Looking at putting dedicated snow tires on the stock wheels. Having found a few different options, it seems like the best bets are the Bridgestone Blizzak W965 and the Cooper Discoverer MS. Who's got first hand experience with either or both of these? Looking at pics of each tire it's apparent they operate on completely different principles. The Blizzak using it's soft 'multi-cell' compound to grip while the Coopers have wide open lugs to suck up the snow. I'll be driving this truck in Minnesota so it'll see a bit of loose snow from time to time ):h , but once the roads are plowed it's mostly packed snow and ice. Looking at either 265/75-16 or 235/85-16.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/jboysen/BlizzakW965.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/jboysen/discovererMS.jpg

Edited to add pics.

Take a look in the "Revos vs. BFGs" thread that was active a couple days ago....some good conversation on this exact subject.

Personally I don't think the Blizzak soft compound can be beat on ice. In deep snow, I think you need somewhat different tire characteristics.

The Cooper is studdable. I don't believe the Blizzak is (too soft).

I sure like the look of the coopers a lot more.

The plow guys swear by the coopers. Fairly cheap too. Take a look HERE (http://www.letstalksnow.com/forums/index.php?referrerid=240) for a good snowplow board. I was actually going to buy a set. Can get em in a 3400# load range in a 265 too. Plus made in the USA. Getting em may be a PITA though, some stores dont seem to have em listed but some do? Sorry, no experience between the 2

Edit: the cooper discover M&S are pretty soft I believe. Dont the blizacks have those lil granuals in em?

My friend had them on a ford f350 and had them studded. He told me not to buy them because they weren't much better on the ice/snow than the stock tires that I had on. I told the tire place that when I was looking for tires and they told me that was the first that they have heard of that. I opted just to go with the BFGs. They were awesome on the snow and ice last winter. I have also had the revos on a 1500. The worked pretty good also.

The Blizzaks have the Bridgestone Multi-Cell compound for the first 50% of the tire, then it's your standard winter compound. Supposed to be super duper soft, I'm sure that doesn't help with wear issues.

I like the look of the Coopers too but it seems like they're geared more towards loose snow whereas the Blizzaks are setup up to do really well on packed snow and ice, which is what most of my driving will be.

I dunno, the Coopers are cheaper too.

I've run the Coopers with studs on 3 vehicles for a few years and am very happy with them. Use them 2 seasons usually and then sell them off and get new ones. Consider myself an agressive snow and ice driver and they hold the road the best for me. Most law enforcement around here use them as well.

I too was looking at the cooper m/s but i opted for the cooper ST and i'm glad i did. I've done things with that tire that i needed chains before. dave

The Blizzaks have the Bridgestone Multi-Cell compound for the first 50% of the tire, then it's your standard winter compound. Supposed to be super duper soft, I'm sure that doesn't help with wear issues.

I like the look of the Coopers too but it seems like they're geared more towards loose snow whereas the Blizzaks are setup up to do really well on packed snow and ice, which is what most of my driving will be.

I dunno, the Coopers are cheaper too.

The Multicell is VERY soft. You can peel the sipes open with your fingers on the lighter Blizzaks for cars and light trucks. I've never touched a 965 though.

I get maybe two winters out of them but I feel that the safety is worth it.

Just bought a set of the coopers with studs, for the gret white north. Should work fine had them on my 6.5 powered 2500!

[QUOTE=jboysen;702834]Looking at putting dedicated snow tires on the stock wheels. Having found a few different options, it seems like the best bets are the Bridgestone Blizzak W965 and the Cooper Discoverer MS. Who's got first hand experience with either or both of these? Looking at pics of each tire it's apparent they operate on completely different principles. The Blizzak using it's soft 'multi-cell' compound to grip while the Coopers have wide open lugs to suck up the snow. I'll be driving this truck in Minnesota so it'll see a bit of loose snow from time to time ):h , but once the roads are plowed it's mostly packed snow and ice. Looking at either 265/75-16 or 235/85-16.


I have no experience with the Cooper. The old gas isn't used much anymore, but it has a set of Winter Duelers which is the truck version of a Blizzak. The tread is different than what's in your picture. Mine are 245/75-16. They were put on after everything turned white, and those Winter Duelers are unquestionably the best winter tires I ever used. That '94 doesn't have limited slip and in essence it's really one-wheel-drive in 2WD, and two-wheel-drive in 4WD. Winters we drive on hard-packed snow, ice, slush, and frequently through blizzards. It can get scary and dangerous with some tires - the Michelin LTX M/S for example is horrible in those conditions - but even in 2WD those Duelers are better than most others in 4WD. In 4WD they're just unbelievably secure. You'd like them.

The Bridgestone Winter Duelers, be it the DM-Z2s or the DM-Z3s, are an entirely different line of winter tires than the W965s that I pictured. The Winter Duelers are not available in load range E and are basically a passenger tire design stepped up in size to accomadate truck owners. The W965s are designed specifically for light and medium duty trucks. Not to say that the DM-Zs aren't a good tire, quite the opposite as your experience indicates. Just pointing out the differences.

The Bridgestone Winter Duelers, be it the DM-Z2s or the DM-Z3s, are an entirely different line of winter tires than the W965s that I pictured. The Winter Duelers are not available in load range E and are basically a passenger tire design stepped up in size to accomadate truck owners. The W965s are designed specifically for light and medium duty trucks. Not to say that the DM-Zs aren't a good tire, quite the opposite as your experience indicates. Just pointing out the differences.

