4WD + snow tires?

[Markg2]

Evergreen CO = mountains

Has anyone living in the mountains found the stock tires and 4WD set to snow sufficient for snow, ice after a day or two of snow + inclines?

I can wait and see if my wife slides off a cliff but that's a bit drastic ;-). Her old 4WD Suburban definitely needed snows. I'm wondering how far all the new, fancy, transmission electronics go toward eliminating the need for $ snows?

Mark

 

[Clemson82]

I think you need snow tires. I'd take a two wheel drive with good snow tires over a four wheel drive with all-season tires.

 

[edizzle]

I just went through a 14”-18” depending elevation a couple of weeks ago. I was very impressed with the prowess of the all wheel drive system. But what was immediately evident as I regretted trying to get up my steep 11% grade road. The 22” tires ARE WORTHLESS!!!!!!! I mean worthless in the snow. Granted, this was a heavy, wet snow and the temps were hovering at freezing so it stayed wet and heavy. I have never been stuck in the 14 years we have lived year. This year we were out of commission. My 4 runner which normally does a great job had to use the winch several times. That being said...... I just cannot put an 18” steel wheel or something similar on for the winter. Maybe a 20” factory Ford F-150 or expedition wheel and some snow/winter tires. But if I had my druthers, I think I might keep my factory 22s and put winter/snow or some aggressive off road/all terrain(BFG KO2 or similar) when I put my Lexani Wraiths on there for most of the season.

After I careened down my road heading towards a 10’ tavern loaded with laurel trees and luckily stopped short!!!!! I parked it and walked to the house to begin the adventure with the 4 runner. Once the incline was plowed she (the flexpedition) came up and drove through the mile of deep snow with tracks from the 4Runner very good. I could feel power transferring between all the wheels.

 

[rumline]

I'd say if whoever drives the truck has to be at the office by a certain time each day, get snow tires. I live down in the Springs and we don't really get enough snow to warrant snow tires, but my wife has to be at work by 7:15 am every day. Her AWD suv has snow tires. It's just better peace of mind.

 

[Markg2]

If either of us were still working I would absolutely have snows on the work vehicle. I hate to be late more than I hate the cost ;-). I know sometimes she'll think she's driving slower and think that she 'did' drive with snow and ice on her mind but...

So I guess it comes down to (for me) justifying the snows for her XLT 50/50, she really does need them/and insurance for my peace of mind.

Thanks for allowing me to air this out, get your feedback and come to a conclusion.

Mark

 

[Markg2]

I just went through a 14”-18” depending elevation a couple of weeks ago.

18" of snow didn't 'float' your Expedition? That or close to it sure did my 2000 Silverado 3/4 ton 4WD!

 

[edizzle]

It did and it didn’t. You had to keep the momentum going until you felt it simply build up to much. Stop before it stops you. Put it in reverse. You could now get great traction, good momentum and barrel through some more.

If you let it stop you, it was over, you had to dig it out. If you created indents for any of the tires, it would not move forward or reverse. A delicate battle for sure. I will try to post a video I took of my drive after the initial hill. It shows the road after I had made passes with both the 4 runner and the expedition. Early morning the center would be so hard from the drop in temp, it would make a hell of a racket underneath!!

And to be clear, this was the 14” stuff. The 18” was off the beaten path, snow drift, accumulation over thin brush ground covering. I don’t think I drove over anything more than 15”-16”

 

[JExpedition07]

It did and it didn’t. You had to keep the momentum going until you felt it simply build up to much. Stop before it stops you. Put it in reverse. You could now get great traction, good momentum and barrel through some more.

If you let it stop you, it was over, you had to dig it out. If you created indents for any of the tires, it would not move forward or reverse. A delicate battle for sure. I will try to post a video I took of my drive after the initial hill. It shows the road after I had made passes with both the 4 runner and the expedition. Early morning the center would be so hard from the drop in temp, it would make a hell of a racket underneath!!

And to be clear, this was the 14” stuff. The 18” was off the beaten path, snow drift, accumulation over thin brush ground covering. I don’t think I drove over anything more than 15”-16”

Sounds like something I did in my old explorer...didn’t get stuck either as I recall. Keep in mind this was back when they made a real Explorer lol.

 

[Artie]

Sounds like something I did in my old explorer...didn’t get stuck either as I recall. Keep in mind this was back when they made a real Explorer lol.

