I live in Northern MN and have these tires on my 2008 Dodge Ram 1500. Hardly ever need to use 4WD. Quiet on the highway, great in the snow. All the tire you need unless you're doing hardcore offroading. I have about 3 years on them and they are wearing very well.
Watch tire size and weight with the 4cyl. It’s a good engine, but once you add size/weight of wheels and tires plus over landing stuff it will quickly become a dog at your altitude.
Agreed! Keep the wheels, they're fine. Stick with about the same size tire and get the Falken AT3W as mentioned. Good AT tires are MUCH better in snow and varied conditions. Most dedicated MT's are not very good in snow, unless it's fairly soft and deep. MT's aren't as good on wet pavement, either.
Ya most people now and days couldn't drive without all the aids cars have today, I have abs disable on my truck and it doesn't have tc so my foot controls how the truck acts as it should, I would love a older truck cause you control the truck not a computer
It’s all about tires when it comes to traction in snow and off roading. Anyone who off roads knows tires are the most important thing when it comes to traction, not all the tech aids and not which truck it is. It makes a difference slightly but not nearly as much as which tires you use. Those tires are some slick street tires. Put some falken wildpeak at3w’s on there and you’ll be surprised how much better it performs
True tire make the diffrence but the drive is the most important the best tire wont help a shitty driver, that why I said driver foot controls hos the truck will act
Andre is so inspiring. I have greatly enjoyed watching his journey. A man who faced the challenges of being an immigrant in a new country and truly loves his job and is amazing at it. He is clearly a very kind and good man as well. We love you Andre!
Im in absolute love with my Falken Widpeak AT trails on my Highlander. Quiet, no MPG penalty, ride and drive well and have been fantastic on the trails. Snow they do well too
31s were an option from the factory. Most units with 4x4 had them unless you got the absolute base truck. Base trucks also had manual locking hubs. The stock suspension was already fairly high and that truck looks stock to me. They have gotten lower over the years for mpg and comfort
No matter what tire you have, snow chains and/ or cables are handy to keep in the truck during winter. I have both; cables for the front and chains for the rear if things are hairy. The cables are quicker to put on and quieter if the road isn't bad and you just need a confidence boost and work quite well.
Toyo Open Country A/T 3 for sure. New tire from Toyo, plus snowflake rated too. Nitto Ridge Grappler if you want to try a hybrid in the snow. Be interesting to see.
General Grabber X3's are a great mud tire, mine have done me very well, I just purchased a set of General Grabber ATX all terrains to run in the winter now cause mud tires don't do well where I live throughout the winter. So far I've noticed a fair difference in traction 👌
I'm on my second set of General Grabber ATx's and love them! Great road manners, low noise at highway speeds, and handle anything you can throw at them off road. Give them a try, you won't be disappointed
Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S works very well in snow. It's not as aggressive looking as the K02, for example, but performs far better in winter conditions while still being an all terrain.
Those or General Grabber ATs. I ran Generals on my 03 Tacoma. Couldn't be stopped in the snow. Literally.... could go anywhere, just had to watch coming to a stop or it slid bad just like this truck in the video.
Enjoy the videos. I have the same exact Tacoma ( manual trans though) and a matching 2002 Access Cab. Best trucks I’ve ever owned . I have to say though… for a couple guys who live in CO I’m finding it puzzling that you are shocked at the lack of traction for acceleration and stopping on a slippery snow covered road . I don’t care what kind of tires you have , you floor it or lock em up on roads like that , your gonna slide .
I had a 99 with 2.7L with 33 x 12.50 x 15 Pro comp mud terrain. Pulled the tires fine, but as the tires wore it did create a lot of shake in the steering wheel. I also had a 5 1/2 lift and cleared 35’s but didn’t like the look/feel. With that said, I think an all terrain would be smoother on that small truck for long overland hauls. I’m excited for this build! I also love all #TFL
Im another for the Duratracs. Good all around tire and great in winter conditions. A 265 75 16 would fit that truck well. As far as value, its not just Colorado, the first gens have an amazing resale value in California too.
@@yeahman1975 Mine is a 2007 Tundra V8 with 4.30 gears and I'm running 33's. That little yota is already spinning 31's. Already suggested they upgrade the gears and add a rear locker.
I had a 1998 2wd limited slip rear end and it did good in the snow. The truck was reliable, useful, and a great truck. Was the first vehicle i bought with my money. Now i have 2007 Tacoma access Cab trd sport 4x4 4.0L v6 automatic. It's been reliable, useful, and a great truck too.
Tire recommendation from a weekend wheeler, Toyo RT. This is a HYBRID tire in between AT and MT. I have about 35k on my Toyota with them now and couldn't be happier. Great at 12 psi and handles snow and wet roads without issues, also is quiet as heck!
@@capricen69 i live in Jackson Hole Wyoming, these Kumho's out perform any other all terrain in deep snow. packed snow, and ice. Even E rated on my F250.
Great tire! I ran a set on my Tundra and on my Tacoma. Great tire in the snow, sand, rocks, even decent in the mud. Not just that, they wear so evenly and are pretty damn quite on the highway.
