Hi guys/gals, :D

It's that time of year. I'm in the market for new tires. I've read through most of the archives, but no one really says what Make of tire they have bought.

Can someone give me an idea of the Make of tire? I'm looking at going a tab bit bigger than the OEM tire currently being used. Not sure if I want to go fatter, but that is an option.

Any suggestions would be awesome!!! Mind you, I'm having my Caliphers painted to match the outside of my E ... SOP :lol:

Thanks!!!!

Kerri

I bought some stock Pilot EX rims that came with Goodyear Integrity 225s instead of the stock Goodyear Wranglers ... ( I think the stock ones are 205).

They are wider, and look better, and drive a little better ...


n

I'm surprised you find little information about tire brands. My impression has been that when people talk on these forums about changing tires, they are quite specific about the brand, model and size. This would be especially true of those who change before the originals are well worn.

Are you saying the Integrity is the (or a) stock tire for the Pilot?

I just put a set of lightly used Integritys (in the 225 section width) on my Element - because the Wrangler HPs were looking worn at 16,000, and the tire dealer offered a good deal. Looks are fine, though they certainly don't have the 'meat' that some people long for :-). I've tried to identify a difference in handling, noise, or traction compared to the old tires, but without much success. Sure, I notice bumps and road grooves that I didn't before, but is that because the tires are different, or because I am paying more attention?

I am planning on a trip with some back roads driving, but whether the choice of tires will make much difference is anyone's guess. Utah dirt roads are supposed to be impassible for most vehicles after a rain. I'll turn back if I encounter snow in the Colorado mountains, and fear of hitting the exhaust system will limit my speed on the rocky stretches.

paulj

My experience with getting new tires for a car is to always get the same size that came with the car. When you put bigger tires on the steering gets harder and you change the handling for the worse. The car starts grabbing the cracks in the road and you are always correcting the steering. On all my cars in the last 20 years I have upgraded to Michlin tires and improved the ride and handling. So I purchased some LTX M/S stock size tires correct inflation ect. I hate them. They have made every bump a jaring sensation. This is too much tire for the Element. All the reviews for this tire were glowing but they were for other cars. I now have some Yokohama Geolanders ordered that the salesman says will ride much softer, I will report later. I think that the old rule of putting the best riding tire on a new car has never changed. I love the ride of the original tire but not the performance, they break loose too easily from a start and they hydroplane too much.

I bought Bridgestone Dueler H/L tires from Tire Rack (www.tirerack.com)

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Dueler+H%2FL&partnum=17SR6HL683OBL&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes is a link directly to the tire.

I LOVE them. I have never liked Goodyear tires, and thought the Element OEM tires sucked.

These have been awesome so far. Great ride, awesome rain traction, etc. I have yet to try them in snow, but the reviews are all around great. They get a lot better ratings at Tire Rack than the H/Ts, so I decided to give them a try.

My experience with getting new tires for a car is to always get the same size that came with the car. When you put bigger tires on the steering gets harder and you change the handling for the worse.
[/quote:0056bb62ca]

While it's certainly true that any DIFFERENT tire on a car has the potential of affecting the ride, handling, etc., what you just said is not really true, particularly that you change the handling for the worse. It is very possible to improve handling and braking substantially with different tire choice (be it size or type/brand/etc.), but perhaps with tradeoffs in terms of ride and side effects in the way the steering responds.

On all my cars in the last 20 years I have upgraded to Michlin tires and improved the ride and handling.


As you seem to have discovered, this is only the case if the particular Michelin tires you "upgrade" to are in fact better tires, in terms of handling and ride, than the original tires. In my experience, quite frankly, Michelin tires are radically overpriced compared to competitive tires, and often much better tires can be had for less money.

Also I suggest that improving both "ride" and "handling" at the same time may be relatively impossible, except for the caveat that "ride" is certainly a subjective term and for many drivers "handling" is also used to describe subjective qualities about the experience of driving a car. In my Miata, going from my Pirelli P7000's (which are NLA in the size I need) to the current Falken Ziex tires was a major downer in both ride and handling, but that's because to me, "spongy" is not a good ride quality, I prefer the much more firm, solid, you may say "jarring" ride of the P7000's, and concurrent to that, the softer sidewall on the Falkens that makes them have a much softer ride also makes the car handle much worse.


So I purchased some LTX M/S stock size tires correct inflation ect.


Again, "correct inflation" is also subjective, particularly when you change the tires. Tire pressure is the most accessible "owner tuning" feature of any car.

I hate them. They have made every bump a jaring sensation. This is too much tire for the Element. All the reviews for this tire were glowing but they were for other cars. [/quote]

The sidewall is stiffer. This will keep the tire from rolling over in a corner and dramatically improve handling compared with a tire with a softer sidewall. You feel the bumps because the tire flexes less in that direction. IMHO that would constitute a major improvement in the handling of the Element, not a detriment. You can't say the tire's not right for the car, when in fact it is simply not to your taste in terms of ride quality.

I now have some Yokohama Geolanders ordered that the salesman says will ride much softer, I will report later. I think that the old rule of putting the best riding tire on a new car has never changed. I love the ride of the original tire but not the performance, they break loose too easily from a start and they hydroplane too much.

But those problems are related to the ride quality!!

Breaking loose to easily from a start has mostly to do with short wheelbase of the Element and weight shift on take-off. The weight shifts to the rear, unloads the drive wheels, and the tires chirp. To fix that, you have to put on tires that have wider tread width, or a tread pattern that puts more actual rubber on the ground, and are made with a softer or more sticky tread compound. But you already qualified that you won't try a wider tire. So unless you change to a performance-oriented tire (stickier rubber, more rubber tread on the ground), you can't solve the wheelspin problem effectively. But the performance-oriented tire is going to have stiffer sidewalls and the ride will be much more harsh. It's a catch-22. The choice of tire involves tradeoffs. So my guess is if in fact the geolanders are a soft-ride like the original tires, and a similar tread compound and pattern, then they will likely not noticeably handle better or have any better traction (hydroplaning & wheelspin). FWIW, the hydroplaning could possibly be solved with a more effective tread design but most of the better tread designs are in performance and grand-touring tires that have the stiffer sidewall, lower profile (thus you must get wider treadwidth to keep the same overall diameter), etc., again, tradeoffs!

Sorry about all that.

