All weather tire information

Intech

Veteran Member
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Jun 25, 2005
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S. Central Pa USA
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2003 Jetta GLS, 1999.5 Golf 2 dr
I'm in the process of getting an excursion van, mainly because my new puppy won't fit in my Golf or Jetta in another year or so. In fact, she's already to big for the Golf, so that went to my daughter. I'd like to put on another set of Nokian WR-G2's, but they are no longer available in most popular sizes, and the Nokian WR-G3's, while being touted as the same, are not even close, I had a set, and gave them away. I'm not looking for 'all season', because Winter in Michigan is not the same as Winter in Miami. I don't want to be bothered with having to change tires twice a year with the van, as I do now with my TDI's. Any ideas or suggestions?
 

brnsgrbr

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Washington State
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2002 GOLF GTI converted to GTD
This may not be the best option, but I am a huge fan of BF Goodrich KO2s. They have been revamped and now have that official ice and snow rating. I have them on my golf. They are living up to the hype in all the snow here in the PNW.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

Intech

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Jun 25, 2005
Location
S. Central Pa USA
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2003 Jetta GLS, 1999.5 Golf 2 dr
This may not be the best option, but I am a huge fan of BF Goodrich KO2s. They have been revamped and now have that official ice and snow rating. I have them on my golf. They are living up to the hype in all the snow here in the PNW.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Thank you, that's the kind of information I'm looking for. Years ago, back in the eighties, they were my brand of choice, but then I got a set that soured me, and I went looking elsewhere. I'll look into them. If they are anywhere close to the WR-G2's, I'll be very happy
 

Intech

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S. Central Pa USA
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2003 Jetta GLS, 1999.5 Golf 2 dr
What about the WR-G4?
Didn't even know that they had them. After having, both the WR-G2's and WR-G3's, I'm a whole bunch leery, on believing Nokian's hype, especially with what they cost. Tire Rack doesn't carry them, so I can't look up consumer feedback. If I were to get them, and they were like the WR-G3's I'd be one very unhappy camper
 

andreigbs

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Walworth Co., Wisconsin
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We just bought a set of Michelin Premier LTX, which are marketed as "all-weather," and they are OK in the snow/ice we had the past few weeks, along with negative Fahrenheit temps.

Another option is the Michelin Defender LTX.
 

Intech

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Location
S. Central Pa USA
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2003 Jetta GLS, 1999.5 Golf 2 dr
We just bought a set of Michelin Premier LTX, which are marketed as "all-weather," and they are OK in the snow/ice we had the past few weeks, along with negative Fahrenheit temps.

Another option is the Michelin Defender LTX.
Thank you. I figured that other manufacturers had some sort of equivalent tires to Nokian's 'all weather' type. I just didn't know which they were, and now I'll see what consumers say about them
 

Intech

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S. Central Pa USA
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2003 Jetta GLS, 1999.5 Golf 2 dr
We just bought a set of Michelin Premier LTX, which are marketed as "all-weather," and they are OK in the snow/ice we had the past few weeks, along with negative Fahrenheit temps.

Another option is the Michelin Defender LTX.
I just did some research on both the Premier and the Defender, and the Premier got all rave reviews, except for tread wear, which seemed to be pretty low, around 20k. The Defender sounded pretty much the same, but there were not enough reviews on it to be more certain. However, the UTOG rating was higher, so, for the moment, I'm leaning in that direction. Thanks again
 

andreigbs

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Walworth Co., Wisconsin
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I just did some research on both the Premier and the Defender, and the Premier got all rave reviews, except for tread wear, which seemed to be pretty low, around 20k. The Defender sounded pretty much the same, but there were not enough reviews on it to be more certain. However, the UTOG rating was higher, so, for the moment, I'm leaning in that direction. Thanks again
Good research going on.

You'll find that treadwear depends on many variables, not the least of which are overall vehicle weight and driving style. The tread warranty is 60K on the Premier, and 50K on the Defender. On the main Michelin site, the Defender gets better reviews. Again, each person's experience is just a data point. I take all internet reviews with a few grains of salt. In my experience, Michelins have been excellent tires even if somewhat overpriced at times.

Coming from a set of run-flat Dunlops on the GLK, the difference is night and day so far. Another data point for you to consider :)

Good luck in your search.
 

Intech

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2003 Jetta GLS, 1999.5 Golf 2 dr
Good research going on.

