Hophead

IMHO I think 33x9.5 vs 33x10.5 is splitting hairs. What tire and tread desgin you choose will make as much if not more of a difference. I can't speak highly enough about my BFG AT's- possibly the best 'all around' tire available. Any choice you make is going to incorporate compromises. No doubt tall and skinny is best for the type of snow we see here on the "wet coast". Consider the BFG's - great highway tire, great tread life, decent off road and a "REAL' snow tire - they got the snowflake!

As for gears -I think this is often over rated -unless your running 4:10's or something. I run 33's with 4:56's with a 5spd - I don't findit to be an issue.

I guess this means the Squamish is going to get hard to access- its snowing outside!!!!!!!!

AxleIke

Another great point that was brought up is availability.

When i ordered my set of 9.5's, it took 2.5 weeks to get them in.

Later that year, I ripped out a sidewall, and the replacement took 3 weeks to come in.

The 10.5's are much easier to get.

rusche

If you're looking for a snow tire, the Bridgestone Blizzak is simply the best.
We run them on my moms Tacoma, supercharged 3.4, dont hardly need 4WD.
Those are incredible tires.

I also run BFG ATs (30x9.50) and they do just fine in the snow. I had them siped last year and that makes a huge difference. I recently bought a set of 32x11.50 and we'll see how those do in comparison to my smaller ones...

FredTJ

Must be a local thing.
I've been pricing (locally) 33x12.50R15 MT/R's and a 33x9.50R15 BFG AT (to use as a spare to save weight) and, at least here in AZ, there is no problem with availability of the BFG At in the 33x9.50 R15 size. Every tire store has 'em in stock.



Fred

georgiayota

I don't know anything about driving in the snow, we don't get it here, but I know in mud the taller skinny tires do better. When my 14" wide bogger wears out im going with a 10.50" wide.

Junkers88

I hesitate to bring this up but have you looked at these?

http://treadwright.com/SearchResults...reendiamond=-1

Trustyrusty

I like runnin 33x12.5's but I think next set of tires I'm getting 34x10.5 LTB's just to see the difference with agressive treading..

Junkers88

I've always liked thinner tires, no idea why. I've got a buddy who is the polar opposite with regards to rubber on the road. He won't run anything thinner than a 14.50 on his Blazer but then he makes a lot of runs down to the beach and on that sand wider is better, that and that damn gumbo mud down in South Texas will swallow a pizza cutter.

If I ever wear out my current tires I'm going to source a set of 35/10.50's or 9.50's for the next upgrade.

Matt16

I don't think I've ever driven across sand patches lager than 10' across. I've got on board air so it isn't a hassle to air down when airing back up takes less than a minute/ tire (from <10psi-40psi). Due to the scarcity of sand aroud here, it really isn't a factor.

elripster

Sand is the only drawback to skinny tires I can think of. I do wheel in sand so I don't mind the 12.5" size.

I was looking at the 33X10.5"s when I installed the 33/12.5's but Discount didn't have them and couldn't get them for months. I'm guessing BFG has caught up by now though.

At the rate these AT's are wearing I'll get a chance to try the 10.5's in like... oh... 4 or 5 years.

Frank

Matt16

I've got the 4.56s already. BFGs look like a good tire, its amongst the tires I'm leaning towards. Others are the Cooper ST, General Grabber AT2 and the BFG Commercial Tracion T/A (see below).


I was going to head up to the Squamish this morning, but there was still snow on the roads. Seeing as my tires are terrible on snow, I opted to wait until tmr or the next day.

Junkers88

I must be missing something. Shouldn't a snow tire have large lugs and open spaces that will clean out like a mud tire? This is a completely rookie guess since I don't run snow but I'd think that a tire with that kind of tread pattern (in the picture) would get full of ice and snow and not offer any traction at all. Nor does it look like it would clean out once you get the wheel speed up a little.

86tuning

Snow tires don't have big voids, rather, they have lots of sipes, plus a soft, low-temperature tire compound.

My michelin alpins were excellent snow tires (on my cars). Never ever got stuck (mk1, mk2, mk3 vw Jetta) in the city or highway.

Snow 'wheeling, on the other hand, is a different story all together.

Matt16

Snow isn't much like mud at all. Snow changes consistency and slipperiness based on how much weight it put on it. Spin your tires, and it turns to ice. Ice is bad. The micro siping on snow tires makes for hundreds of little edges that bit into the ice.

Greg_Canada

The reason tall, thin tires work so well in the snow, is that the contact patch is smaller, giving more pounds per square inch than a larger, shorter tire. This helps it push deeper into the snow and hitting the ground (or whatever is hard underneath). Whereas the wider tire will "float" ontop of the snow.
My 33 x 12.5 bfg m/t KM's are much worse in 4wd than my 33x9.5 bfg a/t KO's are in 2wd. I was scared driving my truck with m/t's (waiting for the a/t's to come in) as they would slide EVERYWHERE in light snow... not just fish tail... but... random 4-wheel drifts...
So far i've only had a few snow days this year but the skinny a/t's seem to be working quite well. The tread design works quite well and hooks up great in anything but glare ice (but only a set of studs will help you there).
True soft compound snow tires will help however if the temps go up they wear quickly, where the a/t will last forever. Considering mine are only used in the winter they should last another 10 years.

I made my gf buy michelin x-ice snow tires for her civic and the difference is ridiculous, they are much better in EVERY way. I suggest everyone to get them on a 2wd car. Or proper a/t's on a 4wd.

I agree with everyone who has said that snow tires will have lots of siping which will help grip the road.

Anyone that says wider tires are better, are driving in snow 2 feet deep or more.... and larger voids create less edges to grip the road.. try driving a M/T in the snow... you'll hate life..

NYChopshop

I gotta re-second the recommendation for BFG AT TA/KOs. 33x9, 33x10, whatever floats your boat. I swear by the tread pattern, as do others here. Retreaded by a reputable company, new, whatever. The best all around tire for the money in my commonly shared opinion. Good luck with the choice, and post photos with whatever you decide.

Junkers88

So could you take your mud tires or what ever you happen to be running at the time and just get them siped?

Sea.Jay

personally, your physics thing might be a little wack. i used to run 33x9.5s and going up to the mountian, they sucked! i then went to 32x11.5s and they absolutely rocked. the wider contact path seemed to make them "float" over the ice. the 9.5s just seemed to want go straight down into the snow..then im spinnin tires, etc

Matt16

I aim not to "float" on ice.

Did you stay with the same type of tire or did you switch? That would be a key fact.

elripster

I thought I throw in that Chicago is an ice skating rink this morning and my 33X12.5's were awesome. I can lay into the throttle with out spin as long as I'm in 4wd. In 2wd forget it. I did have Discount sipe them, not sure how much that is contributing. But I can't see ever needing narrow tires for these icy conditions.

Frank