Thread: OEM Wrangler 19"ers - too many punctures

Interesting. We can't enter the Alps when there is snow unless we fit chains.

Originally Posted by bbyer

For the most part, we do not now ever use chains on our cars or pickups.

Chains are used mainly on the heavy hauler semi trailer tractor units, (Kenworth's), as they run "summer" tyres year around, so to speak - and that is only in the mountain passes / hills etc.

The use of chains on passenger vehicles is virtually unheard of now.

We are both lazy and much looser re laws and the like, but tyres with the snow flake symbol are getting more common for winter use. We have here what are called All Season tyres, and they are legal for use 12 months a year and that is what all OEM tyres are. The Wrangler HP's are All Season, and well .... - you get the idea.

The Wrangler Silent Armor tyre has the snowflake rating and more importantly, has a good deep blocky tread pattern and a rubber formulation that at least on the snowflake marked tyres is of a type that tends to remain soft in cold weather.

Also note that there is a big difference in design between the Good Year Fortura Silent Armor and the Wrangler Silent Armor, at least here in Canada. Our 3's should have the Wrangler Silent Armor installed, whereas a Jeep Grand Cherokee can run the Forturas.

We do not use studs in the tyres either as that was made illegal years back due to perceived pavement damage. Guys who ice race use studs however.

Probably the best snow tyres are made by Nokian out of Finland, but they do not really make a size that I feel fits my 18" rims. My idea of a real snow tyre is narrow, tall, knobby, (side walls as well), and a sticky rubber, which means it does not do too well re mileage.

The Wrangler Silent Armour is a good compromise, (all tyres are a compromise with something), between summer and winter, with the bias towards winter. If I could get them in 19", I would probably run them as my summer pavement tyres as well.

I just loked at my SA's and can't see the snow flake symbol; maybe they are a diifferent tyre for Aus vs Canada?

Originally Posted by petera

I just looked at my SA's and can't see the snow flake symbol; maybe they are a different tyre for Aus vs Canada?

I can believe that it is very possible that the North American spec-ed Wrangler Silent Armor tyres are a different tread compound from the Australian Wrangler Silent Armour.

Country of origin is moulded into the sidewall rubber of most tyres so it would be interesting to see where your Silent Armor's are made. Our tyres show either USA or Canada, but even that does not tell you what the rubber compound is.

The links below are to both the Wrangler and Fortera versions of the Silent Armor tyres. Not only are the tread patterns very different, the Wrangler ones here have the SnowFlake / Mountain symbol, (there is a sub link describing and showing the symbol on the Wrangler link). I also note that the Fortera Silent Armor tyres here do not have the SnowFlake, but are rated as All Season, like my HP's.

I have had first hand experience with very different rubber compounds in tyres of the same naming. Back in the nineties, I had a Buick Roadmaster, a full sized rear wheel drive 4 door sedan. I was able to pickup at a good price from the local Good Year warehouse, their last, (only), set of Made in Luxembourg OEM spec-ed tyres for Bentley and/or Rolls Royce.

These were the best of tyres; they were the worst of tyres. Above 80 mph in the summer, once the tyre warmed up, they were fabulous; in the winter, well .... It was just a case that even though those tyres had the same brand markings, (an Eagle of some sort with Kevlar), as the Made in USA tyres, the Made in Luxembourg tyres were entirely different in nature.

It may be that your local Australian spec Wrangler Silent Armour tyres have a desert rubber compound whereas our same name tyres here have cold weather rubber instead.

Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor

Goodyear Fortera SilentArmor

The LT225/75-16 Wrangler SAs that I had on my D2 had the snow-flake symbol and were made in USA.

As for Alpine areas, I was under the impression that 4WDs in NSW only had to carry chains rather than had to fit them. I recall there was talk of introducing legislation to allow that option only if the tyres had the snow-flake symbol because there were too many instances of 4wds getting into strife when they didn't have appropriate tyres.

Originally Posted by Graeme

As for Alpine areas, I was under the impression that 4WDs in NSW only had to carry chains rather than had to fit them.

I think you are right and I was wrong. (Don't tell my wife!)

The only reason that thought stuck in my mind is because I can do a day trip to alpine areas and the tyres I had just fitted to my D2 (Pirelli ATRs) did not have the snow-flake symbol yet my previous GY SAs did. That doesn't make it correct though.

For what it is worth, the snowflake/mountain symbol was just introduced a few years ago, (about 2000), so not all suitable tyres have incorporated the symbol yet.

Some tyres have the letters M+S moulded into the sidewall instead, others just an S and there are arguments to say that these tyres are "other than summer tyres".

There are similar arguments for LT tyres as well as certain branded tyres sold as winter tyres but not having the appropriate symbols. As such, unless the local authorities are following a simple interpretation of what is a winter tyre, (snowflake or else!), the rule still seems to be that if it looks like a snow or mud tyre, (knobby etc), they it is OK.

Also there are getting to be arguments as to when a snowflake tyre is not a winter accepted tyre any longer. Some tyres are carrying two sets of wear bars now - the usual ones where the tyre is no longer safe in summer conditions and a second higher bar where the lack of tread depth means that its winter characteristics are no longer adequate. Also to confuse things, adequate snow traction is not the same as good ice traction so ....

Winter Tech - How to Confirm a Winter Performer

Originally Posted by bbyer

I can believe that it is very possible that the North American spec-ed Wrangler Silent Armor tyres are a different tread compound from the Australian Wrangler Silent Armour.

Country of origin is moulded into the sidewall rubber of most tyres so it would be interesting to see where your Silent Armor's are made. Our tyres show either USA or Canada, but even that does not tell you what the rubber compound is.

The links below are to both the Wrangler and Fortera versions of the Silent Armor tyres. Not only are the tread patterns very different, the Wrangler ones here have the SnowFlake / Mountain symbol, (there is a sub link describing and showing the symbol on the Wrangler link). I also note that the Fortera Silent Armor tyres here do not have the SnowFlake, but are rated as All Season, like my HP's.

I have had first hand experience with very different rubber compounds in tyres of the same naming. Back in the nineties, I had a Buick Roadmaster, a full sized rear wheel drive 4 door sedan. I was able to pickup at a good price from the local Good Year warehouse, their last, (only), set of Made in Luxembourg OEM spec-ed tyres for Bentley and/or Rolls Royce.

These were the best of tyres; they were the worst of tyres. Above 80 mph in the summer, once the tyre warmed up, they were fabulous; in the winter, well .... It was just a case that even though those tyres had the same brand markings, (an Eagle of some sort with Kevlar), as the Made in USA tyres, the Made in Luxembourg tyres were entirely different in nature.

It may be that your local Australian spec Wrangler Silent Armour tyres have a desert rubber compound whereas our same name tyres here have cold weather rubber instead.

Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor

Goodyear Fortera SilentArmor

I had to change the front left silent armor yesterday due to a puncture and a completely deflated tyre and whilst looking for the puncture, found the snow flake symbol.
My initial satisfaction with the SA is very rapidly evaporating. The puncture was through a lug on the main tread surface. There was no nail etc and the puncture was esentially invisible but could be found by the rapid jet of air escaping.