Snow tires for Wrangler

[Lionel]

What are you guys using for snow tires on a Wrangler ?

[xjoex]

I put a set of Bridgestone Blizzaks on my wrangler. They don't look as cool as beefy Mud Terrains but they have amazing grip. I drive from 8500' down to 5000' through a twist winding canyon every day and never had a problem. Some people even use chains in the canyon. This is the first winter I did not use use studs and I don't think I'll go back to studs. I have heard good things about DuraTracs, they are severe winter weather approved, but not a true winter tire. However the duratrac has bigger knobs so it will work better in deep snow.


PC020107 by Joe, on Flickr
P1120101 by Joe, on Flickr


-Joe

[Lionel]

Thanks Joe. What size rims are you using and what size tire ?

[zachateseverything]

I put a set of Bridgestone Blizzaks on my wrangler. They don't look as cool as beefy Mud Terrains but they have amazing grip. I drive from 8500' down to 5000' through a twist winding canyon every day and never had a problem. Some people even use chains in the canyon. This is the first winter I did not use use studs and I don't think I'll go back to studs. I have heard good things about DuraTracs, they are severe winter weather approved, but not a true winter tire. However the duratrac has bigger knobs so it will work better in deep snow.

I can confirm that that DuraTrac is an awesome workhorse of a tire. It does everything well and it's got the 3-peak mountain/snowflake label so it'll be good in snow and ice but it isn't a snow tire. However, you can run it all 4 seasons.

[xjoex]

I have 17" x 7.5" wheels (the rubicon wheels painted gloss black for the Willy's edition) with 265/70R17 Blizzaks. The stock Mud Terrains are 255/75R17 .

I agonized over the DuraTrac vs snow tire decision last year. A bunch of people up here run the studded DuraTrac, I know the wrangler can get going in snow, but stopping on ice was my major concern and the Blizzaks had amazing reviews. No complaints, that doesn't mean I might not try the studded DuraTrac one day...

-Joe

[Lionel]

Thanks. My wife's Rubicon came stock with apparently shitty bridgestone summer tires that seem to get across the board bad reviews. The rims are 18" which makes tire selection here more challenging.

[cny rider]

Don't have a Wrangler but we have had excellent performance in bad conditions on very hilly rural terrain with both Blizzaks and Michelin X-Ice.
They both are common tires and probably come in the size you're looking for.

[Lionel]

Don't have a Wrangler but we have had excellent performance in bad conditions on very hilly rural terrain with both Blizzaks and Michelin X-Ice.
They both are common tires and probably come in the size you're looking for.

Actually it seems to be more challenging than I thought it would be to fine a 255/70/18 snow tire !

[lumpy]

Can you get some steel rims, go down a rim size, and increase the sidewall height so you wind up with the same circumference? That's my plan for my Forester.

[Lionel]

Can you get some steel rims, go down a rim size, and increase the sidewall height so you wind up with the same circumference? That's my plan for my Forester.

That's an option but even the size required in 17 does not give a ton of options.... The BFGoodrich AT KO2 seems to be fairly popular here, not a pure snow tire but rated 3 peaks/snow.

[xjoex]

I thought the rubicon was a 17" wheel and the sahara was an 18", I think the sahara came with those shitty bridgestone tires that look like utility van tires. Anyhow maybe different trim where you are. You might be able to get Nokians? My wife has 18" wheels on her car so I had to buy stupid expensive Nokians for that.

I didn't go with extra wheels for my jeep just because with the size tire and a rim it would just weigh too much for storage. Maybe I'm a wuss, but it costs me $40 to have all 4 tires swapped and the wheels balanced. That's pretty easy.

-Joe

[Lionel]

I thought the rubicon was a 17" wheel and the sahara was an 18", I think the sahara came with those shitty bridgestone tires that look like utility van tires. Anyhow maybe different trim where you are. You might be able to get Nokians? My wife has 18" wheels on her car so I had to buy stupid expensive Nokians for that.

I didn't go with extra wheels for my jeep just because with the size tire and a rim it would just weigh too much for storage. Maybe I'm a wuss, but it costs me $40 to have all 4 tires swapped and the wheels balanced. That's pretty easy.

-Joe

2017 Rubicon came with 18" and the same shitty bridgestone tires called the Dueler 840. Nokian was my no1 choice as I have been ultra happy with them on the X3 but they do not come in the right sizes either for 18 or 17 inches wheels !