I was told today that if i get my lift and put 35's on I will be screwed in the snow cause the bigger and fatter the tire the worse it is in snow, it was described as driving on balloons? and that i should forget the lift and get some 285 75 16 revos and it will churn through snow.

Is this right?

 

I dont drive that much in the snow since i live in the southeastern part of Va., but i have heard and read of posts regarding wide tires and thin ones.

Thin tires supposedly cut through the snow better to get better traction.

I'm not sure if I completly agree with it, or disagree for that matter, but more tire on the snow seems to me that it would have more to bite. Of course the type of tire you choose will have a lot to do with the traction you get as well.

My Nitto terra graplers impressed the HeLL out of me when we got a big snow storm here. No slipping or anything and their 12.5in wide.



Also, isnt snow a lot like mud, (traction wise), and dont guys who go mudding have huge wide tires with some good grips on them. I know I do.

but like i said earlier I dont do a whole lot of driving in the snow. So i'm sure someone else will give their 2cents about why the thin tires do better. So have at it guys!

 

My step dad had an old '78 Ford F-150 with 37" tires. During the winter he would put some smaller tires on it so he could handle the snow better. It looks funny, but thats what a lot of guys did where I grew up in West Virginia with lifts and big tires. To answer your question, it will be more difficult with the taller and wider tires in the snow. I think that you have a pretty good understanding why. Good luck.

 

Yes, tires with a bigger footprint (wider and / or taller) will give you less traction in the snow and ice. If you want proof, just look at an WRC (World Rally Car) race car. When they run on snow or ice, they use very narrow tires. The reason is that you want to plant all of your weight in a very limited contact patch to concentrate it.

As for my personal experience - driving an F-350 with a plow on it - I can tell you that narrow is definitely better. One of our new Super Duty's came with the optional (wider) tires on it and it's an absolute pig in the snow compared with identical trucks with narrower tires on them.

My advice? If you want the bigger / wider stuff, keep a set of narrow tires (and wheels) ready to slap on for the winter months. That's what I do.

 

I just got rid of a Dodge Quad Cab with 35x12.5 Pro Comp Xterrains and it went through the snow like a charm.. I replace the 20 inch goodyear that were stock and they were crap... Just my experiences...

ocwill1

 

Thinner is better. Like was said earlier, you may want to have a winter pair, and you cant go wrong with the dueler revos for snow and ice.

 

I've owned alot of 4X4's, and run just about every tire combo out there on them. I have discovered that I never got any bad performance in snow from tires that were under 12.50 on width.
My last Jeep had 35/12.50's and it went through the snow without a problem.... no floating. I have run monster tires (TSL's) and found that I just slid all over compared to my buddies in a pasture full of snow!

Take care.