# Nokian vs. Hankook



## bluerider (Mar 26, 2004)

I need to buy a new set of tires to plow with for this winter. The last couple sets I have bought I have gotten studded Nokian Hakkapelitas. The are by far the best tires I have ever plowed with. However they have gotten quite pricey. About 700 a set. Now I have been told that I can buy a set of Hankook's for about a 150 less. But I have never run them before and am a little nervous about going away from the tried and true Nokians. Has anybody out there ever had exprience running both of them. If so, how do you think they compare? And which ones do you think are better? Thanks for any input.


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## Camden (Mar 10, 2007)

I run Nokians on my 1 ton Dodge and I don't think I'll ever switch to another brand again. The wear I've gotten has been tremendous and the traction you get on snow and ice is the best I've ever had. 

I have a GMC 5500 with Hankooks and they've been okay. They don't wear very evenly but I guess it's hard to compare the two tires considering one is LT and the other is HD.

Why would you switch if you've had such good luck? $150 is nothing when you considering what's at stake. My $.02 anyway...


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## Jon Geer (Jan 21, 2002)

I ran with these last year and I will be running them until they quit making them. They really hook up nice and are priced where i needed to be.

http://www.michelinman.com/tires/winter/latitude-x-ice/

Jon


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## bluerider (Mar 26, 2004)

Camden;400945 said:


> I run Nokians on my 1 ton Dodge and I don't think I'll ever switch to another brand again. The wear I've gotten has been tremendous and the traction you get on snow and ice is the best I've ever had.
> 
> I have a GMC 5500 with Hankooks and they've been okay. They don't wear very evenly but I guess it's hard to compare the two tires considering one is LT and the other is HD.
> 
> Why would you switch if you've had such good luck? $150 is nothing when you considering what's at stake. My $.02 anyway...


I dont think that I should switch. In the five years that I have been running the nokians I have been stuck only once that I can remember. Thats a pretty good track record. But I had a guy tell me that the Hankook's are just as good. So wanted to know if anyone else agreed. Of course this was also coming from my mechanic that is also in the business of selling tires and doesnt sell any Nokian's.


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## yamaguy (Aug 26, 2007)

Here's a dumb question, what about just running BFG AT's? That is the only tire I will ever run after going thru 3 sets and getting almost 90,000 miles a set. They bite hard and ride super smooth and quiet. When I had my 2wd dodge I could not get it stuck! I could drive thru the back alley at my cousins (the city did not plow it), and it would just feel them dig down a little then thow you 20 feet or so, and then it would just start over again and that was in 15"-18" of snow. I have them now on my F-350 and love them they have 50,000 on them and arn't even half worn. They are a little pricey at about $800/ set for 285-75-16, but well worth it because of the performance. IMO, Dale


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

I do not like running tires that are made in china.
It does not matter if they have a dot stamp on them or not their quality control is nonexistent.

There have been problems lately with them failing.
Hopefully no one gets hurt when your tires delaminate.

You will have no recourse as the Chinese do not have to recall anything or warranty them.

Good luck with Chinese tires.


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## yamaguy (Aug 26, 2007)

What ever ya Dinosaur, BFG tires are not made in China!! http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2006/02/02/goodrich-060202.html , I tow 18,000 lbs trailers 2800 miles/week and have never had one problem with BFG tires. I have herd that lately they have had some quality issues with them not wanting to balance, but the dealers always take of it no problem.


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## Flipper (Nov 1, 2001)

Coopers I've said it before and I will say it again.

A/Ts for summer and M+S for winter or plow trucks.

I will call you on 90,000 miles on a set of BFG A/Ts. I am right next to a tire shop and they swap them with 20,000-25,000 on them all the time because the guys are complaining they are sliding.

I am happy to get 3 seasons plowing out of a tire. I figure it has earned it money regardless of mileage. Every year one truck gets new tires, 3 trucks it works out pretty good.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

yamaguy;401001 said:


> What ever ya Dinosaur, BFG tires are not made in China!! http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2006/02/02/goodrich-060202.html , I tow 18,000 lbs trailers 2800 miles/week and have never had one problem with BFG tires. I have herd that lately they have had some quality issues with them not wanting to balance, but the dealers always take of it no problem.


  Kids and reading comprehension

hankooks are Chinese and I believe the nokian's are foreign made also...

I never mentioned BFG'S.


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## yamaguy (Aug 26, 2007)

Oh, it was posted right after mine. Sorry


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Flipper;401007 said:


> Coopers I've said it before and I will say it again.
> 
> A/Ts for summer and M+S for winter or plow trucks.
> 
> ...


