Snow performance (Road Trip) with studded Hakkapalita

[tjkenck]

Needed to get back from Bozeman to Seattle on Sunday and my flight was cancelled as Seattle shutdown with snow. No flights for days so I decided to drive. Gotta say that this car performed very well. Over 400 miles without seeing pavement, driving only on snow and ice. Four passes. Temperatures down to -15 F.

This rig rocks. My only complaint is the windshield. Hard to keep it from icing over in sub zero weather. Also my ass is sore after 11 hours in the seats. But that’s as like due to age as anything.

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[joeym7]

Where you running it in Selec-Track or 4wd-high?

 

[tjkenck]

Where you running it in Selec-Track or 4wd-high?

Mostly running in 2wd except over passes, then 4 hi. My rubicon doesn’t have selectrack.

 

[syreeves]

Needed to get back from Bozeman to Seattle on Sunday and my flight was cancelled as Seattle shutdown with snow. No flights for days so I decided to drive. Gotta say that this car performed very well. Over 400 miles without seeing pavement, driving only on snow and ice. Four passes. Temperatures down to -15 F.

This rig rocks. My only complaint is the windshield. Hard to keep it from icing over in sub zero weather. Also my ass is sore after 11 hours in the seats. But that’s as like due to age as anything.

Pics of tread and sidewall please? Also - did you have your rig with you in Bozeman already? I'm confused but I'm a slow reader...

 

[joeym7]

Mostly running in 2wd except over passes, then 4 hi. My rubicon doesn’t have selectrack.

Interesting, I was curious about 2wd in snow, but evidently you got the traction you needed. What do you attribute that to the tires, or did you load up your bed?

 

[tjkenck]

Pics of tread and sidewall please? Also - did you have your rig with you in Bozeman already? I'm confused but I'm a slow reader...

I split my time. Grew in in Bozeman but work in Seattle. Jeep lives in Montana.
Hard to get a good tread pic today.

 

[syreeves]

I split my time. Grew in in Bozeman but work in Seattle. Jeep lives in Montana.
Hard to get a good tread pic today.

Thanks - love them! I used to run Hakkapeliitta snows on a '93 Saab 900, a '95 e350 touring and an 04 BMW 325ix touring. I don't have pics unfortunately and studs are illegal in Minnesota but I WAS INVINCIBLE! Great tires. I haven't needed snows in a long time but good to know they (Hakkapeliitta 's) are still out there.

 

[Rubi_Rhod]

I’ve been running these too up central Washington to make the pass, and they have been phenomenal. Best winter I’ve ran. Super quiet too.

 

[tjkenck]

Interesting, I was curious about 2wd in snow, but evidently you got the traction you needed. What do you attribute that to the tires, or did you load up your bed?

I had nothing in the bed. It just tracked great. Don’t know that I needed 4hi on the passes but it gave me confidence. I’ve run Nokias before on a LR3 without studs and they were great. These are just better.

 

[Wyofuy069]

The LT3 studded is an amazing tire

 

[ShadowsPapa]

More proof that decent tires make a great difference. We used to get the best snow tire we could afford years ago and got by great with only 2wheel drive vehicles. I recall the blizzard of 1973 where they couldn't use plows and had to open roads with snow blowers - but I got across town fine because I had the right tires.

 

[Kevin_D]

The last time I bought dedicated snow tires I asked my local Discount Tire about the Hakkapeliittas, and was told they’re a great tire with studs, but not so good without: they’re designed to run studs. Since I didn’t want a studded tire (studs only help in certain limited conditions,) I ended up with Blizzaks, and they were great.
On the Jeep I’m running the Dueler A/T’s, and in 2WD with the traction control on, I’ve had no trouble. I’ve put it into 4WD over the passes more for peace of mind rather than necessity.

Kevin

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