Why isn't the General Altimax RT43 3PMSF rated?

[tiredguy]

Hello

I have been doing a ton of reading about snow / winter performace All Season tires.

From what I have read the General Altimax RT43 has much better stopping in snow compared to tires rated with 3PMSF (Falken Wildpeak, Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S, and Cooper Discoverer Enduramax.

This begs the question why doesn't the RT43 have the 3PMSF rating?

 

[Skippy722]

Either it didn’t pass the testing for it, or General never put it through testing. But yes, I was very pleased with the winter traction of the RT43’s on my 300.

 

[CharBaby]

Yup, same here. Very happy with the RT43 snow/ice performance. However, if you look at the sipes on the RT43 compared to a dedicated winter tire, the winter tires sipes extend down further into the tread blocks than do the RT43s therefore giving the winter tire more seasons of good/better snow/ice traction than the RT43 or an all season tire.

 

[silversport]

my brothers and I put these on Sis' car...2006 Corolla...she has been through 2 ChicagoLand Winters now and her comment this last Winter when I asked her how they were (she REALLY wanted Michelins ) she replied awesome!...

Bill

 

[CapriRacer]

Just so everyone knows: In some places - I'm looking at you Europe! - the Mountain/Snowflake symbol is regarded with disfavor. Instead of taking the symbol for what it is - passing a test - it is looked at negatively and hurts sales.

 

[wbwanzer]

I was very impressed with the RT43s when I had them in snow.

 

[odie]

Had new RT-43 ( H ) for a winter and did very well . Did a few tests of braking on ice and were quite steady . There's a difference in the siping of the T and H . The sipes of the T start near the base from center of tire and get shallow as they go to outer part of tire . Oppostie for the H . I think the H also gives a thicker sidewall than the T . Good performance for low price . Especially with the rebate .

 

[ripcord]

I have not used the three other tires mentioned, but my experience with the RT43 tires is that they compare favorably with other All Season tires I have driven in ice and snow, but are no where near the capabilities of a rated winter tire.

 

[HangFire]

Another possibility is General wants you to buy their Altimax Arctic, and don't want the two to compete.

 

[Traction]

It's because it is only a 3 season tire. It is not, and never will be a true winter tire. Plus they are over rated.

 

[CKN]

Have the RT 43s on my wife's Santa Fe . It's a beast with AWD and these tires. The post above this one is nonsense!

 

[Skippy722]

It's because it is only a 3 season tire. It is not, and never will be a true winter tire. Plus they are over rated.

No one has claimed they are proper winter tires, only that they’re good in snow. They got me home in snow and freezing rain on hilly roads in a RWD sedan where my previous tires struggled to gain traction going down hill. They don’t excel at anything like a dedicated sport or winter tire would, but they’re good at everything.

 

[odie]

Passed on the new General Atimax Arctic 12 due to the sipes not being as deep as its predecessor Altimax Arctic . Went with Cooper Evolution Winter which has deep sipes and tread pattern like that of the original Altimax Arctic . Usually get studs for the winter .

 

[kschachn]

Passed on the new General Atimax Arctic due to the sipes not being as deep as its predecessor . Went with Cooper Evolution Winter which has deep sipes and tread pattern like that of the original Altimax Arctic . Usually get studs for the winter .

Weren't the Arctics originally just rebadged Gislaved Nordfrost 3 tires? I had Nordfrost 5s on my BMW at the time, that's why I bought the Arctics for my ECHO.

 

[odie]

Weren't the Arctics originally just rebadged Gislaved Nordfrost 3 tires? I had Nordfrost 5s on my BMW at the time, that's why I bought the Arctics for my ECHO.

. Maybe someone else will reply .

 

[supton]

Passed on the new General Atimax Arctic due to the sipes not being as deep as its predecessor . Went with Cooper Evolution Winter which has deep sipes and tread pattern like that of the original Altimax Arctic . Usually get studs for the winter .

Does deep sipes matter on a snow? A snow with little tread left might still do better than an all season with full tread (softer compound, better pattern), but in the end, it's already treaded past end of life--5/32's or so being the end of "good" snow traction, something like that.

I've liked my RT43's in snow but a snow tire they are not. Good compromise tire, I would run one in winter (and do) but I'd take snow tires if there was weather being predicted.

 

[odie]

 

[odie]

 

[odie]

New General Altimax Arctic 12 . The 12s' sipes depth look to be around 1/3 . The ALTIMAX Acrtic were close to base of tire , like that of the Cooper Evolution Winter pictured above . The General Altimax Arctic had more deep sipes than the 12s' and EVOLUTION Winter .

 

[Pew]

Weren't the Arctics originally just rebadged Gislaved Nordfrost 3 tires? I had Nordfrost 5s on my BMW at the time, that's why I bought the Arctics for my ECHO.

IIRC, others on this forum said the same thing; tread pattern is the same but not sure about compound.