21" AS wheels on gnarly mud, ice, and snow towing 2 snowmobiles -- tires performed very well!

[jakef801]

FWIW, my 21" wheels/tires performed VERY well yesterday while towing 2 snowmobiles to my buddy's ranch yesterday @backcountrysnow.com . Pretty much, some of the worst conditions possible with mud, snow, and ice. Very few cars/trucks on Chalk Creek road, but one guy had slid off the road into the the massive snow banks from the plows. The Rivian was rock solid. It slid a couple of times in the mud, but I could feel it making corrections and adjustments. My trailer was wanting and trying to fishtail badly, but I couldn't feel it at all in the truck - was just keeping an eye on trailer with the mirrors. I got out twice, once in the mud and once on the ice - it was slick as shit, could barely even stand on the ice rink level ice and nearly had a bad slip. It gave me a true sense of how bad the road was. The Rivian, trailer, and sleds got caked with some oof the nastiest mud ever (I would say it was like concrete but it was far worse than concrete - I've washed down a lot of concrete in my life and this didn't even compare). I spent 45 minutes when I got to Evanston, WY at a car wash getting 85% of it off sleds and trailer and went to town on the Riv, especially the undercarriage. Very luckily, the car wash had steaming hot water and ultra high pressure, otherwise it would have been a fruitless effort. Bottom line, I feel very comfortable now with the 21"s.

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[COdogman]

That’s impressive!

(also looks like a great day on the snow)

 

[jakef801]

That’s impressive!

(also looks like a great day on the snow)

Indeed, it was. That pic was about halfway up the private property (40,000 acres !!!). There was much deeper and better untracked powder farther up. I just didn't take the time to take pics. I'm getting back into it after 10 years of no riding. I have maybe been 20 times in my life, but ready to get back and get better. Some of my buddy's guides who were with us are amazing riders.

 

[COdogman]

Indeed, it was. That pic was about halfway up the private property (40,000 acres !!!). There was much deeper and better untracked powder farther up. I just didn't take the time to take pics. I'm getting back into it after 10 years of no riding. I have maybe been 20 times in my life, but ready to get back and get better. Some of my buddy's guides who were with us are amazing riders.

I’ve only been a couple times but I quickly learned it’s one of the best ways to see the places not many people go. That alone is priceless.

 

[jakef801]

I’ve only been a couple times but I quickly learned it’s one of the best ways to see the places not many people go. That alone is priceless.

For sure. Buddy has the best property in Utah. He'll probably do $2 million in record revenue this year. He went from being a poor mechanic to building a snowmobile touring empire over last 10 years. Has long term lease with property owner, 50 new sleds every other year, full day lodge, excellent guides, 30 minute shuttle service from Park City, etc. Very proud of him - we've been closest of friends since 1st grade. Any yours truly gets access for free! We can go 4 wheeling with Jeeps, SXSs (and Rivian now!) on miles and miles of 4 wheel roads. Tons of lakes and creeks with fishing too. I'm very lucky.

 

[DirtyJester]

For sure. Buddy has the best property in Utah. He'll probably do $2 million in record revenue this year. He went from being a poor mechanic to building a snowmobile touring empire over last 10 years. Has long term lease with property owner, 50 new sleds every other year, full day lodge, excellent guides, 30 minute shuttle service from Park City, etc. Very proud of him - we've been closest of friends since 1st grade. Any yours truly gets access for free! We can go 4 wheeling with Jeeps, SXSs (and Rivian now!) on miles and miles of 4 wheel roads. Tons of lakes and creeks with fishing too. I'm very lucky.

I’m now jealous and don’t like you. ?

 

[jakef801]

I’m now jealous and don’t like you. ?

Join the club and story of my life. JK, most people in my circle genuinely like me. Don't think I'd get invited to places like the above if I were an asshole.

 

[DirtyJester]

Ok ok. I don’t not like you. But the jealousy still stands. ?

 

[W1SE]

Bottom line, I feel very comfortable now with the 21"s.

I have 21s and feel the same way. But I have had my truck for 9 months with 12k mile and the tread is worn much more. So my traction isn’t as good now. I will tell you that 21s are so much better than people think they will. But at about 7k they are not as great for traction. Then 10-12k they traction is mostly gone for off roading. I was loosing traction in deep snow. I will have new tires on mine in 6 weeks when they will probably be worn most the way. It is $1500 for new shoes. And oddly enough I am okay with that. I don’t think I would go away from the 21s either.

 

[jakef801]

New tires at just over 12k miles!?! Ouch!! I'm at 6700.

 

[NC-Rivian]

I took delivery on 8/9/22 with 21’s and now have almost 14k miles on them. When I rotated the tires at 13k, my tire guy said that that would be the last rotation for them. Maybe I’ll make 20k on them Maybe not. I think that 20k is probably all that can reasonably be expected out of them.

 

[FrictionlessLube]

Opposite experiences and opinion for me on my 21”, but I am believing more that it is due to bad alignments causing my tires to get prematurely bald.

Does anyone have what the tread depth should be for the 21”s if they are brand new?

 

[goldburger]

I took delivery on 8/9/22 with 21’s and now have almost 14k miles on them. When I rotated the tires at 13k, my tire guy said that that would be the last rotation for them. Maybe I’ll make 20k on them Maybe not. I think that 20k is probably all that can reasonably be expected out of them.

I thought the tires had a 50k warranty or am I making that up.

 

[R1T Preds Fan]

Opposite experiences and opinion for me on my 21”, but I am believing more that it is due to bad alignments causing my tires to get prematurely bald.

Does anyone have what the tread depth should be for the 21”s if they are brand new?

8mm Tread Depth

I thought the tires had a 50k warranty or am I making that up.

That is after the stock set is changed out… The warranty on the installed tires from factory expires at 6mm I believe; so you have to have/show an issue very early on…

 

[goldburger]

That is after the stock set is changed out… The warranty on the installed tires from factory expires at 6mm I believe; so you have to have/show an issue very early on…

So when I change the OE tires at 15k miles for OE tires then the warranty will apply when I change the second set at 15k miles?

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