I know this is like beating a dead horse but it seems like when I search for snow tire advice on here every thread gets hijacked and mud gets brought into the thread. I am about to move up to the mountains in NC and they get a butt load of snow. I really don't want to stud tires for only winter use. I am looking at 33/12.50s on stock 18 inch sahara wheels. I know I will need spacers. I want to go to 35s but I really don't want to regear, the mountains would play hell on stock gears with 35s I hear. Anyone have suggestions for good all around wheeling tires that are good in the snow. I go wheel mostly trails with water/mud/snow. Not really into the rock crawling scene due to the lack of places to do it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

x2 on the duratracs

I had a set on my dodge nitro (before the jeep) when Omaha got nailed with about 4 feet of snow two years ago and just handled like I was on dry pavement, and I live way outside of the city where I am in shock if I see a snow plow. the advantage also is that they are studable if you want. so kind of the best of both worlds but they would be your best choice, hands down.

 

BFG AT's have been the best tire for me. Consider my driving into the Mountains here in CO where road conditions are "all of the above." However for wheel'n in snow mud, they suck! They pack out way too quick...as any AT tire will do.

If you want to save yourself some cash find a set of used 17" Rubicon wheels. The tires will be cheaper and more of a selection from different manucats in a 17" tire.

Running 35's with the stock 410 gears was not so fun...but worked out. I had a Superchips programmer on mine and it helped some. Gears are the best solution obviously. However, if you don;t plan to do really hard trails, 33's will do just fine and won;t bog you down as much on your mountain driving.

Also consider leaving enough room for some snow chains to fit your new tires. When you really need them, you'll be glad you have them.

Good luck on your search/ solution.

 

x3 on the Duratracs. It's winter here at least 6 months of the year. They do very well offroad as well. I don't mud bog too much but what I have thrown at them they have handled well.

 

I lived several years where the annual snowfall was 13 feet.

Wide tires are not your friend in snow. Relatively narrow tires with a self-cleaning tread pattern work best. You want tires maybe 9 or 10 inches wide tops, so they will probably be something like 225, 235, or 245/75 or 80. I did great with 4x4 pickups on 215s in snow pulling tourists with wide tires out of the ditch.

You are on the right track avoiding studs. They work best on smooth ice. Studs make little or no difference on loose or packed snow. If ice is a problem, pick tires made with hydrophillic rubber. The stuff is amazing - becomes stickiest right at the temp when the ice is slickest.

The best solution for 7 day a week snow is an extra set of wheels. You can get a wheel size like 15" or 16" in inexpensive steel. There are lots of great tires available at decent prices rather than the limited and spendy selection available for 18s. When the snow melts, park 'em until next year and put on your "real" wheels and tires.

 

DuraTracs seem to be exactly what you are looking for. The snow in the NC mountains depends mostly on elevation and whether or not your on a western facing slope that gets the upslope stuff. Areas around Asheville get very little snow. Beech Mountain gets a ton. I've spent a lot of time up there.

 

If you really want a true snow tire; the yokohama geolander i/T comes in at 35"x12.5. Then you can have a good mud/rock tire in the summer and a true snow tire in the winter? Just my