Who makes the best light truck tire?

Who, in the opinion of TacoWorld, makes the best light truck tire?

I need to replace the worn Michelin Defender LTX M/S tires on my 2009 Tacoma. They were great tires. I'm thinking about replacing them with Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 tires.
Are there any better options?

Thanks.

 

What is "best?

 

How many miles did you get out of the LTX M/S?

 

Nothing wrong with Michelin. I've only ever bought all terrain tires and the Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 or A/T4 was by far my favorite for on the street as far as all-terrain goes. Smooth, quiet, perform, long life. And they don't look all that aggressive they look more like a street tire.

 

this is like asking "who has the best wife"

all the smart men will reply that they do.

 

Give us information about what you use your truck for. Daily driver? Hauling? Towing? Off roading???? What are you looking for in a tire? You match tires to vehicle and use. And if you want to know what the best tire is you will need to define what you mean by “best”.

 

I once got 147,000 miles out of a set of Michelin Defenders. The next set ran for 128,000 miles. That was on my 1994 SR5 4x4 doing mostly street, highway and forest service roads in California. I don't look any further than Michelin when I need new tires.

 

IMO, Michelin has a magical compound that nobody else can match. I know that all tires basically look the same but once I got Michelins I understood why people spoke highly of them and why they cost what they cost.

 

@2015WhiteOR

59,000

They'll likely be (legally) good for another 5,000 - 7,500.

 

Daily driver. Never taken offroad (that was in my previous life).

 

Are you carrying weight like a camper or trailer?

If not then you don't even need LTs

 

No.

What would one use instead of LTs in that case? Thanks.

 

Something lighter like C-load or SL

 

Thanks for the info.

Unless dropping below an LT saves a lot of money, is safer, or handles better, I'll likely stick with LT.

 

Bigger is better is a lie man. Unless you've managed to destroy SL or P-metric tires then the LTs are just helping to ruin your back sooner.

 

There's a reason Toyota outfitted your Tacoma from factory without LT's

People typically air down LT's some to manage tire wear on lighter vehicles such as a tacoma, so you're not necessarily achieving a "safer" tire if its not properly inflated to bear the load capabilities as advertised.

It'll absolutely handle better. LT's are more plys, so much stiffer ride; you feel every bump. SL/P rated tires give you the best comfort (on-road). However, it could be argued that LT's/stiffer tires handle body roll better - one would counter this point with so does replacing worn out suspension parts.

All in all, you don't "need" LT tires just because a tacoma is a "light truck." People opt for LT tires when their usage case depends on them (towing, hauling extra weight, puncture resistance off-road, etc). If your usage case pushes for a tire that gets you down the road and back, and not much more, the sky is your limit. No single tire brand warrants diehard devotion as its a competitive market. Just pick your flavor and enjoy it while it lasts; sometimes its fun to try something new.

But FWIW, I chose Cooper AT3 LT's for my truck recently. No complaints yet.

 

Tire Rack has reviews and comparisons of different types of tires, and ranks them in different categories. Its another good data point when doing research on what may be best for your usage requirements. Where I live in the PNW, I'm always looking at wet weather performance and light snow/ice performance. The new Cooper Road+Trail AT is rated well. Since its a new tire there hasn't been any real feedback on wear and treadlife, however. I've had the Cooper AT3's in the past also, and really liked that tire as well - so much so, I had them on two different trucks. But if I was going for new tires today, I think I'd look at their new Road+Trail AT and give them a shot.

 

OP.... Instead of having others ask dozens of questions about what you're looking for in a tire, EXPLAIN YOUR USE IN DETAIL, including your price sensitivity.

 

I know it's hard to quantify, but how much of a difference in ride quality should one expect with SL versus LT tires?

Thanks.

 

Honestly, I use the truck to get to and from work and to run errands. I live in a suburban area.

I'm OK paying for a good tire.