:exactly:

I just took a set of 4 PYO's complete to lugs, and 245 E W965's w/5K miles in exchange for storing a buddies 5'er in my building.

He traded his '04.5 LLY LT CC for a '06 Ford 350 CC 6.0 :rolleyes:

his reasoning is he doesn't want to drive a duallie, and Ferd makes the only true 1-ton SRW. He's moving up to a 35' w/slideouts and all.

Anybody in NY, Northern PA, eastern OH, or southern Ontario have any interest in them?
I'll run 'em if they're here...but I live close to work, plow very little, and have been pleased w/ my 265D REVO's

The Bridgestone Winter Duelers, be it the DM-Z2s or the DM-Z3s, are an entirely different line of winter tires than the W965s that I pictured. The Winter Duelers are not available in load range E and are basically a passenger tire design stepped up in size to accomadate truck owners. The W965s are designed specifically for light and medium duty trucks. Not to say that the DM-Zs aren't a good tire, quite the opposite as your experience indicates. Just pointing out the differences.

Yeah, if the DM-Z2 came in a D or E load range, that would be awesome.

I just think the 965 doesn't have enough open tread to clean itself of slop. I could be wrong on that, but I've had other tires get plugged and they act like skis.

last year when my buddy put 'em on he reported being very impressed with the W965, and he's from northern Canada!

Looks of the tread in a picture be damned, it's all about real world, on the ground performance!

If I run 'em, it'll be interesting to see if I'm that smitten with them over the REVO in the snow...'cause in a PICTURE :rolleyes: the REVO looks like it has alot more void in the tread design!

a tread designs ability to "bite" consists of alot more than "how much open tread" (void) ;)

For all of us snowplow guys, the Coopers are the best.

I run them and are the BEST tire I've ever had for winter use. Very soft compound though, so don't know how long they'd last.

Last I checked I didn't think the Blizzaks were E rated to 3415lbs though. Maybe they are now.

The angled snow groove is serrated. Allowing the tire to pack snow in there to use as traction, and then it flys out (self cleans) due to the angle ready to be roll back down and get traction.

I was able to do a LOT of 2WD plowing this past winter. More so than I've ever been able to.

Yes, they are that good.

The Bridgestone Winter Duelers, be it the DM-Z2s or the DM-Z3s, are an entirely different line of winter tires than the W965s that I pictured. The Winter Duelers are not available in load range E and are basically a passenger tire design stepped up in size to accomadate truck owners. The W965s are designed specifically for light and medium duty trucks. Not to say that the DM-Zs aren't a good tire, quite the opposite as your experience indicates. Just pointing out the differences.


I believe those are DMZ2's, but don't know the load rating. The gas truck is a 3/4T Ext cab shortbed, and a lot lighter than the DMax During winter, it never hauled more than a couple people and several pairs of skis, that's all. I'm sure anything Blizzak or Winter Dueler is an awesome snow tire. The DMax recently got a set of Wrangler Silent Armors, which are also supposed to be excellent on snow ....they have that same little snowflake designation as the Winter Dueler. I'll find out just how good in a couple months.

I have run W965 on Max for 2 full winters.....go snowmobiling in Jan to Upper Peninsula of Mich.....I travel a lot in Northern Mich in winter. Been pretty pleased overall. there are better tires for deeper snow. Depends on your conditions. For hard pack and /or icy roads Blizzaks are tough to beat. Use stock size and load E.

I have run W965 on Max for 2 full winters..... Been pretty pleased overall... For hard pack and /or icy roads Blizzaks are tough to beat. Use stock size and load E.

:exactly:

Well I've got a set of rims in the works so I think I am going to give the coopers a try.

I have the Coopers with studs on 2 vehicles. I can't say anything about non-studded use. I have zero complaints with them. Traction/ride is excellent and they look pretty good to boot.

Last year on the Dmax, I kept the BFG A/Ts on all winter and didn't have any problems.

We spend all winter within a few degrees +/- freezing. We have lots of ice. We also frequently get fresh snow.

I sure like the look of the coopers a lot more.

Exactly what I was thinking ...

I can't imagine those studs lasting one day on my truck. Has anyone ever run studs on a turned up duramax?

I can't imagine those studs lasting one day on my truck. Has anyone ever run studs on a turned up duramax?

In the winter it's suppose to be slippery and is when you are *suppose* to drive rationally. The studs aren't there to see how far you can throw sparks :)

I was never happy with studs on any vehicle. Too much noise, too little dry pavement traction, and not much better traction in deep snow.

If you NEED traction...chain up.

With these Coopers, and the amount of sipes and serrated snow groove, I cant see a need for studs unless you drive on skating rinks on a regular basis. Some of you may, but where I live, your only 2 days away from dry roads at any given time....even blizzards. But for those regions where de-icers aren't used, nightly freezups of non treated hard packed roads may call for studs.

For the damage they cause parking lots and driveways, I cant be concerned with them for my business. For others, studs may be a way of life.

I wish they didn't use de-icers here. I would rather drive on ice all winter then salt. -:t

235/85 Blizacks here- winter 02,3 an 4 and I'll get a new set this year. Best tire I've run for the load on the truck and Ice/snow/slop on the roads. The truck runs about 11k when I head out at 3:00 am to start plowing, truck, 810 blizzard and 8' vee box salter loaded. I have been very happy with them.