I haven't noticed hydroplaning in our Element with the stock tires, but they do roll over easily in corners and the handling kinda stinks. The car needs a tire with a stiffer sidewall and a wider tread pattern imho in order to keep it stuck in corners. Now, virtually all non-high-performance road tires have hydroplaning issues so again for a cars that don't see a lot of mud & snow duty, but mostly drive on the highway, even an SUV-shaped car, I'd still recommend a perfomance-style tire with tread design that draws water away from the tire effectively. These tires are noisy, particularly on braking, ride rougher, and stop about 10x as good in the wet, and about 2x as good in the dry. For ME that's a tradeoff I'll gladly make.

FWIW on our '99 Nissan Altima that we just sold, I replaced the crappy OEM tires that were 195/65-15 with a new set of 16" alloy wheels with 205/55-16's, high performance tires. The car definitely rode rougher, and mare a lot more road noise particularly braking. But the handling was 100% improved, dry braking was 100% improved, and wet braking was about 1000% improved. Best thing I did for that car. So against the former advice of keeping the stock size tires being best, I think often increasing the size and performance rating of tires may be the best improvement you can make in many cars, if you pay mind to things like wheel offset, tire+wheel total weight, alignment, and that sort of thing.

See ya-

krash-

your post got cutoff due to the message size limit. :( Hopefully you were pretty close to finished with it...

-brendan

After 6,000 miles I replaced the stock tires with Yokohama Geolanders 225/70/16. With the new tires, the E does not bounce as much as the old ones. I currently have 36,000 miles on the E and no problems with the tires.

Anyone have warrantee issues with going to a 225-70-16 tire?

Mike.

I wonder what would make one tire 'bounce' more than another. Assuming of course both a properly balanced and have equivalent pressure.

paulj

I guess this is a continuation of my prev. message, cut off due to length.

[quote:9debc1f268=" "] So my guess is if in fact the geolanders are...[/quote:9debc1f268]

...similar enough tires to the stock tires that there will not be a really notable difference in ride or handling compared with stock tires.

The one caveat is on hydroplaning which is largely influenced by tread DESIGN and not width, compound, contact area, sidewall flex or anything like that. To fix hydroplaning requires a tire with grooves designed to funnel water away from the tire (like the original goodyear "aquatread" and the current crop of high-performance tires out there based on F1 rain tire design). Problem is most of the tires out there with effective wet-stopping design like this are also high-performance tires.

So to get into a tire with better handling, stopping, or hydroplaning resistance, in terms of really a significant improvement over stock beyond the placebo effect or simply replacing worn tires with new ones, will likely require a move from these small-SUV tires to more performance-oriented tires, which if you don't upgrade the wheels to larger diameter wheels, will require a wider tire to get the right overall diameter since these performance tires also will be lower profile than the stock tires (like a 235/60 would probably work). These will also have stiffer sidewalls and subjectively potentially negatively affect the ride quality, while improving wet & dry handling dramatically, as well as wheelspin.

We just sold my beloved '99 Altima that we replaced with the Element. After the original 195/65-15 tires on steel wheels wore out quickly, I replaced them with 205/55-16's with a set of new alloy 16x8 wheels (Kumho Ecsta Supra 712's). The ride was definitely more "crisp", handling was WAY better, cornering and braking on dry. Wet traction (particularly braking) was about 1000% better. And the only real tradeoff was noise, where the new tires were noisier especially when braking. But I bet it knocked 30 feet or more off of the dry stopping distance, and probably 100 feet off of the wet stopping distance. That's a big deal. So in that case, I improved the ride (subjective), handling, braking, and hydroplaning resistance all by going to a bigger, more aggressive tire.

The key to upgrading tires (even if buying new wheels) is to pay mind to the details. A set if bling-bling "rims" (aka "wheels") with big wide low-profile tires will make a radical difference in ride, may stress the suspension more depending on overall offset, and also will most likely be much heavier than the stock wheels & tires, and that extra weight is a big detriment to handling. But if you make a moderate change (like say going to 17" or 18" wheels) and upgrade to performance tires, choose wheel and tire combo that's lighter than the original wheels & tires, and pay careful attention to offset, then you can in fact dramatically improve the handling, braking, wheelspin and hydroplaning resistance over the stock wheels. You will probably get a more jittery, harsh ride and more road noise. That's the tradeoff.

FWIW we got the AWD and wheelspin is a whole lot better than it is with 2WD Elements we test drove. And I run my tires at "improper" pressure, +3lbs.

Michelin Cross Terrain 225-70-16. Got 'em at Costco. Excellent! :)

I wrote this in an earlier post:

After putting several hundred miles on an ELEMENT rental with Goodyear Wranglers, the first mod I did to my ELEMENT was new tires. Bought from Costco Michelin Cross Terrain 225/70/16 after reading many posts here and there on the subject (BTW, I went to the larger size primarily because there are so few good tires available in the OEM size).

Here are a few observations about the switch:

1) Overall the Michelins are excellent tires - very responsive, fairly quiet.
2) The difference between them and the Goodyear OEM is small at best.
3) Noise is very much road dependent regardless of the tire choice (paulj article - right on).

There are certainly tires on the market which cater to the need for quiet. Tirerack would be a great resource. :)

That post (with others) is at: http://tinyurl.com/6ztq5

[quote:8db23fbb42=" "]I bought Bridgestone Dueler H/L tires from Tire Rack (www.tirerack.com)

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Dueler+H%2FL&partnum=17SR6HL683OBL&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes is a link directly to the tire.

I LOVE them. I have never liked Goodyear tires, and thought the Element OEM tires sucked.

These have been awesome so far. Great ride, awesome rain traction, etc. I have yet to try them in snow, but the reviews are all around great. They get a lot better ratings at Tire Rack than the H/Ts, so I decided to give them a try.[/quote:8db23fbb42]

I just bought a set of these today. They were $459 for all four from COSTCO. There is a mail in coupon for 50 bucks off. 100 bucks a tire isn't too bad.

All I can say is, everybody hates the stock Goodyear tires. This is my second element, this time in red rather than Orange. I have put 10000 miles on it since I bought in December. On my last Element, I had to replace several of the tires with Uniroyal Tiger Paw standard size replacements. This was due to the Wranglers getting easily pierced by thorns and rocks since 25% of my driving is on pasture and slight-off road.

On my current 2005 Element, I just replaced one rear Wrangler with a Uniroyal Laredo Cross Country. THis was recommended by NTB. I will let you-all know how I like them. Btw, I also keep them all at 40psi or so which eliminates any squealing around corners.

