Do You REALLY Need Snow-Rated Tires on Your 4x4 Truck to Survive the Winter? Let's Find Out! | Ep. 2

[@IGmeanwell]

Anyone who lives in a snowy climate especially in hill country or the mountains knows there is a dramatic difference in the ability to go down hill or emergency stop if you have dedicated snows. It’s the difference between staying on the road in control or ending up in a ditch.

[@richmanerd]

Or off a cliff.

[@ddbutikofer825]

100%

[@Blanky889]

There's no comparison. Dedicated winter tires make a HUGE difference.

[@immortalxscrub3274]

Tires makes big difference, my stocks sucked in the snow and I did lift wheels and tires and I chose mickeythomson Baja boss AT and they are amazing in all conditions. In the snow I barely ever need to put it in 4wd

[@IndefiniteGentlemen]

I think in past years these guys have looked at 'dedicated' snow tires versus 'snow-rated all-season' and those comparisons are pretty interesting. The type of rubber used and the tire designs have gotten so good that you can pretty much use a snow-rated all-season and know that you're 95% as good as any snow tire. Of course we know that studded snows are the very best for the extremes, but almost no-one here needs *that* level of traction. Amazingly though I'm starting to hear studded snows in the parking lots here in Colorado, and hey, if you want to maintain several sets of tires, good for you.

[@JogBird]

i dont get ppl who spend $80k on a truck and skimp out on the tyres

[@electroniccheeks]

@@Chriskelly19067 I agree with both of you.

[@RobG001]

Guess most trucks are bought with finance, tyres you pay cash for. :)

[@cleetismcdougall5425]

@@RobG001 nope, credit cards. That’s why most people are hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.

[@jmanyoo3305]

Tires*

[@cleetismcdougall5425]

@@jmanyoo3305 tyres is the correct spelling in some countries.

[@briancarmichael1668]

I’m from the snow belt of southern Ontario. We received about 120cm of snow last week when Buffalo got socked in. I have worked in construction for over 40 years. And I can tell you from experience in every kind of truck or van. An actual snow tire, will give you significantly more grip than a 3 peak AT tire.

[@evictioncarpentry2628]

Debatable on the type of snow & ice. My grand cherokee on blizzak DMV2 and previously Nokain Haakkapelliti's still floats around the road with any accumulated snow or slush where as my truck on duratracs is planted. If it's pure ice, it's the other way around. Duratracs are still good but the dedicated winters are better.

[@normanflint8757]

In heavy deep snow,**MTN.snowflake,hybrids work good in packed and icy..

[@Powerstroke431]

I have Michelin X-ice tires on my f150 and just drove highway #1 through the rockies in Alberta/BC and boy oh boy they preformed extremely well. Can only imagine how good studded winter tires are!

[@teebo5298]

@@Powerstroke431 just drive thru from bc to Vernon half way to Alberta sheesh needed those winters .

[@66cotter]

​@@evictioncarpentry2628I've had both those tires and you're 100% correct. Most snow tires in slush are not very good. They are more designed for hard pack and ice. Here in Nova Scotia, we have tons of slush and it's difficult to drive in it.

[@jasonbrushett2005]

Should now do a test with a 100% true winter tire

[@jeremiahmejias6719]

With studs

[@EuroYardService]

@@jeremiahmejias6719 I’d say studs only make a difference on ice

[@masonm3454]

Should also compare 2×4 real snow tires vs 4×4 all seasons

[@RagedDoDo]

Tires with big spikes sticking out only

[@bloodbushcraft2467]

Yes test true winter tires

[@Welcometofacsistube]

I've lived in Saskatchewan all my life. In winter it's 90% tire 10% vehicle

[@Tonyx.yt.]

You forgot some % for the driver beign not brain dead

[@deejayimm]

It doesn't matter where you live, or the climate, it's always 90% the tire. In Indiana on my way to work in the rain, I watch everybody hydroplaning on the high mileage tire they bought, while I'm running around on max performance summer tires that don't even know the road is wet. Of course I'm replacing my tires more often than they are.

[@MrM3drvr]

@@deejayimm This is something everyone also seems to ignore. Dedicated summer performance tire is night and day difference on rain and dry pavement!

[@lesalbro8880]

@@Tonyx.yt. Definitely. I've seen too many people who seem to forget that snow and ice are still slippery, even if they have a 4WD vehicle with snow tires on it. If having snow tires causes someone to drive as if they were driving on dry pavement in the summertime, those snow tires have actually made them and everybody else, less safe. You still have to have the proper mentality, and respect for conditions. I would guess that the is less of an issue in Saskatchewan, than it is where I live in Wisconsin, but I'm giving the driver at least 40%.

[@darrin2053]

Saskatchewan boy myself, I run studded winter tires on my Silverado and it’s dam near like a mountain goat.

[@SimRacingVeteran]

I live in Northern Ontario, Canada. I have snow tires for my Tundra. Snow tires aren’t really for snow. It’s extreme cold and gripping on ice. A winter compound is softer and performs better in the cold. I’ll always have winter tires for my vehicle based on my geographical location. Quebec it’s mandatory for all vehicles to be fitted with snow tires.

[@peijae1]

Living at 9000ft in the snowy mountains of Colorado, Ive tried nearly every major snowflake rated all terrain tire out there. Of course, the BFG KO2 is a decent tire but turns into a hockey puck in black ice and not enough tread for deep snow. Goodyear DuraTracs have great deep snow or mud traction, but not enough siping for ice either. The General Grabber ATX is a lot like the BFG performance but a bit better on ice and deep snow, so a step up. The best tires I use are the Falkien Wildpeak AT3W: best in sheer ice, excellent deep snow traction, clears its tread and has the best all around traction of any tire I have tried in winter conditions. For the budget minded, the awesome new Falkien Rubitrek is basically an AT3W with softer tread, snowflake rated and 2/3 the price. Just my two cents 😉

[@jamms2966]

thank you for this🙌🙏

[@kevinbreese5739]

Good info, but FYI, it's spelled Falken.

