Totally agree.... it wouldn't be a very easy switch over with the assembly near 330-350lbs/track. I have heard of prices of $10K for a set that will fit an SUV or truck. VERY PRICEY!!!! Quads I think are around $5500-$7500/set. If you want to get lighter weight (aluminum) you are looking at +$24K for a set.

However, With the HEFTY PRICE you would be pretty near unstoppable on any terrain with the mattracks. I will have to stick with narrow mud-terrain tire, tire chains, winch & shovel to travel in the snow or tow behind a trailer with a nice Summit 800 Ski-doo!

 

Alot comes down to what kind of snow, and what's under it....if the bottom is reachable...a narrower tire like the 10.5 is not bad...if its not...than not so much.

On hard pack or ice...MT type treads or worthless...they can't sink in to get a bite.

For that, sipes make a huge difference, as do rubber compounds that stay soft when its freezing out. Studs can help too...but I've seen Blizzaks with tread that looks like nothing BUT sipes, and microscopic ice grabbers, etc....that worked as well as studded tires in some cases.

On deep soft snow, paddle wheel type treads are hard to beat, big fat ones that simulate tank treads for you/keep you on top, and have a long foot print.

After that, it all a question of degree....the softer the snow, the better an agressive tread will do on it, and the worse a less agressive tread will do....one needs to sink and bite, one is designed to interact with the surface.

Its like picking a shoe for your sport....basketball shoes are great on a wood court...and suck in mud.

Soccer cleats are great in grass, but suck on the basketball court.

Snowshoes are great on deep soft snow....but suck to play basketball in also, unless the court is under deep snow, etc.



The other part of the degree question is contact pressure vs traction vs attack angle and attack width.

A narrow tire sinks...if there's something to grab down there, and, it can grab it, and, the stuff it sank through is not keeping it from being able to roll forward...it works.

That's why the TALLEST tire has a big advantage....it has the best attack angle to get over the stuff in front of the tire (The further the tire sinks down, the more it has piled in front of it...)

A fat tire is great for flotation...but if the snow is too hard for its tread blocks to bite into...its a toboggin more than a tire....so off road, where the snow is never that hard...an a fat aggressive MT can paddle its way along great.

Think of reaching out to grab the edge of the snow, and pull yourself forward with notihng but snow to grip...you have two conceptual choices, you can use a knife blade turned so it cuts towards you, to pull you forward, or, a garden rake, held so you would have the row of teeth perpendicular to your line of travel....to pull you forward.

If the snow is ice hard, the rake teeth might bounce off, and you may not be able to get the rake teeth to get enough grip to pull you with....if softer though, the wide grip area of the rake can grap a ledge of snow, and pull you with it.

If the snow is too soft, the knife blade just wisks through the snow w/o any traction to pull with....if hard, you might be able to stab the blade in, and drag yourself, etc.

If the snow is too hard for rake teeth, the the knife blade doesn't have enough ledge to pull against (Too narrow), you might need two blades, etc...(A fatter tread).

So - If you bring a knife to a rake fight, or a rake to a knife fight...you lose.

 

Perhaps fat tires with "custom" chains? That way you are covered for deep soft snow and if it gets crusty you can put on the chains and dig in.

I've seen chains for oversized tires before, without doing a search I'm not sure where you would find them however.

Dave

 

my 35x12.5 work great in deep snow. They actually work better the more snow there is. Its when there is just a dusting that traction goes down.

 

are their any narrow 35's out their, im looking around but can only find 12.5

 

There are lots of skinny 35's...but you live in Philly...and where you move, its probably not that different unless you're going to Finland, etc...just get the 12.5's...they prove to be the perfect compromise for most people anyway.

Notice the guy in Toronto is using 12.5's and is "Unstoppable" in deep snow. I have a son living in Toronto....they get a lot of snow...and its cold........12.5's are a good size for that.



If using chains...get a BL to make some extra room for them to whiz by.


If hell bent on 35 x 10.5's...let me know what type of tread...like AT or MT, dedicated snow tire, etc....

 

I see that 12.5 are great in deep snow but i am also wondering what they will be like in slippery hard pack thats why Im looking for 10.5. Also thought it would be a unique look.

Is their a website I could look at, I like a MT tread

 

super swamper makes a 35x 10.50x17 ssr or something?

 

as long as its not packed so hard to be ice my 12.5's are fine. with any give still in the snow they are good. ice is not good. but its not good for anything.

 

How do you think these would do on a couple feet of snow?
I would think they would just float over top of the snow packing it underneath the tires.

33x15.5x15 MTZ's

I know I some better floatation tires for surf fishing in the summer, these might do well in the mud/snow too.