I drove a long bed with a manual and open diff RWD making deliveries for a loca pharmacy in 81-82. There were snow tires on the back (not the front - common back then) and even with sand bags in the bed it was hilarious in the snow. Between that and my Volvo - also open diff RWD, but with 4 snows - I really learned to drive in the snow - although I never got the take the long bed skiing. There’s definitely something to be said for learning to drive in the snow in a lower traction vehicle - it really teaches you to slow down and appreciate how little traction there really might be at times. I sometimes wish I had something old school like that to teach my kids how to really drive in the snow so that they don’t assume all the modern tech can keep them out of trouble.
Great content as always. Considering the intent of this build (overlanding), I would highly recommend a TrueTrac LSD in the rear. It's a gear operated LSD, vs clutches, and unlike a locker that wants to stay locked...this item only locks when one tire slips. No lines or compressor needed. I've ran one on the rear of my 4Runner for years...great manners on the street and added traction on the trail. Just my 2 cents.
@@emi123nem "Southern California" gets snow. If you've ever watched the Tournament of Roses Parade on television, you've likely seen snow-covered mountains in the background. If you're going to leave the L.A. Basin for somewhere else, you might be going through mountain passes on I-5 or I-15 that the California Highway Patrol sometimes closes due to snowfall.
@@CoveringFish lol I know I lived there for 8 years and went up to big bear / mammoth all the time to snowboard ! Just that where 90% of the population is there is none
From what I understand, ABS wasn’t standard on the 1st gen Tacomas...my 2wd 2000 Tacoma without ABS made for some fun times in winter when I was in college in Idaho!
@TFLclassics I threw a set of 265/75/16 Sumitomo Encounter AT tires on my '02 4R, and they've been fantastic! They're made by Falken, a tire company known for the legendary Wildpeak AT, so they know what they're doing...and they have a 60K mile warranty. They've got a decently aggressive tread, they last a long time, they don't murder gas mileage, and they're relatively cheap! I paid $600 total to get a set of 4 installed. Hope this was helpful:) I'm stoked about this series!!
Do a little lift and 33" all terrains. Mud terrains are cool, but ATs will be better for most of the potential owners. The wheels themselves look fine.
put some snow tires on that little toy. Or some falken wildpeak AT trails with how light that thing is they will be great. 3 peak snow rated, rim protector, good sipping, design for lighter offroad vehicles but still strong enough to protect from rock punctures. The wildpeak AT3 is more aggressive but that truck is very light and if you add weight it will not be any good with the 4 cylinder. Remember to pump them brakes Andre.
Love this series. I would try to go with the lightest all terrain tires so as not to sap the power of the 4 cylinder. I would be interested in you checking into a rear locker for it. I know it would blow the budget but you might get a sponsor since it is for charity. It would be interesting to know the cost either way.
Falken Wildpeak AT3W. I've been running them for a year in snow, rain, dirt, rocks, and 20k miles of highway driving. My favorite ATs to date, and I've had many.
@@silverbulletxv4497 thats awesome Friend ran them on his durango and only got like 20 25 k then they started to wear super fast. Im glad youre getting good wear of them
For an overland vehicle you need an All-terrain tire. I’ve found the Falken Wildpeak AT3W to be a better option than the BFG K02. But maybe try a hybrid tire like the ridge grappler? Since you already had the Falken’s on the Ford.
I own this exact truck if youre going the overland route I wouldnt make a deck system just go to walmart and buy 2 big storage containers the plastic ones and stash everything in ther, buy a 4x6 wood flat board cut it put it in the bed then buy some floor mat from home depot, staple it in on the wood, then buy a sleeping bag. Get a camper fiberglass shell (I have hiroof with roof rack bars) then buy a small lil cooler. Thats really all you need cus once you start adding a lot of stuff it gets geavy and its a lil 4 banger and an auto, I would go ko2’s 31’s I have km3’s it can do it but on the highway im fighting to keep up to 70mph against any hill or wind. Some trucks came with no abs and some had partial abs and some have it, call dealer tell him your vin. I would suggest a rear arb air locker with on board air, I go mine installed for around 1700$ parts and labor. I do have a front, rear armor aswell as sliders, if you really wana have fun install some tube doors. I have a lil harbor freight winch it gets the job done, these trucks are very relible and capable.
I had a 1989 Toyota pickup and it was excellent in the snow and off-road. Any truck in 2 wheel drive, bad tires, and no weight in the back will struggle on snow. Plus, Andre panics anytime tires spin.
These vehicles are very sketchy in the snow, especially with wide tires. A narrower dedicated snow tire and weight over the rear axle will make a world of difference.
I just bought a set of Toyo open country at'3 with a triple snowflake rating for under $800 for a 265/70/17. I love them so far. Seriously look into a factory E-locker from a 4Runner limited or trd Tacoma. The third member is a drop in the only issue would be matching the gear ratios and install the wiring harness for the locker. Pretty easy stuff.