View attachment 28280
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Seeing those pictures makes me happy to live in the warmer section of the country. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some snow but what you got there doesn’t look like the type that’s going away anytime soon.

 

[Markg2]

This was our 7', 2009, 1 week snowed in, heaviest snow since moving to Evergreen. Trying to get out with the truck was a hail mary, cabin fever, doomed from the start escape attempt ;-). After realizing that me in the Silverado 4WD was not superman, I tried backing out one more time. The second time was in ~16-24" (had to get to an appointment before the driveway was plowed) and, backing down the steep part to the our turnout before heading the rest of the way down, I floated the truck off the side of the driveway only to be towed out by AAA after snow melt.

My concern is not for the above 'learning experiences' but after we've been plowed and it remains cold and you've got slick on the driveway. I had Blizzack snows on her Burb and that's what I'll again order from Costco. When the OEM tires give out, I'll get a good Michelin all weather set and test those on the slick before getting a second set of snows.

 

[NyackRob79]

The 22” tires ARE WORTHLESS!!!!!!!

Traction has nothing to do with the diameter of the wheel. It has everything to do with weight exerted on the tire and the rubber compound.

All-season tires are considered three-season tires. If you drive in snow, pony up for snow tires or don't complain.

 

[CaptOchs]

The Goodyear Duratrac is considered both all season and snow tire. I've heard a lot of good things about them. It's a good off road tire. The only negative comment I saw was some reported 1-2 MPG loss.
https://www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/wrangler-duratrac?cta=BBCardTireName

I ended up going with the Goodyear Trailrunner. It has characteristics of both their highway tire (Fortitude) and the Duratrac. I live in WNY and I was looking for a little of both. Aside from the snow, I also tow a lot in the summer. Last year I did both with the Trailrunners. I bought a new camper last February. I had to pull the old camper out of a field with a foot and a half of snow. It yanked the trailer out and pulled it through the snow just fine.

 

[theoldwizard1]

There is a big difference between "all season tires", "snow tires" (usually labeled M & S for mud and snow) and "winter tires". Winter tires provide a lot more traction on ice and hard packed snow.

 

[edizzle]

Traction has nothing to do with the diameter of the wheel. It has everything to do with weight exerted on the tire and the rubber compound.

All-season tires are considered three-season tires. If you drive in snow, pony up for snow tires or don't complain.

Correct, I was not implying the diameter was to blame. I was referencing the 22s in regards to their tread pattern and compound which will be different From both the 20s and the 18s.

Also, I was not complaining I was simply replying to a post and offering my experience with the factory 22s but thanks!!

 

[Artie]

View attachment 28281 View attachment 28282

This was our 7', 2009, 1 week snowed in, heaviest snow since moving to Evergreen. Trying to get out with the truck was a hail mary, cabin fever, doomed from the start escape attempt ;-). After realizing that me in the Silverado 4WD was not superman, I tried backing out one more time. The second time was in ~16-24" (had to get to an appointment before the driveway was plowed) and, backing down the steep part to the our turnout before heading the rest of the way down, I floated the truck off the side of the driveway only to be towed out by AAA after snow melt.

My concern is not for the above 'learning experiences' but after we've been plowed and it remains cold and you've got slick on the driveway. I had Blizzack snows on her Burb and that's what I'll again order from Costco. When the OEM tires give out, I'll get a good Michelin all weather set and test those on the slick before getting a second set of snows.

I first read that as 7 inches and thought that those pictures were way off.... 7 feet is a whole other animal... or should I say biblical plague amount.

 

[Markg2]

I first read that as 7 inches and thought that those pictures were way off.... 7 feet is a whole other animal... or should I say biblical plague amount.

You had to be here. After 3 days of constant snow, my wife starting getting seriously claustrophobic--not the size of the house but knowing she couldn't get out. To the point of breaking out her snow shoes because she 'had to go somewhere'. When there was no where. If she'd gotten down the ~200' of our driveway to Horseshoe, the county had yet to plow secondary roads and particularly dirt roads that needed a front-end loader and grader! She made it ~100' and then turned--but did feel better having at least tried. After 5 days I then 'had to do something' also knowing that something would equal nothing. Hence, the Silverado 'at sea' ;-). I didn't feel better!