Stock BFG winter performance (or non-performance)
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Junior User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 67
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From: Durango, CO
Stock BFG winter performance (or non-performance)
I'm getting new shoes for the rest of the fleet in prep' for winter and I'm wondering if I should start looking for a set of "take off" wheels to put winter tires on the SD. We're at 7200' at the end of a long dirt road which accumulates quite a bit of ice in the shady areas and ratains quite a bit of packed snow in same. The tires have no marking indicating any performance standards and seem to be typical inexpensive factory tires. Are they OK if I keep my head out if its typical parking place or would the money spent for a tire/wheel combination be cheap insurance? 4wd and LS is great for getting moving but little help in turning/stopping 
Thanks for any and all experience and advice.
Thanks for any and all experience and advice.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,751
Likes: 3
From: So Oregon
BFG AT/KOs are severe snow rated tires (snowflake in the mountain), not just M&S rated. It is an RMA designation above and beyond the M&S rating. In my state tires with this rating are considered “traction tires”. I’ve had good luck with them in snow.
That being said, I don’t think a “studless” tire can ever match a studded tire for ice. If the area has a shady spot in a corner I would get studs. If the shady spot is on a straight section that isn’t too long I’d just get a good all-terrain, snow rated maybe.
That being said, I don’t think a “studless” tire can ever match a studded tire for ice. If the area has a shady spot in a corner I would get studs. If the shady spot is on a straight section that isn’t too long I’d just get a good all-terrain, snow rated maybe.
Cross-Country
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 78
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From: Salt Lake City
Dave -
I live at 8000' at the end of a 1/2 mile loooong private road, and usually put studded tires on for the winter. We have winter (read: snow on the ground) from Halloween (sometimes earlier) through Memorial Day. The latest batch are Cooper Discoverer M+S in a 245/85. I love 'em after two seasons. I just got some new BFG All-Terrain AT/ko's for the summer (in a 295/75). I'm thinking of leaving them on for the winter, since they're new - I had a '93 F150 and ran identical BFG's for a winter, and they did fine - for the first winter only. The second year they couldn't make it up my hill, so I went back to the studded snows.
That's my real world experience.
Phil
I live at 8000' at the end of a 1/2 mile loooong private road, and usually put studded tires on for the winter. We have winter (read: snow on the ground) from Halloween (sometimes earlier) through Memorial Day. The latest batch are Cooper Discoverer M+S in a 245/85. I love 'em after two seasons. I just got some new BFG All-Terrain AT/ko's for the summer (in a 295/75). I'm thinking of leaving them on for the winter, since they're new - I had a '93 F150 and ran identical BFG's for a winter, and they did fine - for the first winter only. The second year they couldn't make it up my hill, so I went back to the studded snows.
That's my real world experience.
Phil
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
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I live at 7200' also. Last year I put 295/70/17s Toyo MTs on my 05 SD. They did real well but that was comparing them to the stock Contis. I have had good luck with BFGs in the past like Phil mentioned above, but I had them on vehicles lighter than the superduty. Not sure how that would change things. On my last vehicle, a 6.5 Chevy 4x4, I put on a set of Goodyear MTRs. They were by far the best snow AND ice tire I have ever had. Usually the mud type treads are terrible on ice, but these were like glue.
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,110
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when i lived in washington state, i use to play around in the mountains in the snow with bfg mud terrians, they did great for wheeling in the snow. it was on a 1995 f350 and the tires were 35"x12.50", so not sure how well they would do on the newer superduties or in a smaller treadwidth.
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Junior User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 67
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From: Durango, CO
Thanks guys, looks like I'll be hitting some local shops and ebay looking for a set of take-offs in the '05-07 pattern, better safe than sorry.
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
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Good plan, I purchased a set of the 17" take offs for $200. I think you will like having a good snow tire. Besides the obvious saftey factor, it saves a lot of frustration. Nothing like driving the biggest rig on the road and having to wait for 4x4 to kick in to leave a traffic light (as you get passed by a Subaru Outback, world's first sport utility wagon).
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