KO2's in severe snow?

[Reinen]

So my Rubi is on order and I haven't driven the KO2s yet. I know they're 3PMS rated and many will say they're good in snow but I will be taking it to an extreme. 350-750" of snow per year, steep hills, sharp curves, cliffs with no guardrail. I'm in a very 3-dimensional neighborhood and my driveway ranges from 30-45 degrees at it's steepest point. I need very good snow tires and I'm concerned that an all-season, as good as they may be, won't cut it here.

I currently manage this with a Subaru Outback w/ Blizzak WS80s, which are great but are of course a winter only tire. I have yet to find an all-season that will get me home comfortably in the winter on the Subaru. Can someone give me an idea of how the KO2s will compare? And what dedicated winter tires are people using on the Rubi? The options seem limited from what I've found so far. Thanks.

 

[jeepguy03]

No All-Terrain will compare to a dedicated snow tire, but the BFG KO2's are an excellent tire in snow.

 

[Modoc Guy]

I had good luck with them on my suburban and blazer, and I just put a set on my ‘02 tj.
But I have yet to test how they work with a vehicle as light and small as the Jeep.

From your description of where you need to drive, it seems like you need dedicated winter/snow tires. Maybe even something studded if it’s allowed in your area.

 

[Mr. Bills]

I have a set of LT265/75R16-E 3PMSF KO2's on a non-jeep 4WD vehicle that weights approximately 9,000#. Although probably not quite as good in snow as the Nokian Hakkapeliittas they replaced, I have no complaints in snow so far - but its not midwinter yet and I haven't tried a steep slope on ice.

I don't think anyone will be able to provide much more than generalities unless they also have a 30-45 degree driveway and regularly receive 350-750" of snow every winter. Also, Utah snow is different than California snow and Vermont snow. What do the locals say about the 3PMSF KO2's?

 

[Reinen]

I had good luck with them on my suburban and blazer, and I just put a set on my ‘02 tj.
But I have yet to test how they work with a vehicle as light and small as the Jeep.

From your description of where need to drive, it seems like you need dedicated winter/snow tires. Maybe even something studded if it’s allowed in your area.

Thanks. That's exactly why I'm assuming I'm going to need winter/snow tires. Having the 3PMS designation makes the KO2s legal to use where I need to go (it's required) but the question is do I want to use them. Studded tires are legal but they don't help. They lift enough of the tire off the surface that they reduce dry/snow traction. Only useful on sheer ice which isn't the main issue here. Studless tires work better.

 

[Reinen]

I have a set of LT265/75R16-E 3PMSF KO2's on a non-jeep 4WD vehicle that weights approximately 9,000#. Although probably not quite as good in snow as the Nokian Hakkapeliittas they replaced, I have no complaints in snow so far - but its not midwinter yet and I haven't tried a steep slope on ice.

I don't think anyone will be able to provide much more than generalities unless they also have a 30-45 degree driveway and regularly receive 350-750" of snow every winter. Also, Utah snow is different than California snow and Vermont snow. What do the locals say about the 3PMSF KO2's?

I was hoping to find some Utah locals here, Utahns do like their Jeeps. I took a look at TireRack and they have very few LT winter tires to fit the Rubi and only for 18" wheels with no user ratings, while off-road places don't seem to care much about dedicated winter tires. So I'm not sure what I'm going to do. It would be blasphemy if my Outback is more winter capable than my Rubi.

 

[MutantNinjaTJ]

You need a snow tack conversion by the way you're making it sound. Where in Utah do you get 62.5 feet of "special Utah only" snow a year?

 

[HornedToad]

I regularly drive my Jeep back and forth between Utah and California over the Sierras, including in the wintertime. Several of those trips have been in whiteout conditions with people sliding off the road all over the place. My ko2’s are the best non-snow tire in the snow I have ever owned. I complain a little about their rain performance but for snow and ice, they are among the best.

 

[DaveF]

I had KO2's on my truck for a while, great all around all terrain tire, but in winter I would switch to Blizzak winter tires.

A good, true winter tire will drive circles around the KO2's, and will actually do better in 98% of circumstances than studded tires (studs can cause you to LOSE traction in many cases).

Basically, below 40 degrees, the Blizzak's will out perform the KO2's on any road(dry or wet)/ice/snow driving.

 

[Reinen]

You need a snow tack conversion by the way you're making it sound. Where in Utah do you get 62.5 feet of "special Utah only" snow a year?

