What are the best snow tires?

[stevemcduffie]

I am going up the al-can and doing some 4 wheeling in the snow this winter up in Alaska. I thought that Swamper Boggers would be excellent snow tires, but this guy on my ship says they are not that great in the snow. He says that the best snow tires are blizzard extremes but the guy at my local tire place says he never heard of them. Any ideas? I don't care what they are called, I just want to know what are the best snow tires.

Thanks

[jeepgods]

BFGoodrich mud terrains (best tire made)

[stevemcduffie]

Well, I hate to sound confrontational and I know that everyone has their preference, but there is no way that a BF Goodrich anything is a better mud tire than a Super Swamper anything. That is not just me talking, that is literally everyone I have ever known who owned them.
Not only that, last year one of those offroad magazines set up a 100 yard mud pit and compared about a dozen different tires and the only tire that made it all the way from one side to the other was the swamper boggers. The runner up was also a swamper product. If i recall correctly, the mud terrains, despite the hype, could not even make it halfway across. BFG Mud Terrains are what I have now on my CJ7 (not for much longer though).

Besides, a good mud tire is not necessarily a good snow tire and vice versa.

I need an excuse to buy another set of tires. Please help.

Also, if someone can tell me what issue of which 4X4 magazine that tire shootout appeared in, I would appreciate it.

[joe]

Since you're in WA you might check out Les Schwabs Wild Country Radial TXR's. I run the 33x9.5's on my trucks and really like them. The tread is similar to the BFG MT's and is a very good tire. Schwab makes tires in about every flavor you'd want. I've been running these(various Schwab tires) generally for 25 years because they are good tires and Schwabs warranties and service are great and they have shops all over the west.
You can't go wrong with the BFG MT's though.
I lived in SE Alaska for about 12 years and srongly advise taking along at least one set of chains, properly sized for whatever tires you run if you'll be doing the Al-Can in the winter. It's real common to get 24" of wet snow overnight
Don't waste your money on those sissy rubber band chain tighteners either. Get the right sized neoprene bungie cords instead, along with a couple of spare ones. In case you're new to WA and you plan on bring spare gas cans(a wise move for the Al-Can) don't even think of trying to get on the state ferries with them...drive around instead.
Hate to sound like your dad here but bring good sleeping bags, water, grub with you. If you screw up and drive off the road up there you may be there awhile before you get help.

[JohnnyJ]

Personally, I like my BFG ATs on snow. They are not good in mud, but they do well in snow and ice. The siping and tread pattern works well for those conditions.

I once had a set of Michelin Arctic Alpins on a ford contour, and those things were great on snow and ice; but I don't think they do truck sizes. Plus, they are more for packed snow & ice.

Last year at Sno*blind, I watched the guys with BFG M/Ts, Swampers, and Boggers dig deep in the snow; and since we were on about 4 feet of snow, most would end up plowing large amounts of snow with their front diff and forward motion would stop. The ATs didn't tend to dig as easily, so I could pack down some snow and ride across it.

Snow chains and wheel studs do help, if they are legal where you are.

[Crazy_Jeepman]

Being as I lived in one snow belt or another all my life, also lived in various towns up and down the Alaska Highway, drive truck for a living for 18 years now. I think I know what tires work and what ones don't. I will tell you that MUD tires DO NOT! I would run an actual snow/ice tire. No all season or all terrain tires were ever designed for the conditions you will encounter up on the run you are about to embark on. This is not to say you will not make it, locked in 4 wheel drive with the tires you have, or running what has been suggested so far. Making it and having the tire that will give the traction performance needed to make this a safe trip are two different things by far. Traveling that distance and the chances of bad roads and weather are at a high probability. I would go for Narrow TREAD, ICE/SNOW TIRE. Remember the narrower the more traction on ice and snow, you do not want wide tires at all. I found this article as well kinda interesting. Snow Tire Report

[Joe H.]

FOrget the tires...tell us about the trip! I remember reading an article where some car magazine guy drove the AlCan in a Ford Expedition and was scared sh tless the entire way! There were cars overturned on the side of the road, etc.

I'd love to do a trip like that. Take lotsa pics!

[Michael]

I have that mag on the tires. I was actually dreaming about it this weekend. The BFg Mud Terrain came in 6th. Made it 60 yds of 100. The swampers were from there on up. They did not do bad. You should see the pics. It was some serious mud. My At's do not do bad either. Have had them completely covered and no problems. Great Ice and rain tires.

[Cecil14]

Which mag is it in and what month? Sounds like something that might be worth reading.

Thanks,
Anthony

[Michael]

I will check it out tonight when I get home. It is a great article. The Swampers did win no questions asked.

[bentpushrod]

The Al-can, what a beautiful drive. I drove it in late November-beginning of December in '93. Took me 5 days from ND to Anchorage. Guess I was lucky, beautiful roads all the way up. Some compacted snow and ice. But no worse than what I grew up with in ND. Plus it was warmer weather in AK than ND. I had chains with, but never needed them.

Came back in May of '94. Drove 2700 miles home in 49 hours of driving with 8 sleeping. I was broke and decided to get back as fast as I could.

First day drove 14 hrs and slept for 4 hours in the cab of my pickup at Whitehorse. Second day drove 16 hrs and made it to Dawson Creek, slept another 4 hrs. Than 19 more hours and back home in ND.

[Iron Horse]

If you really want to blast thru some snow check this out: Mattracks

[64Trvlr]

That's a cool site Iron Horse. We need those up here once in a while.

[Hump]

I don't know about blasting (the recommended maximum speed is 45 mph), but you are right Andy, those Mattracks look like they will go over and through more than just snow. Up keep might be a chore too. You think popping a bead in a mud pit is bad, just think how much it would suck if you slipped a track!

If I remember correctly they are like 10 or 12 grand for a set. I think that is less than I will spend on tires in my lifetime. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Iron Horse]

Expensive yes, but one can dream can't he. Just picture it: an M-715 tricked out with tracks, ah............ (thump, bump) what was that?......Oh, just a Honda in a snow bank.

Andy