(2021 Sierra Denali) OEM Tires - Snow Performance?

[diyer2]

We live in the mountains of Colorado at 9200 feet. Dirt roads. Pavement. Some times plowed, some times not. 

There are lots of choices. Have had quite a few. I like the Defender LTX M/S for an all around tire. 

[Z45]

Given the best snow tires, 4 wheel drive and yet some still can't drive in the snow. They assume because the got 4wd/AWD they are invincible and nothing came stop them for going where they want to go.  I recall one day last winter it was snowing heavy, roads covered with snow and moderate traffic.  There were about 5 vehicles in front of me and one behind when I see this 4wd Ram passing us, speed limit 55 was to slow for him I guess.  He got past me and the back end starts to drift out on him.  I just made it past him as he was losing control and went down a 1/4 slope in the ditch back wards mowing down some small tree's on the way.  About 30 min later I was coming back along the same route and saw flashing lights. Wrecker and State Police were on the scene and driver (young guy) was in the back seat the Tahoe cruiser. 

Edited September 8, 2021 by elcamino

[Mawz]

50 minutes ago, gemarsh said:

I have always wondered why have two sets of wheel/tires? Do the people that run summer/winter tires, live in the city and don't find themselves needing a truck tire all year?

 

Not putting anyone down, I commend them for having to encure the extra expense of double the cost. Makes it safer for me/family when I'm near you on the winter roads.

Dedicated winters still have better performance in the snow and ice than even a 3-peak rated A/T unless your concern is pure offroad snow performance. The compounds used on Winters does better in the cold. 

These can be proper truck tires, just winter-dedicated. In some areas you might even run studded winters (I had those on my old Ranger, great on a 2WD truck in Northern Ontario, sadly not legal to run down here in Southern Ontario where I am now)

Note you only double the cost if you want nice rims on the winters. You can knock down the winter cost by buying used or cheap rims (much like the car guys do running cheap steelies for their winter setup). A cheap set of stock 18" pull-offs is a good solution for both cost and maximizing tire choice for your winter setup.
 

I'll be an oddity myself, my '17 Z71 came with Blizzak's on some real nice 20" snowflakes, but in the spring I'll be getting some 18" to run A/T's and let me air down more than I could with A/T's on 20" rims.

[Mawz]

2 minutes ago, elcamino said:

Given the best snow tires, 4 wheel drive and yet some still can't drive in the snow. They assume because the got 4wd/AWD they are invincible and nothing came stop them for going where they want to go.  I recall one day last winter it was snowing heavy, roads covered with snow and moderate traffic.  There were about 5 vehicles in front of me and one behind when I see this 4wd Ram passing us, speed limit 55 was to slow for him I guess.  He get past me and the back end starts to drift out on him and I just made it past him as he was losing control and went down a 1/4 slope in the ditch back wards.  About 30 min later I was coming back along the same route and saw flashing light. Wrecker and State Police were on the seen and driver (young guy) was in the back seat the Tahoe cruiser.

It is pretty hilarious to see how many people think 4WD/AWD is magical.

The first snow of the year here in Toronto can be quite entertaining to drive in due to how many folks forget that regardless of what your vehicle has, snow is still slipperier than dy asphalt.

[Z45]

7 minutes ago, Mawz said:

It is pretty hilarious to see how many people think 4WD/AWD is magical.

The first snow of the year here in Toronto can be quite entertaining to drive in due to how many folks forget that regardless of what your vehicle has, snow is still slipperier than dy asphalt.

Keeps the tow trucks in business.  LOL

[Diamond817]

1 hour ago, gemarsh said:

I have always wondered why have two sets of wheel/tires? Do the people that run summer/winter tires, live in the city and don't find themselves needing a truck tire all year?

 

Not putting anyone down, I commend them for having to encure the extra expense of double the cost. Makes it safer for me/family when I'm near you on the winter roads.

There is no reason to when you have 4wd.