K

I don't go off road - was looking for good ride, low road noise, good handling in rain and dry and reliability. I did a lot of research here and online to make my choice based on how I drive (and in what conditions). Once I bought the car I was ready and I replaced my Wranglers the day after it was delivered with 225/70/16 Bridgestone Dueler Alenzas - according to my warranty (I verified) my tires are covered for road hazard no matter WHAT I put on the car. I priced everywhere and Firestone had a buy 3 get one free deal so that was BY FAR the cheapest price I found online or off. Made an appt and was in and out (with the OEM tires wrapped in plastic and carefully placed in the back of the E) in one hour. BTW, the Firestone guys thought the E was a hoot, 1st one they had seen and I had every guy in the store checking it out.
The Alenzas are AWESOME tires ~ I am very happy with them - even did good on the ice we had over the weekend. They make the E a real joy to drive and it sticks to the road like glue.

On my 2006 Element LX, I changed tires to AVONS RANGER 225/70/16.... Rides more truer & smooth, very, very quiet and have no problem with handling.There is no snow here in Florida by me, but thats ok. I honestly feel like sometimes Im driving a different vehicle than the one I bought.

It's nice to see these five year old threads show up. Good for another trip down memory lane.

I remember reading this thread when I first joined. That was long before I met Kerry.


Dom

This just won't go away.....

Is there such a thing as too much information? Cause before reading this, I was all set to swap to the Geolanders. Now I'm not so sure.
Btw. Hi to all here. My first post. I've never joined a forum for a car before but after retiring our much loved 1999 town & country(the most trouble free car we've ever owned, Hondas included) my wife and daughter convinced me to go for the E. Call me a late convert but it's curious how I'm reacting to this vehicle.
We're just waiting for financing to come through for our E.
2005 EX AWD, all black with Surco roof rack and basket.
I'll be swapping out the tires first thing to.........I don't have a clue.

Breaking loose too easily from a start has mostly to do with short wheelbase of the Element and weight shift on take-off. The weight shifts to the rear, unloads the drive wheels, and the tires chirp. To fix that, you have to put on tires that have wider tread width, or a tread pattern that puts more actual rubber on the ground, and are made with a softer or more sticky tread compound. But you already qualified that you won't try a wider tire. So unless you change to a performance-oriented tire (stickier rubber, more rubber tread on the ground), you can't solve the wheel spin problem effectively. But the performance-oriented tire is going to have stiffer sidewalls and the ride will be much more harsh. It's a catch-22. The choice of tire involves trade offs. So my guess is if in fact the Geolanders are a soft-ride like the original tires, and a similar tread compound and pattern, then they will likely not noticeably handle better or have any better traction (hydroplaning & wheel spin). FWIW, the hydroplaning could possibly be solved with a more effective tread design but most of the better tread designs are in performance and grand-touring tires that have the stiffer sidewall, lower profile (thus you must get wider tread width to keep the same overall diameter), etc., again, trade offs!

I haven't noticed hydroplaning in our Element with the stock tires, but they do roll over easily in corners and the handling kinda stinks. The car needs a tire with a stiffer sidewall and a wider tread pattern imho in order to keep it stuck in corners. Now, virtually all non-high-performance road tires have hydroplaning issues so again for a cars that don't see a lot of mud & snow duty, but mostly drive on the highway, even an SUV-shaped car, I'd still recommend a performance-style tire with tread design that draws water away from the tire effectively. These tires are noisy, particularly on braking, ride rougher, and stop about 10x as good in the wet, and about 2x as good in the dry. For ME that's a trade off I'll gladly make.

Very good points. Precisely why I went to a 235/65R16.

Nice to see old treads resurrected. Seems the junk Wranglers are getting long in the tooth. Wake up Honda!

Is there such a thing as too much information? Cause before reading this, I was all set to swap to the Geolanders. Now I'm not so sure.
Btw. Hi to all here. My first post. I've never joined a forum for a car before but after retiring our much loved 1999 town & country(the most trouble free car we've ever owned, Hondas included) my wife and daughter convinced me to go for the E. Call me a late convert but it's curious how I'm reacting to this vehicle.
We're just waiting for financing to come through for our E.
2005 EX AWD, all black with Surco roof rack and basket.
I'll be swapping out the tires first thing to.........I don't have a clue.

General Grabber AT/2 225/75/16 no rubbing or hitting issues. this is about the biggest size you want to go on the stock 16" wheel and stock height. compared to the stock wrangelers, it's like night and day in handling....

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o301/rick4570/Picture102.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o301/rick4570/Picture101.jpg

Thanks for the info.
How's the dry ride on the highway? The treads look pretty big to me. Increased noise?

Thanks for the info.
How's the dry ride on the highway? The treads look pretty big to me. Increased noise?

the AT/2 is a all terrain tire. i chose this tire as i live up in the mountains and have to traverse a good deal of dirt road to get to my house and in the winter it rains and snows here. on dry pavement it's a little stiffer ride than the wranglers but handling is improved and the E feels like it sticks to the road better. as for noise, there is a little but nothing really noticeable. i posted this to give you an idea as to how big of a tire you can go on the 16" stock wheel. if you are mostly going to be driving on pavement you might want to go with a less aggresive tred design. HTH.

Rick

I just put on a Set of General Grabber HTS 225-70-16's. I only heard praise from those who have this tire and could not fined any thing but positive reports on it. I do not have enough miles to judge but my first impressions are very positive.

So far, I've tried three tire places(chains) in Baltimore with no success.
But Mr. Tire has a sale on the Yokohama Geolanders hts at $127 each installed, buy three get fourth free.
We do 99.9% of driving on roads so the bigger treads might be overkill for us...mind you, I bet they're great in the snow.
Thanks for the info.

That's a very good price for the Geolandars. I used them for summer only, but they should be fine for Baltimore winters.

You won't be disappointed with the Geolandars, I was quite happy with them myself :D

I bought my element used two years ago. It had 32K or so on it and Goodyear Integrity tires. 225s actually. I love my E but always thought the handling and traction were a little disappointing.

I have a baby on the way and my wife will be using the E to drive him around. On a sidenote, installing the Graco safeseat could not be easier. The latch system is super easy to find and that carseat isn't going anywhere.

To the point of the safety of my wife and child, we had our first real snow and ice here in Chicago a week or so ago. I decided that I needed to do something about the tires as I was sliding down the street with the ABS pulsating away.

