Winter Truck Tires

Initial Review, 10,000 Miles on Tires
May 22, 2011

I needed to replace the factory Michelins after 75000 miles. I've had Kumhos on my previous Explorer, as well as, I have them on my wife's truck so I know how well these tires are made. I purchased these tires because I not only live in NYC but I also goto NE PA to see my parents, and winters can be bad. This winter was worse in NYC than NE PA, and these tires performed flawlessly. When NYC received two feet of snow and my Explorer was plowed in at work. The guys came out and said there was no way the Explorer would get out. Not only did it get out, but on many unplowed city streets, the Kumhos gripped and grabbed and got me home. These tires are extremely impressive. I would definitely buy these again.

Initial Review, 1,000 Miles on Tires
April 25, 2012

These tires are excellent. The OEM BF Goodrich were horrible. I then went to a set of Fusion's which looked really great with the flame sidewall and rode and handled ok. These tires are great. The ride is much better, quiter and softer but responsive. They handle well in the rain also. I have them blackwall out since my truck is black and chrome. I also went bigger than the OEM rims. The taller height and width still are handled well witht this tire. I run dedicated snows in the winter on the OEM rims so I have no snow comments. As far as better gas mileage, come on let's be honest. I have a 6000 lb pickup, my mileage is what it is. But these tires are worth the price and you will enjoy them. A definite rebuy.

Initial Review, 6,000 Miles on Tires
April 23, 2012

As this is our third Volvo V40 these tires seem to be the best fit for all around touring. We do a lot of driving; while we live in MD and last year had aprox. 6' feet of snow this year not even 10" total. We do drive to the western US, Wyoming and Kansas as well as several long trips to Vermont each year, my sisters drive is unpaved up the side of a mountain about 1/3 of a mile with one part hitting, perhaps 20+% so unless you have speed you can't even start from a stop in a 4x4. There is a plow truck and w/ these tires we've never had a problem getting up, even when my sis had winter snow tires on we simply drove on past her through the deep snow and it took her another 3-4 try's to make it up.

As I am an adrenaline junky I give these tires a work-out usually at night out in Maryland's horse country which has a nice mix of smooth tarmac straights where 130+ feels totally stable and older twisting roads you can get airborne in a turn and stick when you land just hearing the tires grip not squeal. These are by far the best over all so far for the V40.

Initial Review, 6,000 Miles on Tires
April 15, 2012

Recently purchased these tires for my 11' Sonata at the beginning of the winter to replace a set of Yokohama Avid's that were just awful. Right away I noticed a substantial difference in ride comfort, smoothness and noise. We live in Colorado where the weather can change in a matter of minutes. With the first snowfall I just had to test them out on the twisty slick mountain roads and they performed beautifully. Light snow traction was great and deep snow wasn't much worse. They are no dedicated winter tire but for your average driver that doesn't push the limits, these tires are all you need.
I also had them out in a pouring rain storm. Tried to get them to slip but it was next to impossible. To get these tires to fail you in the rain, you'd have to be driving in a way that almost no tire could handle and TRYING to wreck yourself.

Recently, we got caught in a bad snowstorm on the highway. It was perfect timing after the storm started but before the plow trucks could get to it so it was nasty. Whiteout conditions and easily 3 inches of heavy wet slushy snow on the roadway that hadn't been plowed yet. These tires were solid as a rock! My traction control never even had to take over. I felt safe that these tires would hold their own in bad conditions and they did! Highly recommended tire for the casual driver.

As for treadwear, I just inspected my tires after the winter and I see almost no noticeable treadwear. All siping and everything still there. I think these tires will last.
If your looking for all-season flexibility but don't want to sacrifice too much in the snow, these tires will get you around.

Initial Review, 20,000 Miles on Tires
April 12, 2012

Perfect tire for areas with frequent black-ice conditions. I have driven normal speed limit on highway in snowy/icy conditions (in 4wd) not even noticing that the road was slippery except for seeing other cars and trucks in the ditch. Still great after 2 winters. Smooth on roads at factory recommended psi. Hardly notice road noise.

