as well, but very expensive. I run blizzak dmv-2 in the winter. I will probably go with another set of coopers when the ltx wears out. the coopers won a test by overland journal a couple years ago as well.

https://expeditionportal.com/where-the-rubber-meets-the-road/

 

[JCH13]

Both the WRG3 and Toyo Celsius have the mountain snowflake symbol which means they have been tested and verified to meet a certain level of winter traction. All season tires do not have meet any test criteria, but are classified as "all season" based on the tread pattern. Goodyear, Veredestein, Michelin, and some lesser known manufacturers also make all weather tires, but many of them are only available in Canada or Europe.

Okay, that's great I guess?

My comment was directed at Yuriman, who said that the tread looked part summer and part winter. Not anything to do with what you said.

 

[ondma]

Okay, that's great I guess?

My comment was directed at Yuriman, who said that the tread looked part summer and part winter. Not anything to do with what you said.

The point was that there is a test which tires must pass to qualify as winter or all weather tires (all of which have the mountain snowflake symbol as far as I know), it is not just based on visual observation of whether the tire has sipes or not, although most winter/all weather tires do have more sipes than all season or summer tires. Some areas of Canada require tires with this certification in winter.