Project Snowshoes

[srimes]

Figure it's time to make a build thread. I like wheeling in deep snow, and wanted to get as much flotation as I safely could with the Dana 30, so I was worried about going any taller. Went from 35x12.5 Patagonias to 35x15 TSLs.

They're definitely wider!

I think they look good

The trailer got the hand-me-downs

 

[Rickyd]

Looks good! I love rolling around with my swampers on.

Are they a good snow tire?

 

[Wildman]

I had good luck with my TSL SX tires @ about 5PSI or lower in the snow.

Dropping them down to 2 PSI they were a little too LOW...

 

[Rickyd]

I had good luck with my TSL SX tires @ about 5PSI or lower in the snow.

View attachment 594866

Dropping them down to 2 PSI they were a little too LOW...

View attachment 594867

I run mine at 15 psi on the street.Very stiff tires

 

[Wildman]

I run mine at 15 psi on the street.Very stiff tires

Yep, IT's why I'd gotten them all the way down to 2 PSI and then took them back up to 5 PSI. They were great tires.

 

[srimes]

Looks good! I love rolling around with my swampers on.

Are they a good snow tire?

I'm gonna find out! I couldn't find many options for wide 35s.
I've heard some good reviews, some mixed. Many recommendations that they're quite good after adding sipes or grooves. I'll do that, or add studs if necessary. But I haven't heard many recommendations for studs, so maybe not. Although I bet studs on swampers would sound amazing on pavement

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Another convert to the Bias-Ply world! These radial-sissies don’t know what they are missing.

Those will be a game changer in deep snow. Can’t wait to see them in action.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Another convert to the Bias-Ply world! These radial-sissies don’t know what they are missing.

Those will be a game changer in deep snow. Can’t wait to see them in action.

…and you know JJ is happy about the swap from the Milestoners…

 

[Fluxor]

I always loved the look of the classic swamper tread design.

 

[srimes]

I always loved the look of the classic swamper tread design.

From what I read they do well, and much better on side hills than boggers. I considered the TSL SX but they're heavier and while the side tread looks great and helps in rocks I'm not sure they're worth the weight in snow.

And from what I hear the SX has an even stiffer sidewall, and softer sidewalls are better for snow.

The other popular option is Iroks, in 36x13.5.

My main criteria was maximizing footprint while not breaking axles. I used height x width as the driving footprint factor. 36x13.5 = 486, while 35x15 = 525.
The Irok is a "big" 36, more like many 37s. 37x13.5= 499.5, still less than the TSL.

Assuming footprint area directly correlates with traction force, a shorter tire will stress the drivetrain less. Going from 35x12.5 to 35x15 increases footprint and stress by 20%, all else being equal. Going from 35x12.5 to 37x13.5 increases footprint by 14% and stress by 21%.

The 37 may actually perform better with the extra inch of clearance, but I decided to err on the side of safety as I'll already be pushing things a bit. Not to mention the fender clearance issues with 37s.

This isn't really aimed at you, I'm just using your comment as a prompt to lay out my thought process here.

 

[Wildman]

If you follow some of the snow wheeling groups on FB these guys grove the heck out of their tires for snow wheeling. So yes I'd say adding some grooves to your TSL's would most likely help.
And yes the SX sidewalls are a lot stiffer than a regular TSL but they are some great tires. And while I haven't tried them out yet I've heard from a lot of people that the IRocks are supposed to be better in the snow. I've got a set here so I might have to try them compared to the Baja Pro XS.

 

[Wildman]

Here's some grooving done to a 42" TSL... But gives you ideas of what is done.

Not TSL's but you can see the grooving done here.

And then an IRock grooved

And a set of M/TR's grooved

I was going to groove my TSL SX tires before I decided to sell them. Was going to wait to see how the IRocks did without grooving first and then got the Baja Pro X/S tires and the same with them. Want to wait and see how they work stock before I start cutting out rubber. And since snow wheeling isn't my ONLY thing I do I want to try and balance my tires between everything.

I might use the IRocks for winter wheeling and run the BAJA Pro X/S the rest of the year? Got to get the kinks worked out on the Jeep first.


Edit: Here's a TSL taken more to the extreme.

 

[Wildman]

These guys build for snow and only snow too...

Look forward to seeing how you like the Swampers in the snow.

 

[srimes]

I headed up the mountain to try them out, and on the old snow I found the did well. Didn't struggle with any of it, but my old tires would have been fine, too. Ran into a bunch of downed trees and cleared several before calling it for the day. I only had my little saw and no extra gas, and some of them were a little sketchy, and I was alone.

Snow conditions vary so much it's hard to compare tires. Need to get another snow run going to really see!

 

[Wildman]

I headed up the mountain to try them out, and on the old snow I found the did well. Didn't struggle with any of it, but my old tires would have been fine, too. Ran into a bunch of downed trees and cleared several before calling it for the day. I only had my little saw and no extra gas, and some of them were a little sketchy, and I was alone.

Snow conditions vary so much it's hard to compare tires. Need to get another snow run going to really see!

It's been in the high 30's & low 40's here so my snow is slowly melting. Hopefully it'll snow more up higher.

 

[srimes]

Very recognizable tracks!

Stuck in the slippery concrete. While they do dig they didn't sink as quickly as I thought they might. I had to sit and spin a little bit before getting stuck.

The snow is heavy and wet now, completely different from when I last went out with @macleanflood. Was running around 7psi which didn't look aired down at all and I'd typically run 4-6 with the previous tires. I need to get the sidewalls broken in and some confidence in lower pressures to really see how they'll do. So far they seem comparable. I could break trail better than my buddy in the JKU on 37s, but that's how it was with the old tires, too.

The tread was nice and soft even in the snow.

Definitely seemed like my tracks weren't as deep as the JK's. I never noticed that before but didn't really look, either.

 

[srimes]

What air pressure would you say this is?

If you look closely at the gage you'll see the valve core.

My last tires looked like this at 6psi and I went lower than that in snow. But I doubt the beads will stay on at 0 psi...

 

[Wildman]

What air pressure would you say this is?
View attachment 597264
View attachment 597265

View attachment 597266

If you look closely at the gage you'll see the valve core.

My last tires looked like this at 6psi and I went lower than that in snow. But I doubt the beads will stay on at 0 psi...

Way back when I bought my Suzuki Samurai it had Thornbirds on it & I could pull the valve steams and they looked like that.

My suggestion is to run it down a back road around 35-40 MPH for 15-20 miles at a time to help break in your sidewalls,

 

[srimes]

Way back when I bought my Suzuki Samurai it had Thornbirds on it & I could pull the valve steams and they looked like that.

My suggestion is to run it down a back road around 35-40 MPH for 15-20 miles at a time to help break in your sidewalls,

View attachment 597277

At what pressure?

 

[Wildman]

At what pressure?

Sorry, @ about 5 PSI... You're trying to get the sidewalls to start flexing.