Initial Review, 12,000 Miles on Tires
April 03, 2012

These are an awesome mud tire for the money!!! I had them on a farm truck and I literally felt like I could go anywhere in any conditions and over any terrain... and I did! In the winter these tires would grip my truck to plow through 1-10" of snow. By keeping some weight in the back and using 4x4 I never had to chain up while pushing snow and I don't remember ever slipping and sliding around or having ANY troubles stopping, not even in a panic situation. They are a bit loud on the dry pavement but you wouldn't need to look down at the speedometer anymore, instead, you can just hear how fast you're going from the howling of the tires! I was a little disappointed with the tread wearing down faster than what I'd expected though, but i did do a lot of driving on the dry pavement most of the time too, but, mud and snow is what these tires hold up to and are best for. I've recently bought some in 35's for my 78 f150 4x4. I like that they're affordable yet not at all cheap. I like the classic M/T look about them. I like their proven foot print pressed sharply into the mud and snow... and my heart! I like the loud sound of them howling down the highway. Also, they can seriously hurl the mud out up into the sky too!

Initial Review, 3,500 Miles on Tires
March 25, 2012

My review may be slightly biased because I have always used performance tires previously on my Tundra. I wanted to smooth my ride out and this tire definitely provides a smooth ride. These tires have provided excellent traction throughout a wet winter/spring. I just rotated these tires (at 3500 miles) and the wear is negligible. These tires look they're going to hold up quite well. With the smooth ride that these tires provide my truck rides like new again. I will be purchasing these tires again when it's time for some new skins!!

Initial Review, 1,000 Miles on Tires
March 09, 2012

I have an '04 Colorado Crew Cab 4x4 Z71. I replaced a set of horrendous Goodyear Wrangler RT/S with the Firestone Destination A/T. The Goodyears were downright scary on anything but absolutely dry pavement. The handling was awful as well. The new Firestone's are GREAT! The GY's weren't a loud tire, IMO but the Firestone's are unbelievably quiet considering they are an AT tire. Immediately, I noticed how much better the ride was on the new Firestones. The GY's made my truck a rattle trap because they rode like rocks, however, the sidewalls seemed very soft and the truck was all over the place when it came to turning/handling. Oddly enough, the Firestones feel more firm, but also more forgiving over rough pavement. My truck rattles much less but the ride and handling are much better than the GY's. I've only driven a few times in the rain, but the Firestones are just light years ahead of the GY's. Unfortunately, I won't be able to test them in the snow until next winter but my guess is that they will perform flawlessly. I will update this review over the life of the tire. After the first 1,000 miles though, I absolutely love this tire. I couldn't be happier with it. If you're looking at AT's, do yourself a favor and get some Destination's.

Initial Review, 10,000 Miles on Tires
March 01, 2012

Great winter tire, snow and ice were not a problem. These tires on my FWD 4cyl car made lots of 4WD trucks look silly. Typical winter tire not for aggressive driving on dry roads. Should get 2-3 winters out of these if rotate them off the car in early spring. I love them!

Initial Review, 4,000 Miles on Tires
March 06, 2012

I installed these in size 265/70/17(non-studded)for winter mountain pass driving in a lifted 4Runner. Being in Seattle, we don't get much snow, but we've got our few occasional snow storms where we'll get 8-20" over a couple days. During these storms, the roads are poorly maintained as the city lacks the plowing equipment for these days.