[@DROPTINE]

@@kevinbreese5739 LMFAO Who the F#@K CARES everybody knows what he is talking about..... People kill me...................

[@kevinbreese5739]

@@DROPTINE"Lighten up Francis". If he only spelled it wrong once, I'd leave it be, but since he did it twice, I felt it was my duty to inform him. Spread and reinforce knowledge, not hate and misinformation.

[@DROPTINE]

@@kevinbreese5739 LMAO It's your "DUTY" STFU! Good thing they have you here to do your "DUTY" 🤣😂

[@oldtimefarmboy617]

You can have 20 wheels on the ground all driving your vehicle all the time and it will not matter one whit if you have no traction or are a crappy driver. I once had a 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme with all season tires and went driving across town during a snowstorm and at one point I had to weave around pickups of multiple types that had gotten stuck. I even drove through a snow drift that a short Jeep was stuck on the top of. And it was all because I knew how to drive on slippery roads. Growing up on a farm miles away from a paved road is a good teacher.

[@buildurtruckurway9118]

Here in Canada I don’t find the powder snow to be an issue it tends to add traction on icy roads. It’s when the road is solid ice not black ice but when it’s shiny like a skating rink. Or a few hundred cars have spun the wheels from a take off takes all the friction off the ice. That’s when I find the winters actually make a huge difference.

[@rhekman]

4:24 I'm glad they pointed out these Falken WIldpeaks are All-Terrain tires with a snow rating, not actual dedicated winter tires.

[@gs98999]

Yes the guy knows what he’s talking about. Quite a big step up from AT to true winter.

[@YouDontKnow-that]

I was excited for this test until I saw there wasn't an actual winter tire in the comparison

[@clearcut6818]

He's too poor

[@integraloutdoors]

I just started watching and was wondering if they would mention that. Seems like an incomplete test without real winter tires.

[@dashcammer4322]

@@clearcut6818 No, it's just that many people with plenty of money don't want to switch wheels twice a year, or switch too early/late, or store 4 wheels all year. This includes a lot of internet snow tire warriors who preach "you must have dedicated winter tires" but don't actually have any themselves, or are housebound types whose life consists of sitting in front of a PC all day and commenting on the internet.

[@bmartin7828]

I recently retired my Falken AT3W tires I bought in 2015 and bought a set of Goodyear Ultraterrain tires from Discount tires, also three peaks rated for my GMC Sierra and they are better than my Falken tires ever were. My Falkens were great in the snow too I just went with the Goodyears based on the good ratings. Originally my Falkens were $166 each and last month the price was almost $400 each so I went with the Goodyears for that reason too. 275/70 LT18 E-rated.

[@jmarcinko1139]

Yep. Put the Falkens on my 4Runner back in 2018 $128 each for OEM 265/70/17. They have been really good for me. Starting to look for replacements now and wow have they increased in price. Many alternatives at price they are now.

[@jordantrujillo293]

@@jmarcinko1139 I work at a Discount Tire and see tire prices all the time. Unfortunately lots of tire options and brands have raised prices a bunch! Best deal you can get is if you shop online for rebates first.

[@richardahola692]

Used to live in Michigan. Lots of snow. My wife was ready to sell her MB 300E. It wouldn't move in the snow. I ordered a set of four Blizzax winter tires from Tire Rack. The day they arrived we got 10" of snow. My wife had parked her car on the circle in front of the house. Half hour to drive around the circle and into the side garage. I put the snow tires on and went out for a drive. No problem pulling out of the driveway and down the road plowing through drifts. Found a few big drifts 2' to 3' and no problem. I stopped in a big drift and the car pulled like crazy. Completely different animal. The price of the tires was nothing compared to the extra shopping she could do though.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

I love tests like this. Here in northwest PA in the Lake Erie snow belt, I put dedicated snow tires on each of our vehicles every winter.

[@toddneilmacintyre]

I’d like to see triple Peak all terrain vs dedicated winter tires compared. Can’t find one video on it.

[@arandomelk8559]

I think tyrereviews has that with a general tire

[@kobayashimaru8114]

Love videos like these. Would like to see a comparison of several winter rated AT tires with a dedicated winter truck tire thrown in.

[@billybobbob3003]

LETS SEE THEM PROVE YOU TRUELY NEED 4X4/AWD ''LIVING IN THE MOUTAINS WITH SNOW'' LOL

[@theaterlightman89]

Maybe some ice-x michelins

[@mark.mahorney]

Can't go wrong with pirelli scorpions, good all around compromise, soft compound, some lug and sipe. Heavy lugs can be really dangerous on ice.

[@Weatherby406]

I grew up a few miles from Canada. First vehicle was a Mazda b2200 2wd manual Transmission like my father wanted. I learned so much driving that for a couple years. Once I bought myself a 4x4 I felt invincible. 2 million miles now without an accident.

[@TheWolfMatt]

I've been using the Falken Wild Peak A/T3W on all my trucks for years and years. I get a comfortable ride all year long and don't have to worry about traction issues going from on to off road (even if there's snow). Great tire for anyone who has to do on/off road work with their truck, especially if they have to drive in the snow.

[@justinalderton7485]

Love the falken wildpeak at3w just put set on the suburban great all around tire done everything I've thrown at it

[@DCuerpoJr]

I also have the Falken Wild Peak A/T3 W’s and use them on my Jeep up here in the Pacific Northwest. They’ve been reliable in cold, wet and snow conditions whether on-road or off. I normally drive through Snoqualmie and Steven’s Passes that often get several feet of snow in a single storm. So far these tires on the Jeep have never left me stranded.

