kd1yt
Well-Known Member
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- #1
I am sharing this in case it is helpful. I am not looking to inflame anyone who thinks or prefers differently - to each their own.
One possible set of observations about whether to get dedicated snow tires or not.
My JT is a Sport S. Early on I bought a set of takeoff OEM steel wheels and installed General Grabber Arctic LT snow tires, to run in winter, and I kept the OE alloy wheels and summer tires for non-winter. I have been pleased with the snows.
I live in VT, snow is common, and, unfortunately, icy conditions are becoming more and more common as time goes by. And, as time goes by, more and more people drive like idiots in the winter, as if 4WD or AWD make them invincible.
This fall, I bought a set of near-new Mojave wheels/tires with the Falken AT tires. The Falken AT have the "three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF)" rating which place them in a much better capability for snow than most all-season or all-terrain tires.
If I had the Falken ATs with 3PMSF on the truck originally, I might not have gotten snow tires. Which probably would have been OK, overall
I was really tempted to just leave the Falkens on and maybe sell my steelies with snows. But I also already own the steelies with snows and my philosophy is if the snows keep me out of having to have any body repairs done on my truck, especially by helping me evade stupid situations caused by idiot drivers in winter conditions, they've earned their keep, and are worth the effort to swap on - since I already own them, I figured I'd stick to the plan.
I didn't get around to putting my steelies/ snows on until today. VT has had a series of snows and rains and temperatures cycling above and below freezing in the last several weeks and I have now driven the Falkens in up to 5-6" of unplowed, unpacked snow, uphill, off pavement, and (separate from the unplowed, unpacked snow) in glazed icy conditions, and in fresh snow on top of the glazed conditions.
My conclusion: the Falken AT tires ROCK in unplowed snow as long as there is something with some bite, like gravel, at the bottom of the snow. The Falkens' "go" traction in those conditions may likely even surpass traditional snow tires.
But, on slick conditions, like a glazed icy surface, and especially new snow on top of an icy glazed surface, the snowtires dramatically outperform the Falkens at maintaining traction, for both acceleration and for braking and steering. This is what I like dedicated snows for, to give me better control in the situations in which I may be sharing the road with idiots, under worst-case low traction situations. I did the same test "run" up the same section of unpaved winding uphill partially-plowed (mostly just packed and partially icy, un-sanded, no bare ground) private road this afternoon right before and right after swapping wheels and tires.
I would not say that the Falken ATs with 3PMSF are "lacking" - the Falkens seem like superb tires under any conditions - only that I can tell favorable differences with dedicated snow tires.
Again, to each their own. Everyone has their own set of conditions, and preferences. Just sharing some observations, in case it might be helpful to someone.
One possible set of observations about whether to get dedicated snow tires or not.
My JT is a Sport S. Early on I bought a set of takeoff OEM steel wheels and installed General Grabber Arctic LT snow tires, to run in winter, and I kept the OE alloy wheels and summer tires for non-winter. I have been pleased with the snows.
I live in VT, snow is common, and, unfortunately, icy conditions are becoming more and more common as time goes by. And, as time goes by, more and more people drive like idiots in the winter, as if 4WD or AWD make them invincible.
This fall, I bought a set of near-new Mojave wheels/tires with the Falken AT tires. The Falken AT have the "three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF)" rating which place them in a much better capability for snow than most all-season or all-terrain tires.
If I had the Falken ATs with 3PMSF on the truck originally, I might not have gotten snow tires. Which probably would have been OK, overall
I was really tempted to just leave the Falkens on and maybe sell my steelies with snows. But I also already own the steelies with snows and my philosophy is if the snows keep me out of having to have any body repairs done on my truck, especially by helping me evade stupid situations caused by idiot drivers in winter conditions, they've earned their keep, and are worth the effort to swap on - since I already own them, I figured I'd stick to the plan.
I didn't get around to putting my steelies/ snows on until today. VT has had a series of snows and rains and temperatures cycling above and below freezing in the last several weeks and I have now driven the Falkens in up to 5-6" of unplowed, unpacked snow, uphill, off pavement, and (separate from the unplowed, unpacked snow) in glazed icy conditions, and in fresh snow on top of the glazed conditions.
My conclusion: the Falken AT tires ROCK in unplowed snow as long as there is something with some bite, like gravel, at the bottom of the snow. The Falkens' "go" traction in those conditions may likely even surpass traditional snow tires.
But, on slick conditions, like a glazed icy surface, and especially new snow on top of an icy glazed surface, the snowtires dramatically outperform the Falkens at maintaining traction, for both acceleration and for braking and steering. This is what I like dedicated snows for, to give me better control in the situations in which I may be sharing the road with idiots, under worst-case low traction situations. I did the same test "run" up the same section of unpaved winding uphill partially-plowed (mostly just packed and partially icy, un-sanded, no bare ground) private road this afternoon right before and right after swapping wheels and tires.
I would not say that the Falken ATs with 3PMSF are "lacking" - the Falkens seem like superb tires under any conditions - only that I can tell favorable differences with dedicated snow tires.
Again, to each their own. Everyone has their own set of conditions, and preferences. Just sharing some observations, in case it might be helpful to someone.
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