I spent a couple hours reading posts here and just wanted to share my experience in case it was helpful to anyone. I am not a tire scientist, and cant explain circle friction theory in 30 words or less. But I can tell you that I have dramatically improved the handling and traction of my E.

I bought four new Michelin LTX M/S tires from Costco. The price includes all the items that they normally charge you for on top of the tires at other places, and there is a promotion going till Saturday for $80 of the set.
http://tires.costco.com/TSSapp/TireLanding.xhtml

I got the 215s.

I don't know if its just that those goodyears were poor tires or if these are great, but we both agree that these tires are safer, quieter and better in the elements (unintended double entendre) than our other tires. The E is downright sporty compared to before.

And no, I don't work for Costco or Michelin, but getting a good tire at a fair price installed quickly and with free warranty, free rotating etc seems like something that should be shared.

Here are the details
Michelin - LTX M/S

* P215/70R16 99S
* Item #: 216248
* Limited 6 year manufacturer's warranty
* Up to 15% Better Snow Traction Than the Competition*
* Three-Steel-Belt Durability
* Wears Evenly, Long Lasting

Price per tire: $177.99

Price includes:
Shipping & Handling, Mounting, Balancing, Lifetime Services, Nitrogen Inflation, New Rubber Valve Stem, Environmental Tire Disposal, and the Costco Road Hazard Warranty.

+1 on the Michelin LTX M/S

I just had a set of BF Goodrick Long Trail T/A, 225/75/16 installed. What a world of difference from the OEM tires !

Price was decent enough. About 750 with an alignment and tire warranty included.

Plus they fill out the wheel wells much better than stock.

Just a follow up on my original post.
After sporting these for a month my opinion hasn't changed a bit.

The Michelin LTX M/S is a winners in the snow and ice.

Schotsky, I just bought 4 of those tires yesterday from a long trusted dealer. (Just now replacing the originals on my 2003) I had second thoughts, however, after buying without shopping the price. Searching here I see that I paid around $50 total more than you and I don’t have the warranty either.
That said I’m still content. I just drove home from the wheel alignment and I must say I can tell the difference.

I guess some would call my driving on the obnoxious side but I call it Aggressive Position driving. All it means is that I know at all times who is where and in what lane at all 360 degrees. If some idiot ever cuts me off I always try to keep a backup position to move to at an moments notice. If I suddenly find my self crowded into a spot I immediately reposition to a less crowded place on the highway. To some this may appear to be quite aggressive in that I simply don’t waste time getting there.

Let me tell you that with these tires I can acquire that that strategically safe position with the utmost adroitness. A true joy to drive and execute my positions effortlessly. LOL

PS If I get anywhere near the 100K plus mileage proclaimed for these tires the price is of no consequence.

Regards

Bob

I'm going for new tires and I've chosen the Nokian WR G2 SUVs.

Question: should I order the 225/70/16s or the 235/70/16s? or another size? I'd like to stay with the stock wheel.

Price is not an issue.

Thanks. I drive huge distances from SW desert to Canada and encounter almost all conditions in the course of a year; don't want to put on different tires, and would really like tire size feedback from people.

thanks!

Stock is 215/70-16. If you don't have a particular reason for getting a different size, why do it?

If you say "looks," I'm gonna scream ...

I'm going for new tires and I've chosen the Nokian WR G2 SUVs.

Question: should I order the 225/70/16s or the 235/70/16s? or another size? I'd like to stay with the stock wheel.

Price is not an issue.

Thanks. I drive huge distances from SW desert to Canada and encounter almost all conditions in the course of a year; don't want to put on different tires, and would really like tire size feedback from people.

thanks!

I went with the 225's to gain the extra 1/4 inch of tread on the pavement in dry weather.

That is the only reason. The 235's did not clear the struts.

Dom

Stock is 215/70-16. If you don't have a particular reason for getting a different size, why do it?

If you say "looks," I'm gonna scream ...

Preparing for Dan's scream in 3....2....1....

:shock:

:lol:

...and I don’t have the warranty either.
Bob

Do you mean that you didn't buy road hazard/replacement insurance for tires or that Michelins did not have a warranty? I've always had Michelins for summer tires and all had a six year warranty and most a treadwear warranty.:confused:

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o301/rick4570/Picture102.jpg
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o301/rick4570/Picture101.jpg

This looks like a sure-footed mule - rugged looking! Sounds like you're driving the right E for your neighborhood! :cool:

You won't be disappointed with the Geolandars, I was quite happy with them myself :D

+1

Discount Tire has them on sale when you buy 4. Great tire, stiffer tire and c=E handles much better. The AT's are slightly loud at road speeds, but they worlds better that those Goodyear OEM skins. Those were ****e.

On my last Element, I had to replace several of the tires with Uniroyal Tiger Paw standard size replacements.

Uggh. I, too, have Tiger Paws on my SOP '04 EX. They're awful. The handling is even worse than the OEMs, cornering is terrible, wet traction is not very good, dry traction is just "OK"... and they're ugly. The rubber compound tends to brown pretty easily. I only bought them because I destroyed multiple tires on one very bad day this winter, and Uniroyals were the only brand available in the size I needed.

I'll be upgrading to a set of 225/70-16 General Grabber HTS (on stock wheels) as soon as I can find a local dealer. :-D

Hey all, first time posting on this forum. I recently got a set of general grabber AT2's installed on my E as well. I seem to be experiencing some road noise except the whining sound is not constant/sustained. It goes whomp, whomp, whomp;and the faster I go the faster it makes this sound. I know it's not a rubbing issue, and there's no vibration or pull to any side... Tire shop tells me that it is just tire noise. The BFG's I had before also had road noise but it was a very sustained noise. Any suggestions? Also, I noticed some of you also had general grabber AT2 225/75-16's installed on your E. Anyone mind sharing how many psi you're setting your tire pressure at? I'm getting ready to head out to the north georgia mountains on a camping trip next week and wanna make sure all is in good order. Any input will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I'm surprised nobody runs a 225/65-16. The Yokohama AVID TRZ's in that size will go on my sons Element.

Thanks for the information everyone. I am already starting to think about what my replacement tires will be. I only have 3000 miles on the stocks but they already look like they should be rotated. I haven't been driving it hard at all either. I'm used to getting 30k-50k out of a set of tires. Doesn't look like that will be the case at all!