[@mikesamson1930]

How noisy are they at highway speeds?

[@luiseldewashington1768]

I’m from the PNW Washington state, last week we had a little ice and police/ambulances/tow trucks got tons of work, multiple crashes, a few fatalities

[@vexicon]

I dedicated a set of 3 peak tires (Toyo ATIII) for winter driving on my Durango last year. Total game changer for the several times it sees snow during the winter months.

[@johnkruton9708]

I have used Bridgestone Blizzaks on my truck and my wifes SUV since 2007. We rarely get snow but alot of black ice. More rain than anything. I won’t go into any winter without doing the winter wheel swap. I’ve used the OEM Michelin LTS which are mud and snow rated and recently have BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A’s as i wanted “truck tires” on my Ridgeline. (no snickering) The difference is the Blizzaks in the rain and snow against LTS and TA’s is about 50’ in snow and much more secure in rain. The Blizzaks will give you warning you are exceeding traction. The others just let go. I’ve learned that if you go too fast even with dedicated snows and all wheel or 4 wheel drive or even locked all around you can still put yourself in the ditch if you exceed your traction for the conditions.

[@khap60]

i am surprised that the US (or at least states in wintery climates) still don't require dedicated winter tires (in Germany it is mandatory to have winter tires mounted from Nov to March). It is an initial additional expense but in the long run it diminishes the cost.

[@DanuteP]

In states like Alaska, there can be extreme differences in driving conditions depending on where you live. This makes requiring tire changes statewide impractical. My area prefers studded winter tires because we are fairly rural, lots of snow & ice all season long, and we drive at highway speeds.

[@QRLSpoon]

Québec,canada to, 1 december trought 15 march ist mandatory.

[@DemocracyOfficer2485]

Your entire country is the size of one of our large states. That’s why. Completely different climates across the country let alone how much it varies within just one state

[@pasifsc3749]

We do that tire "circus" every autumn and spring between summer tires and proper studded winter tires here in Finland. Winter tires are a must.

[@kevinthomson6324]

Some parts of Canada winter tires are required by law. I can’t believe it’s not that way everywhere. Well everywhere that gets consistently below a certain temperature. A common mistake is you only need snow tires for snow. You also need them even in the cold. Summer tires are like hockey pucks on a cold day. Even in the dry they offer very little grip while braking.

[@peterscott2662]

This is more of a tire company myth to sell winter tires to people that don't get snow. If you don't get snow and ice you don't need winter tires.

[@RealJeep]

I ran General Grabbers in the summer in Montana, and in winter I switched to Blizzaks which in my opinion are incredible snow tires. I ran them on a F-350 utility weighing about 9,500 pounds.

[@lobbyrobby]

My exact setup but on a f150 in ND. Grabbers are a great summer tire but suck on ice!

[@Fin.mint.]

As someone who lives in the northeast, those wild peaks don't cut it. If you're driving on somewhat maintained roads fine, but if no plow came through and there's 1.5 feet of snow the wild peaks will immediately fill with snow and leave you stranded. Took 4 hours to get out.

[@TFLtruck]

Which truck tires would you recommend for these extreme conditions?

[@Fin.mint.]

@@TFLtruck I have General Grabber ATXs, but K02s and KM3s are great as well. The Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme works well too.

[@Flydevice1]

I’ve driven through 1.0 feet snow on 33s toyo open country at2 extremes. Drove just fine on a 2018 ram 2500.

[@Fin.mint.]

@@Flydevice1 I second the open country's. I have a friend who runs them on his 2013 2500 6.0.

[@landonmorel3715]

if you live in the northeast you probably need to run dedicated snow tires in the winter months

[@ElementofKindness]

Years of driving Miatas year round in snowy central Pennsylvania, I can tell you tires are everything. All seasons won't even move the car in snow. Dedicated snow & ice tires is comparable to driving on wet roads with all seasons.

[@nojoke327]

I run Toyo AT2 and they have been great in just about any weather. Then one winter a few years I decided to get a set of Firestone winterforce tires and I was absolutely amazed at what I was missing with a set of designated snows. Plus they were almost half the price and I didn't care about chewing them up plowing. I'll always run a set of snows from now on

[@leadnsteel1428]

I'm using Goodyear Duratracs as my winters and Goodyear Wrangler all terrain for summers. The Duratracs are a beast in both mud and snow

[@detobias2000]

+1 on the winterforce ! relatively cheap, amazing snow and ice traction, pretty loud compared to OEM SR-A.. small reduction in fuel economy - not as much as I feared ! PS tirerack will stud them for only sixteen dollars each, and that will give you EVEN MORE ice and crud control

[@amhicks21]

I put a set of 35x12.50 arctic claws on my f350 and haven't used 4x4 since because they bite so hard that the truck hops around turns in the snow. I remember seeing so many comments when researching winter tires of people saying "they just want you to spend more money on another set of tires". That couldn't be further from the truth. I plow snow in the winter and remember dreading getting back and forth to my plow rig when the snow got deep in my old car. Now I have zero worries. Well worth it.

[@jfalconerfalconer]

Another interesting concept to test is air pressure in snow/ice, as a few psi can help quite a bit especially if your vehicle doesn't have 4WD/AWD

[@NenadTrajkovic]

This is the reason why in most 🇪🇺European🇪🇺 countries (from November to March) winter tires are mandatory. Warm Mediterranean countries are the exception. And of course DLR daytime running lights. Put Michelin CrossClimate2 on a white truck,they are not too expensive for 17’ wheels

[@montuckyman4982]

It depends on where you want to drive! Want to drive into the mountains, looking for lion tracks or ice fishing or hunting elk in DEEP snow, your far better off with a full MUD tire that is then siped by the tire shop. Just got done with a set of Cooper Stt Pro 295-70-18 on my f150. Awesome winter tire FOR ME. Good enough traction on icy roads but awesome in axle deep snow. If you only drive on paved roads all winter and as a daily driver then GET ACTUAL SNOW TIRES! Studs are overrated except on glare, pure ice. Used studs a lot here but the blizzaks and nokians are incredible.