[BIGDOGx]

I don't know having two sets of tires on a 4x4 truck is pretty out there if you ask me. Been driving 4x4's in the northeast for 30+ years now and bfg ko's seem to tackle pretty much all conditions pretty well imo, good enough imo to not waste money on 4 extra rims and 4 extra tires.

[603Denali]

If you want to retain the OEM 22" tire size, I run the Toyo Observe G3 Ice.  Never had a problem and they match OEM size perfectly.  Great price too.

[603Denali]

2 hours ago, Diamond817 said:

There is no reason to when you have 4wd.

4wd does a great job stopping, said nobody ever.

[TxTruckMan]

5 hours ago, gemarsh said:

I have always wondered why have two sets of wheel/tires? Do the people that run summer/winter tires, live in the city and don't find themselves needing a truck tire all year?

 

Not putting anyone down, I commend them for having to encure the extra expense of double the cost. Makes it safer for me/family when I'm near you on the winter roads.

It's not really double the cost because you go through the tires half as fast.  The only additional cost is the second set of rims - maybe $400-$600?  On a $60k truck.  Well worth the cost.

[eppieguy]

Until you drive a 4WD truck with both types of tires you won't understand the huge difference it makes when running a dedicated snow tire, well worth the money if you live in a climate that has a lot of snow and ice, here in NJ, not worth it, but I can see some areas of the US and Canada that they would be well worth it. 

[Kevin Flannery]

I appreciate all the responses!
 

17 hours ago, TxTruckMan said:

I just traded in a Denali for my AT4. We like to drive up to Colorado in the summer for vacation and winter for skiing. I used the 22” Alenzas for most of the year and then 18” Duratrac in the winter time. They were 3 peak rated. The Alenzas will get you there, but the snow tire just brings a whole different set of safety and confidence. Well worth the extra $$$ in my book.  If you can afford the Denali you can afford a cheap set of dedicated winter tires. My 2 cents. 

 

It's not about affordability. It's about necessity. I'm not one to cheap out on safety, performance or convenience. As I mentioned in my OP... on previous cars, I historically utilized one set of wheels w/summer tires and another set of wheels w/snow tires. 

If I do decide to get snow tires, I'll even use it as an excuse to get the 22" Snowflake wheels from GM. That way I can use the OEM wheels + snow tires for winter and the Snowflake wheels + OEM tires (or upgraded all-seasons) for the warmer months.

That said, given that this is a truck and not a high powered performance car that needs sticky summer tires to maximize performance/traction, I really think two sets of tires is overkill. I'm really thinking a proper set of decent snow rated all seasons (like the Michelin Defender LTX M/S) should do the job very well. 

Especially since a large majority of the time, I'll be driving on dry pavement in -10 to 75 degree weather all winter, with an occasional Blizzard thrown in. Colorado really is crazy.  
 

 

 

8 hours ago, diyer2 said:

We live in the mountains of Colorado at 9200 feet. Dirt roads. Pavement. Some times plowed, some times not. 

There are lots of choices. Have had quite a few. I like the Defender LTX M/S for an all around tire. 

 

That seems to fit what I've been reading elsewhere, as well. Thank you!

Edited September 8, 2021 by Kevin Flannery

[Jay P]

Kevin

Living in CO those factory Bridgestones suck on anything but flat roads. I have had them on 2 trucks now (19 Denali & 21 High Country). I now have a set of rims/snow tire that I put on around Nov 1st. I got 18" rims because they are cheaper and easier to find tires for. Huge improvement especially braking. Remember that in Colorado if you cause traffic issues in the mountains without chains or 4wd and good tires the fines can be pretty expensive.

 

Jay

Edited September 8, 2021 by Jay P

[Ryanm91]

I just got a new Denali with the 22's. With it being a 2 year lease I am just putting stock size Toyo G3 Ice snow tires on the factory wheels for the winter vs purchasing wheels, TPMS sensors, tires and depending on the wheels a second set of wheel nuts, hopefully the toyo g3 are as good as the toyo GSI 5/6 snow tires. I live close to the northern part of Eastern Ontario so good tires in winter make a huge difference here.