You'll find that treadwear depends on many variables, not the least of which are overall vehicle weight and driving style. The tread warranty is 60K on the Premier, and 50K on the Defender. On the main Michelin site, the Defender gets better reviews. Again, each person's experience is just a data point. I take all internet reviews with a few grains of salt. In my experience, Michelins have been excellent tires even if somewhat overpriced at times.

Coming from a set of run-flat Dunlops on the GLK, the difference is night and day so far. Another data point for you to consider :)

Good luck in your search.
I know all about Internet 'reviews', and I agree with all your points 100%. I looked at what Tire Rack said. I've been dealing with them for decades, and they've proven they are very customer service oriented, and have not, to my knowledge, misled me. Whereas, the Nokian Dealer, seems to have only wanted to sell tires. I'll check out the Michelin site for their reviews
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
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Location
outside St Louis, MO
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There are just too many to list....
We are a tire dealer here, and I have seen a LOT of different tires over the years on a LOT of different cars. What is good or bad often depends on what it is going on (I do not know what an excursion van is, if you could tell me, maybe I can give a better opinion).

There is generally no tire that is "perfect" in every sense. Longevity means a harder compound, which means poorer traction especially when wet, and louder road noise.

Michelin, as a brand, is probably the best overall for quality. They are round, and stay that way. Their lesser brands, BF Goodrich and Uniroyal, are hit and miss, and often are dependent on the application as well as the point of manufacture.

Goodyear is probably the worst of the big brands. They also are Kelly-Springfield, Dunlop, Cordovan, and a whole bunch of no-name garbage like Wal-mart level crap.

Bridgestone-Firestone, who also has the cheap line Fuzion, has some good, some bad, and some downright awful models.

Continental-General is usually decent enough, but I'd say it depends a lot on application and model.

I know some people like them, but Nokian from what I have seen have never shown me to be anything exceptional, at least for non-winter tires.

The Korean brands are garbage. Nexen, Kumho, Hankook, these have some of THE worst QC in the aftermarket I have ever seen, even worse than their cheap price would suggest. You may as well get some no-name house label Chinapop tire if that is all you want (and lots of people do, they place CHEAP at the very top of the buy criteria).

As far as the Michelin Premier vs. Defender: they are very different tires. The Premier focuses on quiet, smooth ride, relatively decent traction, whereas the Defender pretty much sacrifices everything for longevity. I have had both, and while the Defender will certainly last longer, its performance is no match for the Premier, wet or dry. And they are absolutely louder. But, they are Michelins, so they are true and easy to balance and stay balanced. They are not available in every speed range though.

As for winter driving, there is no "all season" tire that is as good in snow and ice as a true winter tire. It isn't just the tread design, but the rubber compound as well. But some all season tires will certainly be better than others, they'll be the ones that lose some of their not-winter strengths to do so.

On my cars right now:

Both my B5 Passats have Michelin Premier, and will return to these when replacement time comes (or whatever model Michelin may replace these with).

My one Golf has Continental Contipro Contact. While I have no issue with handling or treadwear, they flat spot if the car sits for a few days, and it takes ~10 miles of higher speed driving to get them round again. Worse in the cold. I will be going back to the Premiers when these wear out.

The other Golf has the Defenders. They will also be replaced with Premiers. Yes, they wear like iron, they also feel and sound like it.

My Sprinter has Continental Vanco tires, which replaced the OEM Kumho tires that I took off when it was brand new. It was virtually undriveable. 3 of the 4 tires were shaped like ostrich eggs. I will probably replace these Vancos due to age before I ever wear them out. They are a little noisy at speed, but not awful, and I really do not have anything to compare them to. They were about $200 cheaper for the set than the Michelins, otherwise I may have gone with the LTX MS.

My F150 has General Grabber AT, and have been fine so far, no complaints. I do not drive the truck often, and never in snow, but they seem satisfactory in any and all conditions in which I have used them.

I have a set of snows for a Golf and a Passat, Goodyear Wintermax and General Altimax Arctic, respectively. Cannot give a good comparison, as the Passat is bigger, heavier, and AWD, so... but the Golf with the Wintermax tires in snow feels pretty secure.
 
Last edited:

andreigbs

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Location
Walworth Co., Wisconsin
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I thought the OP meant he drives an actual Excursion, the big Fords which are almost the size of their Econoline vans. OP, please clarify.