[@davva360]

I lived near Philadelphia for 5 years and during that time I drove some cars that were in theory at least terrible in the snow. I drove them in snow regularly in up to a foot of snow on the road. One of the cars was a 1984 Chevrolet Caprice station wagon, a massive boat with no weight over the rear tires and very wide tires. I never once got stuck, slid out of control, or ended up in a ditch. With the correct technique you can safely drive in the snow. Controlling your speed and making small throttle, brake and steering inputs and knowing how to control a slide are key elements. I used to go out and practice in the snow when I first learned to drive. Extreme acceleration and braking tests are not real life examples of how you should be driving in the snow although you may have to brake suddenly in an emergency. With all that said I am sure snow tires do better but learning proper technique is more important regardless of the tires you have. I would probably invest in snow tires if I lived in a place where it snowed a lot.

[@armytruth6860]

Now these are videos we enjoy

[@TFLtruck]

Thank you for watching!

[@stanpersful4723]

We moved to Anchorage, AK a couple months ago and before coming we got a set of Goodyear ultra terrain tires and these things are amazing. They stop awesome and even in 2wd do really good with the record snowfall we've had the past week. put it in 4x4 with the traction control and it's a beast. (2022 Lariat FX4 shortbed 4dr.)

[@tehschkott]

I'd really like to see a head to head with Nokian Hakkapillita LT3 (studless) vs Falken Wildpeaks (or BFG KO2) vs a Cooper MT tire.

[@cordellroberson532]

nokian is literally THE winter tire brand. right up there with Goodyear and Bridgestone. but with more focus

[@tehschkott]

@@cordellroberson532 That is what I'm rocking. I love them to pieces. But I'd still like to see how they stack up.

[@milkrvr4088]

I had cooper 35” mud tires and they sucked in the snow I got a set of milestar mud tires on a beater truck because they were cheap and they are way better in the snow I also have Goodyears ATs and they are good not great but good they don’t ride as well as the milestars either

[@milkrvr4088]

I have some cooper at3 tires also and they are the worst not bad brand new but horrible after not many miles I wore out a set in 6 months we lived 11 miles out of town about 6 miles of gravel

[@randylgrep]

@@milkrvr4088 it's unfortunate that they're discontinued, but cooper made the ATW tire. Similar to the AT3 But an actual snow tire. They performed amazing.

[@klaushuxley3342]

I live in MI, and I used to DD an '87 BMW 325IS. Firestone Winterforce tires were a DIRT cheap game changer. The car was completely useless on regular all-seasons. Now driving an FJ Cruiser on Open Country AT3s. They're decent enough in the snow, but they're certainly not a real-deal snow tire. Despite having the 3 peak snow rating.

[@jeffmc306]

Andre, I gave up on my RAM 2500 6.4’s Transforce AT’s after one winter here in Northern IL. Switched to a set of Michelin Agilis CrossClimates with 3 peak rating. HUGE difference in wet and snow conditions. They even ride better on dry pavement. We tow a 27’ Airstream and it was white knuckles in rainy conditions before but no more. Firestone AT’s come in last when compared with other tires in it’s category on TireRack and I agree.

[@trevorhocking4107]

Seems like they put the cheapest deal that Ram can get from a tire company on their trucks just to get them out onto public roads not worrying about safety which should be a type priority from RAM

[@kenwheeler8135]

I had a Ford 2017 F-150 FX4 that I did a leveling kit, and installed the Falking Wildcat AT3, and noticed one hell of a difference. Better than the Duratracs.

[@mjtoutdoors9034]

Would love to see Stubby on some wildpeaks

[@Mayamax3]

A quality dedicated winter tire transforms two-wheel drive vehicles even more so. My wife's vehicle is FWD with dedicated winter tires. Those tires are the difference between a white knuckle affair in snowy conditions or an easy commute. Unfortunately, 80% of the the people sharing the road are running slick all-seasons which makes them a hazard to be around.

[@RedWingsninetyone]

I'd be interested to see the same tests with dedicated snow tires rather than just snow-rated all terrains.

[@drivewayhero]

Man the relief in the guys voice when the cheap truck almost ties the truck he spent so much money on. Did he mention btw that he spent a lot of money on his wheels/tires. In case not, guys he spent a lot of money on it

[@slmjake]

I use snow tires on older original equipment rims on my 2004 Ranger between November and March here in NE Ohio. They work great for muddy deer hunting trails in fields as well. Then the awesome Michelins go back on with nice rims for the rest of the year. Huge safety factor. Summer, you need great tires for rain and highway and loads and then in winter get snow tires on cheap rims for safe stopping and traction.

[@thechosen5805]

Say it again for the people in the back!

[@ArnieD17]

Snow tires really make a difference. Had a car that was easy to get stuck[87 Acura Integra]. Put Blizzaks on it and then could drive right up a hill when everybody else was spinning. The number of puzzled looks on people's faces was amazing.

[@omnipresentvideo7686]

The three peak mountain snowflake doesn't necessarily mean "snow rated" it signifies "severe duty" rating. Basically an all-weather tire as opposed to an all-season tire. And yes there is a difference. Winter tires are another category entirely which also have the 3 peak mountain snowflake symbol.