First and only major storm we got this year - I was out trying to get stuck on steep hills in 2WD to see how a rear wheel drive vehicle handles snow/ice with winter tires. Like all 2WD cars, you obviously still have to take it easy from a stop to not get excessive tire spin, but these tires do an excellent job at grabbing for whatever traction is available. The only places I got stuck in 2WD were the steepest of hill grades in the Ballard area. We're talking neighborhood hills that people push their bicycles up and kids would sled/snowboard down when its snowing. Once I kicked the truck into 4WD, there was absolutely no slippage and I climbed right up and could go back down safely without ever engaging ABS. In fact, the ABS almost never turns on when I'm in snow/ice unless I'm trying to lock up on purpose. When 4WD is engaged, I could accelerate from stoplights as if it were dry pavement. All in all, I will say my favorite aspect about these tires is the ability to maintain control at all speeds and to stop a car on a dime on compact snow/ice in a fraction of the distance of what my Destination All Terrains can do.

Deep snow traction - I've taken my 4Runner snow wheeling into 1-2ft of powder in eastern Washington and Idaho. They are superb, but definitely have to be careful to go into bumper deep snow as these tires will dig as far as they can go to get traction which can cause me to high center and get stuck.
I've also used these tires in 205/55/16 on a 2005 Mazda 3 Hatch with the same great results.

After 4000 miles, treadwear looks minimal for driving down mostly wet streets/highways.

Initial Review, 13,000 Miles on Tires
February 27, 2012

I replaced my original Goodyear tires and based upon the Tire Rack reviews and ratings choose these Michelin's. I wanted tires that would last longer than 40,000 miles. I only got to put 13,000 miles on them because I bought a new truck. I have to say that the Michelins were great tires, very quite but did notice my gas mileage decrease by about 1 mpg. Overall I would recommend these tires and would buy them again. Did not get to use them in much snow this year as it has been a warmer than usual winter.

Initial Review, 10000 Miles on Tires
February 11, 2012

We purchased our suburban with approximately 100k and a very worn set of goodyears. My wife frequently has to make long highway trips for her non-profit to transport dogs and cats rescued from shelters all over the Midwest. I had read good things about these tires and I wanted her to be as safe as possible, especially when I'm not able to go with her. These tires have far surpassed my expectations. I feel compelled to write this review now because I borrowed the 'burban yesterday and had to drive it in really nasty, icy, whiteout conditions to deliver some product to one of my customers out in the "sticks". My white-knuckled drive included 2 and 4 lane roads with some really steep grades, vehicles in the ditches, semi trucks jack-knifing (one immediately in front of me). The traction and control afforded by these michelins was absolutely great.We have had a mild winter this year so far here in WI, so my impressions until now have been limited to dry and wet roads, as well as the general quietness, all of which have been very favorable. The only minor negative has been that our overall mileage decreased from 18.3 to about 17.5, but that may be due to winter blend fuel, too. I would definitely recommend these tires, especially for high mileage drivers. I will do a follow up this Summer.

Initial Review, 1000 Miles on Tires
February 05, 2012

YES, they will fit and they do not rub. I've had trucks my entire life... so moving to a Volvo XC70 was quite the shock. AWD is great, but it's only good if you have good traction. The BFgoodrich All Terrain K/O has incredible traction year round in any condition. I have driven through some of the worst winter storms on the I-70 corridor in Colorado. On more than one occasion the west side of Eisenhower pass was complete ice and cars and trucks were sliding backwards down the highway... piles of 30-40 cars stuck together on the low part of the curves... crazy stuff. I drove right up the pass through all of the carnage and was usually the only one who made it. It was like a pinball game... Yes, they are a little noisier than an all season touring radial that should go on the XC70, but they handle so much better. The super strong sidewall makes it handle like it has a lower profile tire. The handling and responsiveness is so much better. I like to be able to go anywhere anytime, dirt, snow, mud, dry pavement. The BFgoodrich All Terrain K/O provide me with the maximum traction, year round, for any situation without having to swap summer/winter tires on my grocery getter volvo wagon. I know my new ride is not a truck, but at least I don't feel like a sitting duck when the weather conditions get bad. I have driven over 300,000 miles on the BFgoodrich All Terrain over the years. I'm ecstatic that the smallest size they make fits on my Volvo XC70.

