A/T Tires on snow/pothole

[chen_xc]

Hi all,

First time Jeep owner here and finally considering switching out my stock 2021 JLU Sport wheels/tires. I have been doing some research on the forum and it looks like Rubicon or Willy's takeoffs could be the best option for me. As it is a big decision both money and safety-wise, I am taking my time with the search with some concerns I am hoping I could get some suggestions in:

1. I live in the New England area and the highway here is not the best. The potholes are insane, every time there is a pothole or a bump I have to grab the steering wheel like crazy. It is not quite the death wobble (as I had that before), but just a quick rattle that will certainly move your steering wheel if you let go. Will upgrading to bigger tires (Rubi/Willy takeoffs) worsen or improve the issue?

2. I now have the stock H/T tire which I'm guessing would be the perfect fit for me since I drive mostly on the highway and have done zero off-roading, and not planning on doing so in the future. Although the H/T tires are not the best under snow/wet conditions. Understandably the A/T or M/T tires will not perform as well as the H/T tires on the highway in terms of speed or fuel efficiency, but can they be an improvement compared to the H/T tires when it comes to gripping and safety, driving under these conditions?

FWIW, I am only considering the upgrade for the look, so does not want to sacrifice too much when it comes to drivability or safety. Thanks all for going through the paragraphs. Appreciate all suggestions!

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[west tex]

General Grabber APT

Mild AT tread, quiet on the road and capable in snow/rain.

https://generaltire.com/tires/light-trucksuv/grabber-apt

 

[Reinen]

For Point 1, larger tires will be a little better for two reasons. Being larger it will take a larger pothole to manhandle them. You'll also run them at a lower PSI and they will be able to absorb it more.

For Point 2, you will want AT tires. On-road use is part of what they are designed for. With MT tires, on road use is at best a secondary consideration. You won't like MTs. In NE you should get a 3PMSF rated AT tire as it will be better in deep snow. However your big concern is ice and no AT tire handles that well. For that you need a Winter Tire.

 

[five9dak]

You should be holding the steering wheel firmly at all times in a solid front axle vehicle.

A/T with the 3 peak rating are perfect for a wrangler in the northeast. Don't get crazy with the width.

 

[SargeDiesel]

General Grabber APT

Mild AT tread, quiet on the road and capable in snow/rain.

https://generaltire.com/tires/light-trucksuv/grabber-apt

I've had a lot of General tires over the years, they have been good tires.

 

[Kahuna]

I have 35 inch Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T on Stock Rubicin rims. I took of Falken Wildpeak M/T and the MT's are amazing looks, rain and in snow.

 

[chen_xc]

For Point 1, larger tires will be a little better for two reasons. Being larger it will take a larger pothole to manhandle them. You'll also run them at a lower PSI and they will be able to absorb it more.

For Point 2, you will want AT tires. On-road use is part of what they are designed for. With MT tires, on road use is at best a secondary consideration. You won't like MTs. In NE you should get a 3PMSF rated AT tire as it will be better in deep snow. However your big concern is ice and no AT tire handles that well. For that you need a Winter Tire.

Appreciate the input! I was worried that the bigger tires may feel more "bouncy" on potholes but love to hear that it is the opposite.

That is fair. Asking only because I have heard the aggressive pattern with AT and MT might not be the best for snow, but my HT tires arent' doing anything either, so I was wondering if the AT/MT tires could be at least a slight improvement compared to HT.

 

[AcesandEights]

'twere me, I'd look at the Michelin LTX A/T2

 

[jludave]

FWIW, I am only considering the upgrade for the look, so does not want to sacrifice too much when it comes to drivability or safety.

I live in the Northeast. Long Island, specifically.

I upgraded to a set of Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT tires. They have been excellent in all weather conditions.

 

[Punkn89]

'twere me, I'd look at the Michelin LTX A/T2

This or the defender m/s2's are great as well.

 

[chen_xc]

Thank you all for the tire suggestions! I was thinking of getting the whole set of Rubi stock takeoff with BGF KO2 to save some money, but would you say the Michelin or Cooper is worth the extra cash?

 

[five9dak]

IMO it is not possible to justify the additional cost of new tires compared to the 33" take offs. I went through the same exercise and ended up with take off KO2s.

 

[jludave]

I was thinking of getting the whole set of Rubi stock takeoff with BGF KO2 to save some money, but would you say the Michelin or Cooper is worth the extra cash?

KO2s are not a great tire in snow. So if you want a good performing tire in all weather conditions, I'd say the answer to your question is yes.

 

[Heimkehr]

First time Jeep owner here and finally considering switching out my stock 2021 JLU Sport wheels/tires. I have been doing some research on the forum and it looks like Rubicon or Willy's takeoffs could be the best option for me. As it is a big decision both money and safety-wise, I am taking my time with the search with some concerns I am hoping I could get some suggestions in:

1. I live in the New England area and the highway here is not the best. The potholes are insane, every time there is a pothole or a bump I have to grab the steering wheel like crazy.

2. I now have the stock H/T tire which I'm guessing would be the perfect fit for me since I drive mostly on the highway and have done zero off-roading, and not planning on doing so in the future. Although the H/T tires are not the best under snow/wet conditions. Understandably the A/T or M/T tires will not perform as well as the H/T tires on the highway in terms of speed or fuel efficiency, but can they be an improvement compared to the H/T tires when it comes to gripping and safety, driving under these conditions?

FWIW, I am only considering the upgrade for the look, so does not want to sacrifice too much when it comes to drivability or safety.

Chen,

With respect, the final sentence is at odds with the preceding paragraphs. With that in mind, my advice will speak to what you actually say you'll be doing: staying on paved surfaces.

I recently replaced my OEM Michelin LTX M/S² all-seasons (what you refer to as "H/T") with another set of the same tires. They provide superlative wear as well as respectable traction in a variety of driving conditions, which is why I decided to stick with them. This is what I'd recommend for your stated use case. I too have a '21 JLU Sport, so I presume you've the same or similar tires on your Jeep.

By way of example, here are the new Michelins in situ during a shakedown drive just after they were installed. While they do of course have a hard [traction] limit in the white stuff, a bit of common sense with the skinny pedal and 4WD got me home safely and in one piece. Note the heavy snowfall, which occurred for the duration of my outing.

For those instances when the forecast calls for prolonged snowfall and the temperature trends that will keep it on the ground for a while, I have a set of proper studded snow tires on standby. From experience, I'd prefer not to depend on a tire that claims it can do everything, but rarely does so.

I prioritize peace of mind, but it's understood that each owner makes the choice that he believes best for him. ?

 

[Punkn89]

Thank you all for the tire suggestions! I was thinking of getting the whole set of Rubi stock takeoff with BGF KO2 to save some money, but would you say the Michelin or Cooper is worth the extra cash?

The only two tire brands I have ever bought more than once were Mickey Thompson baja boss and Michelin defender m/s. I would say compared to take off KO2s, the Michelins will blow them out of the water in highway, wet and snow traction. Not to mention, they will last a lot longer.

Is there a reason you don’t want to keep your stock wheels? That would save a lot of money.

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