"As for the tires, I'm 100% sold on Toyo Open Country A/T's. I ran 285/70/17s on my stock wheels and they were bada$$ when the bad stuff started flying. Even on a sheet of ice on I80, with cars (literally) spinning in front of, behind, and beside me, the truck went where I steered it and never slid when I had to drive around a car looking back at me in my lane.

I've since stepped up to 305/60/20's, three Goodyear somethings and one Toyo A/T (flat tire 400 miles from home and nothing else in that size). I hate having mismatching rubber, but hopefully they get me through the winter and I can get a full set of Toyo's in the spring. This will be my first winter with the taller and wider 20's, so we'll see how they do".

I think those are way too wide for the winter.

From Tirerack.com:

"Priorities for Sizing Winter Tires Are Different

Does your sports car, coupe or sedan use wide, low profile tires that are mounted on large diameter wheels? Or does your light truck use large flotation-sized tires? If you're going to drive through lots of snow this year you'll want your winter tires and wheels in sizes that help put the laws of physics on your side.

A wide, low profile or large tire has to "plow" a wide path through snow which causes more resistance. The narrower the tire, the easier you can get through snow. We'll help verify sufficient load capacity and the appropriate diameter for your vehicle when you speak with one of our sales specialists or use Winter Shop by Vehicle".

http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/...jsp?techid=126

They recommend 245/70/17's, or 265's. I'd go with the 245's all day long. With studs.

 

Like I said, 16s won't work on the 3rd gens...

235 series rubber is damned narrow for a 30+" tire - in fact it was the defacto size for 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks for many years. 235/85r16 is what was on my 86 w250.

Going down to a 225 wouldn't be significantly narrower - we're only talking about 10mm - and the flipside is I don't think there are any load range E tires in 225.

 

"Like I said, 16s won't work on the 3rd gens... "

Yeah, I got that, some time back.

"235 series rubber is damned narrow for a 30+" tire - in fact it was the defacto size for 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks for many years. 235/85r16 is what was on my 86 w250".

Isn't that what the OP is driving? A 3/4 or 1 ton truck? And yes, a 235/80/17 would probably be a little tall and squirrely for year-round, but it would kick *** in snow.

And I just re-read your earlier post in this thread:

"If you're running dedicated winter tires, you may consider going with a 235/80r17 if you're currently running 265/70r17 - they're extremely close in diameter but the thinner tire will bite a bit better".

What's the deal? First you recommend it, and now it's "too damned narrow". Am I missing something?

"Going down to a 225 wouldn't be significantly narrower - we're only talking about 10mm - and the flipside is I don't think there are any load range E tires in 225".

Which is why I said "They (Tire Rack) recommend 245/70/17's, or 265's. I'd go with the 245's all day long. With studs". To which I would add, "On a second set of wheels".

And I repeat that there's no way in hell I'd run 305's in the winter, or anything close to that wide.

 

Put the meth down, Sparky.

If you take off your anger clouded glasses and read what's written, it would make more sense.

I'll hold off on doing the interpretive dance for you at this time, but please drink some decaf and have another try at it without adding words that I didn't say.

 

What on God's green earth are you talking about? Those are your words, cut and pasted from your posts #3 and #12.

You are the same Horatio102 as the guy who posted in 3 and 12 aren't you? Do you not see the exact words that you/he said, that I quoted?

This last line from post 13 - "And I repeat that there's no way in hell I'd run 305's in the winter, or anything close to that wide" - wasn't directed at you, it was about my opinion of wide-*** tires in the winter in general, and didn't have quotes around it like the direct quotes I made where you completely contradict yourself. I'm referring to the conflicting statements that you did make.

So one more time: "What's the deal? First you recommend it, and now it's "too damned narrow". Am I missing something?"

Lastly, my name isn't "Sparky", I don't do drugs, and you seem to be a bit angrier (and more abusive) than I am.

 

The 305 comment was directed at me. I've spent wheel time in snow with factory 265/70/17's and also the slightly wider and taller 285/70/17's. This will be my first winter with the 305s (engine was being rebuilt by me all last winter), yes I will run them. I'll have my synopsis of how they were next spring...

 

Just some info from various sources about the benefits of skinnier tires for winter driving:

Myth: Wide tires provide better traction under all weather conditions. In fact, putting oversize snow tires on a car delivers better snow traction.