[@cordellroberson532]

also only tests straight-line acceleration grip, not turning of braking

[@ericviola8659]

it literally means 'severe SNOW service rated' not severe duty.

[@raziqafg]

4WD with a set of Toyo GSI-6. U will drive around like it's summer time. I off roaded in deep snow with a QX56 and a set of toyos and it drove it home for me. I will not let anyone in my family drive a car without winter tires.

[@slmjake]

Great video guys! Practical stuff is where your content offers may really shine!

[@1dumpedviper]

You guys were already my favorite channel on KZbin, now that you've added Howard wallowitz to the mix, It's that much better!! A 2022 festivus miracle!!!

[@ZRaddue]

On my 2010 FJ Cruiser I went from stock tires to the Falken Wildpeak AT3/Ws and in snowy conditions it was a night and day difference. I recently sold my FJ and got a 2021 Ram 2500 Tradesman and moved to Montana. Instead of going for a winter capable all season like the AT3/Ws I decided to opt for a dedicated winter tire being there's snow on the ground for about 5-6 months out of the year out here. I opted for the studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta LT3's and OH MAN the difference. At full throttle with traction control engaged it's nearly impossible for me to break the rear end of my truck loose on snow and ice. They honestly perform so well and give me so much confidence that sometimes I forget that I'm driving on ice. The night and day difference from stock tires to the Falken Wildpeaks was like a small nudge compared to the difference in snow and ice capability from the Wildpeaks to the Hakkapeliittas. If you don't want to swap out to dedicated winter tires, the Wildpeaks are great, but I would ABSOLUTELY suggest moving to a dedicated winter tire if you're going to be driving on snowy or icy roads more than maybe 25% of the winter. They're absolutely worth the money for the peace of mind and to keep you out of a ditch or from plowing into other vehicles on the road.

[@BS-zc4zo]

After driving 25+ years in Canada, the Haka LT3's are an excellent tire. Plus it forces you to rotate your rubber twice a year and get maximum mileage out of your tires.

[@chriswilliamson806]

I've had Pro Comp MT on my Gladiator for years, and they've done well.. Bought new ones and with a winter storm on the new tires Gladiator Pro comps MT... I was in 2wd the whole time with streets covered and barely spinning or loss of traction..

[@craigquann]

That's the route I went for Canadian winter. A 3peak rated all terrain. Not a dedicated winter but saves change over and storage

[@benruthlessburger8905]

I have k02 on my 17 Tacoma and i thought I was invincible until my truck slid and lock up on a small snowy hill. Scary times lol.

[@Hilliard99999]

It would have been interesting to see if the trucks could have done that in 2wd. I drove a newer 2 wheel drive truck 1/2 ton rental and was impressed how well the traction control worked and in general how wheel the 2 wheel drive truck had traction in the snow as compared to my 1990s era pick ups i am used to.

[@dfnc03]

I think gm vehicles have a 2wd rear locker option as well I'd like to see compared

[@jerryjeromehawkins1712]

​@@dfnc03 Having lived in Northern Maine for a good part of my life a rear locker would be nice in some situations... whereas a limited slip rear axle is great in MOST situations. I had a 2004 F150 2wd, 4.6 with a limited slip. That truck was fantastic no matter what the road conditions. Deep snow, ice, pouring rain... just awesome. A rear locker is fine in deep snow or mud but for all around driving a properly functioning limited slip is the way to go.

[@nvgun40]

Chiming in from Alaska. I own two Ram 2500s (a 3rd gen and a 5th gen), plus a Jeep XJ and a Subaru Legacy. We run dedicated winter snow tires on every vehicle and dedicated tires for summer (the gen 5 runs a factory type highway tire in the summer, because its primary job is towing a heavy trailer; while the gen 3 runs an off road tire. It's primary job is hauling the heavy loads and gathering wood. It goes off road quite often). Initial expense for running two sets of tires on all the vehicles was quite high, when you factor in the extra rims. For the Gen 5, I don't have extra rims, so every spring and (on the second season only this year) and fall, I have to take it in and have the tires changed over. On the rest of the vehicles, I change them myself because of the extra rims. While I said; initially the cost was higher to set up with the extra rims and tires I have found a significant savings over the long term. For example, the gen 3 Ram winter tires were purchased in 2014 and still have about 40% tread life, while the summer tires were purchased in 2016, and still have around 70% tread life. We see the same sort of slow wear and longevity with the XJ and the Subaru summer and winter tires. Primarily because the summer tires are only run for around 4.5-5 months of the years and the dedicated snow tires the rest of the year. We expect the same longevity with the gen 5. Prior to having extra rims and running dedicated snow tires in the winter and just running a tri peak rated all season tire, with the hauling and towing and general use for the entire year, I was buying new tires around every 4-5 years.

[@a.d.414]

Try Bridgestone Blizzak V2. Best snow tyre

[@CherokeeChief.]

I just bought the big foot tire and they did great in the blizzard we had and -14 degrees in Denver. The 3 peak rated AT makes such a difference. I went from a mud tire to these and I feel way more confident stopping with these on.

[@michaelbrown5980]

I am so glad you have finally done this video. 3 peak At tires are fantastic on the snow. I would love to see you guys do specifically that vs a dedicated snow tire to see how much better they are vs the ATs. I've been running Hankook AT tires with the 3 peak snow rated and have never had trouble in NH winters.

[@n0pe213]

I think no matter what dedicated snow tires will be better, especially on ice. Maybe not in deep snow, but the rubber compound on winter tires are softer. And they remain softer at lower temps compared to AT tires.

[@gs98999]

I’ve ran both. There’s a pretty big difference. AT are decent in snow, but I found pretty bad on ice and packed snow. Dedicated winters are much better. This is why the 3peak rating doesn’t really tell you much. But like Alex says in the video it means swapping tires every season and lot of people aren’t willing to do it.

