so i searched and searched and cant find an answer....

i am looking for opinions on an all terrain tire that will go through snow great, and also get good traction on the ice....

looking for the 18" variety as i have a 05 f250. i will consider going to 17" if the price is right, but most likely i will upgrade to a 35", (i know the additional width will not help on the ice, but anythings got to be better than the conticraps!!

thanks for your help!!!

also anybody know a cheap way to ship tires/wheels from lower 48 to AK??

thanks

Joe

 

maybe a bfg or toyo

 

www.tirerack.com there is only one optional tire at this time for us with 18 inch and thats made by good year. check out the tire racks information and shipping fees to your area

 

Toyo M/T's work great!

 

I'm not in Alaska but... My avatar is accurate and it snows in Northern Utah-
Your choices for really good tires for the snow & ice are limited in 18" size. In 17" there are a few with the Cooper Discoverer M+S probably the best choice. In 16" there are several... Bridgestone Blizzack, Cooper and many others that can be studded (if it's legal). I have found that over the long term, siping is more effective than studs because you can get the tires re-siped. But when the studs are new, studded and siped as a combo is hard to beat. Good luck!

BTW I run a separate set of winter tires: Avon SXT Mud Terrain studded & siped

 

I lived in AK for 26 years. Plan on getting a cheap set of studded tires for winter use only ( should be able to get 3-4 seasons out of them) if you run no studs check into Chapparals or Hakepaleeta (sp) Johnson Tires will be able to set you up with anything you need. You in the Anchorage area???

 

rgonot, i work in anchorage...(elmendorf a.f.b.) but live in wasilla, so i guess yeah im in the anchorage area!

all others...
thanks for the replies....im really trying to get away with buying 1 set for summer and winter...my wife is about to download our first child so im on a budget...

i really want a tire that will throw snow (been stuck MANY times in snow 12" deep trying to park the sled trailer due to all-seasons)
and still drive good on ice, as i commute 100 Mi round trip every day

anybody know about the mickey thompson baha radial atz's, they look mean

tried discount tire online, but shipping a set of tires UPS ground was $720, so i assume tire rack will be similar


thanks for the replies so far, and lets keep em coming..........this lurker appreciates it!

 

try looking in tire rack to see the tire style and peoples posts as to how they work and handle then shop around you for a good price.

 

I have the BFG ALl Terrain A/Ts on a E350 with a Quiqley 4X4 system on it and the tires are awesome. I use the van to travel all acrross the NW for ski races and we have $350 inches a year of snow in Stevens Pass, our home mountain. So it is a great tire in deep wet snow, especially pulling the snowmobiles. Great ride on the highway too. Just bought a F150 so looking at putting them on that truck as well.

 

C-bolt,

I think you may be better off going with a separate set of winter tires. Especially since you will be towing. I tow about 9,000# in the winter and before it was difficult to get going sometimes, especially on hills. I was considering chains if things got really bad, but decided to go with dedicated winter tires. I went with the studless Blizzak tires on a set of factory aluminum take-off wheels. The tires were about $160 each and the wheels(with center caps) were $100 each.

I went with the 235/85/16, which is a narrower tire than stock. This will decrease the area on the road. The decreased area will have more pressure exerted per square inch, thus allowing the tires to bite better on ice. I have 18" wheels and tires for summer and did not have any luck finding good winter tires to fit them. I didn't want to go with an all-season or all-terrain tire because I was looking for ultimate winter driving performance. The nice advantage of buying a separate set of wheels and tires is that you can mount them anytime you want without having to make an appointment at the tire store and pay $40 - $60 twice a year in the fall and spring.

Alaska restricted tire studs to lightweight studs to reduce damage to the roads. These lighter weight studs wear out faster. Also you pay a user tax when you purchase studded tires. I believe the Blizzaks are less expensive than studded tires and offer better performance. DO NOT RUN BLIZZAK TIRES YEAR-ROUND. They are a soft compound tire which will wear very fast in the summer. I had my tires on for about 8,000 miles last winter and they show very little wear.

We had a few freezing rain episodes last year and my truck hardly noticed the slippery roads. My wifes truck has the BFG Rugged Trails which work OK, but I do notice some sliding at intersections and you can feel the rear of the truck attempting to slide in some corners. My truck with the Blizzaks is rock solid. I plow snow with my Bobcat and usually am out towing my trailer to the work before State plow trucks hit the road. Performance in fresh snow is great also. The narrower tire in the 235/85/16 allows you to "plow" through unplowed snow easier also. The narrow tire may also help with mileage, especially on your commute from Wasilla everyday.

 

Ditto for what TT had to say. Keep your tires tall and narrow. ALOT better than those big 4x4 tires. We have the yokohomo on the Subura. Great tires. I have a pair of, middle of the road, chapperal on my truck and they do fine. After typing that I read your other post about not getting 2 pair of tires. It sounds like the Blizzaks are the way to go but with limited millage. You will also find that the longer the vehicle the better they respond on the icy roads. Havent really seen anyone here locally that has their tires snipped. TT is that common up in Fairbanks? Heck I will probley stick with studded tires until they wear out. Not to woried about scarring the roads since they are better and smoother in the winter after the snow and ice fills all the holes and such. But that is out in the rural sections of AK. Diffently can tell the studded tire wear in Anchorage but hey you guys dont get much snow in the winter anyway. Always amazes me when I go over in Jan or Feb and you can see the ground. Matsu is worse. Bummer to have to drive to go snowmaching. OPPPS off on a tagent. Just kidding. Actually not, man the last few years have been pretty slim on the snow over there. Honestly the worse part of the 12 hour drive for me is ALWAYS the section between the Knick Bridge and coming into Anchorage. Icy roads and idots that have no experience driving in winter if you know what I mean.

 

tt thanks for the info, i looked at the tire rack, and they did not have a 18 or 17 that fits my bill in the snow tire dept....it looks as if the load ranges arn't set up to have a crew cab long bed diesel with a sled in the back??? they were all around 2000 lbs or so....ill have to go see what my truck weighs so i can figure out how much room they give me to put in the bed...(its a yamaha but not an RX-1, but it still weighs a ton )but i love it to death!

mlb, i hear ya on the snow and ice and idiot drivers, too many people follow far too close on the dry pavement, let alone the icy stuff. I usually drive to eureka to sled, its only about 2 hrs or so from the house...sometimes hatchers pass, but that road is crappy.....this year i NEED to come ride thompson pass...i hear its phenominal (sp?) also looking for a trip to summit lake. been here 5 years and havn't ridden it yet!

anyways....i may expand my options to a dedicated winter tire if its not too much shorter than stock....(dont want to look like a chevy!)

thanks guys, keep em coming!

 

Have you checked with Johnson Tires? I am pretty sure they have some in Wasilla. I know there is one in Eagle River just off the Glenn Hwy. You guys are making me miss the homeland. Everything shuts down here in VA when they think it might snow.

 

Check out some of my photos in the gallery. Amazing sled terrain. Thats ok I'v been here 15 years and havent ridden at Eureka yet. Drive through it a lot but no riding. Thats local riding, been over that way via over the Chugach on glaciers but didnt really have the time or gas to do local riding.

Now you got me going outside to see what my chapperals are rated for.

 

Hakapaleta is the best snow tire I have seen yet. Incredible traction on snow and studable for ice. Yeah Blizzaks are sweet but the Hakapaletas are the Best. Check availability.