How do winter tires perform in mud?
 

I'm about to order winter tires for a Ranger 4x4 (probably Michelin
Latitudes); I'm wondering how they perform in mud. Or should I be
looking at an off-road tire in a narrow width instead?

On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 00:09:40 -0600, bdubya >
wrote:

>:|I'm about to order winter tires for a Ranger 4x4 (probably Michelin
>:|Latitudes); I'm wondering how they perform in mud. Or should I be
>:|looking at an off-road tire in a narrow width instead?

Deep snow and mud have very similar tire needs, (i.e. large voids and
big lugs), plowed snow and ice require as many gripping edges as
possible and large voids aren't nearly as important. I think BFG
All-Terrain K/O's (which I run on my truck) have the best balance
between cutting edges and voids. while they're not as good as a mud
terrain T/A in the mud, they're waay better for winter driving
conditions.

hth,
Bret

Bret Chase wrote:
> On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 00:09:40 -0600, bdubya >
> wrote:
>
>
>>:|I'm about to order winter tires for a Ranger 4x4 (probably Michelin
>>:|Latitudes); I'm wondering how they perform in mud. Or should I be
>>:|looking at an off-road tire in a narrow width instead?
>
>
> Deep snow and mud have very similar tire needs, (i.e. large voids and
> big lugs), plowed snow and ice require as many gripping edges as
> possible and large voids aren't nearly as important. I think BFG
> All-Terrain K/O's (which I run on my truck) have the best balance
> between cutting edges and voids. while they're not as good as a mud
> terrain T/A in the mud, they're waay better for winter driving
> conditions.

I run the same tires. I got caught in a snowstorm a week after I put
the AT K/O's on and they were awesome. I had to drive 250 kms through
the snow in the Northern Rockies on the ALaska Highway towing a small
trailer with about 600 lbs of hear in the back of the truck. Much of it
was in four wheel drive since we were constantly going up and down
hills. I thought the tires performed admirably.

We also encountered a some very muddy sections and drove into some camp
spots that were pretty soft and deep. Traction in the mud was very good
,especially in four wheel drive. I can't say how well the tires will
wear or how they will perform when they do wear down a bit but right now
they are tremendous.

Stephen

On Mon, 06 Dec 2004 12:28:38 -0800, Stephen
> wrote:

<snip>
>I run the same tires. I got caught in a snowstorm a week after I put
>the AT K/O's on and they were awesome. I had to drive 250 kms through
>the snow in the Northern Rockies on the ALaska Highway towing a small
>trailer with about 600 lbs of hear in the back of the truck.
<snip>

Was this a "hear" hunting trip? <G>

>Stephen

DJ

Stephen wrote:
>
> Bret Chase wrote:
> > On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 00:09:40 -0600, bdubya >
> > wrote:
> >
> >
> >>:|I'm about to order winter tires for a Ranger 4x4 (probably Michelin
> >>:|Latitudes); I'm wondering how they perform in mud. Or should I be
> >>:|looking at an off-road tire in a narrow width instead?
> >
> >
> > Deep snow and mud have very similar tire needs, (i.e. large voids and
> > big lugs), plowed snow and ice require as many gripping edges as
> > possible and large voids aren't nearly as important. I think BFG
> > All-Terrain K/O's (which I run on my truck) have the best balance
> > between cutting edges and voids. while they're not as good as a mud
> > terrain T/A in the mud, they're waay better for winter driving
> > conditions.
>
> I run the same tires. I got caught in a snowstorm a week after I put
> the AT K/O's on and they were awesome. I had to drive 250 kms through
> the snow in the Northern Rockies on the ALaska Highway towing a small
> trailer with about 600 lbs of hear in the back of the truck. Much of it
> was in four wheel drive since we were constantly going up and down
> hills. I thought the tires performed admirably.
>
> We also encountered a some very muddy sections and drove into some camp
> spots that were pretty soft and deep. Traction in the mud was very good
> ,especially in four wheel drive. I can't say how well the tires will
> wear or how they will perform when they do wear down a bit but right now
> they are tremendous.
>
> Stephen

We also are running them on one Jeep with BFG muds on the other and both
Jeeps run the same trails.