Little Cottonwood Canyon, home of Alta & Snowbird. The road is routinely closed for avalanche mitigation and cleared with heavy machinery several times per week, sometimes several times per day. So I'm not driving on 62.5' of snow per se, but there's always new snow and that's exactly when I drive it.

 

[Mr. Bills]

It would be blasphemy if my Outback is more winter capable than my Rubi.

Actually, it would confirm the sound judgment of Outback owners who daily drive them in severe winter climates.

 

[Mr. Bills]

Little Cottonwood Canyon, home of Alta & Snowbird. The road is routinely closed for avalanche mitigation and cleared with heavy machinery several times per week, sometimes several times per day. So I'm not driving on 62.5' of snow per se, but there's always new snow and that's exactly when I drive it.

The KO2's might work, and probably will most of the time. But if you want to turn any of those qualifiers into affirmatives I think a set of dedicated winter tires is in your future.

 

[Reinen]

I had KO2's on my truck for a while, great all around all terrain tire, but in winter I would switch to Blizzak winter tires.

A good, true winter tire will drive circles around the KO2's, and will actually do better in 98% of circumstances than studded tires (studs can cause you to LOSE traction in many cases).

Basically, below 40 degrees, the Blizzak's will out perform the KO2's on any road(dry or wet)/ice/snow driving.

Are you talking about Blizzak LT's? I could get those for the Rubi but I'm not finding any decent of review of them. I know the WS80's and love them. Not sure if I should get the LTs and cross fingers that they're equally good.

 

[DaveF]

Are you talking about Blizzak LT's? I could get those for the Rubi but I'm not finding any decent of review of them. I know the WS80's and love them. Not sure if I should get the LTs and cross fingers that they're equally good.

No, I used the DM-V2's.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Blizzak+DM-V2

 

[Reinen]

Actually, it would confirm the sound judgment of Outback owners who daily drive them in severe winter climates.

I am one of those Outback owners and it is sound judgement. With winter tires they act like the snow isn't even there. Then in the summer I take it places where I think "I really shouldn't be doing this....".

 

[Mr. Bills]

Are the above references to KO2's on ice and snow referring to the 3PMSF rated version or to the M+S designated version?

Until earlier this year, BFG offered two versions of the KO2 - 3PMSF rated and "DT" (different tread) with M+S designation, harder compound and mileage warranty. Since July 2020 all KO2's are 3PMSF.

The two versions would perform differently in snow and on ice.

 

[DaveF]

Are the above references to KO2's on ice and snow referring to the 3PMSF rated version or to the M+S designated version?

Until earlier this year, BFG offered two versions of the KO2 - 3PMSF rated and "DT" (different tread) with M+S designation, harder compound and mileage warranty. Since July 2020 all KO2's are 3PMSF.

The two versions would perform differently in snow and on ice.

Mine were 3PMSF rated, still couldn't compare to the Blizzaks.

3PMSF tires are still an all season tire, just a bit better at winter (only the spin test matters for this designation, cornering and braking tests aren't part of that designation that I know of).

 

[Bluovalguy]

I have to take my daughter up to Mt Hood for skiing season multiple times a year. After lots of research I ended up putting Falken Wildpeak AT3W all terrain’s on my truck and they handle great in mountain passes, deep snow and poorly maintained backroads.

My TJ currently has has 2016 rubicon take off wheels and tires on it, and once the tires wear out the Wildpeak’s will be goin on it without a doubt.

I don’t really need mud tires on mine, so the all terrains work great. They are much quieter, a bit cheaper and are actually rated as snow tires (three peak on the sidewalk) if you’re required to have that rating where you drive. We have to have that or chains on board for a good portion of the winter to be legal.

 

[Grant Lasson]

I can't directly answer your KO2 question but I live a short distance from the mouth of LCC and I do travel it in the winter. Hundreds of thousands of cars a year go up and down that canyon in all kinds of conditions. My Goodyear MTRs do fine. I'm sure the Goodrich KO2s will do fine as well.

It sounds like your bigger issue will be the driveway. Does it get any sun? Do you keep it cleared off from snow and ice? I can't think of any large tire that would hold traction on a 45 degree sheet of ice. The physics are just working too much against it. It would require at least a narrower tire either studded or possibly a dedicated winter in my opinion.

It doesn't seem like 650" of snow this year so perhaps you can take a year to make this decision...

 

[gaabbee]

We are supposed to get 12-18 inches Wednesday night so if that happens I'll let you know how mine do.