I can concur on the overall craptastic cheapness of the Hankooks and Kumhos. Also the Fuzions. Crap tires, they either don't grip well in the wet or in the dry, or both. They don't like being balanced and usually don't stay that way. Flat spots, blowouts, extremely loud, etc., you name it.

Two Asian brands I would consider, though, are Sumitomo and Yokohama. Both have been decent in my experience but that's just one data point, right? And it varies from model to model, including where they're made. There's an iPhone app that you can plug in a tire's DOT code and it gives you a detailed report of that tire, including when & where it was made, even what the weather was that day. Look up "Tire Facts," a free app that's handy to have.

Good luck, OP. Choices, choices, choices...
 

Intech

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2005
Location
S. Central Pa USA
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2003 Jetta GLS, 1999.5 Golf 2 dr
We are a tire dealer here, and I have seen a LOT of different tires over the years on a LOT of different cars. What is good or bad often depends on what it is going on (I do not know what an excursion van is, if you could tell me, maybe I can give a better opinion).

There is generally no tire that is "perfect" in every sense. Longevity means a harder compound, which means poorer traction especially when wet, and louder road noise.

Michelin, as a brand, is probably the best overall for quality. They are round, and stay that way. Their lesser brands, BF Goodrich and Uniroyal, are hit and miss, and often are dependent on the application as well as the point of manufacture.

Goodyear is probably the worst of the big brands. They also are Kelly-Springfield, Dunlop, Cordovan, and a whole bunch of no-name garbage like Wal-mart level crap.

Bridgestone-Firestone, who also has the cheap line Fuzion, has some good, some bad, and some downright awful models.

Continental-General is usually decent enough, but I'd say it depends a lot on application and model.

I know some people like them, but Nokian from what I have seen have never shown me to be anything exceptional, at least for non-winter tires.

The Korean brands are garbage. Nexen, Kumho, Hankook, these have some of THE worst QC in the aftermarket I have ever seen, even worse than their cheap price would suggest. You may as well get some no-name house label Chinapop tire if that is all you want (and lots of people do, they place CHEAP at the very top of the buy criteria).

As far as the Michelin Premier vs. Defender: they are very different tires. The Premier focuses on quiet, smooth ride, relatively decent traction, whereas the Defender pretty much sacrifices everything for longevity. I have had both, and while the Defender will certainly last longer, its performance is no match for the Premier, wet or dry. And they are absolutely louder. But, they are Michelins, so they are true and easy to balance and stay balanced. They are not available in every speed range though.

As for winter driving, there is no "all season" tire that is as good in snow and ice as a true winter tire. It isn't just the tread design, but the rubber compound as well. But some all season tires will certainly be better than others, they'll be the ones that lose some of their not-winter strengths to do so.

On my cars right now:

Both my B5 Passats have Michelin Premier, and will return to these when replacement time comes (or whatever model Michelin may replace these with).

My one Golf has Continental Contipro Contact. While I have no issue with handling or treadwear, they flat spot if the car sits for a few days, and it takes ~10 miles of higher speed driving to get them round again. Worse in the cold. I will be going back to the Premiers when these wear out.

The other Golf has the Defenders. They will also be replaced with Premiers. Yes, they wear like iron, they also feel and sound like it.

My Sprinter has Continental Vanco tires, which replaced the OEM Kumho tires that I took off when it was brand new. It was virtually undriveable. 3 of the 4 tires were shaped like ostrich eggs. I will probably replace these Vancos due to age before I ever wear them out. They are a little noisy at speed, but not awful, and I really do not have anything to compare them to. They were about $200 cheaper for the set than the Michelins, otherwise I may have gone with the LTX MS.

My F150 has General Grabber AT, and have been fine so far, no complaints. I do not drive the truck often, and never in snow, but they seem satisfactory in any and all conditions in which I have used them.

I have a set of snows for a Golf and a Passat, Goodyear Wintermax and General Altimax Arctic, respectively. Cannot give a good comparison, as the Passat is bigger, heavier, and AWD, so... but the Golf with the Wintermax tires in snow feels pretty secure.
Thank you Brian for your, as usual, accurate, detailed and very informative reply. I have respected your in depth knowledge, since I joined this forum, and have, many times, adhered to your advice on items that I was unfamiliar with. I made a mistake on calling it an excursion van. I meant to say conversion van. Specifically a 97' Ford Sherrod Conversion van. I'll post a link to some pictures, of similar ones. The one I'm getting is not on this computer. I have found a tire that may be just what I'm looking for. It's the Vredestein Quatrac 5. It's an 'all-season' with the 3PMSF symbol, not just M+S, and naturally, I would like your feedback and opinion

https://images.search.yahoo.com/sea...lbums/zz288/yechave/IMGP1397.jpg&action=click
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I would likely put the same tires on that van as I did on my F150, and they are likely the same size. I stepped UP to an LT tire instead of the standard issue P tire. It will feel much more secure on the road, since the 1/2 ton based Ford conversion vans are already taxed pretty hard weight wise as it is.

