I used to buy the good tires (Coopers, Goodyears) but found the pep boys specials last just as long while plowing for half the cost. I also discovered I dont need a aggressive tread as much as one that will work on hardpack/wet surfaces since most of the time the truck is pushing and the tires are on already cleared ground.

Bill

 

I've found "Hockey's" to work decent but not worth the money. Weathermasters definately give you good bite for the buck.

The Best: Blizzak WS-15.

 

I use remold tires, they're super cheap last 2 seasons (they're mounted on their own rims), and I do little as possible highway miles with. They are half the cost of a name brand tire i.e Goodyear. I always go with a narrower tire for plowing, and I stud them. If studs are allowed in your area try them, they make a world of difference.
Bill

 

How so you keep from scarring pavement with those studs. My residential customers would raise bloody hell if I left all those little grooves in their paved driveways

 

I had great luck with the stock tires on my 2 1500 chevys,goodyear wrangler TD,they would bite great,didnt last long though.I am using a fresh set of Goodyear wrangle ATS E ranges on my GMC 2500,they seem to bite good and they are even quiet,not that I care.I havent had them long enough to see how they wear.My Dodge has a set of Chaperell A/T 265's.They were on it when I bought it,I have never heard of them and these things are awesome.Now they are getting thin and I like them so much I am trying to find a dealer and I cant.My S10 has fresh 235 Cooper dicoverer M/S.They are loud,but its an old truck so I dont care,these things bite great and clean out excellent.They do seem to be wearing fast though it's to soon to tell.I dont know if its the tires or the little 2.8 in that truck,but I swear it will outpush a fullsize truck any day of the week.It is amazing how much snow that thing pushes,the coopers really dig in.

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John D

 

Hate to sound foreign, but my Toyos have lasted far longer than I thought they would. 235X85 16s.(D rating) I bought 5 in Nov. '95. They are rotated in Nov. and May. 5 railroad ties lay in the bed of my rig from Nov, to the end of Mar. Along with two buckets of cinder, and a tool box w/ all the necessary winter gear. I will need a new set by fall this year. I plan to buy a new set of same.
They are spendy.....$500+.
Lou

 

Alan, almost all my accounts are commercial, and you never see any marks, I do have one customer with a steep drive and they top coat their driveway every couple of years with a sealer, you can notice some marks but they don't complain, because other contractors said it couldn't be done with a 4X4.
A note to the other guys, buy a set of steel rims at a wrecking yard and mount your work (snow) tires on them. If a tire is real good in the snow, then it has to be soft and they'll almost melt on the highway in summer. I have Michelin's for my summer tires in a highway tread, they're quite and they wear. I save the cost of mounting and balancing each year. The Michelin,s are still great after two summers, they may last two more! My cheap snows were chewed up in two seasons plowing, but cost less then $200.

 

I agree.

I don't think there is any tire that is suitable for both winter and summer use.

Some Michelins may be the exception to that rule, but any tire you run year 'round, you sell yourself short somewhere.

 

We are lucky to get 20,000 miles out of our tires. They are used year round, summer and winter, we also need good tread all year to do our work. We are lucky to get two winters out 4 tires. When we get rid of the tires they still have tread on them, and could go another 5K if we didn't need traction. So i put them on the 2wd trucks during the summer.

Geoff

 

I run 265/75R16 Eldorado ZR4's, They are a good splite for year round driving. They give very good traction and are not very noisy on the E-way. I am in my second year with them, I expect them to go another two. they are alot better than the 235/85R16 Uniroyal Larados A/S that I still have as spares. I recommend the Eldorado/Cooper tires any time. A good tire for the Money.