[@96kylar]

@@n0pe213 and the softer, don’t expect 100k out of them. Give some to get some.

[@n0pe213]

@@96kylar but when you’re switching between AT and winter tires you won’t get more mileage, but you’ll get more time between having to replace tires

[@wildbill23c]

The 3 peak rating on a tire just means they're able to handle deep snow better than a non-3 peak tire...ice is a completely different story, that 3 peak rating means nothing for ice, only studded tires will help on ice, and some of the 3 peak tires can be studded.

[@IronWolfOverland]

Local tire shop guy talked me out of mud terrains years ago - said plow trucks run unidirectional snow tires. So I’ve been running Firestone Winterforce unidirectional snow tires for a few years now. Agree - it was the stopping distance and grip while turning that made me most thankful for the tires.

[@FastSS02]

The best thing about the WinterForces is that they are a full rubber compound and not soft foam rubber like Bizzaks. you get a lot more mileage out of the Winterforces. I've been running them since before they had the Firestone branding on them(~1998). Of course once they found out people loved them and they put the Firestone name on them, the prices went up. People can't believe how I was getting around in my 2wd S10s/Sonomas as well as my RWD Dodge Magnum R/T. Everyone thinks you need a front driver or AWD/4WD to drive in snow!

[@finnishfatman]

We get a lot of snow and ice here in Finland during the winter and you gotta have winter-capable tires during the cold months (it's the law). And it's good that you need to have them, because it's night and day difference with actual (and good) winter tires like Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10, vs some all season tires. All seasons just can't compare. Sadly, quite many cheap out on tires and cause accidents. They just buy the crappiest "winter" tires they can get the cheapest and wonder why they didn't work. There are a lot of differences between those and not all are good for cold scandic winters.

[@RickStefani]

Yeah, the Three peak snowflake rated tires do satisfy the law, or I know they do in Sweden when I lived there. Having been forced to do it changed my mind on if it should be required here. The roads in general are safer with slower speed limits but knowing everyone was on good tires did make a huge difference. All seasons are terrible in snow.

[@finnishfatman]

@@RickStefani They are and even worse on ice. Proper, studded winter tires work. It's funny how there are people who claim that M/T's are good in snow (and even ice) when they are just about the worst tires you could use 😅 Then again, if people have never experienced how good real winter tires are, I can understand it. Nothing to compare against to.

[@RickStefani]

Yeah, M/Ts are horrible on ice and snow road conditions but snow wheeling with 12+ inches and mud underneath the more aggressive M/Ts are great.

[@finnishfatman]

@@RickStefani Very true. Other tires (like A/Ts) just bog up and lose all traction. Gotta have good mud ejecting tires to make it 👍

[@merog2]

There is a reason that in Norway we HAVE to have winter tiers on if you go to or trough any area with ice and snow. If you crash and you hade summer tiers on,, the incurance company may reduse or not pay you anything for the damage you did.

[@rjnixon1061]

I’d liked to see a 2500 with the Wildpeaks in stock size. The wider footprint makes a difference as well. I run Wildpeaks on my dually (daily driver and plow truck) up here in Michigans Upper Peninsula and I love them.

[@DanyRivard]

Here in Quebec Snow Tires are mandatory from December 1st. It makes a différence !

[@je1279]

I have the AT3W's on both my truck and my wife's Jeep and they are an awesome year round tire. Unfortunately, as word has gotten out over the past 6 years, their price has increased to be comparable with the other big names.

[@jimskatr103]

I’m from south west colorado. I had a corolla, I always bought the cheapest tires. I upgraded and noticed a HUGE difference in the snow. I cannot imagine how awesome winter rated tires would be. But it snows here, then thaws the next day. And every now and again we get 18” randomly.

[@hoosierdude7102]

This is a great video! I know that it is expensive but, to be the most precise, the same size tires should be used. Maybe even the same truck. Regardless, I appreciate the video. Two wheel drive would have been a great addition. I challenge myself to see how long I can go before using 4wd. The roads aren’t a problem, it is always my long, uphill driveway. Great comparison TFL!

[@enjoylife7030]

I had the Firestone Transforce A/T on my Ram 2500 when it was new too. They were horrible in any wet/snow condition. I could easily get my truck stuck on wet grass with those tires not to mention how poor they were in the snow. I tried to push them to 40,000 miles but they were done around 38,000. Replaced them with Cooper Discoverer AT3 and was very happy. They still had lots of tread left as well when I sold the truck with 64,000 miles on it.

[@robertmorris3892]

Great job Alex, Andre and Case doing the white knuckle test in the cold and slippery stuff. I'll trade y'all some rain ☔ for some snow 🌨️ here in Louisiana.

[@TFLtruck]

We enjoy the snow.

[@rossthompson4990]

@@TFLtruck You don't have to shovel the rain ;)

[@alejandromonreal3250]

trust me you don't want the snow it get's old pretty fast.

[@dthompson3426]

I know this video is about truck performance, but seriously, dedicated snow tires or snow rated all weather tires make a massive difference on any vehicle. I have a FWD sedan and live where there is a lot of snow and stop & go traffic. It was terrible to drive in the Winter until I finally bit the bullet and got a set of Blizzak WS-90's. Easily worth the investment.

[@ojbarberena7090]

Really like these types of comparisons

[@mardamek3]

Thank you, guys, for proving once again what seems to be so obvious, yet overlooked by many people. For any vehicle tires are the most important thing for safety, especially since this is a “modification”/upgrade that can be done relatively easily. Value per dollar coefficient has to be the greatest when it comes to tires (compared to other mods with suspension and/or powertrain).

