Real good snow tires

[Cropdoc]

After years of running BFG AT/TA, Mich LTX/MS, Nitto Grappler & WranglerMT/R for winter slush and snow, as well as summer, I have stumbled on to the best winter tire I have ever run, and they look like hell!!!
They are Cooper Discoverer M+S in LT235/85R16. Oh, the tread and tire look just fine. It's just that they look like a set of washers on my truck. After years of running fat 275's & 285's, everyone is kidding me. But boy, do these things ever slice thru crap. Quiet, nice ride, safe, what more could you ask for. Slice thru mud, slush and snow like it was butter. Just wish I could get 'em in a 285 for summer. They would be an awesome AT tire.

[Ryone]

Originally Posted by Cropdoc

After years of running BFG AT/TA, Mich LTX/MS, Nitto Grappler & WranglerMT/R for winter slush and snow, as well as summer, I have stumbled on to the best winter tire I have ever run, and they look like hell!!!
They are Cooper Discoverer M+S in LT235/85R16. Oh, the tread and tire look just fine. It's just that they look like a set of washers on my truck. After years of running fat 275's & 285's, everyone is kidding me. But boy, do these things ever slice thru crap. Quiet, nice ride, safe, what more could you ask for. Slice thru mud, slush and snow like it was butter. Just wish I could get 'em in a 285 for summer. They would be an awesome AT tire.

Hey Cropdoc,

My dad also swears by those same tires. Those 235's will cut through a lot more than a wider tire. I've always had BFG AT/TA's, but I'm looking at getting some new shoes for the truck. Which of the other tires besides your new Cooper's did you like the best?

[Cropdoc]

Originally Posted by BurtonX158

Hey Cropdoc,

My dad also swears by those same tires. Those 235's will cut through a lot more than a wider tire. I've always had BFG AT/TA's, but I'm looking at getting some new shoes for the truck. Which of the other tires besides your new Cooper's did you like the best?

The Wrangler MT/R are too dang loud and rough.
The Nitto's were OK and looked very nice.
The BFG AT are a great summer, off road, good looking tire but poor in snow/slush. They are quiet and easy ridding.
I ran a set of BFG MT's in 305 for 3 months before I got my Nitto's.
The loudest, roughest ridding, nosiest tires I ever owned. Cost me a crap load in fuel comsumption. Ya know, all these big tires are nice but these little 289 cu in motors (4.7L) do not have enough torgue or maybe need lower gearing or a 4 speed auto tranny to really make em work right.

We just had a 4 inch snow fall and I am more than sold on these Cooper treads. Calling for 41 F and rain and slush. I know these Coopers will cut it.

Wish I could get these Coopers in a 285 for summer. They are really sipped well. That's why they are quiet.

[Cropdoc]

Originally Posted by BurtonX158

Hey Cropdoc,

My dad also swears by those same tires. Those 235's will cut through a lot more than a wider tire. I've always had BFG AT/TA's, but I'm looking at getting some new shoes for the truck. Which of the other tires besides your new Cooper's did you like the best?

As I cannot get the Discoverer M/S in a 285, I am planning to get the Discoverer A/T in 285/75R16 come spring for this summer. They look good, should be quiet and do not have coarse shoulder lugs. That was the one objection I had to the Nitto's. They really chattered on dry pavement when you turned them. My Discoverer M/S do that also. But then they have a very open shoulder lug to squish out snow and slush. Guess you can't have it both ways.

Best of luck.

[Ryone]

Originally Posted by Cropdoc

As I cannot get the Discoverer M/S in a 285, I am planning to get the Discoverer A/T in 285/75R16 come spring for this summer. They look good, should be quiet and do not have coarse shoulder lugs. That was the one objection I had to the Nitto's. They really chattered on dry pavement when you turned them. My Discoverer M/S do that also. But then they have a very open shoulder lug to squish out snow and slush. Guess you can't have it both ways.

Best of luck.

I'm still trying to figure out which tires I'm going to get. The main reason I've had the BFG AT's on my vehicles is because of the 3-ply sidewall. I don't know who else does this with their tires... I need to do some research.
The bad thing about the BFG's is that they turn into slicks when it gets muddy. That's the only problem I've ever had with 'em.
Well... I'll figure it out eventually. I'm still licking my wounds from the initial purchase of my truck, so I'm waiting a while to buy the new tires. Between sales tax, license plates, and this past Christmas, I'm a little tentative to buy anything.
Later

[Cropdoc]

Problem is, we're trying to have our cake and eat it too.
I am more impressed with those Discoverer M/S tires every day I use them. It's 41 F today and raining and if it's slush tomorrow I know that I'll have no worries. They are perfect in mud. I clawed my way thru a track across a 100 acre field that the combines and grain buggies had trenched into a soup hole. I had mud and water coming over my hood in some places (I was not in 3 feet of water, it was just my speed and impact that threw it over). They will not turn into slicks.

They are ideal, best of both worlds, and I've tried a lot of different tires in my day. Biggest they make is a 265 in the M/S. Just wish they had a 285, but then too wide is all wrong for snow/slush. I am determined to run the A/T in 285 for summer and the 235 M/S for winter. Best in both worlds, but I have to have 2 sets of tires. Can't have my cake and eat it too.

