mgc0216
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
A few weeks back we were traveling over the Santiam Pass here in Oregon and I hit a patch of ice, the truck got a little squirrely. I then read on the forms that others were less than impressed by the AT20's in packed snow / ice. So I decided to get a set of snow tires for the rig. I have Blizzaks on my crosstrek, but decided on the Nokians based on posts here and elsewhere.
I ordered the tires from Amazon since Simple Tire didn't have the Rivian listed, which precluded me booking an install appointment, which means I had to ship the tires directly to myself and they were more expensive that route than going w/ Amazon. Les Schwab did the install ($203 - OUCH!)
Shortly after ordering the tires i read about the upcoming snow mode. Had I seen that before I ordered I might have held off - but hindsight is 20/20 etc.
In any case, tires showed up Monday, I had them installed Tuesday. Drove the truck about 70 miles one way down I-5 Yesterday to visit family. Hard to tell if there was range impact as it was blowing 20mph+ and about 20 degrees out (so, the range was definitely impacted - averaged about 1.65 m/kWh, but not sure how much of that was due to the tire vs the weather). Ride and road noise didn't seem affected at all compared to AT 20s.
Starting yesterday afternoon we got a bit of an ice storm. The roads were packed dry "snow" (more like crush ice pellets). Took the truck into town to see a concert. More "snow" fell while we were in venue so the roads were well covered, and definitely slippery - not like bowling lane slippery, but definitely slick. We took the truck through the Portland west hills w zero issue. No slipping or loss of traction. Very confident ride. (I chose this route because it was the most difficult way home and typically with weather like this it's a graveyard of abandoned cars from folks who got caught out w/o chains or snow tires)
Then we went into a parking lot and I confidently drifted a bunch of corners - the truck would slide a bit, but never broke loose. Was very fun honestly.
Finally, we live up a bit of a hill,. Normally in weather like this we drive over a sidewalk that covers a dead end where our house is rather than make a big square going up a hill, then down it, then onto our street. Turned onto the hill w/ zero issues. I actually stopped in the middle of the hill. Truck held its position well, then I easily started from a dead stop. No issues on the descent either.
Certainly not the most extreme conditions, but I have zero concerns taking the truck up to Mt. Hood for weekend adventures where I was a bet reticent after the Santiam Pass experience. Not sure how well it would have done w/ the AT20s and Snow Mode alone, I imagine pretty well, but to me the tires are just another form of insurance and if something does end up going sideways down the road at least I won't have to question what would have happened had I installed them.
I ordered the tires from Amazon since Simple Tire didn't have the Rivian listed, which precluded me booking an install appointment, which means I had to ship the tires directly to myself and they were more expensive that route than going w/ Amazon. Les Schwab did the install ($203 - OUCH!)
Shortly after ordering the tires i read about the upcoming snow mode. Had I seen that before I ordered I might have held off - but hindsight is 20/20 etc.
In any case, tires showed up Monday, I had them installed Tuesday. Drove the truck about 70 miles one way down I-5 Yesterday to visit family. Hard to tell if there was range impact as it was blowing 20mph+ and about 20 degrees out (so, the range was definitely impacted - averaged about 1.65 m/kWh, but not sure how much of that was due to the tire vs the weather). Ride and road noise didn't seem affected at all compared to AT 20s.
Starting yesterday afternoon we got a bit of an ice storm. The roads were packed dry "snow" (more like crush ice pellets). Took the truck into town to see a concert. More "snow" fell while we were in venue so the roads were well covered, and definitely slippery - not like bowling lane slippery, but definitely slick. We took the truck through the Portland west hills w zero issue. No slipping or loss of traction. Very confident ride. (I chose this route because it was the most difficult way home and typically with weather like this it's a graveyard of abandoned cars from folks who got caught out w/o chains or snow tires)
Then we went into a parking lot and I confidently drifted a bunch of corners - the truck would slide a bit, but never broke loose. Was very fun honestly.
Finally, we live up a bit of a hill,. Normally in weather like this we drive over a sidewalk that covers a dead end where our house is rather than make a big square going up a hill, then down it, then onto our street. Turned onto the hill w/ zero issues. I actually stopped in the middle of the hill. Truck held its position well, then I easily started from a dead stop. No issues on the descent either.
Certainly not the most extreme conditions, but I have zero concerns taking the truck up to Mt. Hood for weekend adventures where I was a bet reticent after the Santiam Pass experience. Not sure how well it would have done w/ the AT20s and Snow Mode alone, I imagine pretty well, but to me the tires are just another form of insurance and if something does end up going sideways down the road at least I won't have to question what would have happened had I installed them.
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