Disappointing 4WD performance on snow.

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

carymccarr

Full Access Members
Joined
Aug 11, 2019
Posts
1,749
Reaction score
390
Location
Earth
While some might be saying same DOT number, my specific example was that while working at tire shops, we quite often got tires in that were stock, and needed to be replaced. We would often replace them with the exact same brand, model, size, series, and the aftermarket tire was slightly different. Different tread depth, different compound, etc. and it DID have a different DOT number. My case is essentially saying yes, the manufacturers sell OEM specific versions of a common tire that you can't buy retail.

So are the tires that the manufacturer puts on ONLY available to them? You cannot buy them off the rack?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Anerbe

Full Access Members
Joined
Oct 16, 2020
Posts
122
Reaction score
73
Location
Mi
While some might be saying same DOT number, my specific example was that while working at tire shops, we quite often got tires in that were stock, and needed to be replaced. We would often replace them with the exact same brand, model, size, series, and the aftermarket tire was slightly different. Different tread depth, different compound, etc. and it DID have a different DOT number. My case is essentially saying yes, the manufacturers sell OEM specific versions of a common tire that you can't buy retail.

In your case, most likely it was an issue of availability of the original tire from OEM factory, and not the manufacturer / OEM not willing to supply that tire to the market. Larger tire distributors and/or distributors that supply the dealers normally get first prio on stock availability of OEM tires. Of course there could be stock shortages in the market where there isn't enough OE tires to supply - ramp up of production that takes all tire production capacity to fit tires on vehicle, not leaving capacity for aftermarket (higher instances now due to COVID), which would cause a shift of availability to a similar tire spec, but again, it doesn't mean the tires are simply not available for purchase in the market as in the OEM/tire company refuse to supply to market, nor will this similar tire spec be a OEM part approved for the vehicle.

Again, suppliers are, per general terms and conditions, are required to provide a tire designed for the vehicle chassis in the market as a certified OEM part for X period of years after the end of production of the vehicle. All tires fitted at factory have both a tire manufacturer part number and an OEM part number. The factory Hankook 22 has a PN from Hankook and a PN from Ford (Ford PN: XXXX-1508-XX). You call your Ford dealership for a replacement tire (tire rack can also identify this), you can ask them for the Ford specific tire part number for your vehicle. They will direct you to a very specific tire that is certified / tested from the OEM for the vehicle to purchase and it will have a purchase price.

In rare cases, sometimes the ramp up of the vehicle is so fast, that the replacement market has not reacted fast enough in activating the supply chain for the part in service. This case is about operational lagtime, not refusal to sell in the market. I can see in this specific case the perception that the OE part is not sold (or will be sold) in the aftermarket.

Your experiences on the surface may be a refusal to sell these tires to the market, but there's probably other issues ongoing in the supply chain that make the OEM parts unavailable.
 

Anerbe

Full Access Members
Joined
Oct 16, 2020
Posts
122
Reaction score
73
Location
Mi
I would challenge to find any 2020MY car that was sold in the US market to highlight the OEM size which is not available to purchase in the market.

Professionally, I know of just a very specific few fitments, but these are due to aggressive ramp ups / COVID production idling causing stock shortages. I won't state them, as they are very specific and I shoot myself in the foot ;-)

I'm trying to debunk the impression is that 99% / majority of OEM tires are not available to purchase in the market because they are lower quality and cheap as hell...

It's simply not true.
 

Duncan MacDonald

New Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2021
Posts
3
Reaction score
1
Location
98077
My '18 XLT came with Michelin's 18".
I am impressed with their capability through one full winter plus. I do not do any heavy off roading but I do drive through some heavy snow and the Expy hasn't failed me yet.

So did my 2019 XLT Max in the FX4 trim package. I have not done a ton of snow driving with them yet (one season) but the bit I have done has shown no problems.

It would be nice to know what model the original post was describing and what tires. From reading the post it seems everyone is assuming OEM tires on a recent model Expedition but I have not seen this spelled out. Maybe I just missed it.

I have both a 1998 XLT and the 2019 and both have full 4x4 settings via switches. Plus the 2019 has the drive modes which includes "Snow", which puts it in 4x4 Hi. It seems odd to me that the original poster does not have this option and is left only with auto. But with good tires the 1998 is very sure footed in auto mode as well as 4x4.

While I am happy with the stock Michelin tires on the 2019 the stock Goodyear Wranglers on my 1998 were complete trash when it came to snow. One thing to mention is that I purchased the 1998 in Texas and then moved to Washington where I eventually purchased the 2019. The Goodyear Wranglers were so useless in snow even when locked in 4x4 that I went to Costco and put on a set of Michelin Mud and Snow tires with only about 20,000 miles on the stock tires. I have replaced with the same ever since (196,000 miles and counting). I have put a lot of miles on them in the snow and ice around town and up in the mountain passes with an extreme sense of security.

