Time to buy new studded snow tires and yes, I must have studs, and yes, I’ve run Blizzak stud-free (early soft rubber compound, so they were the best non-studded on ice). I do a good amount of travelling on roads with light ice. I hate the noise but love that friction.

Stock for my 2010 Ranger plain Jane XL two-wheel drive appears to be 225/70 R15

But heck, I can only find some Norwegian tires at $160- @ forget that.

I can find Firestone and Cooper and General Altimax tires: 215/70 R15
They come in around $80@

(if I figured it right they’d be 6 millimeters shorter than stock) They come in around $80@

Can anyone shoot a hole in my logic, or tell me why I should not buy a 215/70 R15?

From the XLT & XL 2wd chart (Tires Sticky Maximum wheel size)
* 15x7 stock suspension - 215x75x15, 235x75x15, 235x60x15, 30x9.5x15, 31x10.5x15(may need to trim)

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Ford Ranger XLT (4 cyl) Regular Cab--Plain Jane truck.
I'm from MA and sometimes NH.

A thinner tire, a Pizza cutter type, will generally get you through the Ice' n snow because it has less surface area to effectively slide on in a hydro-planing way, should that make any sense.

Which is why most factory automobiles tires both new and old don't have the cool wide like tires we as consumers all think every vehicle should have from the factory necessarily.



Now, If you were just mauling through fresh powdery like snow and you were in the habit of airing Up/Down for purposes of a snow-shoe like effect for footprint and rolling at low speeds, the wider tire technically should be more effective.

I grew up in the Snow belt, seen far less and then some more snow, never took the studded route, Blizzaks always worked for many many seasons in my favor. However, not sure if its the cost factors or the tire features and abilities that are most important to you.. a $160 for a tire that's likely only going to be used 6-7 months maybe out of the year in today's economy and extended beyond that the rising pricing of rubber for tires on top of, is kind of pale in comparison to the fact the tire is the only safety factor between the road and yourself/family in your car.

Understanding a budget always exists, it would be Performance > price ..by far.

Up until slow trucks of my own with $400-600(ea) tires.. it wasn't much different with fast cars with the exception my truck tires last in excess of 48-55K and I don't think I had a single performance tire last me personally more than 13-14k miles and even that was a shocker.

Would be interested in knowing brand/link to said Norwegian tires. I can actually stud a set of my DynaPRO M/T's as they're prepped for it but obviously dont come as such. Would be curious to see how a 34" studded tire is in the mountains with snow. Mt Charleston is close as is RedRock national park.

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12° North Industries
Las Vegas, Nevada 89118
Web www.12degnorth.com

Thank you, nice information. I bought:

Firestone Winterforce 2 215/70R15 98 S Tire, @ $72.69 each, $290, Walmart had the best price, and they mount for free. $15/ea to stud and a balance and I'm ready.

Yeah, they're about 8mm narrower but they'll work. It's ice, especially black ice and I ofter drive an hour at night, adjacent to river/streams. Get the right conditions the vapor comes off the water, and drops on the road, whammo... I"m not sure that's technically "black ice," but I never see it, only feel it. Gotta love studs in that scenario.

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Ford Ranger XLT (4 cyl) Regular Cab--Plain Jane truck.
I'm from MA and sometimes NH.