If this truck were mine, I'd do to it what I'm in the process of doing to a 2004 Xterra I recently purchased. 1) Catch up on prior owner neglect and get the thing into daily-driver reliable condition, including refreshing suspension bushings, ball joints, CV joints... 2) New Bilstein shocks 3) New 265/70 -16 "All Terrain" tires. 4) Winch bumper with recovery points and winch 5) Receiver hitch 6)Appropriate brackets to carry high-lift jack, shovel, and pick on roof rack. 7)"Lunchbox locker" in rear differential 8) Installing my 2M two-way radio in the thing. And that's about it. If there was a way to get a lower low range gear, that would be item 9) on my list. The last things my Xterra needs are suspension lift and tires bigger than 31" tall. It doesn't really have enough horsepower or torque to squander through excess rotational mass and the added mass of a 33" tire would cause more problems than the additional whopping one inch of ground clearance would solve. As it is, at stock ride height on stock height tires, it should have sufficient ground clearance and break-over, approach, and departure angles to safely negotiate the majority of open, legal routes on BLM or Forest Service land. So would an old Tacoma on 31" tires. In other words, my "overlanding rig" is going to basically be a stock 2004 Xterra with upgraded shocks, more aggressive but stock size tires, a rear locking differential, a winch, and the ability to secure recovery gear to the factory rack. That's the same basic sort of plan I'd have for the Tacoma in this video if it were mine, too. I wouldn't lift it. I wouldn't run a tire bigger than 31" tall. I wouldn't dick it up with carpentry projects making it the functional equivalent of a gypsy caravan, either. I'd add a "lumber rack" style of bed rack system to it, so I'd have a means to carry my fly fishing pram while keeping the bed free for camping gear and have the rack to carry high-lift jack, traction boards, shovels, etc, out of the bed space.
Adding weight in the back of the truck might help it take off but you should test the difference when it comes to braking. The heavier the object the more distance it takes to stop it. So remember when breaking the front end does the majority of the braking for you.
I had a 2015 f150 3.5 eco and had to floor it thru some deep snow it was fun but i had to use power. My bro had a 2011 Toyota 4 banger I drove his truck they the same snow and it effortlessly made it thru the snow I was shocked!
Can't believe people in Colorado haven't discovered using dedicated winter tires. In Canada we also get real winter and use two sets. AT or MT for summer and true winter tires for, well, winter.
i have an 03 base taco and it has ABS... works pretty well to... sometimes it kicks in for little reason and once that happens it wont come out of ABS mode until your stopped and dont put wood anything back there, just a shell maybe but thats a decent camping rig now
Falken AT3W's for tires. Best bang for your buck, especially for the climate you guys are in. Quiet on the road, grippy in the dirt, and great in the snow. Milestar Patagonia's also seem to be a great price to performance tire as well.
Kumho road venture at51. 3 peak snow rated, handle snow and ice very well in Atlantic Canadian winters and at least here are half the price of any comparable tire like the ko2
I have a 2003 S10 ZR2 5spd. It is this Toyota direct competitor. I will tell you the tire that I've found that works best for these sized trucks are the BFGoodrich KO2s. Mine are 31x10.50x15. Mud, ice, gravel... minimal road noise. I am actually saving up to put the same tires on my 2002 Suburban.
Mastercraft great budget tire I run them on my truck and it does great on highway, towing, and off-road. I paid about 800 for a new set on a full size truck.
You need to throw some Falken Wildpeak AT3Ws on that thing. I have them on my 4Runner in the mountains of Oregon and they just shrug off snow and ice and get on with it. Great tire. Also, throw some weight over that back axle. My old Taco skated like a hockey player until there was a load in the bed.
I run Nitto Terra Grapplers and i enjoy them, low road noise decent/OK in mud and snow from my personal experience with really good load bearing specs.
@@slipjoint637 If you go with 31s they aren’t bad Plus they don’t need a 10 ply. I have tons of friends that run them on smaller vehicles like those without having done the gears.
Toyo Open Country AT3, just put a set on my frontier pro4x and they’re great! Great on road, and terrific in snow and off road. Not a whole lot of road noise either
I just put them on my Silverado and was wondering how they’d do in snow. I know they’re 3 peak rated but you always want to see how they perform. Love them so far. So I’m glad you posted that they’re good I snow since it’s hard to find any vids of real world snow tests and assessments
@@MountainMcCumbee I work for a refuse truck manufacturer in Michigan’s UP, and this past Monday followed one of our trucks through a very remote area with rough, icy trucking roads. I got out of my truck once during that time and nearly fell on my rear, the road was glare ice but I wouldn’t have known it just being in the truck. The tires really grip in the slick stuff! Very impressive
Try the Falcon AT tires. they also have the most aggressive looking sidewall knobs i have ever seen in an AT tire. I have been running them on a 2015 pre runner for a few years and i couldn't be happier with them.
My buddy just got some general grabber ATX’s and they’re awesome for the weather here in New Hampshire, he put a little weight in the bed and they’ve just been amazing
Definitely AT tires for that small truck. Personally I'm a fan of Hankook Dynapro ATM or their AT2 tires. Have had those for years on my jeep and the snowflake rating helps every winter!
I got toyo open country at2s on my truck and they’re a great all around tire. I’ve taken through snow, ice and mud and not little snow but 8 inches or better and they handle great.
