Intruder
New member
Yup, totally agree. The stock tire size on a Limited probably won't deal with deeper snow and mud very well at all due to the low sidewall profile. Get a tire with some nice sized side lugs.
Looking for Tire suggestions that will..
- Thread starter GWNGeoWagon
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GWNGeoWagon
New member
Thank you for above!Have sent the link to this thread onto him. The prairies are about to have a real honest to goodness winter storm (thank goodness, with those tires, he isn't heading anywhere for another week or two).
He did have winter tires put on my Rav (he wasn't expecting to buy the 4Runner right away) but when winter didn't show its normal nasty traits here he was loath to buy another set right away. He is looking at them now however.
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rjmckay99
New member
BFG All Terrain T/A KO in a 275/70/17
Found out today from a parts guy at my work that Costco tires are different than the ones you would but elsewhere. Same tread pattern but may have some slight differences in construction. Something to think about anyway. When I was at the store they seemed fine to me, but the $200 savings have to come from somewhere.
GWNGeoWagon
New member
closest netting I have found so far (will have to check sites that supply Police and Taxi drivers for a clear solid one) Jeep JK 4DR Warrior Cargo Net
Have any of you fellows looked at the Nokian tire and Y. Geolander tire? If so which model would be good for the conditions he will be facing (still thinking the Duratrac http://www.goodyear.ca/tire/wrangler-duratrac/ but wondered about the other two? Pros/Cons?
also saw this re mud "The easiest way to get dirt / mud off is to spray the car down with lemon pledge b-4 you go wheeling./ the mud won't stick as well and pressure washes off real easy."
Have any of you fellows looked at the Nokian tire and Y. Geolander tire? If so which model would be good for the conditions he will be facing (still thinking the Duratrac http://www.goodyear.ca/tire/wrangler-duratrac/ but wondered about the other two? Pros/Cons?
also saw this re mud "The easiest way to get dirt / mud off is to spray the car down with lemon pledge b-4 you go wheeling./ the mud won't stick as well and pressure washes off real easy."
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GWNGeoWagon
New member
Not yet on the GeoWagon....he just found out he has a month off in may/june so is eyeing spending 3 weeks in Europe. He has a friend teaching there so they are planning to hit the hostels and see as much as they can.
He was looking at a horrendous health scare in his last year of Uni and planning this trip is what kept him sane.
GeoWagon is still in one piece last I heard (thank goodness) and the snow keeps melting away so by the time he leaves (in one week) those horrid tires might be ok????
I've drooled over the Duratrac tires (had to go take a look at them since reading the posts above) .... will be interesting to see what he picks (at least he will have some idea of the mud there after this trip). He was loath to spend any more money (Europe and all) but he might be changing his mind very soon. I however would have a nice shopping list after looking at the posts here (I can't help taking a peak on occassion).
: Though the 4Runner is a bit too big for me (my little Rav4 is more my size). Am betting he hides the keys though before leaving. Are you still up by Whitecourt? Son is now in the Swan Hills area. This drill was supposed to take forever but it sounds like he will be back here in a week.
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GWNGeoWagon
New member
I highly doubt this would have had such a good result if son had bought the Jeep Sahara he had been originally looking at. I'm sure the jeep would have rolled.
On Good Friday my son and husband were heading home after visiting Grandma. Where son was driving the highway was dry (Saskatchewan was under winter storm warnings that day). He then passed a semi and then hit the slush and high winds at the same time......his 4Runner hydroplaned on an angle into the ditch (he was driving the speed limit at that time). Waiting in front of them in the ditch was a white car (hit the ditch awhile before) that they barely missed. Then he went through a shallow slough that the white car was sitting in (lots of cattails are now decorating the underside of his 4runner ). He made it up the other side and onto the uncoming highway (once there he stayed on the shoulder and made it to a turnoff). It is the first time that he has hit the ditch and thankfully got through it well (and lessons were learned). They stopped after reaching the opposite highway to check on the driver of the white car (he had already called for help but was feeling nervous re others hitting the ditch there).
Continuing on they sighted lots of vehicles in the ditches so the R.C.M.P., highway department, and the tow trucks were kept busy.
On Good Friday my son and husband were heading home after visiting Grandma. Where son was driving the highway was dry (Saskatchewan was under winter storm warnings that day). He then passed a semi and then hit the slush and high winds at the same time......his 4Runner hydroplaned on an angle into the ditch (he was driving the speed limit at that time). Waiting in front of them in the ditch was a white car (hit the ditch awhile before) that they barely missed. Then he went through a shallow slough that the white car was sitting in (lots of cattails are now decorating the underside of his 4runner ). He made it up the other side and onto the uncoming highway (once there he stayed on the shoulder and made it to a turnoff). It is the first time that he has hit the ditch and thankfully got through it well (and lessons were learned). They stopped after reaching the opposite highway to check on the driver of the white car (he had already called for help but was feeling nervous re others hitting the ditch there).
Continuing on they sighted lots of vehicles in the ditches so the R.C.M.P., highway department, and the tow trucks were kept busy.
