2022 Badlands on stock tires vs ice covered 20% grade

sajohnson

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I'm a big proponent of winter tires for anyone who must drive on snow and ice. Before we retired, I had winter tires for all 3 of our vehicles.

Since we're no longer working, we can wait for the roads to be cleared. Our lane is 1/10 mile long, but I have a snow blower. So I never got winter tires for the BL.

The storm on Jan 25 wasn't as bad as predicted (for us anyway). The forecasts called for up to 16" of snow, we got 7". It was (and is) cold so the snow was powdery. Then, even though the high temps did not get out of the teens, the snow crusted over into a 1-1/2 " thick layer of ice! In order to walk on it we have to stomp down with each step to break through the crust. Even then it's treacherous.

In the 41 years I've lived here I've never seen anything like it. We've had nor-easters drop 2-1/2 feet of snow that caused less trouble.

The snow blower could not cut through it. We waited until yesterday to make a grocery run. I dug a path for the farm gate to swing, and left it open so we would not have to stop there. We locked the center and rear and went for it. Just beyond the gate there is a fairly sharp curve to the left, which limits the speed at which the 20% grade can be approached.

We got about half way up and the tires spun. It wouldn't go any further. So we backed down and tried again. The BL made it a few more feet. We did that 3-4 more times and finally made it to the top. There's a curve to the right there, so again we had to limit our speed. That caused the BL to get stuck one last time. We backed up and went forward again and made it out to the road.

Of course there was a large berm of frozen snow from the plow truck. The BL probably could have driven over it but it might have gotten high centered so I dug that out.

From years of past experience, I have no doubt that the Badlands would have walked right out with a decent set of winter tires.
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Bigband

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Out of curiosity, what tires do you have on your BL and how many miles? The OEM Pirellis on my BL were just OK in the ice here in NOVA. I only have 10K on them, but like most OEM tires, they are a compromise and are just OK for most driving situations.
 

cmtolentino23

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I just got the new BFG KO3's installed on my '21 Badlands in Kodiak Brown yesterday and was just in time to test it on probably last remaining light snow here in Chicagoland today. So far so good and the new thread pattern and sidewall looks awesome in person highly recommended.

Ford Bronco Sport 2022 Badlands on stock tires vs ice covered 20% grade IMG_9748
 

Timu8

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I just put a set of Nokian Outpost Nat 235 65 17s on my 2025 badlands and it is a Northern Alberta snow machine! They are quiet and great all weather tires!!
 
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sajohnson

sajohnson

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Out of curiosity, what tires do you have on your BL and how many miles? The OEM Pirellis on my BL were just OK in the ice here in NOVA. I only have 10K on them, but like most OEM tires, they are a compromise and are just OK for most driving situations.
Right. As I said:

"I'm a big proponent of winter tires for anyone who must drive on snow and ice. Before we retired, I had winter tires for all 3 of our vehicles."

And:

"From years of past experience, I have no doubt that the Badlands would have walked right out with a decent set of winter tires."

The tires are OE. They have maybe 8,000 miles on them (we don't drive much). I can't recall offhand what make/model they are, but I doubt any of the OE tires have good snow & ice traction.

The point I was trying to make is that the AWD system performed well. Just about any other vehicle on those tires would not have made it up that grade.
 


Iamcanadian

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I just got the new BFG KO3's installed on my '21 Badlands in Kodiak Brown yesterday and was just in time to test it on probably last remaining light snow here in Chicagoland today. So far so good and the new thread pattern and sidewall looks awesome in person highly recommended.

Ford Bronco Sport 2022 Badlands on stock tires vs ice covered 20% grade IMG_9748
New tread pattern not thread pattern
 

NMhunter

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I believe the stock tires are Pirellis on an 18" rim. The optional tires for the Badlands are Falkens on a 17" rim. I was very happy with my Falkens. Although I only drove in snow a few times, they always performed flawlessly, and did well off road as well.
 

Frenchy906

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I believe the stock tires are Pirellis on an 18" rim. The optional tires for the Badlands are Falkens on a 17" rim. I was very happy with my Falkens. Although I only drove in snow a few times, they always performed flawlessly, and did well off road as well.
Fairly certain only the outer banks got 18” wheels.

Every badlands I’ve seen came stock with 17s.
 

Iamcanadian

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Fairly certain only the outer banks got 18” wheels.

Every badlands I’ve seen came stock with 17s.
Yes the only 18s are on the outer banks, or as an upgrade option (personally believe it would be a downgrade) for the Big Bend. I do not believe it is available at all for any other trim package.
 

Gapbriel

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I just got the new BFG KO3's installed on my '21 Badlands in Kodiak Brown yesterday and was just in time to test it on probably last remaining light snow here in Chicagoland today. So far so good and the new thread pattern and sidewall looks awesome in person highly recommended.

Ford Bronco Sport 2022 Badlands on stock tires vs ice covered 20% grade IMG_9748
what size are those ?
 


RM951

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I put GT Radial Adventuro ATX 245/65s on my BL and haven't noticed any milage drop from weight. They are 3pms and look fairly aggressive and have done well off roading. Last tires I had that had done any serious ice and snow were the Ironman all country a/t and those shoes ate up snow and ice. I wonder why you chose to lock up rather than use the slippery condition GOAT mode? From what I have read those modes adjust more than just the lockers and tune the vehicle for specific conditions
 
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sajohnson

sajohnson

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I put GT Radial Adventuro ATX 245/65s on my BL and haven't noticed any milage drop from weight. They are 3pms and look fairly aggressive and have done well off roading. Last tires I had that had done any serious ice and snow were the Ironman all country a/t and those shoes ate up snow and ice. I wonder why you chose to lock up rather than use the slippery condition GOAT mode? From what I have read those modes adjust more than just the lockers and tune the vehicle for specific conditions
I'm guessing you're referring to my OP.

Unlike Mud/Ruts and Rock Crawl, Slippery mode does not allow four-wheel drive lock. Only the rear can be locked.

In addition, Mud/Ruts and Rock Crawl say:

"Note: This mode may help get your vehicle unstuck from deep snow or sand."

Slippery mode does not. Here are a couple pages from the manual:


Ford Bronco Sport 2022 Badlands on stock tires vs ice covered 20% grade 1774039315704-af


Ford Bronco Sport 2022 Badlands on stock tires vs ice covered 20% grade 1774039474728-bq
 

Stircrazy

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Yes the only 18s are on the outer banks, or as an upgrade option (personally believe it would be a downgrade) for the Big Bend. I do not believe it is available at all for any other trim package.
not a downgrade at all, the only issue is it is a little harder to find the tires in the 18" size as it isn't a standard size.
 

Stircrazy

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I am finishing my second winter with the cooper discoverer road and trail AT's and I couldnt be more impresed with them. I have been doing 65-70mph on roads and not even felt slippery and then I wonder why everyone else is doing 40mph. I get dry snow once and a while but mostly it is the ugly wet winter coastal mountian snow that turns to ice as soon as you drive on it. last week we had freezing rain leaving work, then when I got down into the valley there was 6" of fresh wet snow and I had no issues even though the highway hadn't been plowed yet.
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