Me and Ms. Sierra live up in the mountains. As you approach our home you have to navigate two, rather steep asphalted sections of road. Each section is approximately 600' in length. It's not an issue when it's dry but when it's wet we sometimes have a tough time going up these two sections (spinning wheels). Neither of our trucks have four-wheel drive and replacing either of them is not financially feasible for us at this time. The Frontier still has the factory tires on it and they are getting close to replacement. The Sierra had tires replaced three years ago before this became a problem for us. My question: What kind of tire/tread, if any, would help navigate these two sections best, IE. All terrain, off road etc... Or are we just stuck fighting this issue and moving forward? Appreciate the help.
Tires with traction
- Thread starter Sierra048
- Start date
- Status
Various sources rate wet handling characteristics of tires. That might be your best bet. I'm betting it's not the all terrains that are going to get you up the hill. Probably a high end M & S with lots of sipes would win.
I would chooses a Silica enhanced rubber compound over big lugs with regular rubber. Micro - siping would help too I suppose.
Also don't overinflate the rear tires.
Also don't overinflate the rear tires.
You're looking for truck tires with the best traction on wet asphalt, then?
I think a highway all season, that is optimized for wet traction, not mud or dirt traction, would be your best bet. Good siping. Good rubber/void ratio to clear water. Good compound for wet traction.
I would take a look at Michelin Defender LTX M/S - They claim to be great in the wet.
I can say that these Nokians have impressive wet performance, but I'm not certain if they're available locally or in your size.
https://www.nokiantires.com/all-weather-tires/nokian-wr-g3-suv/
I think a highway all season, that is optimized for wet traction, not mud or dirt traction, would be your best bet. Good siping. Good rubber/void ratio to clear water. Good compound for wet traction.
I would take a look at Michelin Defender LTX M/S - They claim to be great in the wet.
I can say that these Nokians have impressive wet performance, but I'm not certain if they're available locally or in your size.
https://www.nokiantires.com/all-weather-tires/nokian-wr-g3-suv/
M&S tires will be the best tire for your situation.
Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S has been the best traction tire I have ever had. the siping is grippy.
+1 on the Nokian WR G3 SUV. Great tires, especially on ice & in deep, lake effect snow. They were installed on my ‘98 Grand Caravan, in which I never had issues driving through deep snow on rural roads. I even passed people in the ditch who drove 4x4's or awd vehicles. However, be aware that due to their softer compound over an all season (positioned between an all season & a snow tire) they will wear a bit faster in the summer. Another excellent tire is the Nokian Ratiiva AT Plus. I have a set on my ‘00 Expedition and they are a great tire in the snow & mud. The wear is very good as I have 26k on my set with over 80% tread life left according to the built in indicator. I've owned many brands on many different vehicles over the years, yet these Nokians are my go to's for all my vehicles. This is just my
& experience.
Link to the Ratiiva AT Plus: https://www.nokiantires.com/all-weather-tires/nokian-rotiiva-at-plus/
Link to the Ratiiva AT Plus: https://www.nokiantires.com/all-weather-tires/nokian-rotiiva-at-plus/
OP only mentioned wet, nothing about snow or ice.
Great snow/ice tires sometimes give up wet handling to get it (a lot of sipes are worse evacuating water than wide, open channels).
If winter is not the concern is there summer equivalent of Michelin Pilot 4S available (with SUVs from Porshe, Lamborghini, etc there must be).
KrzyÅ›
Great snow/ice tires sometimes give up wet handling to get it (a lot of sipes are worse evacuating water than wide, open channels).
If winter is not the concern is there summer equivalent of Michelin Pilot 4S available (with SUVs from Porshe, Lamborghini, etc there must be).
KrzyÅ›
Originally Posted by krzyss
OP only mentioned wet, nothing about snow or ice.
Great snow/ice tires sometimes give up wet handling to get it (a lot of sipes are worse evacuating water than wide, open channels).
If winter is not the concern is there summer equivalent of Michelin Pilot 4S available (with SUVs from Porshe, Lamborghini, etc there must be).
KrzyÅ›
Nissan Frontier's and GMC Sierra's don't have low profile tires like those SUV's.
OP only mentioned wet, nothing about snow or ice.
Great snow/ice tires sometimes give up wet handling to get it (a lot of sipes are worse evacuating water than wide, open channels).
If winter is not the concern is there summer equivalent of Michelin Pilot 4S available (with SUVs from Porshe, Lamborghini, etc there must be).
KrzyÅ›
Nissan Frontier's and GMC Sierra's don't have low profile tires like those SUV's.
Originally Posted by LubeFiner
+1 on the Nokian WR G3 SUV. Great tires, especially on ice & in deep, lake effect snow. They were installed on my ‘98 Grand Caravan, in which I never had issues driving through deep snow on rural roads. I even passed people in the ditch who drove 4x4's or awd vehicles. However, be aware that due to their softer compound over an all season (positioned between an all season & a snow tire) they will wear a bit faster in the summer. Another excellent tire is the Nokian Ratiiva AT Plus. I have a set on my ‘00 Expedition and they are a great tire in the snow & mud. The wear is very good as I have 26k on my set with over 80% tread life left according to the built in indicator. I've owned many brands on many different vehicles over the years, yet these Nokians are my go to's for all my vehicles. This is just my
& experience.