And keep them rotated, Twin I-beam Fords chew through front tires in a hurry if you don't.
 

Intech

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Joined
Jun 25, 2005
Location
S. Central Pa USA
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2003 Jetta GLS, 1999.5 Golf 2 dr
I thought the OP meant he drives an actual Excursion, the big Fords which are almost the size of their Econoline vans. OP, please clarify.

I can concur on the overall craptastic cheapness of the Hankooks and Kumhos. Also the Fuzions. Crap tires, they either don't grip well in the wet or in the dry, or both. They don't like being balanced and usually don't stay that way. Flat spots, blowouts, extremely loud, etc., you name it.

Two Asian brands I would consider, though, are Sumitomo and Yokohama. Both have been decent in my experience but that's just one data point, right? And it varies from model to model, including where they're made. There's an iPhone app that you can plug in a tire's DOT code and it gives you a detailed report of that tire, including when & where it was made, even what the weather was that day. Look up "Tire Facts," a free app that's handy to have.

Good luck, OP. Choices, choices, choices...
You're right, choices, choices, choices. Then come decisions, and I don't want to make the same wrong one I made on my WR-G3's. My wife's Cadillac, has always had Yokohama's, but that is a garage queen in Winter and inclement weather, so Summer tires are perfect for it. However, they are great and she loves them.
 

Intech

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S. Central Pa USA
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2003 Jetta GLS, 1999.5 Golf 2 dr
I would likely put the same tires on that van as I did on my F150, and they are likely the same size. I stepped UP to an LT tire instead of the standard issue P tire. It will feel much more secure on the road, since the 1/2 ton based Ford conversion vans are already taxed pretty hard weight wise as it is.

And keep them rotated, Twin I-beam Fords chew through front tires in a hurry if you don't.
I don't have the van yet. Could you tell me what size tire is on your F-150?
 

oilhammer

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Location
outside St Louis, MO
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There are just too many to list....
My F-truck has 235-75-15 but the E-vans could use either that or a 225-75-15.

The standard tire would be a P (passenger) with an XL rating, but I went with an LT (light truck) with a D rating, which is generally the heaviest available in that size.
 
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Intech

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2003 Jetta GLS, 1999.5 Golf 2 dr
My F-truck has 235-75-15 but the E-vans could use either that or a 225-75-15.

The standard tire would be a P (passenger) with an XL rating, but I went with an LT (light truck) with a D rating, which is generally the heaviest available in that size.
Thank you. I now can really start looking and see what's available
 

Rob Mayercik

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NJ, U.S.A.
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2002 Jetta GLS, Baltic Green/Beige
FWIW, I always liked the Toyos I used to run on my Jeep - Open Country or Open Country A/T, and I did superbly with the two sets of Proxes TPT some years back on my TDI.

Toyo might also be worth a look.
 

dieseldorf

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Oct 11, 2000
Location
MA
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ex- 1996 wagon, ex-2000 Jetta
Intech, here's a recent list of the all-weather tires:

3PMSF passenger-car tires:
Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady
Hankook Kinergy 4S (Canada only)
Michelin CrossClimate + (limited sizes available)
Nokian WRG3 (G4, too)
Toyo Celsius
Vredestein Quatrac5


3PMSF Light-Truck (LT) tires:
BFGoodrich Advantage T/A Sport LT
BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO (select sizes)
BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2
BFGoodrich Commercial T/A Traction
General Grabber AT2 (select sizes)
Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar (select sizes)
Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac (all but one size)
Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor
Goodyear Wrangler TrailRunner AT (select sizes)
Hankook Dynapro AT-M
Kumho Road Venture AT51
Nitto Exo Grappler AWT
Nokian Rotiiva AT
Nokian Rotiiva AT Plus
Nokian WR C3
Nokian WRG3 SUV
Toyo Celsius CUV
Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015
 

