STUDDED SNOW TIRES

[Van Daddy]

All,
I have been planning on getting 2 studded snow tires on their own steel rims. I am not sure if I should get 4 though. Yes my van is a 2wheel drive.

I have put studs all around on my cars but they were front wheel drive. I know for sure that at least once having studs on the back kept me from spinning out.

Any way this time the cost will be much more and would it really help. For sure I'll go with the back two.

This will be my second winter and I was shocked at the trouble I had getting out the driveway ,then up the street with just an inch of snow on the ground. That was with brand new M+S tires.

I also live and drive on dirt roads. The clay after a heavy summer rain can be worse than the snow.

Thanks for any feedback.


------------------
Van Daddy
'98' Club Wagon 15 psg
7.3 PSD 4.10 rear end.

[bjornar]

Hi!
I just got a price for 4 new tires (sans rims) for my E-250 (same ratings as for 350s). Each would run about $115. Which is not much more than a real good winter tire for passenger cars.
On my Excort I run a nordic brand, Nokian Hakkapellita NR01 (yes, finninsh). The van tires were either Cooper or General (same price). I have a set of studded Generals but the tread is worn off and they stink in snow driving. Not too bad on ice because all the studs are still there (usually other way round, studs leave the premises before the tread)...
The most important for snow driving is a tread that will clean itself of snow and bite with lots of "sipings" - hair-thin grooves across the tread. Studs will only help you on ice-covered roads. (Here on the coast we often have temp. fluctuations making the roads covered in snow and ice with rain on top. Studs are it...).
The most important is steering and stopping. The big/heavy engine up front will often pull your van straight ahead more than you called for. Make sure your front tires are better than your rear ones. Get a pair of snowchains for the rear, and don't enter into situations with your eyes open (No, do not drive with your eyes closed, but don't drive yourself into a sticky situation!).
Get some tire cleaner (kerosene or diesel may help in a bind, but will leave a residue), and get "chain in a box" spray. Fine for those "stuck in the parking lot" situations...
For some of us, who use the van for personal transport and/or have little or light cargo, it would behave far better with front-wheel drive. That would of course not work for people who carry very heavy loads (look at the Renault Traffic or Iveco vans with front-wheel drive; they are a royal pain during winter driving...)


------------------
Bjørnar
Ålesund, Norway
1990 E-250 7.3l E4OD 3.54
2000 Excursion Limited on order

[Van Daddy]

Bjornar,
Thanks for the note.

------------------
Van Daddy
'98' Club Wagon 15 psg
7.3 PSD 4.10 rear end.

[Camp Keeper]

Studded tires work best on ice, of course your would also want them on your steering axle, so as not to miss many corners. Our state laws regulate when we may run snow tires in what areas. You might consider two seprate sets of wheels and tires. They make quite an improvement when combined with an aggressive tread.

------------------
92 E350 7.5 Gas Clubwagon
170,000 + miles, Van # 3

[HeyBob]

Van Daddy,

I use four snow tires on my two 24 hour
service vehicles. We run LT245-75R16E Goodyear Workhorse mud and snow tires, they
work great on the dirt roads great in snow,
crappy at 85mph for directional stability, and a little on the noisy side, I wish we could stud tires in Michigan, the reason we started going to four tires is because the vans would seem to wash out on corners, and this helped the handling problem a lot, now
everything slides sideways at the same rate.

------------------
cogito ergo zoom

98 E-350 Cargo van PSD
99 E-350 Clubwagon XLT PSD
Emerald Green, Factory aluminum
wheels, I found em at a garage sale
for $400.00
Three screaming kids in back seat, noise from engine drowns them out!
Don't ya just love it?