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Posted by Jerry in Idaho on Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 12:59:02 :
In Reply to: Re: traction posted by Keith in Washington on Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 11:09:53 :
My observation, from from 37 years of driving in northern Idaho's snow, ice and mud, (and hard surfaces in July and August), is that narrower, more aggressive tires are better in snow and mud than wide tires, simply because they allow the tire to dig down to what you hope will be a firm surface. But in the snow, that surface is usually ice, or becomes ice, or the vehicle becomes high centered, thus the argument for wider tires. A wider, aggressive tire will probably dig deep anyway, if the vehicle has lots of power or torque. This is why chains become necessary. On the other hand, if you can keep the power under control and maintain forward momentum, you can usually get through.
When I used to drive on the beaches in No. Cal., we wanted smooth, wide tires with very little air to stay afloat on the sand. Anything with any aggressive tread would dig through the sand and stick the vehicle.
So, I believe that there is no perfect tire solution for any and all conditions, because of the variation of factors involved in vehicle weight, power, and the surface you are driving on.