Winter tire test, part 1
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From: central BC, Canada
Winter tire test, part 1
In case you've missed the candidates, here's a link to the tires in question.
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...hreadid=139943
Since none of the judges can be available over the weekend with the holidays so close, we ran the Bridgestone W965's and the Nokian Hak LT's this afternoon. This is what we've found out so far.
We ran the W965's first since they're already mounted on my truck. Ford Lariat alum wheels, 53psi front, 45psi back. We ran out to the local club house at 80km/h (50mph), long straight, slight gravel, scattered on a sheet of ice/snow. Brakes hammered at power pole #19, ABS working, truck stopped about 3/4 distance to the next pole. Descent distance, good control. Tearing around a icy right corner, rear end kicks out at 60km/h, nice controled slide followed by cheering/hollering.
On to the hills. Long steep section, graded, a few traces of gravel, snow compacted on ice. Very slick. Stopped at the top, 2wd, slight pressure on throttle, sliding backwards. Backed down a few legnths where it wasn't as steep, still no go. Backing down approx 6 lenghs, pretty much at the bottom now, still spinning but gaining momentum slowly. 6 total attepmts at the hill, was made finally.
On to the loose and packed sections of snow.
Did have difficulty maintaining momentum but not to the point I was stuck. Still running 2wd. Stopped on a snow covered section about 6" deep, facing uphill, spun out immediately.
For braking we used the same graded hill but going down hill, stopping from 50km/h (31mph) and 70km/h (44mph). Braking results will be compared later to the Nokians.
Nokian Hak LT's, mounted on steel Ford wheels, 53psi front, 45psi rear. All testing in 2wd. Tires are quieter than predicted being studded. Good control on wet pavement up to 80mph. No squirmy studded tire feeling I remember with the last set I had.
Braking from 80km/h, too roughly 1/2 the distance between power poles. Approx 25% shorter stopping distance. Cooking up around the right corner again, close to 70km/h, no hooting/hollering. Truck didn't kick out at all, felt like it was on rails. Up to the graded hill. Stopped about 3 truck legnths from the top (where the W965's spun out), and crawled ahead without a hiccup. Stopped again further up and steeper, same thing, didn't spin one lug. Stopped right at the steepest point, tires spun slightly but still made it.
The snow-packed section was a piece of cake. Drove off the ruts into the deeper snow, chewed through it without effort. running the main packed trail was as easy as a graded road. The W965's struggled through this whole section. I stopped in the same spot where I spun out before, had no trouble climbing in 2wd, in 6" snow, going up hill. Didn't spin at all. In fact, I made it up the hill turned around in the ruts which required backing up one section crossing deep ruts, all in 2wd. These things work like magic!!!!
This stuff was deep enough to test which tread design would work better in the snow, and the Nokians were clearly superior.
The braking, I had an idea they were better from the 80km/h stop, and they were just as impressive on the hill also. From 50km/h, they stopped 30 1/2 feet shorter than the W965's, and 32 1/2 feet from 70km/h. Tearing back to the main highway, these things gave me new found confidence. I was flying down sections without the slightest slippage.
There isn't anything wrong with the W965, they're a better winter tire than any all-season / all-terrain you could get. They work great for a studless tire. I never lost control with them, or got stuck. I have a large 4wd, and they complimented the package very well. It just so happens that studs, combined with a great tire, still work better.
Tonight we'll have the Coopers ready to rock, and we'll find out what is the best Light Truck winter you can run in central BC.
The Coopers will have to be close to a perfect tire to match the Nokians. We'll see how close to perfect they really are!
https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...hreadid=139943
Since none of the judges can be available over the weekend with the holidays so close, we ran the Bridgestone W965's and the Nokian Hak LT's this afternoon. This is what we've found out so far.
We ran the W965's first since they're already mounted on my truck. Ford Lariat alum wheels, 53psi front, 45psi back. We ran out to the local club house at 80km/h (50mph), long straight, slight gravel, scattered on a sheet of ice/snow. Brakes hammered at power pole #19, ABS working, truck stopped about 3/4 distance to the next pole. Descent distance, good control. Tearing around a icy right corner, rear end kicks out at 60km/h, nice controled slide followed by cheering/hollering.
On to the hills. Long steep section, graded, a few traces of gravel, snow compacted on ice. Very slick. Stopped at the top, 2wd, slight pressure on throttle, sliding backwards. Backed down a few legnths where it wasn't as steep, still no go. Backing down approx 6 lenghs, pretty much at the bottom now, still spinning but gaining momentum slowly. 6 total attepmts at the hill, was made finally.
On to the loose and packed sections of snow.
Did have difficulty maintaining momentum but not to the point I was stuck. Still running 2wd. Stopped on a snow covered section about 6" deep, facing uphill, spun out immediately.
For braking we used the same graded hill but going down hill, stopping from 50km/h (31mph) and 70km/h (44mph). Braking results will be compared later to the Nokians.
Nokian Hak LT's, mounted on steel Ford wheels, 53psi front, 45psi rear. All testing in 2wd. Tires are quieter than predicted being studded. Good control on wet pavement up to 80mph. No squirmy studded tire feeling I remember with the last set I had.
Braking from 80km/h, too roughly 1/2 the distance between power poles. Approx 25% shorter stopping distance. Cooking up around the right corner again, close to 70km/h, no hooting/hollering. Truck didn't kick out at all, felt like it was on rails. Up to the graded hill. Stopped about 3 truck legnths from the top (where the W965's spun out), and crawled ahead without a hiccup. Stopped again further up and steeper, same thing, didn't spin one lug. Stopped right at the steepest point, tires spun slightly but still made it.
The snow-packed section was a piece of cake. Drove off the ruts into the deeper snow, chewed through it without effort. running the main packed trail was as easy as a graded road. The W965's struggled through this whole section. I stopped in the same spot where I spun out before, had no trouble climbing in 2wd, in 6" snow, going up hill. Didn't spin at all. In fact, I made it up the hill turned around in the ruts which required backing up one section crossing deep ruts, all in 2wd. These things work like magic!!!!
This stuff was deep enough to test which tread design would work better in the snow, and the Nokians were clearly superior.
The braking, I had an idea they were better from the 80km/h stop, and they were just as impressive on the hill also. From 50km/h, they stopped 30 1/2 feet shorter than the W965's, and 32 1/2 feet from 70km/h. Tearing back to the main highway, these things gave me new found confidence. I was flying down sections without the slightest slippage.
There isn't anything wrong with the W965, they're a better winter tire than any all-season / all-terrain you could get. They work great for a studless tire. I never lost control with them, or got stuck. I have a large 4wd, and they complimented the package very well. It just so happens that studs, combined with a great tire, still work better.
Tonight we'll have the Coopers ready to rock, and we'll find out what is the best Light Truck winter you can run in central BC.
The Coopers will have to be close to a perfect tire to match the Nokians. We'll see how close to perfect they really are!