Snow Tires for Omaha

[offroader]

Hi,

What kind of snow tires (if any) would you recommend for Omaha weather?

Thanks!

[xGS]

Originally Posted by offroader

What kind of snow tires (if any) would you recommend for Omaha weather?

During the winter, are the roads ever clear down to bare pavement – or are they always covered with snow and/or ice?

Are the roads usually well treated with sand and/or salt?

How far is your daily commute?

Can you stay home in really bad conditions – or do you have a job (such as in public safety or health care) that requires you to be on the road?

Are you willing to spend ~$1,000 for a set of winter tires and wheels?

[offroader]

Originally Posted by xGS

During the winter, are the roads ever clear down to bare pavement – or are they always covered with snow and/or ice?

Yes, roads are clear about half of the winter.

Originally Posted by xGS

Are the roads usually well treated with sand and/or salt?

Most roads are.

Originally Posted by xGS

How far is your daily commute?

20 Miles.

Originally Posted by xGS

Can you stay home in really bad conditions – or do you have a job (such as in public safety or health care) that requires you to be on the road?

I do not work in public safety or healthcare but we are expected to show up at work even on icy days.

Originally Posted by xGS

Are you willing to spend ~$1,000 for a set of winter tires and wheels?

[carguy07]

Best snow tire ever. IMO
Firestone Winterforce UV

[offroader]

Originally Posted by carguy07

Best snow tire ever. IMO
Firestone Winterforce UV

Thank you!

[xGS]

Originally Posted by carguy07

Best snow tire ever. IMO
Firestone Winterforce UV

That's one opinion.

Here's another: Automobile Protection Association | WINTER TIRES FOR SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES 2008-2009

[offroader]

Do you guys recommend getting wheels as well?

[carguy07]

Originally Posted by offroader

Do you guys recommend getting wheels as well?

I would, they pay for themselves pretty quick and can be found for cheap. I just got everything from tirerack and swap them when it gets cold.

[carguy07]

Originally Posted by xGS

That's one opinion.

Here's another: Automobile Protection Association | WINTER TIRES FOR SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES 2008-2009

Nice real world descriptions, thanks! Confirms my gripes with some of the other tires I have used before.

[offroader]

Originally Posted by xGS

That's one opinion.

Here's another: Automobile Protection Association | WINTER TIRES FOR SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES 2008-2009

Thank you

[offroader]

Originally Posted by carguy07

Nice real world descriptions, thanks! Confirms my gripes with some of the other tires I have used before.

Do you swap yourself?

My local store quoted $743 (including tax and labor) for Blizzak DM-V1 BL, tires only. He said he would give free installation for three seasons (twice a year).

[carguy07]

Originally Posted by offroader

Do you swap yourself?

My local store quoted $743 (including tax and labor) for Blizzak DM-V1 BL, tires only. He said he would give free installation for three seasons (twice a year).

Yep, takes maybe 1/2 hour or so. There are super easy jack points in the front and rear. Just slide a floor jack under and lift it up.

It's really not good for the tires to mount and dismount them that much. It can really tear up the beads. I would just invest in some cheap used wheels or the cheap ones from tire rack.

The DM-V1 looks a lot like the DM-Z3 tires that I have some experience with and they sucked. I know people seem to love Blizzak's, but they are not in the same league as those Winterforce tires. I don't think people have anything to compare them to and once they drop the $ on them they decide that they must be great. Blizzak's are great on ice, but sub par in snow.

[xGS]

One downside of the Blizzak is that only the top half, or so, of the tread is the special ice-gripping tread compound.
The bottom portion of the tread is an all-season tread compound.
The rationale behind the design is that a half-worn tire is much less effective in snow.
The tire is good for a couple of seasons of winter use and then you run off the all-season tread during the rest of the year.

Another issue is that the Blizzak tread also tends to wear down quickly on dry pavement.
It's also soft enough to give an odd squishy feeling to the steering and handling (sort of like your tire pressure is 5lbs low) to which you may or may not adapt.

To reuse my reply to another recent post:

Get the steel wheels from an LX-trim Pilot.

If you'll always be driving on snow or ice covered roads, choose either a studdable tire like the General AltiMAX-Arctic or the Toyo Observe Open Country G-02 Plus, which has ground nutshells in the tread to give stud-like grip while being less damaging to pavement.

Otherwise, get a studless/friction type tire like the Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2 or the Continental ExtremeWinterContact.

[offroader]

Originally Posted by xGS

One downside of the Blizzak is that only the top half, or so, of the tread is the special ice-gripping tread compound.
The bottom portion of the tread is an all-season tread compound.
The rationale behind the design is that a half-worn tire is much less effective in snow.
The tire is good for a couple of seasons of winter use and then you run off the all-season tread during the rest of the year.

Another issue is that the Blizzak tread also tends to wear down quickly on dry pavement.
It's also soft enough to give an odd squishy feeling to the steering and handling (sort of like your tire pressure is 5lbs low) to which you may or may not adapt.

To reuse my reply to another recent post:

Get the steel wheels from an LX-trim Pilot.

If you'll always be driving on snow or ice covered roads, choose either a studdable tire like the General AltiMAX-Arctic or the Toyo Observe Open Country G-02 Plus, which has ground nutshells in the tread to give stud-like grip while being less damaging to pavement.

Otherwise, get a studless/friction type tire like the Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2 or the Continental ExtremeWinterContact.

Thank you for all the info

This is all they have at TireRack.com:
1- General Altimax Arctic (Studdable Winter/Snow)
2- Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2 (Light Truck/SUV Studless Ice & Snow)

3- Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1 (Light Truck/SUV Studless Ice & Snow)
4- Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow (Light Truck/SUV Studless Ice & Snow)
5- Firestone Winterforce UV (Light Truck/SUV Studdable Snow)

#1 is available after Oct-15, and #2 after Oct-1

Couldn't find any LX wheels.

[xGS]

Originally Posted by offroader

This is all they have at TireRack.com:
1- General Altimax Arctic (Studdable Winter/Snow)
2- Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2 (Light Truck/SUV Studless Ice & Snow)

3- Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1 (Light Truck/SUV Studless Ice & Snow)
4- Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow (Light Truck/SUV Studless Ice & Snow)
5- Firestone Winterforce UV (Light Truck/SUV Studdable Snow)

#1 is available after Oct-15, and #2 after Oct-1

Couldn't find any LX wheels.

The LX wheels should be available at your local Honda dealer.
See if they have a set leftover from someone who might have upgraded the wheels on a new LX.
If you get them, check to see if they require a different set of lug nuts.

You can also contact site sponsor Tim Poliniak at Acura of Peoria (AZ not IL) : Acura Accessories, Genuine, Discount, OEM Acura & Honda Accessories

Another on-line parts source is Majestic Honda : Majestic Honda - The Internet's #1 Honda Automotive Parts Store

According the Toyo website, Jensen Tire & Auto seems to have the market cornered for Toyo products in the greater Omaha area.

Performance-wise, Pirelli makes great winter tires.
However, in my 30 years of buying tires, the only one that’s ever had a sidewall blowout from a pothole was a Pirelli winter tire.
As a result, I avoid them. YMMV, as they say.

What winter tires have you used on the Land Cruiser, if any?