The #1 thing most people forget is how to actually control a vehicle in the slick stuff. I was driving through a decent snow storm last weekend over Oregon Mt. on 299w in our 03 Outback, while being tailgated the entire way by a guy in a new 4runner. I mean 2-3 car lengths. The road was snot, and this guy was on my butt. Here in the great free state of california, most people will hit a slick spot, start to lose it, and either apply the brakes or the skinny, and end up in a rough spot. And they don't realize what happens to stopping distance. Unless your chained up, or with fresh studs, you will slide or if you have a dodge cummins, 5spd, 4x4 with good meats, with an exhaust brake, then your good to go. (I just need the exhaust brake)

 

u.s.mma I agree.



Every night, the news is full of bad accidents, both multiple vehicle and singles, that could have been avoided if EVERYONE would just SLOW DOWN, BACK OFF, and not have the attitude that they have to be the first hog at the trough.


Recently, I crossed Monarch Pass on US-50 in Colorado in a snow-storm, driving a 9-speed Mack and 48' livestock trailer.

We stopped on the West side and chained up, then proceeded over the pass.

The road was snow-covered and treacherously slick.

Being old Kentucky boys, and used to driving on solid sheets of ice, we proceeded down the East side at a controllable, but still scary, speed.


I couldn't count the idiots that blew us off the road at break-neck speeds, going DOWN a steep snow-covered grade; I also saw several of those same idiots against the rocks and over the cliffs.


Even on dry pavement, a vehicle travelling at 70-MPH is a vehicle that is on the verge of being out of control and all it takes is one error, either yours or someone elses.


On snow and ice, 30-MPH can get hairy pretty quick.



I used to enjoy long distance driving; but over the last ten years, it seems like idiots on the roads have increased exponentially.

It's like they don't really care if they wreck, or cause you to.

 

That goes for most of the newer vehicles too!

 

I recently bought LT255/85/R16 E Toyo Open Country M55 tires. They are a tire that bush workers usually buy. They are a M/S rated tire and have a fairly aggressive tread. They are fantastic so far for me. Put a little weight in the box of your truck and they'll take you places most other tires would not. I think the thread life is pretty good too considering what they are meant for. The PO of my truck is a good friend and he swears by the tires, he had the Open Country M606 tires on the truck for a long time before I bought it. He was a logger and owned his own company and they lasted longer for him than any other tire he ever owned. The M55 is much like the M606 but a little more aggressive of a tire. The only problem with them is the price, they aren't cheap but I still don't regret buying them, they are fantastic tires. I would recommend them to anyone.

 

That testimony means that they'll soon discontinue them. Seems anytime a company finally gets something right, they "improve" it out of existance.

You live in the north west? I'm wondering what constitutes "bush".

 

My 4x4 has BFG AT tires and they are pretty good in deep snow and just about everywhere else but as stated by 82F100SWB they don't do great on hardpacked icy snow. When I went wheeling I went sliding down a hill that was hard packed icy and snowy but in the deep snow after that it did great. Even around town there was plenty of the same stuff, finally melting but it didn't cope well with that but other areas it does great. Good tire in my opinion for all around usage but caution if you get hardpacked snow/ice frequently, not common in Washington as it doesn't snow very often but when it does it gets nasty.

 

Any body taking the outer duals off in the winter? You guys are saying air down to increase contact, I thought the more you concentrated the weight into a smaller area the better it would be. I know plenty of people who switch from 35/12.50's to 235/85's to reduce the float effect. I had a dually dump that I plowed with and even with weight in the back as ballast for the plow she would float and sway on top of the snow when travelling the highways. Downright scary.My pickup with singles was fine. same plow, weight and highway just behind me.

 

I live 3-4 hours north of Duluth. What constitutes as bush here is not the same as in the northwest. That said, it's probably worse here than there on things like tires. In the bush here there is a heathy mix of underbrush that can pop tires as well as mud and rocks, lots and lots of rocks and soft soil because of the bedrock trapping the water. It's the Canadian Shield, there is a lot of mud and bedrock and the trees aren't nearly as big because of the winters and logging etc, hence the underbrush. It's been very cold until the last couple days and in the cold the tires handled great. I was concerned at first for the really cold weather because the rubber is a real hard rubber on the tires but they've been great nonetheless. It's been very slushy the last couple days though and the tires handle a lot better than I expected. They handle well in the deeper snow and fairly good on the hardpacked stuff too. No mud around here right now because of the cold but I'd guess these tires would handle well in the mud too. The tread clears pretty good. I have a friend with BFG A/T tires and I'd take the Open Country M55 tires over those any day even though here the M55 tires are $30-40 a tire more. His tires are terrible on the hardpack. It's night and day between mine and his on the hard stuff. He's driving a newer Dakota though, it's lighter ofc. Even so, I wasn't impressed with the BFGs when I drove his truck.

Sorry for the long response lol

Yes, wide tires aren't good in the snow. That's why I went with the 255/85 over the 285/75 or the 265/75. In the deep stuff you want a narrower tire to cut through the snow and make firm contact with the ground. If the tires are specifically for winter get a narrower tire. Also, airing down gives better contact with the tread which is the grip part of the tire so of course it will help even with wide tires. I'd suggest a more narrow tire like the 235/85 if it's strictly for winter, I went with the 255/85 because I wanted a little taller tire that was good for winter but I also plan on using these year round so I didn't want the 235/85.