# Traction



## koosh925 (Oct 28, 2008)

I recently bought a 2008 f250 and after plowing the last few storms I am very dissappointed with the traction that I am getting. Actually I am embarrassed. I have plenty of weight in the back of the truck so I am assuming I need new tires. Right now I have the factory tires on. I can's get new tires this year but do you guys have any suggestions on what tires I should get for next year. For the remaining storms this year should I throw some chains on.


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## Stuffdeer (Dec 26, 2005)

Do you have the stock continentials that come with the truck? If so that is your problem. Do a search, there are plenty of tires that will get you great traction. Stick with an all terrain tire.


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## sweetk30 (Sep 3, 2006)

best 2 tires i have read on here for traction is bfg at or general grabber at2

and all stock tires are crap basicly. its just to roll them out the door at the factory basicly.


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## Pinky Demon (Jan 6, 2010)

Tires are your problem. The tires you want depends on what you are going to do with it. Are you going to buy a second set of rims? Are you going to run them year round?


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## Too Stroked (Jan 1, 2010)

As others have said, tires are the number one thing that affects traction. Factory tires are notorious for lacking any redeeming quality except for keeping your rims from hitting the pavement. There's the Conticraps that come on the Super Duty trucks, the General Ameritrash that was optional on the F-150, and the list goes on. 

Personally, I'm a big believer in having tires for each major season. I generally run the factory tires spring through fall, then have a full set of Ice & Snow tires for just the winter. (Do some checking and I think you'll find that Ice & Snow tires are better in real winter conditions than Mud & Snow tires too.) If you try to compromise with an All Season tire, I think you'll find that they're basically an all season compromise.


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## firefighter1406 (Nov 6, 2008)

BFG All-terrians K/O's, a little pricey but are worth the expense all the way. They are great in the snow, I have not gotten stuck once. That is my vote, I run them all year round with no complaints.


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## PTSolutions (Dec 8, 2007)

my 09 f350 has crappy traction as well. the locker in the rear isnt the best unit as it requires alot of wheel spin before engaging, the g80 unit in our chevy is quicker.

anyways, is yours diesel? mine is and even with alot of ballast the tires still spin, crew cab long bed keeps alot of weight on the front axle.

i plow in 4x4 about 90% of the time.


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## Dustball (Dec 5, 2008)

I run the BFG AT look-a-likes from Treadwright for half the cost of new. I've been very pleased with them and wouldn't hesitate to buy another set when my current set wears out.


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## chasity2682 (Sep 10, 2009)

Something else you might want to check is if you have limited slip or posi. I have limited slip on mine and it is horrible, I've got a 600LB plate of steel in the back and the new michelin LTX AT2 on the truck and it still sucks in the snow. once its in 4X4 i can go through almost anything but in 2X4 i would be lucky to make it over a speed bump.


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## FisherVMan (Jan 5, 2010)

2682's post is spot on as I had an open rear end in my F150 to start with and it was not the greatest set up even though I had awesome snowtires that are studded and proper ballast in the rear. 
I slaped a locking rear end in it and it is a compleatly different animal now; And I now plow quite a bit; in 2 wheel drive! The posi is great for pushing; but does have its down side . When you get in a tilted situation; and both tires spin the as* end is going to slide down hill faster than it did when you had an open rear end and had one wheel spinning and one "dead" wheel just sitting there, as it helped to hold you from sliding down into the ditch! So you will notice that feature right away!!!
Good Luck and I bet you need a POSIThumbs Up


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## ATouchofGrass (Jan 15, 2008)

if you want good traction in the snow... Goodyear Duratrac's are your best bet, these things are absolute animals in the snow. Trust me, our plow truck pushed 28+ inches last storm and was a beast, while driving on main roads through a foot of snow with a hanging plow, and a stainless procaster with 2 yards of sand/salt like it was its job


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## Too Stroked (Jan 1, 2010)

FisherVMan;1200434 said:


> 2682's post is spot on as I had an open rear end in my F150 to start with and it was not the greatest set up even though I had awesome snowtires that are studded and proper ballast in the rear.
> I slaped a locking rear end in it and it is a compleatly different animal now; And I now plow quite a bit; in 2 wheel drive! The posi is great for pushing; but does have its down side . When you get in a tilted situation; and both tires spin the as* end is going to slide down hill faster than it did when you had an open rear end and had one wheel spinning and one "dead" wheel just sitting there, as it helped to hold you from sliding down into the ditch! So you will notice that feature right away!!!
> Good Luck and I bet you need a POSIThumbs Up


OK, I'm confused. Limited Slip and Positraction are just two different manufacturers names for the same thing - a clutch operated system to send power to the wheel with the least traction. If your Ford Limited Slip differential (or GM Positraction differential) is set up properly / working correctly, it's not a half bad system. If your clutches are worn out, well, you pretty much have an "open" (conventional) rear end.