As I got older I started having dealers at least check the alignment when I bought a new car. My '07 Element was WAY the heck off when I bought it. If you tend cars a long time, the lifetime alignment deals are well worth it.

When I got my Element, my son and I went straight to The Tire Rack and got new wheels and tires and I have really been happy with the Kumho KH-16s. They were one of the cheaper models but they show no signs of wear at 15K miles. I would not hesitate to but Yokohamas either. Although I've not had them on an Element, I have driven about a zillion miles on mini-vans and I always got Avid Tourings. I think the new models are called Avid TRZ.

Just replaced the OEM Wranglers with BFG Long Trail T/A Tour. Got 40,000 miles out of the Wranglers.

The new BFGs ride much smoother. Costco has them right now for $106 and with $70 off when you get 4 tires it brings it down to $88 each plus mount/balance and tax

Just replaced the OEM Wranglers with BFG Long Trail T/A Tour. Got 40,000 miles out of the Wranglers.

The new BFGs ride much smoother. Costco has them right now for $106 and with $70 off when you get 4 tires it brings it down to $88 each plus mount/balance and tax

I just ordered a set. They still have the $70 off sale. The total, including mounting, lifetime balance & rotate, 5 year road hazard warranty, nitrogen inflation, tax, etc. was $447.92. Seems like a very good deal.

Just replaced the OEM Wranglers with BFG Long Trail T/A Tour. Got 40,000 miles out of the Wranglers.

The new BFGs ride much smoother. Costco has them right now for $106 and with $70 off when you get 4 tires it brings it down to $88 each plus mount/balance and tax

Ditto for me - except I had 41,000 on the OEM's. I just got back from putting on the Costco BFG's. My E handles like a new car - smooth ride, road noise much less, and better handling on the curves.

Lynn

I got 40K from my Goodyear OEMs and didn't have a problem with their traction, but I noticed an immediate improvement in ride and handling from the Yohomaha AVID TRZs I had installed in April.

I had been considering the Geolandars, but realized that I never drive on roads where I'd benefit from a more aggressive tread.

I don't know how - but you guys are getting way better per tire price then I.
I paid somewhere around $203.?? each for my Michelin MXV4
SIZE tire is p235/55R18.
These are my summer tires.

I always enjoyed my 16" OEM tires - they where good for 2700 miles before replacing them. With correct tires, - and - never ever again, I will not purchase Goodyear Wranglers.
Yucky tires.....period....yeah know.....:lol:

Ok, here's my obligatory: I agree that the OEM tires were crap statement. No Goodyears, please! Just bought these BFGs today at Costco in California @ 102 + 14 m&b less $70 off coupon. I'm replacing Michelin LTXs and quite leery after driving on various Michelins for the last 15 years or so, but the cost difference was just too great this time (especially with my oldest transferring to university). Believe me, I'm a big Michie fan, can't say enough good stuff about them and I wanted another set of Michelin LTX but they were just too expensive at $166 + $14 m&b....even with the $70 off coupon. The LTX tires were rather "stiff and bumpy" but they also gripped the road like a cheetah. Even when they were starting to bald after 75k mi, no issues going up & down the icy & infamous "Kingsbury Grade" at Lake Tahoe and the wicked Mt. Baldy road switchbacks here in So Cal. I've seen a few bad reviews on these BFGs on other sites...but they sounded like serious off-road guys complaining about this new "Tour" model as opposed to the old Long Trails designed for off-road. It's obvious to me that the Tour model is a light truck tire designed primarily for the street with an aggressive tread that will do nicely for LIGHT off-road duty. So far (about 20 miles...haha) they have been remarkably quiet and responsive. I mostly drive pavement; only light off road plus winter conditions during ski season, so we'll see. The commute back & forth to work next week will be the real test. It will be several months before they see any snow & ice. I believe the traction rating was "A' and heat was "B" with "580" for tread wear.

The BFGoodrich Long Trail A/T, may just be my next tire. Have BFGoodrich Dueler H/L on it now, they were on it when I bought it in February still have some good tread, but I don't know when they were put on the E.

Thanks for the excellent feedback.

Just in case no one was aware, BFG and Michelin are part of the same group, and I've noticed that since that 'merger', BFG tires have improved in quality, although some of the die-hard off-roaders can't come to love the newer tread designs.

Since I sell, balance and install all makes of tires, I can tell you that, for the most part, BFG/Michelin tires require the least work to balance to an acceptable level.

This can mean less re-rotation of the tire on the wheel during installation, or simply less clamp-on or stick-on weight. Less weight correction is ALWAYS better. We strive to have less than 1 ounce per wheel of corrective weight.

Something to keep in mind when shopping; free mounting and balancing isn't going to always net the best results. You might end up with 4 or 5 ounces of corrective weight, just so the technician can move forward. I've watched the guys at or local Costco; I've never seen them break a bead and re-rotate to achieve the best balance before adding weight. They just stick them on and go. I don't blame the technician, I blame management, but they have labor cost issues to deal with, and I'm never going to compete with them.

Also, when doing road-force measurement on our balancer, even tires that require little work to balance can have varied road-force readings.

BFG/Michelin tires rarely have road-force issues, regardless of the tire model.

Of all of the tires I install, the Michelins typically have little to no road-force issues. I would say the BFG's are a close second, with, ironically, General tires right behind, or even the same. Kumho tires are very good as well, as are Toyo and Nitto tires. Goodyear tires trail behind, but to be fair, we rarely sell them, due to the local retail pricing. We don't try to compete with chain store pricing, which is a luxury not everyone can afford.

The 37x12.50x15 BFG A/T's on my GMC Suburban (the E's big brother), have less than .25 oz. of weight on any wheel. That required quite a bit of bead-breaking and re-rotation, but since it was my own time, it was worth it. I think I had roughly one hour per tire, which would be cost-prohibitive to a customer.

However, the stock Goodyears on my E, at 1500 miles, required re-balance to pass road-force testing, and none of those wheels has less than 1 oz. of weight. I've not had to re-balance them since, and I'm just coming up on 20K. I pull, rotate and check for balance every 5k.

I fill everything with nitrogen, but I don't think that has an affect on balance.

I'll keep the Goodyears until about 25k, just to get my money back, but at that time, either Michelins or BFG's for me.

Just bought these BFGs today at Costco in California @ 102 + 14 m&b less $70 off coupon. .