I'll call you on getting 90K out of a set of bfg's also......
I run bfg's.
When there new to half life there a great tire.
I get about 30k out of a set , 
I too yamaguy, pull a trailer and plow and I have had a couple of sets of bfg's sense the dinosaurs disappeared, so what?

The next set will be a set of coopers I think as the bfg's are getting to $$ for how long they last.
I agree with flipper on this one.


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## yamaguy (Aug 26, 2007)

Call me if you want, but I said almost 90k and that's what I get. The key to tire life is to rotate often and run at the recomended pressures. I hear alot of guys that run tires at lower pressures so that the ride is nice, they are the same guys that complain about there tire only lasting 25,000 miles. I'm not saying that my tires have great traction when I'm done with them, but they still hold air and roll.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

yamaguy;401014 said:


> Call me if you want, but I said almost 90k and that's what I get. The key to tire life is to rotate often and run at the recomended pressures. I hear alot of guys that run tires at lower pressures so that the ride is nice, they are the same guys that complain about there tire only lasting 25,000 miles. I'm not saying that my tires have great traction when I'm done with them, but they still hold air and roll.


Like you many of us ALSO work our trucks.
Pulling trailers plowing, carrying more weight than than should etc etc.......
I find that I'm running the bfg,s inflated to the MAX psi that is listed on the side of the tire.
so they can handle the loads that there subjected to.

I think you may be holding some air:waving:

90k


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## yamaguy (Aug 26, 2007)

Whatever I'm not here to argue. Maybe I get good life out of my tires because I drive so many miles a week, and the tires don't go thru as many heatup / cool down cycles I don't know. Most of the other guys that run for my dad run highway tires of different brands and will get 150k or so on the rear dually tires. I don't like the way the prices are going either, but I have tried other AT tires and they just don't compare.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

yamaguy;401018 said:


> Whatever I'm not here to argue. Maybe I get good life out of my tires because I drive so many miles a week, and the tires don't go thru as many heatup / cool down cycles I don't know. Most of the other guys that run for my dad run highway tires of different brands and will get 150k or so on the rear dually tires. I don't like the way the prices are going either, but I have tried other AT tires and they just don't compare.


Roflmao

I'm not here to argue but then you go on to defend your position. 
Remember it was you who jumped on this old dinosaur. lol
Debate, can be fun but you can not have it both ways 
(notice I'm using Smilies as not to seem grumpy.

Just becuse someone posted after you does not mean they are talking to you.:waving:

Now back to the Nokian Hakkapelitas and Hankook's


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## bluerider (Mar 26, 2004)

I have run the BFG AT's in the past on a F-150 that I had before I got into plowing. The are a good tire and got ok traction in the snow. But they dont begin to compare to the Hakkapelitias and I wouldnt even consider them for the kind of plowing that I do. I also found that the BFG wasnt as good when towing heavy loads. Thats cause they where either 6 or 8 ply tires. I cant remember which. But the Nokians are a 10 ply tire which makes them handle a load much better. I pretty much got my mind made that I wont get any but the Nokians or possibly the Hankooks. Just am looking for people thoughts on how they compare to each other.


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## repo_man62 (Oct 24, 2004)

Love my HANKOOKS!!!


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## ABES (Jun 10, 2007)

i never thought i would see so many people fight about a brand of tires


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## yamaguy (Aug 26, 2007)

With a set of these, http://www.mattracks.com/html/industrial.htm You can plow thru anything!


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## Yaz (Apr 13, 2005)

I ran BFG for years, yes they are good tire but if you never ran a true snow tire like a Nokian (what the topic is about on this post) you are showing your ignorance in actual experience with them. These will out preform them in ice and snow...period.

I'll bet money that there is not a person out there that would chose a Copper, BFG, or even Bizzack over a studded Nokian if they actually tried tried them as far as traction in the most severe conditions.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Production: 
Nokia,Own factories in Nokia, Finland and in Vsevolozhsk, Russia. Contract manufacturing in Indonesia, China, Slovakia, India, Spain and in the USA.
Thanks for the info,,,, nokians could be made all most any where. 

Out of ignorance,:waving: 
We in Mn, and as in other states, can not run a studded tire.
but hey, most questions are born out of ignorance.....

The hankooks send shivers down my spine.

I have used more brands than bgf a lot more....


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## Flipper (Nov 1, 2001)

I have run studded Nokians before. They do grip well. For a dedicated plow truck they might be good with the studs and no mileage concerns.

