Howdy all,
Sorry for cross-posting (in the tire forum as well), I'm looking for some help and figured other '04 owners might have some suggestions.

Well, it's that time where snow, sleet, and ice make for an interesting ride around town and I don't want to see my truck end up in a ditch (and not have me put it there on purpose ). Not to mention I just moved to Vermont from Florida and have never lived north of Georgia, so I don't know what to expect.

I've got an 04 FX4 with 33" ProComp MudTerrains on 17" ProComp rims on there now, and still have my factory 17" FX4 rims and almost new (less than 3K miles) OEM General Ameritrac tires in the garage. I've heard conflicting stories from the locals up here as to what's the best....some tell me the knobbiness of the mud tire makes it hard for ice, the width of the tire makes snow a bit harder to move in, and that the salt on the roads will kill my rims. Doing research here also shows that mud tires aren't the greatest...but what about compared to stock? I know the General's are crap in the rain...but have no clue about snow.

Given the two sets of tires I have, what do the folks here (who are more educated than the local tireshop yokel) think is my best choice?

I've traded in my shorts for long johns, my sandals for boots, and now I have to get my truck ready for snow rather than mud!

 

personally, I would vote for spiking a screwdriver through the sidewall of each of your general's.

 

I say ride your 33s. They are more aggressive than an AT but will definitely perform better in snow than the stockers since they will shed the snow like mud. The ice thing is somewhate true, but lets me honest, aside from chained tires what tires grabs when you hit black ice at 30+mph?
I think you will fair much better with the Mud Terrains on. They should dig through that snow and make for a good time.

And again...I agree with inbred on the screwdriver!

 

Spike the Generals- with PICTURES!

 

the only problem you really have is, will the salt damage your
rims. Maybe if you had crapper rims to put the larger mudders on ? ..... It's too bad the Generals can't get any love 'cuz i've
decided to keep mine on through the winter , then swap 'em in
spring.

 

Put a coat of Maguires NTX on your chrome wheels wait a day or so and do another coat.....Mid way through the winter do this again and every now and then hose off the wheels....They come clean real easy with this sealant on them...

 

Mud tires are the worst thing in the winter! The are great if your driving in deep snow but not if your driving on a slushy highway. That would be scary!

Make sure you put some weight in the back of your truck. A couple of patio stones or sand bags will help.

 

Thanks for all the input. While I wished I was plowing through deep snow more often than not, I am sticking to blacktop most through the winter (although I'm sure with a few excursions out onto Lake Champlain in the dead of winter for icefishing). Thus, I'll be on black ice in the early/late parts of the winter and slushy, sandy, salty roads for the rest of it.

So, for the time being, I figure the stock tires/rims make a better choice. I put the wear/tear on them and save my $$$ tires for the spring/summer when there'll be mud

I did grab some 60lb sandbags and put them in the bed. When I took it to the shop for an oilchange, the guy asked me why I had sandbags in the bed of a 4x4...putting sandbags in the back of a 4x4 truck isn't common, I suppose. I don't care, my Florida license plate should say enough about me being a noob in the winter

In the future, I suppose winter tires are in order. What would the most 'bang for buck' winter/snow tire, preferably studable, that I can get in the stock FX4 17" size be? 16 inch truck tires seem to be more common, but 17" snow tires aren't easy to find (or cheap). I guess A/T tires would make a decent compromise, but they're not cheap either. Nokian Hakkapelitta TR tires in 17" are almost $150 a piece at local shops!

Time to go slide home...