Yeah, ain't the cost of living a brute?? You have sales taxes too, huh?
My dad always said, "it ain't the high cost of living, it's the cost of high living".
But then, he came thru the 30's.

Best of the New Year to ya.

Originally Posted by BurtonX158

I'm still trying to figure out which tires I'm going to get. The main reason I've had the BFG AT's on my vehicles is because of the 3-ply sidewall. I don't know who else does this with their tires... I need to do some research.
The bad thing about the BFG's is that they turn into slicks when it gets muddy. That's the only problem I've ever had with 'em.
Well... I'll figure it out eventually. I'm still licking my wounds from the initial purchase of my truck, so I'm waiting a while to buy the new tires. Between sales tax, license plates, and this past Christmas, I'm a little tentative to buy anything.
Later

[Mike Donofrio]

Which did you like better?

Just curious since you had experiences with both

[Cropdoc]

Not a fair comparison really.
The LTX were a smaller tire for a smaller vehicle. The 285 Nitto's looked sexier on my larger Tundra. They are both not the answer for snow, ice and slush. Period. The Michelin lasted twice as long. The big Nitto's were harder to push and consumed gas. (not near as bad as those friggin 305 BFG MT's I had) Tundra's 4.7L (288 cu.in.) with a 3.91 gear is no good for a 33" tire. A bad combo. If we are gonna dress up these Tundra's, we need a 4.9 L with a 4.36 LSD gear option, coupled to a 4 speed auto with OD.

Originally Posted by Mike Donofrio

Which did you like better?

Just curious since you had experiences with both

[rayman]

Cropdoc, how are the Cooper Discoverer M+S tires holding up? It's been nearly a year since the last post in this thread. I'm seriously considering them for this upcoming winter. Thanks.

[Cropdoc]

I only run those tires in the winter. I put 'em on in time for deer hunting (Nov 1), and take 'em off in March. They exhibited very little tire wear after 8700 miles. I was quite impressed when I picked them up from the tire shop. However, with the LSD there is very little tire wear due to spinning. I used to be hell on the right rear tires in the past.

[amurrsr]

happy new year-my wife drives a 04 seqoia(no 4wd) in new york,in a recent ice/snow storm,she complained about the traction,would snow tires help? and if so what are the best for a sequoia?
thanks, amurrsr

[sequoiasoon]

Originally Posted by amurrsr

happy new year-my wife drives a 04 seqoia(no 4wd) in new york,in a recent ice/snow storm,she complained about the traction,would snow tires help? and if so what are the best for a sequoia?
thanks, amurrsr

Dedicated snows always help due too the extra siping and rubber compund that does not harden up as much. What size 16" or 17"? I prefer Nokian www.nokiantires.com (do a search for Nokian to see many discussions) other people prefer Bridgestone Blizzak. Check www.tirerack.com for other options and some great info and advice. I recomend changing all 4 (as all places will) because the rears don't help much when you need to stop or turn which is when most accidents are. You can check my pics here http://www.tundrasolutions.com/photo...cat/500/page/2 for what the Nokian SUV looks like (these are 265-70-16 I believe the 265-65-17 has the new tread pattern). I also like dedicated rims so you don't have to spend $40-$50 at the beginning AND end of every season to have them swapped. I bought 4 factory rims from e-bay for less than $200 shipped to my door. This my second winter on these on the Sequoia so the rims have already paid for themselves.

The Nokians are available at STS tire in White Plains and other locations as well as Mallory-Kotzen but STS has better prices.

[longwoodklon]

Are you still running the stock tires? I think if you go with just about any A/T tire you would get better traction than the stock Duelers. Many people here like the Revo's, I just got a pair and they are great. And Michelin or BFG A/T are good tires also.
Getting a second set of rims with dedicated snow tires is a great way to go. But if you are just looking for better traction, you can just get better tires you'll see a VERY noticeable improvement.

[DJ]

I lived in the mountains of New Mexico through four winters. Our '01 Sequoia was FABULOUS in the snow, running on Michelin LTX M/S in P265/70R16. They are magnificent on the highway, on moutain switchbacks, on gravel, on rain, on snow, on everything. You can find a better tire for any particular situation, but I doubt you'll find another tire that's better for every situation. I recommend them highly, and I'll put new ones on both my Sequoia and Tundra when the old ones wear out.

[KLS]

The safest would be a true winter tire on all four wheels...your rears push, but the fronts steer & do most of the braking.

I really like my Bridgestone Winter Dueler DM-Z2. The Bridgestone Blizzak truck tires are very similar. Also excellent are the Nokian line and Toyo winter tires.

Tirerack.com has some good prices on winter tires premounted on steel wheels. They're shipped to you and you can install them yourself.

Here's another very good choice for you...GreenDiamond remolded tires. They're in Elmira, NY, and Colorado. http://greendiamondtire.com/


Ken

Originally Posted by amurrsr

happy new year-my wife drives a 04 seqoia(no 4wd) in new york,in a recent ice/snow storm,she complained about the traction,would snow tires help? and if so what are the best for a sequoia?
thanks, amurrsr