I may be late to the party in this thread, however: The best tires from my experience have been Toyo M-55. These are a 'commercial traction' grade tire, and they are LEGENDARY in the oil patch, construction, pipeline and wireline industries for durability, longevity, and good traction characteristics on and off-road.
The kicker is that they don't come in 20" sizes, but do exist in the factory 17" size of 265/70-17.
I run a construction company in Fort McMurray, and wouldn't have anything else on work trucks. There are better tires for pure Alberta Gumbo (the 'special' kind of mud we all love to hate... I believe it's 'alluvial clay' for you geologists), but they sacrifice a lot in other areas. They are every bit the match of any other non-dedicated mud type tire. The M-55 is also as heavy as the winter is long, and ride like iron-clad wooden wagon wheels, and howl on the highway like a tortured Galloway cross, but they're nearly indestructible. Driving on sites full of screws, nails and rebar, I have yet to poke a hole in one. I can't say this for any other tire I've tried, including BFG, Firestone, and numerous models of Goodyear.
These tires are widely available at Kal Tire stores.
Some other free advice (which may or may not be worth the asking price): rather than a whole month's worth of food (unless he's carrying supplies for his whole time in the field?), he should thoughtfully assemble a 72 hour 'get home bag' with sufficient rations and gear to weather a couple of days in total isolation. If said bag can include a satellite phone, he probably won't ever find himself stranded beyond his means.
If predators are a real concern, my best advice is to invest some time and funds in a firearms license, a non-restricted class firearm (a 12 gauge shotgun would be my first and last recommendation) and ample practice. (I am a lead instructor for the Canadian Firearms Safety Course - the required course to receive a license in Canada, and can offer more info via PM if required).
If his conditions of employment preclude the possession of a firearm, pepper spray sold at outdoor stores for bear deterrent can be effective against Ursine and Canine species, but it has proved marginal for Feline predators such as Puma Concolor - the common cougar or mountain lion.
Good luck!
The kicker is that they don't come in 20" sizes, but do exist in the factory 17" size of 265/70-17.
I run a construction company in Fort McMurray, and wouldn't have anything else on work trucks. There are better tires for pure Alberta Gumbo (the 'special' kind of mud we all love to hate... I believe it's 'alluvial clay' for you geologists), but they sacrifice a lot in other areas. They are every bit the match of any other non-dedicated mud type tire. The M-55 is also as heavy as the winter is long, and ride like iron-clad wooden wagon wheels, and howl on the highway like a tortured Galloway cross, but they're nearly indestructible. Driving on sites full of screws, nails and rebar, I have yet to poke a hole in one. I can't say this for any other tire I've tried, including BFG, Firestone, and numerous models of Goodyear.
These tires are widely available at Kal Tire stores.
Some other free advice (which may or may not be worth the asking price): rather than a whole month's worth of food (unless he's carrying supplies for his whole time in the field?), he should thoughtfully assemble a 72 hour 'get home bag' with sufficient rations and gear to weather a couple of days in total isolation. If said bag can include a satellite phone, he probably won't ever find himself stranded beyond his means.
If predators are a real concern, my best advice is to invest some time and funds in a firearms license, a non-restricted class firearm (a 12 gauge shotgun would be my first and last recommendation) and ample practice. (I am a lead instructor for the Canadian Firearms Safety Course - the required course to receive a license in Canada, and can offer more info via PM if required).
If his conditions of employment preclude the possession of a firearm, pepper spray sold at outdoor stores for bear deterrent can be effective against Ursine and Canine species, but it has proved marginal for Feline predators such as Puma Concolor - the common cougar or mountain lion.
Good luck!
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GWNGeoWagon
New member
Thank you for the tire information Silverado! Right now my son is driving from Moose Jaw to site so, until he moves to Alberta, he will prolly stick with a *somewhat* quieter mud tire but once he settles there the tire you listed sounds very good (I just can't see him putting up with the howl on a long drive).
re food supplies I'll pass your message onto him (or the link to the thread again). I will say he has cut back but is still carrying maybe more than he needs to (one site he was at was further away from a town and at that one it was harder to get resupplied so it has been a case of once bitten, twice shy). Love the satellite phone suggestion (I might just make that one a gift). :thumb3:
Predators aren't a concern (too much) since I know they have have been really busy hunting predators up there ....as an animal lover I find that sad and think it was done for the wrong reasons, re saving our woodland caribou (I think man leaving there will be their only hope) however that isn't going to happen soon that's for sure. I did ask how on site garbage was dealt with and he said it goes into one of the big metal closed boxes so I was happy to hear that (thoughts of what happened to that University student up in Northern Saskatchewan come to mind). Son was taken out hunting once, up near Swan Hills, by his Headhunter (who also had taken the course and was taught well by him at the time.... as was he by his Dad, who also took the course). So far he hasn't shown a whole heck of a lot of interest in hunting but *he should* take that course no matter what and carry the pepper spray as well. I however am more worried about the ungulates since I've seen many on the roads up North in Saskatchewan and many more warming themselves, at sunset, on the highways in the Southern half of this province (I was guessing Alberta would be similar to here but no matter what he will drive through a good portion of this province as well).
Thank you again for your suggestions
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