A locker is a completely different animal in that (when activated) it send power to _both_ wheels. In many situations - used correctly - these things are awesome. Used incorrectly (as FVM said) they can cause problems.


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## forbidden (Dec 22, 2010)

I would also recommend the Duratrac's. My last plow truck used a 17"Goodyear Wrangler MTR and it was a great tire. My 08 diesel CC longbox has the stock 20" wheels that we upgraded into Duratrac's and they have proven to handle anything I can throw at them. They can carry the weight of the load placed on them now and in the future (will be adding a V box) and are unstoppable in the ice and snow that is normal winter conditions here for 5 months of the year. Currently -30C outside and tires are not a issue at all. Consider the alternatives, what is a tow worth if you slide off the road or the possible damage to the truck by not equipping it properly. Invest in the proper tires.


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## sno commander (Oct 16, 2007)

x3 on the duratracs, i run them on my dodge and i aint scared of nothin. wesport


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## F-250 SD (Jan 30, 2005)

Im with Firefighter, I just put my second pair of BFG All-terrians K/O's and can only sing their praise. Plowed over 50 hours the last big storm and didnt get stuck once


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## justme- (Dec 28, 2004)

Too Stroked;1200591 said:


> OK, I'm confused. Limited Slip and Positraction are just two different manufacturers names for the same thing - a clutch operated system to send power to the wheel with the least traction. If your Ford Limited Slip differential (or GM Positraction differential) is set up properly / working correctly, it's not a half bad system. If your clutches are worn out, well, you pretty much have an "open" (conventional) rear end.
> 
> A locker is a completely different animal in that (when activated) it send power to _both_ wheels. In many situations - used correctly - these things are awesome. Used incorrectly (as FVM said) they can cause problems.


Not completely true- a locker locks the differential action- both wheels get the same amount of engine power. A Limited slip allows some slipping (yes clutch based) before the clutch engages power to the wheel with the most traction.

Positraction IS a GM branding for an anti-spin differential which some argue is a limited slip, but in my experience it is not the same as the anti-spin in my Dodge. Clutches allow some differential action but when the load both wheels are given equal engine power, essentially the same as a locker when loaded. If the unit is a limited slip - where as sending power through the clutches to the wheel with the most traction, power would shift from wheel to wheel in cases where traction was iffy- I have never had that happen in my Dodge or known of it to happen in a Positraction equipped vehicle, rather once the traction become iffy both wheels turn the same at all times.

great thread- I was looking for info on traction for my father's new toy- 01F350 7.3 that just plays dead when the going gets slick, even on 4wd. I was thinking tires...off to look at duratracs.


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## The Swagman (Dec 23, 2009)

There are only 4 things holding you to the road. I would look at tires before I looked at lockers. If you can afford them, go a set of designated winters for winter time and then A/T's or something for summer. The A/T's are a compromise for winter and will do an OK job if necessary. Again, a second set of rims is convenient but not necessary to mount them on. I use BFG A/T's in summer and then go to a set of Nokian Hakkapelitta 5 studdeds for winter. They are a Finnish manufacturer and if there's anyone in the world that knows a thing about winter conditions it's the Scandinavians!!! The studs give you the extra traction on ice which I love. I travel for work as well and have the Nokians on my work van as well as my truck for plowing and they haven't let me down yet. 

Goodluck and keep the rubber on the road.


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## Dustball (Dec 5, 2008)

The Swagman;1207005 said:


> Nokian Hakkapelitta


Gesundheit. I hate it when I sneeze during typing too.


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## The Swagman (Dec 23, 2009)

LOL. Sorry about that!!!

Yes, it's a bit of a mouthful, but hey, they work!!


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## EXTREMEPLOW (Jan 21, 2011)

Check the 20 inch tire trap thread I just posted pics of my toyo mt 35x12.50-20 rubbers. There great there my second set on my truck, I drive over 10inch curbing every time it snows when I plow sidewalks at a school sidewalls are amazing. I destroyed the factory goodyears in 12k miles .and you Dont have to worry about getting stuck in a ditch when you push banks back because they laugh at mud treaddepot.com is the cheapest I found


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