Hi - I am a new Element owner - picked up a 2003 today. I need to put new tires on it - and am a Costco member - where is everyone seeing / getting the $70 coupon

That may sway the deal in where / what I buy

Thanks

Stock is 215/70-16. If you don't have a particular reason for getting a different size, why do it?
If you say "looks," I'm gonna scream ...

I went with the 225's to gain the extra 1/4 inch of tread on the pavement in dry weather.

Well, I bought a set from PB this AM; Definity, Dakota H/T, 225/70/16. I got 32K from the Tiger Paws my son put on when he was at school, and 2 of them have enough tread left that I can Craigslist 'em for a few extra bucks. Noticably quieter. Service was quick and friendly (after some initial friction-- see below)

Went with the 225s because, like Dom, I like the idea of a bit more rubber. I'll also say I like the slightly "beefier" look, but only because I want to hear Dan scream! :rolleyes:

Actually, the real reason was a data entry screw-up. Last week when I was checking things, the PB website had the 215s listed for $115, and the 225s listed for $97. Fortunately, I printed off the page. This AM before I left the house, the website had been changed to show the 225s at $119. The clerk said the Dakota H/T would be $118.99, and I handed him the page and said, "No, I want THOSE Dakota H/Ts." He called the mgr, who said there had been some data entry mistakes. I said "Not my problem", and stared.

Got 'em for $96.99 ea. After mount, balance, Rd Hazard, tax, and mail-in rebate (buy 3, get 1 free), my total was $429.91, or $107.47 per, and I've still got the 2 UniRoyals. Might get my unit cost below a c-note. Not a bad morning! :D

Thanks for the excellent feedback.

Just in case no one was aware, BFG and Michelin are part of the same group, and I've noticed that since that 'merger', BFG tires have improved in quality, although some of the die-hard off-roaders can't come to love the newer tread designs.

Since I sell, balance and install all makes of tires, I can tell you that, for the most part, BFG/Michelin tires require the least work to balance to an acceptable level.

This can mean less re-rotation of the tire on the wheel during installation, or simply less clamp-on or stick-on weight. Less weight correction is ALWAYS better. We strive to have less than 1 ounce per wheel of corrective weight.

Something to keep in mind when shopping; free mounting and balancing isn't going to always net the best results. You might end up with 4 or 5 ounces of corrective weight, just so the technician can move forward. I've watched the guys at or local Costco; I've never seen them break a bead and re-rotate to achieve the best balance before adding weight. They just stick them on and go. I don't blame the technician, I blame management, but they have labor cost issues to deal with, and I'm never going to compete with them.

Also, when doing road-force measurement on our balancer, even tires that require little work to balance can have varied road-force readings.

BFG/Michelin tires rarely have road-force issues, regardless of the tire model.

Of all of the tires I install, the Michelins typically have little to no road-force issues. I would say the BFG's are a close second, with, ironically, General tires right behind, or even the same. Kumho tires are very good as well, as are Toyo and Nitto tires. Goodyear tires trail behind, but to be fair, we rarely sell them, due to the local retail pricing. We don't try to compete with chain store pricing, which is a luxury not everyone can afford.

The 37x12.50x15 BFG A/T's on my GMC Suburban (the E's big brother), have less than .25 oz. of weight on any wheel. That required quite a bit of bead-breaking and re-rotation, but since it was my own time, it was worth it. I think I had roughly one hour per tire, which would be cost-prohibitive to a customer.

However, the stock Goodyears on my E, at 1500 miles, required re-balance to pass road-force testing, and none of those wheels has less than 1 oz. of weight. I've not had to re-balance them since, and I'm just coming up on 20K. I pull, rotate and check for balance every 5k.

I fill everything with nitrogen, but I don't think that has an affect on balance.

I'll keep the Goodyears until about 25k, just to get my money back, but at that time, either Michelins or BFG's for me.

Thanks for that feedback. Strengthens my confidence on the money I invest with Michelins and I'll start eyeing BFG a bit more.

Hi - I am a new Element owner - picked up a 2003 today. I need to put new tires on it - and am a Costco member - where is everyone seeing / getting the $70 coupon

That may sway the deal in where / what I buy

Thanks


WHen I was Sam's this weekend, I saw the display for the $70 off..you shouldn't have to do anything but assure they include the discount.

Has anyone tried 215/85-16 tires on their E? Width is the same as the stock tire, height is about 1.26" taller. Looks like there could(?) be clearance. I want to increase ground clearance. CCM Offroad has a 3" liftkit now for the E, but, even with that kit, there are still suspension components that would not get any increased clearance. There would be with taller tires. Thoughts anyone?

Has anyone tried 215/85-16 tires on their E? Width is the same as the stock tire, height is about 1.26" taller. Looks like there could(?) be clearance. I want to increase ground clearance. CCM Offroad has a 3" liftkit now for the E, but, even with that kit, there are still suspension components that would not get any increased clearance. There would be with taller tires. Thoughts anyone?

Personally, I wouldn't go taller without going wider as well.

I'd like wider and taller, but am looking for more height than width. There are some E owners who are using 225/75-16's-about 3/4" taller, 1/2" wider.

I'd like wider and taller, but am looking for more height than width. There are some E owners who are using 225/75-16's-about 3/4" taller, 1/2" wider.

Believe me, I understand. I'd like the ground clearance insreased as well. But I get the impression that 235/70 or 225/70 will pretty much max out the clearance for stock turning radius. To go more, it would probably be worth looking at a wider offset set of wheels to go with the 3" lift. And as with anything, as you push the extremes, careful of the effect on the original equipment (CV joint stress, etc).

I'll get out of the way for those actually working these options. My experience is on other vehicles doing this kind of thing...Good luck with the resolution.

Clearance with respect to the bell top of the front strut, has more to do with the distance to the inner corner of the tread, than with either width or height by itself. Clearance relative to the back edge of the fender has the same issue. In other words, it's the diagonal that matters most.

That is why a 235/70/16 generally fits, except for some square shoulder models, and why a 225/75/16 may fit better. The 225 is taller, but its tread is narrower. It's not just 10mm narrower (the difference in section width). With the the 75 profile, there is more taper from section width to tread width. So the corner of the tread does not get as close to the strut tower.

So a 215/85/16 might fit, but I don't recall anyone trying it. If your primary use is rough roads where the extra clearance would help, fine. But I suspect the highway manners of this tire will not be as good. The tire cross section will distort more when making turns.

Also, taller tires reduce the torque applied to the ground.

