# Why are skinny tires better for plowing?



## beatle78 (Nov 23, 2008)

Hi guys,

It seems like all the 3/4 ton plow truck have skinny tires on them. Why is that?

My '03 Silverado 1500 has 265/75/r16 on it.

Should I put on 235/85/r16 on it to plow?

Thanks,
beatle78


----------



## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

Skinny tires = more PSI on the ground


----------



## beatle78 (Nov 23, 2008)

so more weight on the road?

Does that mean that you will have worse handling in dry weather b/c there is less rubber on the road?


----------



## nixray (Jan 31, 2008)

My Dad is a ASE cert. Tire Pro (has been for 16 yrs....the man knows his tires) He says the 
more skinny the tire the lower your psi (like the "plowmister" said) So in otherwords with a wide tire you will 'float' on the snow/ice and with skinny tires you'll be able to obtain traction. I'll post a more detailed answer later (I'm on a BlackBerry)


----------



## Rc2505 (Feb 5, 2007)

I am pretty sure I have heard somewhere it is all about the resistance of the snow. A wide tire means your pushing against more resistance. A skinny tire will drop the resistance factor because it's pushing less. At least that is the explanation I heard. 
I am sure a 265 vs a 235 won't be that big of a deal. Now if you were going from a 12.5" wide tire to a 8" tire, that might be cause to worry about things a little


----------



## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

Everything is a compromise Less rubber on the road = less roling resistance = higher gas milage and LOOOONGER stoping distance, less handling (unless its wet or snow/icy).



beatle78;646398 said:


> so more weight on the road?
> 
> Does that mean that you will have worse handling in dry weather b/c there is less rubber on the road?


----------



## JDiepstra (Sep 15, 2008)

nixray;646426 said:


> My Dad is a ASE cert. Tire Pro (has been for 16 yrs....the man knows his tires) He says the
> more skinny the tire the lower your psi (like the "plowmister" said) So in otherwords with a wide tire you will 'float' on the snow/ice and with skinny tires you'll be able to obtain traction. I'll post a more detailed answer later (I'm on a BlackBerry)


skinny tire = higher psi.


----------



## JDiepstra (Sep 15, 2008)

beatle78;646366 said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> It seems like all the 3/4 ton plow truck have skinny tires on them. Why is that?
> 
> ...


I plow with 285 70 17's. The weight of a Cummins, plow, and ballast gives me plenty of traction.


----------



## carl b (Dec 28, 2006)

beatle78;646398 said:


> so more weight on the road?
> 
> Does that mean that you will have worse handling in dry weather b/c there is less rubber on the road?


dry handling is all in the compound . how firm the rubber is like race cars have sticky tires .


----------



## ducatirider944 (Feb 25, 2008)

beatle78;646366 said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> It seems like all the 3/4 ton plow truck have skinny tires on them. Why is that?
> 
> ...


Either one and you will be fine. Pick which one you would use if you weren't plowing snow. This becomes more of an issue when you compare stock tires compared with something like 33-12.50s'


----------



## creativedesigns (Sep 24, 2007)

JDiepstra;646783 said:


> skinny tire = higher psi.


correct!!!


----------



## beatle78 (Nov 23, 2008)

ducatirider944;646823 said:


> Either one and you will be fine. Pick which one you would use if you weren't plowing snow. This becomes more of an issue when you compare stock tires compared with something like 33-12.50s'


Thanks. I was thinking about a good all around All Terrain tire (and by good I mean good and cheap)

Does anyone have any recommendations for either 235/85/r16 or 265/75/r16 tires? That are good all around and for plowing?


----------



## stcroixjoe (Feb 10, 2006)

i just ordered 235/85/16 cooper atr's for plowing only i should have them on tomorrow and hopefully some snow this week to test them and i'll let you know


----------



## DJ Contracting (Dec 16, 2003)

Well i have a question if i put my plow down and start pushing snow out of my way does it matter what size tire or is it just when you drive thought the snow just a thought


----------



## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

theplowmeister;646395 said:
 

> Skinny tires = more PSI on the ground


Like I said


----------



## N.W.Plow (Nov 8, 2008)

theplowmeister;646395 said:


> Skinny tires = more PSI on the ground


I was just going to say that.


----------



## lumps (Sep 3, 2005)

beatle78;647749 said:


> Thanks. I was thinking about a good all around All Terrain tire (and by good I mean good and cheap)
> 
> Does anyone have any recommendations for either 235/85/r16 or 265/75/r16 tires? That are good all around and for plowing?


As an FYI, those are not the same diameter tire. It will throw your speedo off.


----------



## ScnicExcellence (Jun 9, 2008)

They are off by only 2 mm i am sure the speedo will handle it.

The 235 85 tires are bigger then the 265 75 In height difference by 2mm in total height.

but the 265 is 3cm (1.18 inches) bigger then the 235 in width difference


----------



## Gicon (Oct 1, 2005)

*Gentlemen....*

The skinner tire, the higher GROUND PRESSURE that is applied. The higher the ground pressure, the more the tires are forced to perform thus leaving you with better traction. My trucks look silly becuase they are so big, and the winter tires are so small, but I never have traction issues. Wide tires are for summer, not winter.



Rc2505;646542 said:


> I am sure a 265 vs a 235 won't be that big of a deal.


Unfortunately, that is incorrect. A 265 vs a 235 will make a night and day difference.



JDiepstra;646785 said:


> I plow with 285 70 17's. The weight of a Cummins, plow, and ballast gives me plenty of traction.


