QuestionI have a 98 dodge ram van 1500, and live in NJ/NY area. I have Michelin A/T tires on my van. I am about to get new ones, (cause they are 4 years old) and want to prepare for this winter, and want to know what is the Best Tire, brand and/or model, to put on this van for the snow and ice and rain?
I need to get more traction in the rear, and realize i might have to put sand bags in the rear for some weight. Can I use snow tires all winter long? Or does one put on snow tires just for snow?
I like Michelin brand, and think maybe they might make a really great snow tire for winter. what do you think?
Or, are there chains i could buy to put on the tires to get more traction in the ice and snow.
These tires i have been using last long, but not great in the snow. What is the best way to deal with snow and ice for a short wheel base dodge ram van? Use all terrain? Snow tires? Which tire gives the best aggrasive grab on snow?
What recommendation do you have for winter tires for living in the northeast? NJ/NY
please help, thanks
Billy
AnswerBilly,
First, I'm sorry but I can't give you a specific recommendation on a brand / model. Since I work for a major manufacturer of tires, you won't be able to tell if I am promoting my company's products. or not.
But try Tire Rack. They have reveiws of tires by customers and this ought to help.
www tirerack.com
As a general rule, you want as narrow a tire as possible. Your van came with P235/75R15 XL and that's what you should go with. Don't be tempted to reduce the inflation pressure, use what Dodge recomended - 35 front / 41 rear - or maybe even a bit more. I like 3 to 5 psi
You can use snow tires all winter, but they are specifically designed for use in snow and don't give as good dry traction / noise resistance / irregular wear resistance as all season tires. But they aren't designed to operate in summer weather and you run the risk of a tire failure if you do.
Hope this helps.