I don't think narrower is a problem. It's been argued on Expedition Portal that skinny tires are better for expedition use (as opposed to local mud play).

Fall of 2008, I put on stock size Toyo Open Country H/T's and could not be happier with a tire!!!! This tire has not had much coverage here, but it is overall an incredible tire, wish someone else with this tire would chime in.

As for clearance, I like the stock height. This E corners better than most coupes I've driven. Getting the chance to see and feel the cornering capabilities in Ohio, (June of 2008 ) really made me realize how far this car can be pushed on well designed smooth corners, with quality tires. The stock tires were terrible in the corners.... but these Toyo's WOW!!!

I would never push as hard as Michael Koing did on the track, but would never had known the limits otherwise.

A few weeks ago I installed some General Grabber HTS's on my '04 SOP, and what a difference! I went for 235/55-16. They're slightly wider than the stock 225s, but the total height is nearly identical (I'm too lazy to have the speedo adjusted :razz:). They're a far cry better than the Uniroyal Tiger Paws they replaced. Cornering is better, wet and dry traction is better, ride comfort is better, and they even look better. Right now, since they're still pretty new, they even smell better (in a manly sort of way). Road noise is about the same as the Tiger Paws, but still quieter than the craptastic stock Goodyears.

Highly recommended if your E needs some new shoes. I got mine for $104 +s/h at tirerack.

235/65 are almost the same diameter as the 215/70....a bit wide for the stock whhels though.. I replaced the horrible Goodyears with Bridgestone Duelers. The Goodyears laste about 20,000 miles. The Bridgestones already have 33,000 miles on them and look to run at least 40,000

I just bought 4 new Michelin LTX tires to replace the worn out OEM Wranglers. I hated the Wranglers--really sloppy cornering, noisy, uncomfortable ride even on the interstate.

I love the Michelin tires. Cornering & handling are much more improved than I would have thought possible. (Seriously, my Element feels almost like a sports car and I feel confident when cornering at substantially higher speed than before.)

And the tires are very quiet. The ride, at least on paved roads, is much smoother. (Haven't tried unpaved yet, but I don't do that much anyway.)

You can probably tell, I am sold!

I run 225/70/16 BFG AT/KO's on the Stock EX rims. They fill up the wheelwells nicely which make the car look better (yes, go ahead and scream rambler) No rubbing whatsoever. Overall GREAT tires, ive driven them on everything from ice to sand (the thick OBX beach sand) to mud and no problems other than my tendancy to bite off more than the E itself can handle =( Hey, if i didnt push the line... how would i know where it was =P.

Pros: Great Traction in all weather conditions. Although it did have a tendancy to hydroplane in very heavy rain... but not more than i would expect from any other tire. also, these tires look awesome on the E!

CONS: These tires are LOUD!!!! people complain about the OEM tires for noise, but these are FARR louder... i took the OEM's off my other e and put them on for my long trip to florida just so i wouldnt go insane.

I am thinking about replacing them with something thats a bit more quiet... any suggestions?

also... isnt the stock size 215?

Anybody got a good review on the BFG Long Trail Touring tires? I found one element owners review on another site... i would like to ask a few questions though...

Is this tire as quiet or more quiet than the OEM tires?
Mileage change?
and if you have an overall review it would be great.
Also, i like to go out on the beach and with my AT/KO's its a breeze, would these tires preform decently in deep sand if aired down to 20-25 psi? im not trying to Rage around on the beach (which is stupid! people that do that are why its becoming harder and harder to find beaches you can drive on) I just want to get out to my spot and set up camp.

Update... I now have Firestone Destination LE's on (225/70/16) and the difference between the bfg at/ko is... OMG quiet! i can hear the radio on volume setting 1!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just hope these things perform like the bfg's... noise was really my only complaint. The new tires seem to ride a bit better as well... but ive only got like 3 miles on em... but believe you me... i was swerving, taking quick turns, manuvering, etc and thats my initial thought... course... they are new rubbers n such.

New tires cost just over 100$ a piece, OTD price tax included 540$

Previous MPG average was 21.292, mostly hiway driving. I will keep an eye on that with the new tires, i dont expect much of a difference if any.

I have had a set of OEM size Toyo H/T's for the last 2 weeks, and after more than 1,500 km and 3 tankups in dry and wet summer conditions, I would say that the handling is excellent and greatly improved, although they are just average on wet pavement (slippage), and I notice the vehicle "wandering" slightly while cruising on the highway (I assume that this is due to a 10/32" tread depth). Surprisingly, road noise is slightly worse (again due to tread depth), and in particular, my road mileage is noticeably worse compared to my old worn out Wranglers, whether city, highway or combined. I keep very accurate mileage logs for my E. The Toyo price was excellent at $590CDN for the set (4) after $60 rebate. Overall, the Toyo's are OK, given the price differential with Michelin and Continental, and a definite improvement over the OEM Wranglers, but I'm a little disappointed. I've always replaced OEM with Michelins and never been disappointed. Toyo has 30 day trial, so thinking of replacing them with a set of LTX M/S's. I drive about 36-48K km per year, so even a one percent difference in mileage over the lifetime of the tires will more than pay for the price difference. Sadly, the M/S 2's are not available in the OEM size for the E.

Fall of 2008, I put on stock size Toyo Open Country H/T's and could not be happier with a tire!!!! This tire has not had much coverage here, but it is overall an incredible tire, wish someone else with this tire would chime in.

As for clearance, I like the stock height. This E corners better than most coupes I've driven. Getting the chance to see and feel the cornering capabilities in Ohio, (June of 2008 ) really made me realize how far this car can be pushed on well designed smooth corners, with quality tires. The stock tires were terrible in the corners.... but these Toyo's WOW!!!

I use the stock size as well. The engineers selected the OEM size for the vehicle for a number of reasons, so why mess with size changes without an overriding reason.

I would never push as hard as Michael Koing did on the track, but would never had known the limits otherwise.

i had good luck with Yokohama Geolanders on my Aztek, and will probably replace the stock tire soon after I purchase the Element. Unless of course the dealer will give me credit for them.

Kumho has a good rating too on TireRack

I replaced the stock Goodyears with yokohama geolanders HTS in the stock element size when the originals wore out at about 23K........That was 3 yrs and 30k MILES AGO AND THE GEOLANDERS LOOK AS IF THEY CAN GO ANOTHER 30.....Also I found that the goodyears picked up more nails and screws than any other, possibly all other sets of tires in my 35 years of driving.

