Snowy Road Performance Excellent

[Trail Ryder]

It can be tough to get out when the kids are young.

Riding an Arctic Cat nowadays, but still have a Polaris touring sled that my kids use sometimes. My screen name comes from the sled we had when we first started riding, borrowed from my in-laws.

Looked like this one.

View attachment 194921

Sweet Cobras.

I am a snowmobiler and, in the winter, I run Cooper Discoverer M+S and they rock!!! I have come back at the end of the day to the drop point only to find my truck and trailer already parked on a foot of packed snow to be buried under another fresh foot of snow. With others saying "You are never going to get out of there!" And my Ram with snow tires walks right out to the amazement of others.

One trick when first parking, in the morning, is pull at least 20 feet forward and back up at least that amount before parking your vehicle for the day. This pre-packs the snow for your exit path allowing you to build good momentum on your exit. Of course, I don't share this information with Ford, GM, and Toyota owners. I love blowing by them in my Ram while they are spinning and spinning.

My first sled was a 1974 Polaris Colt 295 F/A, followed by a 1979 or 1980 Apollo 340 Fan, a 1983 Polaris Sport 440 Fan, and a 1989 Polaris Indy Trail 488 Fan. I always liked those Fuji fan-cooled engines. And when I was a kid, I lusted after my friend's parent's Cobra 340 and 440.

I have been on Ski-Doos since 2005 and currently ride a 2014 Ski-Doo 800 ETEC XRS, but I really like the new Indy 850 XCR.

 

[erictomlin]

Went to NH for some snowmobiling this weekend. Trip up was about 200 miles, through rain - ice - snow. Lots of traffic, had to take it easy. Snow and ice on the road, lost of people slipping and sliding for sure.

Kept an easy pace, got to my destination safe and sound. Truck does not look nearly as dirty as it is, the silver paint blends with the salt that covered it.

I can say for sure that this truck is very sure footed in snow with the Cooper AT3's that I put on in November.

Was cold Sunday morning when it was time to go home. Truck started right up at -22 F, no issues.

View attachment 194752

Rt 3 in Jefferson NH

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How are those Cooper AT3s on dry pavement and at highway speeds - as compared to the stock Goodyear SR-A? I know that almost everyone says the SR-As are ****, but they are all I know since buying the truck a year ago (and I actually like the highway ride on them), so it's all I have to compare to. I want a tire that performs well in moderate snow, but doesn't sacrifice in the departments of ride quality and noise.

 

[rob skully]

OMG .. Polaris Cobra ... I will give you ONE guess who this is ;-)

 

[PolarisCobra]

Yo Skully - Fancy meeting you here. Getting out on the trails at all? How are you feeling these days? Hope your wife is doing well. Have not seen you on the 'other' sites in a bit.


Heading up to Bethlehem this weekend, looking forward to some nice riding.

 

[PolarisCobra]

How are those Cooper AT3s on dry pavement and at highway speeds - as compared to the stock Goodyear SR-A? I know that almost everyone says the SR-As are ****, but they are all I know since buying the truck a year ago (and I actually like the highway ride on them), so it's all I have to compare to. I want a tire that performs well in moderate snow, but doesn't sacrifice in the departments of ride quality and noise.

I have been very happy with them. I think the wet pavement performance is better than the OEM tires, they may be a bit quieter and smoother, certainly no worse. They were a fine choice for my needs.

 

[Fatbob Frank]

Heading up north for a snowmobiling trip in the morning!
6" of fresh snow dumped here tonight and we have a 6hr drive in the morning.
Should be fun pulling 3 sleds.
I just traded my Polaris 800 Rush Pro R for a Ski Doo Etec Renegade.
This will be my first trail ride with it.

 

[Scott S]

I'm also running Cooper Discovery AT3 4S and I've been very happy with their performance dry, wet, slush, snow and ice conditions. I only had the SRA's for a few weeks and that was long enough to decide to get rid of them. Wet performance was dismal and the little grade of my laneway with ice or snow and they were slipping. I never ran them in any serious weather as I got the AT3's.

The AT3 4S tow real nice in winter conditions with slush, snow and ice on the roads. I've only towed my light weight aluminum landscaper and an aluminum sled trailer with it in the snow and it handles both fantastic. The sled trailer is aluminum and only about 2500 lbs. I hardly know it is back there other than it is 101" wide. In heavy slush which I think is the best real test of a highway tire they clear real well keeping the truck and trailer in line at speed.

Ice I always slow way down as all bets are off. I slid off the road once years ago while stopped in traffic. The wind was brutal and we were all stopped on the highway on a curve due to a crash and the vehicles around me literally one by one started sliding off the road while stopped and bumping into each other in slow motion. Try and get your brain to come up with a plan in this scenario. I got lucky and never bumped anyone or got bumped. Cars were pointed in all directions and it was a nightmare to get everyone going the same direction again. The curve had a very slight grade to the outside on the 4 lane highway and the ice was as smooth as glass.

Our winter has been one of the weirdest I can remember, snows like a bugger, gets warm and melts, gets all icy and repeat. I've seen my grass as often as the snow this year. It has been a tough year to be a sledder.

 

[TomB 1269]

Just to add to the cold PSI question / response. I have to believe our trucks check the outside temp and the engine temp to determine if the low tire pressure is an issue or just needs to run to warm them.
I base this on the fact that the door on my 2019 1500 Classic states 40. I tend to run them right at 39-40. What I have found is that on very cold mornings I can start the truck and see a 35 psi indicated on the dash, but get no low pressure warning light as the engine, tranny, and outside temp are low. As I drive the tire will come up to 37-38 or more depending on drive distance speed, etc. and that seems to keep them with in the variable so as to not set the light off.

At least this is my experience, and yes my light works as I dropped the pressure a the track one night and had the TPS on on the dash.

 

[PolarisCobra]

Got back up to NH for some riding last weekend. Weather was clear and dry, so no slippery road testing (fine by me). Had lunch at a hotel called the Mountain View Grand. Very cool place.




My wife getting ready to head out.



View from the front porch.

 

[condor767]

I'm a 3rd shifter and this is the first truck ( or any 4x4 really) I've owned that I haven't mounted an LED lightbar to so I could see the road at night in bad weather.
These LED headlights are awesome...

Yes they are! Especially when you run the fogs too. Going with the upgraded package that included LED lighting was a must for me.

 

[Fatbob Frank]

We had a blast.
-8 out but good gear makes all the difference.

 

[PolarisCobra]

With the clothing options available today, you don't need to be cold. I have ridden when it's -25. Gotta go a little easy, and plan to stop more, but it can be done.