Intech

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Location
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2003 Jetta GLS, 1999.5 Golf 2 dr
Intech, here's a recent list of the all-weather tires:

3PMSF passenger-car tires:
Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady
Hankook Kinergy 4S (Canada only)
Michelin CrossClimate + (limited sizes available)
Nokian WRG3 (G4, too)
Toyo Celsius
Vredestein Quatrac5


3PMSF Light-Truck (LT) tires:
BFGoodrich Advantage T/A Sport LT
BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO (select sizes)
BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2
BFGoodrich Commercial T/A Traction
General Grabber AT2 (select sizes)
Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar (select sizes)
Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac (all but one size)
Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor
Goodyear Wrangler TrailRunner AT (select sizes)
Hankook Dynapro AT-M
Kumho Road Venture AT51
Nitto Exo Grappler AWT
Nokian Rotiiva AT
Nokian Rotiiva AT Plus
Nokian WR C3
Nokian WRG3 SUV
Toyo Celsius CUV
Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015
I'm getting the van from an estate, in Colorado, and I won't have it until the estate is settled. Being 25 hours away from me, I can't check to see what tire sizes are factory recommended, and, as I found out already, a lot of tires I think I'd like, have very limited sizes available, and I'll never go the "cheapo" route. Safety is a prime concern of mine, more so than cost. From what I've already learned, thanks to all the positive feedback on this forum, is that I may have to 'bite the bullet', and continue what I've been doing, and that is have two sets of tire/wheel combinations available, and use Summer tires in the Summer, and dedicated Winter / Snow tires i.e. Blizzaks, or Ice edge, for the Winter months. However, I'll keep reading up on all the recommendations and maybe I'll luck out. Thank you dieseldorf, for that list. It'll save me a lot of time
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
You can put winter tires on just the rear axle of a RWD vehicle, FWIW. Just not supposed to do it on FWD or AWD cars.

A limited slip differential does wonders on RWD Ford trucks and vans, unfortunately it is a pretty rare option. But if it was sold new in Colorado it may have been more common. You can tell by the tag on the diff cover. They usually stick an "L" in the middle of the ratio numbers. So an open 3.55 diff just says "3.55", but the Trak Lok version will say "3L.55". But not always, sometimes you just have to decipher the tag code, like 806D or 811T or whatever it says. Should be an 8.8" though.

You can buy diffs for those, but they are not cheap. They work though. My dad ordered his 2WD '94 F150 with one, and that truck chomped through snow with no problems where my standard open diff 1993 truck I had at the time was helpless.
 

jmodge

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Greenville, MI
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2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
I have the Yokohama Geolanders on my Jetta, cruise dry, wet, and snow covered roads pretty well. Gone through some deep snow with them also. They run quiet and smooth, seem to stick well enough. Don't know how they would do on the back of a rwd van though, especially if it is single legged.
 

Intech

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S. Central Pa USA
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2003 Jetta GLS, 1999.5 Golf 2 dr
I have the Yokohama Geolanders on my Jetta, cruise dry, wet, and snow covered roads pretty well. Gone through some deep snow with them also. They run quiet and smooth, seem to stick well enough. Don't know how they would do on the back of a rwd van though, especially if it is single legged.
I always like Yokohama's, IMO, they were what I expected when I bought them
 

Intech

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You can put winter tires on just the rear axle of a RWD vehicle, FWIW. Just not supposed to do it on FWD or AWD cars.

A limited slip differential does wonders on RWD Ford trucks and vans, unfortunately it is a pretty rare option. But if it was sold new in Colorado it may have been more common. You can tell by the tag on the diff cover. They usually stick an "L" in the middle of the ratio numbers. So an open 3.55 diff just says "3.55", but the Trak Lok version will say "3L.55". But not always, sometimes you just have to decipher the tag code, like 806D or 811T or whatever it says. Should be an 8.8" though.

You can buy diffs for those, but they are not cheap. They work though. My dad ordered his 2WD '94 F150 with one, and that truck chomped through snow with no problems where my standard open diff 1993 truck I had at the time was helpless.
Brian, you are a 'God'. I had completely forgotten about positraction, Detroit locker and limited slip differentials on RWD everyday cars. I remember guys making their own "posi" rears by welding the spider gears. They had that, but they 'hopped' around corners LOL. That option on the van, would be perfect for me, because I learned to drive with that set up, and snow and ice never stopped me, except once, when a DOT snow plow, plowed me in. They came back the next morning and yanked me out :):):)
 

Rob Mayercik

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Location
NJ, U.S.A.
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2002 Jetta GLS, Baltic Green/Beige
A lot of Jeep guys like the Ford 8.8 as a rear axle upgrade, and as such the aftermarket offers several types of differential upgrades. The 9-inch also enjoys a fair amount of support as well due to the off-road community.