Link to the Ratiiva AT Plus: https://www.nokiantires.com/all-weather-tires/nokian-rotiiva-at-plus/
Huge problem in North Georgia!
+1 on the Nokian WR G3 SUV. Great tires, especially on ice & in deep, lake effect snow. They were installed on my ‘98 Grand Caravan, in which I never had issues driving through deep snow on rural roads. I even passed people in the ditch who drove 4x4's or awd vehicles. However, be aware that due to their softer compound over an all season (positioned between an all season & a snow tire) they will wear a bit faster in the summer. Another excellent tire is the Nokian Ratiiva AT Plus. I have a set on my ‘00 Expedition and they are a great tire in the snow & mud. The wear is very good as I have 26k on my set with over 80% tread life left according to the built in indicator. I've owned many brands on many different vehicles over the years, yet these Nokians are my go to's for all my vehicles. This is just my
Link to the Ratiiva AT Plus: https://www.nokiantires.com/all-weather-tires/nokian-rotiiva-at-plus/
Huge problem in North Georgia!
Michelin anything. They will have better wet traction than pretty much anything. Also, you might add some weight in the back.
Originally Posted by SubLGT
Take a look at the Dec 2019 issue of Consumer Reports. It includes wet traction test results for over 100 different tires.
Isn't that just braking friction ( distance) not accelerative "traction" per se? Though there is a relationship I would speculate..
Take a look at the Dec 2019 issue of Consumer Reports. It includes wet traction test results for over 100 different tires.
Isn't that just braking friction ( distance) not accelerative "traction" per se? Though there is a relationship I would speculate..
Testing tends to be more towards hydroplaning resistance. Since Sierra048 is having trouble with climbing a wet, steep hill, chances are, it's not going to flooded enough to hydroplane. It's more "viscoplaning" where the rubber tread fails to cut through the thin layer of water to get the water to grip the asphalt. This is actually the same phenomena in winter traction with situations of warm ice, the ice surface has friction, but it's the thin layer of water that makes "warm" ice slippery,
Originally Posted by edyvw
Michelin anything. They will have better wet traction than pretty much anything. Also, you might add some weight in the back.
Where did you source that? Continentals actually have better wet traction then the Michelins. Depending on the models.
Michelin anything. They will have better wet traction than pretty much anything. Also, you might add some weight in the back.
Where did you source that? Continentals actually have better wet traction then the Michelins. Depending on the models.
Thanks for all the replies. We get a little snow here each winter. Most we ever had was about 1' 6" accumulation. I usually park one of our vehicles down the hill at a neighbor's garage so we will have transportation if we need it when there is a chance of snow. Learned that lesson the hard way. We were stuck up here for five days during the first snow after we purchased our home.
Looking at some of your suggestions, I like the look of the Cooper Discoverer AT 4s. That tread design was what I had in the back of my mind when I started this thread. Just wasn't quite sure about the brands. I will look at the Michelin LTX as well.
Looking at some of your suggestions, I like the look of the Cooper Discoverer AT 4s. That tread design was what I had in the back of my mind when I started this thread. Just wasn't quite sure about the brands. I will look at the Michelin LTX as well.
Originally Posted by andreigbs
The best wet traction I've experienced so far was from the Michelin Premier LTX tires I got recently. Dry traction is even better.
Those will be amazing in the wet, but treadwear tends to be poor. You'll probably get 30-40k out of them.
The best wet traction I've experienced so far was from the Michelin Premier LTX tires I got recently. Dry traction is even better.
Those will be amazing in the wet, but treadwear tends to be poor. You'll probably get 30-40k out of them.
Originally Posted by edyvw
Also, you might add some weight in the back.
You'll be amazed at what 300-400 pounds of sand (in bags), between the wheels/over the rear axle, will do for traction in an empty 2WD truck! You may find you don't need new tires at all!
Also, you might add some weight in the back.
You'll be amazed at what 300-400 pounds of sand (in bags), between the wheels/over the rear axle, will do for traction in an empty 2WD truck! You may find you don't need new tires at all!
Originally Posted by painfx
Originally Posted by edyvw
Michelin anything. They will have better wet traction than pretty much anything. Also, you might add some weight in the back.
Where did you source that? Continentals actually have better wet traction then the Michelins. Depending on the models.
My experience. Had numerous Continental tires too. But I would give Michelin slight edge, especially in retaining initial performance. But IMO< one cannot go wrong with Continentals too.
Originally Posted by edyvw
Michelin anything. They will have better wet traction than pretty much anything. Also, you might add some weight in the back.
Where did you source that? Continentals actually have better wet traction then the Michelins. Depending on the models.
My experience. Had numerous Continental tires too. But I would give Michelin slight edge, especially in retaining initial performance. But IMO< one cannot go wrong with Continentals too.
- Status
