A great snow plow business can only be as good as its snowplow. After all, you’re in the business precisely because you’ve invested the money in outfitting a truck that can be driven in even the worst weather. Your business model is built around plowing snow when most people wouldn’t even venture outside.
With that said, a good snowplow is only as great as the quality and condition of its tires. If you don’t pay attention to the state of your tires, you’ll quickly find out the importance when you’re stranded at the bottom of a hill in a blizzard. In many cases, the wrong snow plow truck tires could be catastrophic to your business.
What Goes into the Makings of a Good Tire?
Not all tires are equal in quality and craftsmanship. Furthermore, sometimes an all-terrain tire can even beat out a dedicated winter tire. We looked at a few characteristics to decide on the best tires for your snow removal business.
Size
A good tire for winter driving should be narrow with a high profile to provide optimum traction on snowy and icy terrain. Plow truck snow tires perform best when they meet these criteria.
Tread
A good tread pattern for winter weather is narrower than a normal tire. In the business, we call this narrow tread “siping”. Lateral siping helps find purchase on icy terrain and is not typically found on tires not rated for severe winter weather.
Rubber
The softer the rubber on your tire, the better it will grip an icy road. However, soft rubber lacks the dexterity to be driven on year-round.
Versatility
Not all great winter tires need to be dedicated to the winter season. After all, many of us own landscaping businesses in the spring, summer, and fall when we’re not plowing roads. Sometimes it’s nice to have a tire that works year-round if it adequately stands up to winter weather.
BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2
Tire Type: All-terrain Tire
Manufacturer’s WebsiteBFGoodrich has long been the de facto tire for off-road recreation. Due to their expertise in crafting a tire for harsh, uneven surfaces, they moonlight as a great source for a dependable winter-weather tire.The KO2 is not a dedicated winter tire. Yet, it’s rated three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF). While that may seem like a mouthful, it simply means the tire is rated for optimal performance in severe winter weather. Because the KO2 is an all-terrain tire, it also has higher durability, which means more mileage and more savings for you.Talkcarswell.com describes the increased winter performance of the KO2 in recent years:“One area where the older KO’s could have seen some improvement was in their traction on ice and slush. The KO2 seems to have addressed this issue with the locking 3-D tread block sipes.”
Cooper Tires Discoverer M+S
Tire Type: Winter Tire
Manufacturer’s WebsiteMany reviewers of the Discoverer M+S describe the read on this winter tire manufactured by Cooper Tires as “aggressive”. That would be an apt description of the incredibly narrow and prevalent lateral siping found on the tread of this tire. Beyond its deep tread, the Discoverer M+S features strategically placed stud pin-holes and a sawtooth center rib and a supple rubber for good traction on snow. John Tiger at hardworkingtrucks.com describes the soft rubber tread:“These tread blocks can be easily manipulated with fingers, even in the colder weather; this pliability contributes to the tires’ grip on the ice.”
Bridgestone Blizzak
Tire Type: Winter Tire
Manufacturer’s WebsiteBridgestone is a leader in tire technology, and their line of Blizzak tires are certainly innovative in that regard. Bridgestone describes the Blizzak tread as having “3-D Siping”, which they say improved dry handling, which can be a problem with winter tires. Their Blizzak line also touts a “multi-z pattern” in the center of their tread, which allows for increased drainage from melted snow and ice, further improving traction in wintery conditions. We agree with the tongue-in-cheek sentiment of this online review:“My car used to be a hockey puck these tires it turned it into an all-terrain 4-wheel drive vehicle.”
Nitto Terra Grappler G2
Tire Type: All-terrain Tire
Manufacturer’s WebsiteNitto may not be as well known a name as Bridgestone, Cooper, or BFGoodrich but that doesn’t mean they don’t make a good tire. While the G2 is an all-terrain tire, it’s one of those rare tires that manages to balance tread durability with the suppleness needed for extra grip on snowy terrain. Best yet, Nitto has a robust 50,000-mile warranty on its tire, which is well above the industry standard!Shedheads.com likes the Terra Grappler G2’s snow performance as well.“Despite the thick sidewalls, the construction of the tire and the composition of the rubber prevents the tread from stiffening in cold temperatures, allowing for decently good grip and traction on icy roads.”
Firestone Winterforce 2
Tire Type: Winter Tire
Manufacturer’s WebsiteWhile it may sound like the name of a death metal band, Firestone’s Winterforce 2 tire is highly rated for traversing a snow and ice-filled landscape. The Winterforce 2’s tread is full depth with open shoulder slots, so the tire easily finds purchase in slick conditions and makes easy work of moving melted snow and ice out of the tread and away from the tire. While its performance is solid, it also happens to be one of the cheapest name brand winter tires on the market.Tirereviewsandmore.com shares our sentiment about the balance of performance and cost of the Winterforce 2,“Overall, the Firestone Winterforce 2 is a very good, affordable, durable winter tire, that includes unique features that allow it to give you better traction and grip in all types of winter conditions. The lower price over similar models makes it a solid value for budget-minded drivers needing a good performing winter tire.”
Only You Can Decide What Works for You
Sometimes the best, most expensive and most highly rated winter tire is the solution for your plow business. However, many of us either can’t afford that upfront expense or need more versatility than a winter tire can provide.
Depending on your needs, you should consider one of the highly-rated all-terrain snow plow tires above, or ensure that the money you spend on a formidable winter tire is worth the investment. Whatever you do, a well-maintained plow and a healthy set of season-appropriate tires are integral to a success snow removal business.