Fact: The opposite is actually true. Wide tires tend to "float" on deep snow, and the tread lugs never have a chance to "dig" through to the road
surface to gain traction. Narrow tires are a better option in deep snow. The tire acts similarly to a knife cutting through butter; the blade works
best when using the narrow edge to push through the butter rather than the wide flat side of the blade.

Myth: All-season tires are so good that winter tires are never needed.

Fact: In some parts of the country, this may be true, but if you live in the northernmost states or in Canada, the traction provided by winter tires
can't be beat. Winter tires reign supreme in rural areas where snow remains on the road for days. They provide 25-percent-improved traction
in deep snow over all-season tires. Metal-studded tires deliver up to 40 percent greater traction on hard-packed snow and ice over all-season
tires, but many locales have restrictions regarding the use of studs.

http://www.motortrend.com/womt/112_9...y/viewall.html

What Size Tire Should I Run?

This is always a compromise. The best tire to cut through deep snow is a narrow one. The worst is a wide one.

http://www.snowtire.info/forum/portal.php?page=6

So do this all...when it snows out this winter just have two sets of tires and wheels at the ready (wide and skinny) and pop em on-and-off
NASCAR style for the Pepsi Challenge and you'll find skinny kicks the hell out of wide.

http://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-te...ter-tires.html

Rudy@tirerack :

I have personally tried a couple different sizes and can say a narrower tire is better for snow use. Keep in mind the tire Rack has alot of people
who have been in the tire business for over 30 years. When we make a recommendation its based on experience. I want everyone to get what
they think is best for there needs. I just don't want people who are not informed to make a bad choice. I am going to leave this thread, but I do
want to leave making it know that myself and the tire Rack recommend a narrower tire for winter. Keep in mind that wider tires are more
expensive so we make a little more profit from them so I have no reason to recommend a narrower tire other than how they perform in snow.

http://www.iwsti.com/forums/gr-tires...onception.html

***

Again, I think two sets of tires and wheels is the way to go. The skinnier tires will want a skinnier rim anyway. Plus, since the skinnier tires won't perform nearly as well as the wider ones on the dry pavement that will be present for much of the winter, you can slam the wide ones on whenever you want. Not using big-lugged tires all year will also make your ride a lot quiter, and give you the better dry-pavement performance that smaller lugs deliver. (More surface area of rubber on the road, which is of course why race cars runs slicks on dry pavement).

If you were to drive around in a snowstorm with your 305's, then do a pit stop and switch to studded 245's, the difference would be astonishing. (Unstudded, and the difference would "only" be huge). I experience the difference every winter in my Jetta. With the stock 185/60/14 all-seasons, I can hardly move in a few inches of snow. With the 175/70/13 studded snows, I can blast through 6-8", and pass people on hard-packed snow and ice doing 60 when they're doing 35.

For the relatively low cost of acquiring a cheap set of steel wheels for the winter, along with the fact that you're going to go through tire rubber anyway, so why the hell not have two sets, to me, it's a no-brainer.

You might post in the spring that "they did fine", but I think that would be just because you didn't quite realize what you were missing out on.

Oh - and Horatio, just to be clear, this was not directed at you - although I'm looking forward to seeing if you're capable of acknowledging the obvious contradiction I pointed out.

Best regards, "Sparky"

 

Sadly, you're still really confused. The reason you're confused is because you ARE adding words to what I said.

I never said "too damned narrow". I said that 235 is damned narrow for a 30+" tire. Do you see the difference? Adding "too" changes the meaning of my statement completely.

Let's eat grandpa.
Let's eat, grandpa.

There's a difference... one comma changes the meaning drastically. Adding the word "too" to what I said also changes the meaning completely.

I advocated running a 235 series tire. It's damned narrow for a 30"+ tire, which is exactly what you want for driving in winter conditions on-road. It's the factory tire size for many "man's" trucks - trucks built for men who needed trucks to do truck things - not these trucks designed with soccer moms and mall cruising douchebags in mind. Skinny tires offer lower rolling resistance and lower weight, which translates into better fuel economy and more power hitting the pavement. They're not as good on dry pavement for emergency maneuvers, but they're better all around.

Now, go ahead and go back AGAIN and re-read what I actually wrote, and you'll see.

Feel stupid yet? If not, try again.

 

LOL. Why on earth would I feel stupid, except for wasting my time reading that mess you just posted.

Good luck to you.

 

You should feel stupid because you failed at reading, apparently multiple times, and attempted to call me out for something I didn't say.

Go ahead and pretend it didn't happen though.



Let's do a little experiment. Go find where I said "too damned narrow" and hit the quote button on that post.