Muds are better in mud and deeper snow, but 'better' is a relative term
when comparing those two tires, they both go anywhere, each shine a bit
in their own specialty.

I do not think the winter 'performance' tires would work well at all in
mud. They have many small cuts and look like they would pack to slicks
fast.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

On Mon, 06 Dec 2004 15:50:38 -0500, Mike Romain >
wrote:

>Stephen wrote:
>>
>> Bret Chase wrote:
>> > On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 00:09:40 -0600, bdubya >
>> > wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >>:|I'm about to order winter tires for a Ranger 4x4 (probably Michelin
>> >>:|Latitudes); I'm wondering how they perform in mud. Or should I be
>> >>:|looking at an off-road tire in a narrow width instead?
>> >
>> >
>> > Deep snow and mud have very similar tire needs, (i.e. large voids and
>> > big lugs), plowed snow and ice require as many gripping edges as
>> > possible and large voids aren't nearly as important. I think BFG
>> > All-Terrain K/O's (which I run on my truck) have the best balance
>> > between cutting edges and voids. while they're not as good as a mud
>> > terrain T/A in the mud, they're waay better for winter driving
>> > conditions.
>>
>> I run the same tires. I got caught in a snowstorm a week after I put
>> the AT K/O's on and they were awesome. I had to drive 250 kms through
>> the snow in the Northern Rockies on the ALaska Highway towing a small
>> trailer with about 600 lbs of hear in the back of the truck. Much of it
>> was in four wheel drive since we were constantly going up and down
>> hills. I thought the tires performed admirably.
>>
>> We also encountered a some very muddy sections and drove into some camp
>> spots that were pretty soft and deep. Traction in the mud was very good
>> ,especially in four wheel drive. I can't say how well the tires will
>> wear or how they will perform when they do wear down a bit but right now
>> they are tremendous.
>>
>> Stephen
>
>We also are running them on one Jeep with BFG muds on the other and both
>Jeeps run the same trails.
>
>Muds are better in mud and deeper snow, but 'better' is a relative term
>when comparing those two tires, they both go anywhere, each shine a bit
>in their own specialty.
>
>I do not think the winter 'performance' tires would work well at all in
>mud. They have many small cuts and look like they would pack to slicks
>fast.
>
>Mike
>86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
>88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's


Thanks for the tips, all. I've just checked the user reviews at
TireRack.com, and it sounds like the T/A KO is exactly what I was
hoping to find.

( Heck, it may be more tire than I thought was POSSIBLE - I found one
review from an '87 Ranger driver who says he "went up a hill that was
probly 80 degrees without a problem". <chuckle> I have GOT to get me a
set of those....)

bw

DJ wrote:
> On Mon, 06 Dec 2004 12:28:38 -0800, Stephen
> > wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
>>I run the same tires. I got caught in a snowstorm a week after I put
>>the AT K/O's on and they were awesome. I had to drive 250 kms through
>>the snow in the Northern Rockies on the ALaska Highway towing a small
>>trailer with about 600 lbs of hear in the back of the truck.
>
> <snip>
>
> Was this a "hear" hunting trip? <G>

Whoops, nope. I meant 600 lbs of Gear, not Bear or even Hear. That was
an epic all night drive in an effort to out run the worst of a huge
snowstorm that hit Northern BC in September. I thank those tires for
getting us out of there safely mere hours before the area became
impassable.

We stopped a few times for people who had gone off the road but everyone
was okay. Both times I looked at Fiona and said,"So, how glad am I that
I got the new tires now?".

Stephen

On Mon, 06 Dec 2004 13:46:57 -0700, DJ wrote:

> Was this a "hear" hunting trip? <G>

It might have been recovery "hear".

~Empty

--
"You are not special. You are not a beautiful or unique snowflake.
You are the same decaying organic matter as everything else."
-Tyler Durden, Fight Club
http://www.emptiedout.com