[@nicholassmith7048]

Very topical video. I'm on my way out to get my Michelin X-Ice III tires swapped back on for winter.

[@cnetate]

I live in Colorado and frequently drive in snowy mountain conditions. My toyo at3's have been awesome in the snow. I've never ever bought the same tire twice, but I will purchase these again once they are worn

[@PagosaCreative]

I feel like this is a crazy test. I'd love to see you do this but compare actual snow rated tires to the AT's and to drive like a normal person down Wolf Creek Pass.

[@spcneary]

When I lived somewhere it snows, my wife had a sonata and I had an f150. I put snow tires on the sonata for the winter and left A/Ts on the f150, I had to try to get the sonata squirrely but the f150 would not drive straight over 1/4 throttle.

[@Olddahg]

Just got some Wildpeaks for my Yukon 2500, awesome tires!

[@tarfeef101]

Please compare: All season All weather Mild A/T w/ 3pmsf Aggressive A/T w/ 3pmsf Snow Studded snow Snow / chains And make sure to do lateral, acceleration, and braking. There's so little information actually comparing these. For example even here I can't say I know if I should get snows on top of my wildpeak A/T trails. I don't usually drive unplowed in winter but I might every couple weekends up forest roads in the mountains if I am confident my tires can handle it. Finding safe places to test extreme situations like that ain't easy

[@bryanvogt3371]

Bridgestone Blizzaks work well on my 20 2500, worth the hassle of biannual swaps

[@mark.mahorney]

Drive shuttles in the Colorado mountains and have ran pretty much everything. Studs are best by far on thin icy conditions, but don't do anything in deeper snow. Bizzak type soft compound tires 2nd best in ice, really good on packed snow. As snow piles up you need some lug and sipe. But softer compound snow rating helps a lot in all conditions. I'm running pirelli scorpions on my f150, which is good compromise of all features. A studded snow rated tire with moderate lug and sipe is best possible combination if your can have two sets and switch them out in summer. I also ran a 91 RWD suburban with old school heavy lug truck tires up and over mountain pass with 7% grade for two winters. Chained up a few times. Got me home safe and never went sideways like that stock ram did.

[@LV4TD101]

Great results 👍 I've heard for years how good the Wild Peaks are for a "year round all terrain", so I finial bought my first set a month ago for my Tundra. They have been so smooth and quiet on road so far, great off road and hopefully soon I'll be able to try them in the snow.

[@brianrydzeski6108]

I've been thinking about buying these same tires. Would you please let me know if it has affected your MPG at all? One salesman I spoke to said I would likely get 5MPG less (I have Bridgestone Deuler H/Ts). I really don't want to spend that much more on gas.

[@jamesm568]

@@brianrydzeski6108 I never let fuel mileage dictate a tire for my needs. Way too many factors that affect few mileage. Don't buy a LT tire if you don't need an LT tire.

[@shadow105720]

@@brianrydzeski6108 On the same vehicle on the same roads and the same driver the difference will not be 5 mpg on any truck. Maybe 1-2 highway and about half of an mpg town. ATs are pretty decent these days.

[@youtubecantsaveallthesnowf8601]

They don't last.. Try as they might, nobody makes a better at tire than bfg.

[@michaellarson2506]

@@brianrydzeski6108 I’ve had them on my F-150 for three years, they lasted about 45k miles, and I never had any mileage difference from the stock tires before, any salesman who says a tire would decrease your mileage by 5mpg is giving bad info

[@DDA40Xman]

2018 GMC 2500HD All Terrain with the Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac's driving through 6 inches of snow in 4 high at Jackson WY with all the traction in the world. 70 mph on snow covered roads with no loss of traction. Real world test.

[@Mike_Y.]

Falcon AT3's are awesome, I'll keep buying them

[@murphtheirishmanmurphy7268]

Overrated!

[@ryanleblanc6817]

4x4/AWD and actual winter/snow tires is a must! Take it from me. I moved from south Louisiana to central New York. I had a 2wd F150 Lariat with a set of brand new Sumitomo All Terrains. I thought I’d be ok for one winter by being careful and having those new tires. Mid-November I totaled the truck. Slid off the road into a tree. Roads were not even that bad. I zip around in way worse conditions with my GF’s Subaru Forrester. Learned my lesson the hard way. Insurance screwed me. My F150 Lariat was a 2002 but it only had 85K miles. I bought it from an old lady whose husband died for only $3500. So my next truck will be 4x4 and I’m getting a set of steelie rims with some good winter tires to put on each winter. I don’t want to take tires on and off my nice rims every year. Shops scratch your shitt and it’s hard on the tires themselves.

[@NoLimitsCommemorativ]

Just installed 285/75r16 Geolandar G015's on my Bronco. Not a dedicated winter tire but I wanted an AT I could daily here in the rust belt. Time will tell how they perform this winter, really hoping for a bunch of powder to drive around in.

[@sheldonhansman3440]

Currently rocking the same tires on my Ram, they work great in snow, just don't be to aggressive during icey conditions. After having dedicated, studded winters on my last truck. I Had to learn to just drive a little more cautiously.

[@Hybris51129]

Had these tires on my 02 Camry and they really did help in the snow. I will say that they wore out quickly at maybe 20k miles at which point hydroplaning at anything over 40 mph was unavoidable. Hoping I can fit them to my GR86 when it comes in.

[@davidwelsh829]

skinny and lower is the rule for better winter driving safety

[@stubbingtonmarigold3032]

This channel cracks me up, it’s like a tribute to the ridiculousness of most truck owners. The fact they constantly do “tests” where the outcome learned further points out the insanity of most truck owners- you know the majority truck owners... that live in the city, are worried about mpg, want the fastest 8000 lbs commuting truck, the type who use a truck to move every 5 years, the type who don’t have a scratch in their bed and it’s never been off pavement..... the majority of truck owners.

