Snow Tires
 

Another dumb question, but I enjoy chatting with everyone here...

Anyway, my 1998 Blazer 2 door I purchasd a week ago came with a brand new set of snow tires. I didn't think much of it at the time, since they looked so good - plenty of rubber on them.

But after a week, I can hardly stand the noise. I sound like a semi coming down the road.

Any comments on the disadvantage on using snowtires all the time? Besides the noise, are they particularly FIRM? I mean, a tough riding tire?

How about mileage? Are they a bad idea if you're expecting good mileage?

They look like Les Schwab tires. Maybe I could trade them for normal road tires? How could I get a better price for them selling them otherwise?

Thanks!

RE: Snow Tires
 

Winter ties are for driving in the winter. Keep them, they usually cost a pretty penny and will outperform most street tires on the market, especially in the snow and ice. The noise is the lugs. Driving them on dry pavement will eat them in no time.

If you need winter traction and would prefer something that doesn't make as much noise. I highly recommend the BFG All-Terrain tires. They are not cheap compared to regualr street passenger tires, however they are awesome tires on and off the road. They have over 19 consecutive Baja 1000 race wins. 19 wins in a row, no other tire has 19 wins ever.

I runa set of the BFG All-Terrains on my truck. love them. Best money I ever spent. Should get over 50,000 miles out of them. They hold great on and off-road. Even in the rain, snow, ice, and mud. great tires.

RE: Snow Tires
 

I also like the BFG All-Terrains.

The last tire that I had bought for my Ram was the Dunlop Radial Rover A/T. Awesome tire in snow, mud, rain and dry. Quiet as a mouse, but still enough tread to keep it moving in all conditions. When I sold that truck, the tires had 20,000 miles on them. The new owner proceeded to drive the living crap out of it in the last 6 months and they now have 45,000 miles and still look like over 50% treadlife.

To compare the two tires together, I like the solid center rib on the Dunlops, but if you are in some heavy snow/mud conditions, then the more open and aggressive tread on the BFGs would be better.(#1 = BFG All-Terrain, #2 = Dunlop Radial Rover.. Coutesy of TireRack.com).

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RE: Snow Tires
 

Yeah, i need new tires too, i get absolutely no traction in the snow, which is extremely fun, but also dangerous, so i think i'll probably go with the dunlops. How tall are those compared to a stock blazer tire? Is the ride any different with them?

RE: Snow Tires
 

I don't drive in snow all the time here in Seattle (there isn't any snow), but occasionally I might need the traction to go through the mountain passes. Of course, that's what four wheel drive is for.

I just can't see running these snow tires all the time, and they're noisy as hell. I had a GMC S10 4x4 recently, and I think they were all-weather tires. But they sure didn't sound like these snow tires!

I'd like to unload them while they're still worth something.

Thanks.

RE: Snow Tires
 

What tires come on Blazer's from the factory? What make and model?

How about Toyo tires? Any comments?

RE: Snow Tires
 

I live in Minnesota and I am currently running Goodyear Wranglers AT/S. I would really recommend them. With any AT tire you need to rotate them ona regular basis.

RE: Snow Tires
 

To step up to the Dunlop Radial Rovers, you have to go to a 75 series tire (stock on my Bravada was 235/70R15). I'm going to be doing this as soon as it is financially possible to get rid of the POS Uniroyal Laredo tires that are on it now. The difference between the 70 series and 75 series for that tread width and rim size is about 3% increase in your speed. So they have 3% more height to them.

Alittle explaination on tire sizes. The first number (235 in my case) is the tread width in millimeters. The second number is the ratio of sidewall height to treadwidth and the last number is the rim diameter in inches. To get the overall diameter of the tire you must multiply the tread width by the ratio divided by 100, convert that from millimeters to inches (1 mm = 0.03937 in), double it and add it to the rim diameter. The 235/70R15 is a 28" tall tire and the 235/75R15 is a 28.9" tall tire.

Here is a great tire size calculator that I use very frequently: Tire Size Calculator

RE: Snow Tires
 

Hey, let's not be knockin the laredos, those are some sweet tires. Just kidding, i can't wait to get new ones too. I'm really interested in those dunlops. I'll have to remember those. Were there any adverse effects on your ram when you put the dunlops on it?

RE: Snow Tires
 

None what-so-ever. Those tires were great. It all depends on the driving you do. If its mostly dry highway with alittle mud and snow thrown in, the dunlops will serve you VERY well. If you are more heavily into offroading, then the All-terrains are the way to go.

Just FYI, the more open a tread is, on average, the lower it's treadlife will be. Another thing that affects the tread life is the addition of solid ribs in the tread. Again, on average, tires with a solid center rib last longer than open treads or tires with solid outer ribs. Solid outer ribs are getting very few and far between now due to their lack of self cleaning while still in contact with the ground. The Dunlops have a solid center rib, while the All-terrains are open.