Initial Review, 2,000 Miles on Tires
February 25, 2012

My 2009 Toyota Highlander came with Bridgestone Dueler 400 size 245/55/19 tires. These tires were very unimpressive. At 40,000 miles they were more than ready to be replaced.
Since we drive cross country from Georgia to Pennsylvania (visiting grandchildren) we needed to get some good quality all season tires. I was surprised to find that the choices of tires in this size were limited and a number of the tires available were not particularly rated very well. I looked for the top rated tires made by a Korean company but they were not available in my area. So finally after looking at reviews decided to go with the Bridgstone 422 Duelers. These tires were sold as fuel savers. Within a week of our purchase we left for a trip to Pa. I must say we were very impressed with the smooth and quiet ride. During the trip we experienced snow, ice, rain and just about every kind of winter weather found in North Western Pa. and upstate New York. Generally the roads had been treated, but it was a good test for our new tires. Except for one instance where I detected a little slippage coming down the mountain from Philipsburg, Pa. the tires performed well. The truck in front of us not so lucky flipped over. Of course it helps a lot to have front wheel drive and operate at a safe speed. We probably had some improved fuel savings on the trip but I wouldn't pay a premium for it since it was probably not huge. We only have about 2000 miles on the tires so we have to wait to see what tread life is. At least they are rated at 65000 miles. I don't believe the Bridgestone 400 Duelers are even rated. So in conclusion so far I am very pleased with my 422's. Back on flat ground in Georgia they are running smooth and quiet.

 

Initial Review, 20000 Miles on Tires
January 31, 2012

I put these on two years ago and been through two Chicago winters with them. They've made me feel confident in snowy weather in my 2WD pickup. While I don't have as good of traction as a 4x4, I think it's really down to not having weight in the back. Highway driving is a dream, these tires soak up the small bumps, I almost feel like I'm not driving a truck anymore, it feels very car like. I can corner really good, I've been pushing the limit of my own conscience and so far, it just grips with minimal tire squeal. I would defiantly buy these tires again.

Initial Review, 81408 Miles on Tires
February 05, 2012

Currently looking for a replacement tire, considering price and performance, it looks like I will be getting these tires again. The set I currently have came with the truck and have performed quite nicely in rain, snow, dry weather and everything in between. Now, with 80K plus miles, they are finally showing some limits to what I ask of them to do in my driving this winter. By the way, this truck isn't just for show and tell or running to the grocery store, it is used to actually do work, and these tires have held up on and off road admirably.

Initial Review, 10,000 Miles on Tires
February 22, 2012

I bought these tires 2 years ago I use to remove them in the winter month's now I don't have to living in Texas I can drive on them all year around an I love handling of especially in wet traction they really perform on the highway in wet conditions you can feel the traction in the stirring wheel they are very attractive cleaned up with tire shine on them the speed rating is a plus in dry traction and handling in a full size SUV I'm already getting ready to buy a new set before these are thin I really love Yokohama products for trucks..

Big Mo
Slicka~Fly Recordz
 

Initial Review, 26000 Miles on Tires
January 30, 2012

I have had this tire on my Z 71 for a bit over 2 years and 26,000 miles with no issues. They replaced a set of Bridgestone Dueler A/Ts that came from the factory and were replaced at 45,000 miles. Ride comfort on the Firestones is good and they are not noisy. Tires appear to be wearing well. I keep my tires at 36 psi, have the alignment checked twice a year and rotate the tires every 4 or 5,000 miles. I have had no issues in heavy rain. The times I have driven in snow the 4WD, limited slip and 300 pounds in the bed have definately helped, never had an issue. I have felt the truck spin but it keeps moving. Normal snowfall is 2 to 5inches and traction is good in that. Although the winter of 2010/11 had us get hit with 2 blizzards and we had 19 inches during the first one. I was able to get around, very slowly and at one pont had to make my own road for a short distance. Ice, well, what helps in that?? I go slow and have made it through so far. I can't comment on mud/off road as I don't experience much of that. I will definately consider replacing this set of tires with the same thing when the time comes to replace them.