[@kevinjk27]

Since you cannot test everything, I'll have to go with the tire rack rating. Thinking of these for my f150: Michelin DEFENDER LTX M/S LT275/65R20

[@stevehumphrey4438]

Yeah I have them... they are decent in the snow. On my mom's X3 I have michelin cross climates. Amazing all around tire. But not for trucks.

[@fordmud]

You don't NEED winter tires on 4x4, but it makes life alot easier. I've gone basically all routes and a good set of directional winter tires makes all the difference. The all terrain style tires that have the "snow flake" rating don't really seem to make any difference. So I just finally got a set of cheap takeoff factory wheels from the dealer for $30 a wheel, nice aluminum wheels too, and put my winter tires on those.

[@ericviola8659]

have you ran all terrain 3 peak rated to be able to say they dont make a difference? I've ran dedicated snows, all terrain with 3 peak, all season, and summer tires in the snow. i promise you the 3 peak all terrains will crush any non 3 peak tire, its like night and day. These guys were flooring it in the snow, when you drive normal there is a huge difference in accelerated and turning and braking. Yes, dedicated winter tire is the best of the best, but the 3 peak all terrains are not far off.

[@nealfox1976]

Interesting results. I would to see this test with a set of bfg ko2 at tires.

[@matthewwomack8010]

I've always wondered why there weren't more tire review videos on TFL. It would be cool to see how different tires effect the same vehicle in the same controlled environment. Great content as always

[@thedriverseye]

I got the dedicated Winter tires for my f150, its pretty good in snow. I got the continental viking contact 7's

[@gs98999]

Amazing winter tire! Great choice.

[@anthonymrskipt9252]

Can I just say, Amen. Always love when you guys do these tire tests and show how obvious the need for at least 3 peak-rated tires is in snowy climates. Here in the Wasatch, I’m amazed how many people run crappy tires, even up the canyons. I got Nokian Outpost ATs for my Ram 1500 because I’ve been so happy with the dedicated Nokian snows I have on a couple of other cars. We have one Wrangler on K02s - which were the same tires I ran on our 200 LC for the first three years until I got dedicated snows for that one after actually getting it stuck at the Goldminer’s Daughter (the snow was up the roof, but still) - and the Outposts do seem better in the snow, based on one snowy run up LCC. A bit hard to know for sure since it’s two different vehicles and I’ve never driven the Ram on anything but the Outposts. So far, though, they’ve been great on “light” off-road situations and pretty good in the snow (not as good as dedicated snows with soft compounds). I’d say they’re worth a look for anyone who wants to run one set of tires on a truck or big SUV and doesn’t need quite K02 off-road capability.

[@IndefiniteGentlemen]

i love these comparisons. VERY helpful for those of us in snowy places. thank you guys as always. i live in the mountains and I can recomment hankook dynapro ATs, with honorable mention to cooper discoverers and wrangler dynatrac. but of course only the coopers are great on the highway.

[@tsmith4719]

We just got a foot of snow in Vancouver and i drove around in my ram with stock tires no problem. I will be getting dedicated snow tires still, there were a few steep hills i strategically avoided.

[@ericstarszak2076]

I'd like to see a 2 wheel drive with studded copper artic claws and a good driver compete. Its what I drive as a contractor in Aspen and I do pretty good. It helps I grew up driving in Wisconsin

[@detobias2000]

I have a 13 ram half ton RC SB six cylinder , just like stubby - but 2WD here in northern Michigan we get over 270 inches of snow a year... the stock Wrangler SR-A are barely adequate even with fresh tread... I used to park the truck in the winter 3 years ago I got a new set of stock size 17 inch Winterforce II from tirerack and optioned them to be studded - only sixteen $ each for the studding ! also that summer I installed a Yukon limited slip differential in the rear axle. these 2 things have transformed this truck into a capable and competent ice slush snow crud eating beast.. DEFINITELY worth the $ to get snow tires, and get the studs too ! if yu have a 2WD, it will transform it from unsafe to competent.. if you have a 4WD then you will have SUPER traction and control !

[@RetDisabledVet]

Of course my pa would also put about 500lbs of gravel in the back of the bed too, of which I forget to mention. After the snows melted we'd put the gravel in the drive-way to fill in the holes from the harsh winter. Now this was a 1974 International 3/4 ton Pick-up. That baby was a tank. Of course back then we had Uniroyal Tires that had some cleats for the mud and snow. And back then we could put studded tires on if we'd want once the first snow and ice hit. And yes this was in 1980. Life was fun back then.

[@Gadsdan]

Would have loved to see a dedicated snow tire in this test too. Would have helped show strengths and weaknesses all around. Good video for AS vs Snow Rated though.

[@C-Henry]

The first time I drove in snow with my thee peak tires was a night and day difference, the best benefit was that I didn't need to engage my 4wd near as much, which with the often patchy packed snow/ice and dry pavement we get over here means I'm putting at lot less wear and tear on the drive train.

[@ReformedBrant]

Alex, since “it’s all about the tires” you should have done a run in 2wd. It’s obviously helpful to have the right tires and 4x4

[@schmojo33]

I run the Falken Wildpeak AT3Ws year round in Minnesota and I've not had the desire to get dedicated winter tires because they do quite well. I've pulled vehicles out of snow with them but have yet to get stuck in them.

[@timgurr1876]

I’d like to see how the Hummer EV handles this test. Thanks for the video.

[@dalefrolander3583]

All terrain tires like those wild peaks are 3 peak rated for snow, not compact snow and ice, and they're certainly better than all season tires, but they won't compare to a true winter tire like blizzaks or nokian hakkepellitta's.