recommend studded winter tires for ram pickup?

[buco]

Hi guys,

Don't know if i am in the right place but i am looking for some info on a really good set of studded winter tires. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks so much!

 

[Stuart in MN]

First question: are studded tires allowed where you live? Assuming you're in the US, many states ban them.

 

[1984Datsun]

Studded tires are illegal in much of the US.

Run Bridgestone Blizzaks if you can find them in the size you need. If not, look at Firestone Winterforce, they're pretty good. Hankook i-Pikes are good as well.

Can't say much about the General Altimax Arctic, and some others since I've never driven a vehicle that wears/wore those tires.

Really, any snow/winter tire will work much, much better than any all-season ever could in the cold and snow, and on ice as well.

Check tirerack.com, read reviews, and check prices, etc.

By far, Blizzaks are the best. They'll stick to ice, no bull.

 

[dirttracker18]

You cannot use studded tires in MN. I know cause there is a sign when I cross the border to that effect.

For winters (studded or not) on a truck, if you want top notch and don't mind paying for it then Nokian Hakkapelitta have some of the best ratings. Choice two for me would be Bridgestone Blizzaks. Note my bias for Bridgestone as they sponsor my race series. However they are amazing on track and I would buy them for a car in an instant.

 

[modeltford]

Any SIPED tire is an improvement over studded - and unlike studs, don't destroy the highway - my rant.....

 

[dirttracker18]

Actually the new studs are very friendly to the roadways.

It's not like the old days when they tore up the roads. The stud has been reinvented so that they can be brought back. My states and provinces are allowing them back because of the new design.

 

[rsa]

Yeah, I know. CR s*cks.

Consumer Reports' (subscription required) highest rated studdable winter truck tires, and their overall scores, are:

General Altimax Arctic, 66, (studdable)
Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice WRT, 64, (studdable)
Firestone Winterforce UV, 56, (studdable)

The General equaled or bettered the other studdable tires in all categories.

Nokian Hakkapeliitta R Sport Utility, 68, is studless, but Nokian's SUV 5 and SUV 7 are studded as delivered and their LT is studdable. Link.

 

[Gary S]

I believe that when you go shopping for studdable tires, you will find very few available. In my experience, they all do a wonderful job of getting you around on ice. Get whatever brand you can find at a decent price.
The worst studded tire will beat the best unstudded tire on ice.

 

[BigAl62]

Look on www.tirerack.com They have all kinds of snow tires available.

 

[Pointbock]

I'm running a studded Mastercraft Courser MSR (255/75/15 - ~31") on a Jeep Cherokee and also looked at the similar Cooper M+S. Nokia's are great studded tires, too. Our Forester has studded Hankook I-pike's.

If I couldn't run studs, I'd look at Bizzak and Winterforce.

 

[Sterff]

Why not buy a set of tire chains? They aren't very hard to install, and would allow you to use the tires you all ready own.

 

[ktmben]

I've run Hankook I pikes with good results. Nothing like a 4wd and 4 studded tires on the ice!

 

[neonnblack]

Didnt see them on tire rack, but i saw a work truck the other day with the treads of the tires "flared up". So if the tire tread was cut and laid flat, it would look like a saw blade, any info on these?

 

[cak446]

Not sure what type of Dodge Ram you have, but I have a 2006 2500 and run studded 315/70r17 Goodyear Duratrac tires. They are one of the few studdable tires that come in a larger size.

I've ran them for two full winters, and going into my third. I am satisfied with the grip, and treadlife of the tires. I plan on running these tires summer and winter. After this winter I will remove the studs and this set will become my summer tires. I will put on a new set on another set of wheels for next winter. This way I will always be running next to new tires in the winter.

 

[hmbemis]

I have the Firestone Winterforce studdable tires on my Blazer--but no studs in them.

The tires perform pretty well w/o the studs...

In my state you're allowed to run studded tires from Nov to Apr. There are absolutely times where I wish I had them, but 95% of the time they're completely unnecessary and may in fact make you less safe because the vehicle won't handle or brake as well as it would w/o them.

 

[hmbemis]

Why not buy a set of tire chains? They aren't very hard to install, and would allow you to use the tires you all ready own.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but you can't run chains high speed right? also, it would be pretty odd to run them on days w/o heavy snow, so you'd be putting them on and taking them off for each storm.

Whereas w/ studs you can pretty much treat them like you were a non-studded tire, excepting any local laws regarding seasonal use and the decrease in handling.

 

[jayoldschool]

Hankook Winter iPike. Best snows I have ever used. Highly recommended. I run no studs, but they are stud-ready.

 

[Sterff]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but you can't run chains high speed right? also, it would be pretty odd to run them on days w/o heavy snow, so you'd be putting them on and taking them off for each storm.

Whereas w/ studs you can pretty much treat them like you were a non-studded tire, excepting any local laws regarding seasonal use and the decrease in handling.

True no more than 30 mph but, the only time I use chains is for driving around near our cabin or locally during a storm. Neither time I am going very fast. If you put enough wait in a truck bed during winter the truck will handle well. I only use chains when I feel a loss in traction.

 

[samwe]

Our Excursion is running BFGoodrich All Terain T/A's and they do great in all but the slickest conditions.
If I was getting a studded tire I would get a BFGoodrich Commercial T/A which have worked great for me on other trucks before.

 

[jayoldschool]

A real winter tire (look for the mountain/snowflake symbol) will put an all terrain tire to shame in ice/snow conditions.

 

[flat350]

Ahhh reminds me of the good old days of 17 yrs old and a 61 Plymouth Valiant with studded tires on all 4 corners,stopped on ice at 50 mph in 50'.

 

[TiFJ]

I'll second the recommendation for GY Duratracs. We had worst winter in 30 yrs in my area last year and the Duratracs performed very well unstudded, I think they would be amazing with studs.