My trucks do other work when it is not snowing. I prefer to just run Coopers M+S and then chain up if needed for ice. Even a studded tire is not as good and chains IMO.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Yaz;401119 said:


> I ran BFG for years,
> 
> 2005 GMC SLT Ext Cab 2500HD Duramax/Allison,Onstar,XM, GM TNR Navigation radio, Line-x, Pace Edwards Jackrabbit, Bullydog Tripledog, Outlook, Silverline 4" Dual Exhaust, 315's on Chrome H2's, 285 BFG's on PYO's, 3500srw steel winter rims, Timbrens, 8'-Fisher X-Blade, Denali Headlights & 4 headlight Mod w/ fogs & Silverstars. 4X4 dash light mod.


Do you still run the bfg's or the nokians..?
It may be time to up date the signature line.


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## dbowden18 (Aug 4, 2007)

goodyear workhorse extra grip. 10ply and you can stud them up. i paid 600.00 per set265/75/16. i get 3 to 4 years out of mine. thats how i roll.prsport


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## bluerider (Mar 26, 2004)

Yaz;401119 said:


> I ran BFG for years, yes they are good tire but if you never ran a true snow tire like a Nokian (what the topic is about on this post) you are showing your ignorance in actual experience with them. These will out preform them in ice and snow...period.
> 
> I'll bet money that there is not a person out there that would chose a Copper, BFG, or even Bizzack over a studded Nokian if they actually tried tried them as far as traction in the most severe conditions.


Thanks Yaz. Glad to see that somebody agrees with me about the Nokians. It amazes me what some people plow with for tires. I guess alot must depend on the type of plowing that you do. Sure the BFG's would probably be fine if you are plowing nothing but parking lots.

But here in the northeast there tend to be alot of people who have nasty driveways. When you are doing a steep driveway that has a bank on one side with no guardrails or nothing to stop you from going over and your pushing thru foot deep snowdrifts with ice underneath you want have the best tires you can get on your truck. It seems to me like the Nokians are more popular here in the Northeast then they are elsewhere in the country.

I definitely think it is worth the cost for me to stick with the Nokians. I was just hoping that maybe somebody on here had experience with them both and could tell me that the Hankooks are just as good. But I geuss that there is noone that has run them both. Maybe thats because anyone who has ever tried the Nokians and found out for themselves how great they are have stuck with them and not gone to anything else after.

There have been a few people say the Hankooks are good and have in other threads as well. And I am sure they probly are a good tire. But it looks like I probly should stay with the Nokians. Besides when you look at it like I will $10000-$15000 with any sort of decent snowfall year then the $150 I was looking to save seems real insignificant. Can't make money if I am getting stuck.


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## yamaguy (Aug 26, 2007)

Thats a good point about us flatlanders. I'm in Illinois and don't see too many nasty driveways. Good luck this year I hope we all get dumped on all year.


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## Yaz (Apr 13, 2005)

I never thought about that. We do have bad hills here that some guys here on plowsite don't. 

I passed on driveways that go down into a garage. With a unfamiliar driveway that has ice under fresh snow you asking to buy a new garage door, or worse yet a 53 Corvette parked inside. :crying: And no, it never happed.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

bluerider;401209 said:


> Thanks Yaz. Glad to see that somebody agrees with me about the Nokians. It amazes me what some people plow with for tires. I guess alot must depend on the type of plowing that you do. Sure the BFG's would probably be fine if you are plowing nothing but parking lots.
> 
> .


 Nice shot across the bow.lol

Your right all BFG's are only good for flat lots. 
It seams like some of you get on people for buying a foreign vehicle but I guess tires don't count?
But what do us flat landers know? 
Is Duluth on a mountain, no but it deffentaly is not flat.


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## Yaz (Apr 13, 2005)

let's get this strait... for the last two years I have plowed with my stock Bridgstones that I had siped because they were terrible. I plowed with all terrain BFG's for the 10+ years before that. You can plow with BFG's. But are they a real good snow tire... of corse not. 

I have experienced the Nokians on my wifes car. They blew my mind with the traction they have. Her old car would not make it up my 200" driveway. it was twin turbo S80 Vovlo. After going to these If you punched it going up the driveway You almost cant stop at the top before you will run into the fence. After 4 seasons and now on her new Volvo they still look new. 

When I need new tires to replace my plow tires it will be these unless I can find something as good made here in USA.


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## jc-co (Sep 21, 2007)

*What about the Hankooks*

Is that short for handfull of kooks?

What about the studded "I Pike"
Anyone tried these?

JC


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