You might be able to contact Ford and get some information on what rear axles these "sherrod" conversions typically came equipped with, or perhaps see if you can find a enthusiast forum for those and see if there's a "101" or "what do I have" thread that lists what the possible axles are. If you know you might have one of two or three axle types in back, then at least you have a way of narrowing down your search for diffs.
 

bizzle

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I always like Yokohama's, IMO, they were what I expected when I bought them
The only "complaint" I can lodge against my Yokos are that they keep dry rotting before the tread wears out :D

I just replaced my '98s that had about 50K on them but still looked like they had lots of meat on them but the age and cracking paired with an iced mountain and a tow caused me to pony up for a new set last Friday. They did give me back $176 toward new ones and this time I went with 740GTX at America's Tire ($430 out the door w/o extended road warranty for an extra $76 bucks). I almost went with the Michelins from Costco coming in around $20 dollars less expensive. I think their sale is still going on if you're inclined towards Michelins.

I also used the Korean brands extensively on my BMW but that was a track car, which is where I see them recommended and not so much for daily driving. Depending on how old you are, if you were skateboarding in the 90s shoe technology wasn't very advanced and it didn't matter how cheap or expensive you used they were blown out within a couple weeks. Everyone just got the cheapest vans or airwalks. No idea how it is now, but I imagine the market from then to now is night and day.

Anyway, back to tires...one advantage of changing out your all seasons for winters is using a wheel that is more suited for winter conditions versus your standard road wheels (width and diameter).
 

Intech

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S. Central Pa USA
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2003 Jetta GLS, 1999.5 Golf 2 dr
A lot of Jeep guys like the Ford 8.8 as a rear axle upgrade, and as such the aftermarket offers several types of differential upgrades. The 9-inch also enjoys a fair amount of support as well due to the off-road community.

You might be able to contact Ford and get some information on what rear axles these "sherrod" conversions typically came equipped with, or perhaps see if you can find a enthusiast forum for those and see if there's a "101" or "what do I have" thread that lists what the possible axles are. If you know you might have one of two or three axle types in back, then at least you have a way of narrowing down your search for diffs.
I will do exactly that. Thank you for the tip. All this makes my life a bit easier
 

Intech

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Location
S. Central Pa USA
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2003 Jetta GLS, 1999.5 Golf 2 dr
The only "complaint" I can lodge against my Yokos are that they keep dry rotting before the tread wears out :D

I just replaced my '98s that had about 50K on them but still looked like they had lots of meat on them but the age and cracking paired with an iced mountain and a tow caused me to pony up for a new set last Friday. They did give me back $176 toward new ones and this time I went with 740GTX at America's Tire ($430 out the door w/o extended road warranty for an extra $76 bucks). I almost went with the Michelins from Costco coming in around $20 dollars less expensive. I think their sale is still going on if you're inclined towards Michelins.

I also used the Korean brands extensively on my BMW but that was a track car, which is where I see them recommended and not so much for daily driving. Depending on how old you are, if you were skateboarding in the 90s shoe technology wasn't very advanced and it didn't matter how cheap or expensive you used they were blown out within a couple weeks. Everyone just got the cheapest vans or airwalks. No idea how it is now, but I imagine the market from then to now is night and day.

Anyway, back to tires...one advantage of changing out your all seasons for winters is using a wheel that is more suited for winter conditions versus your standard road wheels (width and diameter).
I thought that my wife's Yokos seemed to dry rot faster than I had imagined. After she had a stroke, her car, a Cadillac, became a 'garage queen', and when I took it to be inspected, the mechanic pointed it out to me. I was annoyed, but didn't hesitate to replace them, with another set of Yokos. Now, I'll see how long they last
 

bizzle

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2013
Location
Southern California
TDI
2015 GSW SEL (totaled), 2013 Touareg Executive
Mine were 5 years old, but the reason they cracked was because I haven't been driving it the past two years. That's the reason the set before them cracked, too. It had been sitting for a few years back then, too. I guess if tires aren't used frequently enough the rubber and chemicals inside start to deteriorate.
 
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