You will obtain even much better traction, and spin your tires a lot less, if they were skinnier.



beatle78;647749 said:


> Does anyone have any recommendations for either 235/85/r16 or 265/75/r16 tires? That are good all around and for plowing?


BFG Radial All Terrain T/A KO



DJ Contracting;647868 said:


> Well i have a question if i put my plow down and start pushing snow out of my way does it matter what size tire or is it just when you drive thought the snow just a thought


Pushing snow, or driving over it, you will want all the traction you can get, all the time.


----------



## DJ Contracting (Dec 16, 2003)

Pushing snow, or driving over it, you will want all the traction you can get, all the time.[/QUOTE]

I just thought i would throw that out there

I run 245 75 R16 the Widetrack Baja AT's on the 93" and 265 75 R16 Widetract Baja AT's on the 99" they seem to work well for the price i paid some where around $575.00, however i did plow right next to a truck with new BFG's and did a vee with the other truck i found my truck sliding away from his anyway i'm satisfied with the tires.


----------



## beatle78 (Nov 23, 2008)

I think I'm sold on the 235/85/r16 tires.

I like the BFG A/T KO but I don't like the price.

Does anyomne use the General Grabber AT2 tires? I heard good things about them and they are almost identical to the BFG and they are MUCH cheaper.

Thanks for all the replies,
beatle78


----------



## ducatirider944 (Feb 25, 2008)

beatle78;648409 said:


> I think I'm sold on the 235/85/r16 tires.
> 
> I like the BFG A/T KO but I don't like the price.
> 
> ...


Look for a dealer that has Eldorado Tires, they are made by cooper Aka goodyear and they perform quite well and about 2/3 the cost. I used to always run Goodyear Workhorse extra grips but when they hit $210 a tire compared to the $145 Eldorado Trailblazer M/T's I bought a set and I have been just as impressed with the Eldorado's as the Goodyear's


----------



## beatle78 (Nov 23, 2008)

does anyone use Road Venture AT KL-78? They seems like a nice tread and they are $116/tire

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes&place=0


----------



## beatle78 (Nov 23, 2008)

ducatirider944;648422 said:


> Look for a dealer that has Eldorado Tires, they are made by cooper Aka goodyear and they perform quite well and about 2/3 the cost. I used to always run Goodyear Workhorse extra grips but when they hit $210 a tire compared to the $145 Eldorado Trailblazer M/T's I bought a set and I have been just as impressed with the Eldorado's as the Goodyear's


How are the M/Ts for everyday driving?


----------



## snowandgo (Oct 26, 2008)

I have the General AT2's on my Dakota. It doesn't plow, but I am very happy with them. I have been thinking about them for my plow truck, as I will need tires this winter. And I am planning on switching form 265/75 to the narrower 235/85. I have used mostly Generals for years because I think they are a quality tire with a good price. I would use Michelins, but the price is too high. 

Any MT will be louder and wear faster than the comparable AT. But you will have better traction. Typically you give up tread life for traction


----------



## ducatirider944 (Feb 25, 2008)

beatle78;648431 said:


> How are the M/Ts for everyday driving?


They do have a little more noise than a standard truck tire but no different than any all terain. check out the tread pattern on their website. they have a center rib that goes almost unstopped all the way around and then it gets more agressive as you go out to the side walls. This makes it wear good, keeps the noise down but still gives tou the traction an M/T does.



snowandgo;648442 said:


> I have the General AT2's on my Dakota. It doesn't plow, but I am very happy with them. I have been thinking about them for my plow truck, as I will need tires this winter. And I am planning on switching form 265/75 to the narrower 235/85. I have used mostly Generals for years because I think they are a quality tire with a good price. I would use Michelins, but the price is too high.
> 
> Any MT will be louder and wear faster than the comparable AT. But you will have better traction. Typically you give up tread life for traction


You are right M/T's will always wear faster than the same companies A/T will. I have had good luck with these tires and am getting high 40K's on a set. I got like 48K on the last set and probably could have got another 4-5K if we would have been going into summer instead of winter. A majority of construction guys in my area run them, that is why I tried them out. My next set will be the same.


----------



## nekos (Oct 16, 2003)

beatle78;648409 said:


> I think I'm sold on the 235/85/r16 tires.
> 
> I like the BFG A/T KO but I don't like the price.
> 
> ...


that's what i run , awsome tires !

anyway , i was under the impression that the wider tires were designed more to float on mud ( and snow ) and the skinny tires sink into it getting better traction in snow and ice ?


----------



## beatle78 (Nov 23, 2008)

nekos,

How do the General Tires do for wear?


----------



## nekos (Oct 16, 2003)

beatle78;650770 said:


> nekos,
> 
> How do the General Tires do for wear?


i have the A/T KO's ... forgive me i should have worded my last post better. 
as for the General Grabbers , a few guys i work with run them but im not sure how good they are or how they wear.


----------



## beatle78 (Nov 23, 2008)

ok, thanks nekos


----------



## deckboys (Dec 1, 2006)

bfg all terrain, notice the sipping (SP) in the tread pattern, it will allow the tire to flex and grab more, that is the only problem with the mud terrains like the ones below, nice open lugs allow them to be cleaned out easier as they rotate. but they tread doesn't flex at all. notice the tread design on the snow tires (2 pics down)









bfg mud terrain









dunlop graspic 2
run these on my cavalier amazing traction


----------