Last note: just since nobody else has said anything about tire pressures, it is worth mentioning - it needs to be right.
 

shane_th_ee

Full Access Members
Joined
Aug 31, 2017
Posts
868
Reaction score
661
Location
Seattle
So did my 2019 XLT Max in the FX4 trim package. I have not done a ton of snow driving with them yet (one season) but the bit I have done has shown no problems.

It would be nice to know what model the original post was describing and what tires. From reading the post it seems everyone is assuming OEM tires on a recent model Expedition but I have not seen this spelled out. Maybe I just missed it.

I have both a 1998 XLT and the 2019 and both have full 4x4 settings via switches. Plus the 2019 has the drive modes which includes "Snow", which puts it in 4x4 Hi. It seems odd to me that the original poster does not have this option and is left only with auto. But with good tires the 1998 is very sure footed in auto mode as well as 4x4.

While I am happy with the stock Michelin tires on the 2019 the stock Goodyear Wranglers on my 1998 were complete trash when it came to snow. One thing to mention is that I purchased the 1998 in Texas and then moved to Washington where I eventually purchased the 2019. The Goodyear Wranglers were so useless in snow even when locked in 4x4 that I went to Costco and put on a set of Michelin Mud and Snow tires with only about 20,000 miles on the stock tires. I have replaced with the same ever since (196,000 miles and counting). I have put a lot of miles on them in the snow and ice around town and up in the mountain passes with an extreme sense of security.

Last note: just since nobody else has said anything about tire pressures, it is worth mentioning - it needs to be right.
Which Goodyear Wranglers did you have? They make a shocking number of different versions...
 

KSC 2019 XLT

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2019
Posts
89
Reaction score
30
Location
DFW
Tires make all of the difference in the world. My 2018 Expedition Platinum came with Hankook Dynapro's. My previous 2015 Expedition Platinum came with Pirelli Scorpion Verde Plus 22" tires. Both the Hankook's and Pirelli's are All Season tires meant for a smooth ride. There is a major difference between the two tires. Both are the same 22" size. The Hankook's are absolutely terrible on wet and any kind of snow. My experience with the Pirelli's was much better. They did much better in rain and snow. Not to mention that they were so much quieter at high speeds. I suspect that Ford made the move to Hankook because of price. Their quote to Ford was probably significantly lower than other brands. You'd think Ford would splurge a little bit for tires on a $80K vehicle. I totally enjoy my 2018 Platinum, expect for the Hankook tires and the stupid auto stop/start which you can't permanently turn off.

Is your 2018 Expy Platinum a 2WD or 4WD? Are the Hankook Dynapro's the HT or ATM? Sounds like HT since you mentioned "All Season". My Expy is a 4WD and came with the ATM's which is all terrain tires.
 

John Ferrero

Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2021
Posts
16
Reaction score
9
Location
USA
Hankook Dynapro HT’s I believe....


My 2018 Exp Max Ltd/302a came with 22" rims wrapped in Hankook Dynapro HTs. They are just about the worst OEM tire for anything other than dry pavement that I've encountered on ANY vehicle...they are dangerous. I did have the displeasure of having the OEM combo. on in late March (were headed to FL so swapped earlier than normal from my winter set-up) and we had a couple inches of typical midwestern snow (fairly heavy/plenty of ice); I was taken aback at just how poor the Expy handled the snow (tread depth was around 1/2) even in snow/sand mode. Just re-emphasized to me just how important the right tire is for safe travel. I'll ditch the Hankooks as soon as the budget allows and move to Contis or Pirelli (see Tire Rack comparo for info.) for non-winter driving.

Because I spend a fair amount of time driving to Colorado from Chicagoland in the winter (snow skiing in Summit Co.) I purchased 18" aftermarket rims and Blizzak DM-V2 snow tires prior to my first winter with the Expy. They have been phenomenal in ALL conditions including several interstate trips in white-out conditions/road closures soon after we passed, 12-15" of overnight snow in the mountains, etc. I would definitely recommend the set-up.

Elsewhere in this thread it was suggested A/T tires as a solution for winter traction. Generally that is a less than optimal decision even if they have the three mountain snow rating, see here for details. If you spend most of your time on-road and you are in a northern climate which gets significant snow/ice/etc. you are best served with a dedicated snow/winter tire.

Lastly it should go without say buuuttttttt.....no tire can overcome the physics of traveling at too high a rate of speed for given traction conditions....slow down in the white stuff/ice and arrive safely!
 
Top