Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Well I got these tires last weekend and we have had a good amount of snow and slush and wet roads since then and these tires are great! I am really liking these tires and would definitely recommend them. I paid $178 each for the size 265 /70 R16 and got them at Discount Tire. I really like these tires!

 

what did you have beforehand?

 

The stock BFG Rugged Trails it came with that I put 50k on and had really good luck with.

 

I have tried lots of tires over the years with good and bad experiences. The only tires that I will buy today are Michelins. They're not cheap but the LTX tires can't be beat.

 

For ride, durability and wet traction in snow and rain they are great. I don't off road so they meet my needs perfectly. I actually got 90,000 miles out of a set and they were still legal to pass the state inspection. Rotate, balance and align regularly and they will last a long time. I hope the new Defenders are as good as the LTX MS2.

 

I see that they are NOT branded with the mountain/snowflake symbol. You mentioned that you drove them in snow/slush..... how deep? Was any of the driving off-road in the snow? The feedback so far has been good, but not great for deep snow, that's why I ask.

 

I'm thinking of replacing the Dunlop 245/75/16 with the Michelin Defender LTX M/S 265/70/16. The truck is the standard stock SR5. Any problems with the 1"extra width rubbing? TIA

 

I went from 245/75/16 to 265/70/16 LTX M/S with no rubbing. 265/75/16 is standard size for TRD off road.

 

I paid $178 each at Discount Tire but I got back $100 on set of four for Presidents day sale and $60 for using my Discount Tire card which is six months same as cash terms, the key is to pay them off in six months of course... So I pretty much got one free when buying four.

 

I just did this. It's all good. It does feel a little different. But not even close to rubbing.

 

Not sure of the real difference between the newer Defender LTX M/S vs the older LTX M/S2, other than a compound that appears to be harder to last longer but might not be best in snow and ice.

 

According to Michelin the new Defenders are supposed to be slightly better in wet and snow conditions.

 

anyone find any difference in MPG with the 1" wider and 6 pound heavier tire compared to the stock Dunlop Grantrek AT 20? TIA

 

Sounds like a good deal. You mentioned that you drove them in snow/slush..... how deep? Was any of the driving off-road in the snow? The feedback so far has been good, but not great for deep snow, that's why I ask.

 

Yes it will make a difference. I lost about 1-2 mpg going from 245-75-17 to 265-75-16. It definitely runs a little different but after a week you won't even notice. I actually glad I didn't go 265-75 as was suggested by many. I have a feeling that would be more like 2-3 mpg loss and a little more difference in acceleration feel, which I definitely didn't want.

The difference in quality from Dunlap to Mich is substantial. Much better wet/snow traction. Like, 100x better.

Edit: I went from 245-75-16 to 265-70-16

 

Thanks for all the replies. I replaced the Dunlop 245/75/16 with the Michelin Defender 265/70/16. Hard to tell on the mpg difference so far with the really cold weather, short trips, and winter gas. I'll have to figure out the perfect tire pressure for the best wear. I always wanted a good set of tires once in my life.

 

Edit to my post (#15, above yours). I made the same tire size upgrade as you (not sure how I butchered the sizes in that post). I keep a detailed record of gas mileage (every tank). And a 1-2mpg loss has been noted on the first 4 tanks after changing sizes- but I'm loving the new tires. I'm sure you will as well. Like you, I'm anxious to get on the highway in a little warmer weather and see what the difference is.

 

I did the chalk test on my new 265-70-16 Defender MS. Looks like 32 front, 29 rear is about where you want to be with the P rated (for optimum wear). This really felt soft to me on the road, and I know that a couple pounds more would be better on MPG. So I'm now at 34 front, 32 rear. The rear tires do ride slightly high at 32, but it just feels so much better to me.

 

Harpolith, thanks for the replies. Town fair tire set both front and rear at 34. I'll experiment to see whats best. Hard to do with the changes in temperature as the seasons change.

 

I really liked the feel of 34 all around. Seemed about right to me. I just worried a little about wearing the centers of the rears at that pressure.