My Continental CrossContact LXs are going to be replaced in the next year or so, I was wondering what the largest size tire (235/70/16?) that is able to be fitted onto the car with the stock wheels?

I've seen a couple people with stock wheels, but with 235/55 or 235/60

Is there really a difference?

Basically, my question is, what's the ideal size to fit onto the car with stock wheels, while still being wider than the original tires?

Would 235/70/16 work? Would I need to adjust the speedo or anything else? What's the main difference between 235/55 235/60 and 235/70, which one would be the best choice?

Thanks:)

I just got some new Yokohama Geolanders HT-S for the 2004 Element:-)

Anybody got a good review on the BFG Long Trail Touring tires? I found one element owners review on another site... i would like to ask a few questions though...

Is this tire as quiet or more quiet than the OEM tires?
Mileage change?
and if you have an overall review it would be great.
Also, i like to go out on the beach and with my AT/KO's its a breeze, would these tires preform decently in deep sand if aired down to 20-25 psi? im not trying to Rage around on the beach (which is stupid! people that do that are why its becoming harder and harder to find beaches you can drive on) I just want to get out to my spot and set up camp.

I noticed you now have the Destination LE's, but I wanted to let you know that the Long Trail Tours are a good tire. I have had them for about 3k or 4k and living in Hawaii, I have used them on clean pavement, broken junk pavement, soft sand, trails and wet roads at highway speeds and they are a very good tire. The 60k mile warranty + costco road hazard is also nice.

On pavement, the handling and road noise is much better than the stock wrangler and better than the BFG AT K/O (which I have on my truck). Turning and cornering is much flatter and with less body roll. During rain, the tires seem to sip the water very well and the reason I changed tires was because the stock wranglers were hydroplaning on just wet pavement, not even monsoon rain with only 25k on them. I upgraded my sounds as well, to hear music over the stock wranglers, and I don't turn it up very loud anymore, much quieter.

On sand, I didn't even need to air them down at all, I just made sure the 4wd was on and just plowed straight through the sand to setup camp on the beach. Maybe the E is light enough to float on stock size tires? But I'll probably go with 225 next time for that little bit extra. :grin:

Overall mileage hasn't really changed since the stock tires, but the handling really makes it work the money. My fiancee mostly drives the car and it's always nice to know she is as safe as possible.

On a side note, the Bridgestone Dueler Alenza H/L is also a good tire, just that it fills up with mud quickly when taking it to the extreme, and doesn't clear as well as I'd like. Bit it held up against lava rock quite well for not being an off road tire.

My Continental CrossContact LXs are going to be replaced in the next year or so, I was wondering what the largest size tire (235/70/16?) that is able to be fitted onto the car with the stock wheels?

I've seen a couple people with stock wheels, but with 235/55 or 235/60

Is there really a difference?

Basically, my question is, what's the ideal size to fit onto the car with stock wheels, while still being wider than the original tires?

Would 235/70/16 work? Would I need to adjust the speedo or anything else? What's the main difference between 235/55 235/60 and 235/70, which one would be the best choice?

Thanks:)

225/70r16 is a safer bet. But 235/70r16 does fit with no sizing problems, however, are you looking at passenger or light truck tires? Light truck will run heavier with more affects on braking and such. I have LT225/70r16 and they run heavy, but look great.80183

I have had a set of OEM size Toyo H/T's for the last 2 weeks, and after more than 1,500 km and 3 tankups in dry and wet summer conditions, I would say that the handling is excellent and greatly improved, although they are just average on wet pavement (slippage), and I notice the vehicle "wandering" slightly while cruising on the highway (I assume that this is due to a 10/32" tread depth). Surprisingly, road noise is slightly worse (again due to tread depth), and in particular, my road mileage is noticeably worse compared to my old worn out Wranglers, whether city, highway or combined. I keep very accurate mileage logs for my E. The Toyo price was excellent at $590CDN for the set (4) after $60 rebate. Overall, the Toyo's are OK, given the price differential with Michelin and Continental, and a definite improvement over the OEM Wranglers, but I'm a little disappointed. I've always replaced OEM with Michelins and never been disappointed. Toyo has 30 day trial, so thinking of replacing them with a set of LTX M/S's. I drive about 36-48K km per year, so even a one percent difference in mileage over the lifetime of the tires will more than pay for the price difference. Sadly, the M/S 2's are not available in the OEM size for the E.

Did you stick with the Toyo H/T? My dealer is suggesting these to me however not for as good as price as you noted so I'm going to shop around a bit. I was surprised to hear something negative about these tires as it seems to be mostly positive on here.

\So I purchased some LTX M/S stock size tires correct inflation ect. I hate them. They have made every bump a jaring sensation. This is too much tire for the Element. All the reviews for this tire were glowing but they were for other cars.

I got Michelin LTX M/S on my pre-owned EX-P. I think they're the worst tires I've ever had. Traction sucks, even in the dry. The E is no torque monster but under aggressive acceleration on clean pavement, I can break all 4 corners loose well into frist and chirp em in second. In the wet, which is all too common in Seattle, they're unnervingly slippy. I think they're loud and jarring, too. We didn't have any snow last winter so I can't speak for them in the snow but I'm not very excited to find out. We're supposed to have a vicious winter this year.

I'm not sure what all the high ratings are about on them but I'm no fan. Anyhow, I can't wait to get rid of them. Unfortunately, I can't afford to do it "just because" right now and the dang things have a treadwear life of 500.

I got Michelin LTX M/S on my pre-owned EX-P. I think they're the worst tires I've ever had. Traction sucks, even in the dry. The E is no torque monster but under aggressive acceleration on clean pavement, I can break all 4 corners loose well into frist and chirp em in second. In the wet, which is all too common in Seattle, they're unnervingly slippy. I think they're loud and jarring, too. We didn't have any snow last winter so I can't speak for them in the snow but I'm not very excited to find out. We're supposed to have a vicious winter this year.

I'm not sure what all the high ratings are about on them but I'm no fan. Anyhow, I can't wait to get rid of them. Unfortunately, I can't afford to do it "just because" right now and the dang things have a treadwear life of 500.


Thanks to both of your for writing this b/c I was heading out the door to go buy them...I guess I am going to read up on this...arghh.....I hate reading :x

General Grabber AT2's replaced my BFG A/T KO's awesome tire! Here's a pic!