Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts

KO2's vs. Wintery mix

My thing for "Winter Tires" is the quick change where I live. I am in the foothills and we can go from rain, snow, ice back to nothing in a short period but my real concern is the black ice we get most winters that seems to be in patches. My Bridgestone tires are okay in the snow and rain but rather dicey in the black ice which we get frequently. From the pictures below there is a two week window so I am thinking snow/ice tires over off road tires for the winter. Looking at the ones with the chips in the rubber over studs??
snow1w.jpg

snow2w.jpg
 
Mmmm...dinner!

I'm going to let @billiebob or one of our neighbors up north answer that question. The KO2's have worked well for me, the DT's have worked well for @Chris, and there are a few from the great white north that run dedicated snow tires. Fair enough?
 
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Chris said:
They do, and they are supposed to be outlawing them soon. It's absolutely horrible, an epidemic. People drive around with them from November into May when there is ZERO chance of snow at all. They tear up the roads so badly (which is why they are going to be banning them), and it's just a stupid idea in general.

There is absolutely no reason whatsoever that you need studs anywhere in or around Portland. Maybe if you live in the Gorge or Central Oregon, but not in the Willamette Valley.
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When we were in Portland last week, we kept hearing this noise on the street...my wife asked me 'What is that?' I told her it was the cars running studded tires, quite a few, actually. There was no snow in sight, but I guess there had been a couple inches the week before...it would drive me nuts to drive around with studded tires on pavement just in case it might snow one day...
 
I worked in gas stations during high school and college from the mid '60s to early '70s. Part time for most of the year and full time during the summers ... and I loved it!. Back then studded tires were allowed in Ontario. Now it's just in northern Ontario. It was common for us to install studs into tires in the late fall and to take them out of those same tires in the spring. We used a hand held pneumatic tool to put them in and it got a LOT of use. We had another tool to dig them out. It was similar to a screwdriver but with a small hook on the end. That was the harder operation. Tires were sold then with holes that were about 3/16" in diameter and that's where the studs went. The studs came in bags that were about the size of today's milk bags (for those of you use them) and they went straight into the garbage when we removed them at the end of the winter. There was no recycling back then! I can't recall what we charged for the re/and/re but it was not expensive.
 
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glwood said:
When we were in Portland last week, we kept hearing this noise on the street...my wife asked me 'What is that?' I told her it was the cars running studded tires, quite a few, actually. There was no snow in sight, but I guess there had been a couple inches the week before...it would drive me nuts to drive around with studded tires on pavement just in case it might snow one day...
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Dude, you have no idea. I don't think there's anything that grinds my gears more than these Portland yuppies who drive around with their studs on well into April and often times May (no joke). I can hear it from a mile away.

It damages the roads, it's annoying, it's unnecessary (especially in a place like Portland), and you'd honestly get better performance from a dedicated snow tire like a Blizzak.

Portlander's and their studs... GRRRRR!
 
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Youngest Daughter is the expert on man buns. I have seen a bunch of f'd up hairdos in Portland though.

It would be fun to get them to chase you through the woods in thier Subarus though. Good times.
 
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StG58 said:
Youngest Daughter is the expert on man buns. I have seen a bunch of f'd up hairdos in Portland though.

It would be fun to get them to chase you through the woods in thier Subarus though. Good times.
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Haha... My brother in-law has a man bun, and let me tell you, I always make fun of him for it. They also have some sort of a hippie van they drive around in and don't shower for weeks on end. Total hippies!
 
Gotcha...

Do they still do that thing down in Eugene that the Grateful Dead used to go to?
 
Only parts of it, @Chris, only parts of it...

Hey, how's the weather down your way? It's starting to ice up a bit around here. Snow with that nice crispy ice glaze on it.

Went into work today and the KO2's did just fine in the snow again. Left after about an hour because no one else was there. Literally, almost no one showed for Swing-shift tonight. Did some system & maintenance stuff and bugged out. The KO2's seem to do OK in freezing rain and ice too.
 
StG58 said:
Only parts of it, @Chris, only parts of it...

Hey, how's the weather down your way? It's starting to ice up a bit around here. Snow with that nice crispy ice glaze on it.

Went into work today and the KO2's did just fine in the snow again. Left after about an hour because no one else was there. Literally, almost no one showed for Swing-shift tonight. Did some system & maintenance stuff and bugged out. The KO2's seem to do OK in freezing rain and ice too.
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Weather down here is snow, but it's turning to ice, and you can tell because of that glaze on top of it. The Duratracs have been doing exceptional in the snow and ice (just got back from driving in it), but of course, common sense still plays a huge factor.

Did you see ODOT used salt for the first time today on highway 26?
 
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Nope, missed that. I heard that they were going to start using salt, but didn't know where. Bummer, trying to substitute technology for driver skill. THAT'll work out well...
 
StG58 said:
Nope, missed that. I heard that they were going to start using salt, but didn't know where. Bummer, trying to substitute technology for driver skill. THAT'll work out well...
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Yeah, it's laughable. We've gotten by all throughout Oregon history without salting the roads, and then guess what happens? We get a massive influx of new population, and all of a sudden we need to start salting the roads. That's more than just a coincidence if you ask me.

I just avoid it. I've been paying attention to which highways they salt, and I will always avoid those when they are salted.
 
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What we really need here @Chris, is some other folks to pitch in with comments about the tires they are running, local folks who are having the same weather / terrain experiences that we are but with different tires. I'd like to hear from someone who is running General AT2's especially. And those Walmart tires that are almost DT knockoffs. I know they are out there...it would be nice to hear from them.

Oh, and it's getting good and icy out tonight.
 
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StG58 said:
What we really need here @Chris, is some other folks to pitch in with comments about the tires they are running, local folks who are having the same weather / terrain experiences that we are but with different tires. I'd like to hear from someone who is running General AT2's especially. And those Walmart tires that are almost DT knockoffs. I know they are out there...it would be nice to hear from them.

Oh, and it's getting good and icy out tonight.
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I agree. I'd like to hear from guy's that run Mickey Thompson, Cooper stt pro or stt maxx, courser master craft mt, or Dick Cepeks. I believe @Ahoragi runs the good year authorities.
 

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