Preferred Tire Brands

[GR8Santini]

Bon Jovi made Slippery when wet, & so did BFG w/ their KO2 & KO3s in the rain. Maybe they’re better on a LC w/ AWD, but on part time 4wd (RWD) BFG are a mess in the rain.

 

[Kosmic Kitty]

I have them at 35psi

Are they E rated?

 

[Altitude]

Bon Jovi made Slippery when wet, & so did BFG w/ their KO2 & KO3s in the rain. Maybe they’re better on a LC w/ AWD, but on part time 4wd (RWD) BFG are a mess in the rain.

Yep. The rubber compound is very hard and the tires have a lot of void in the tread pattern. Exactly what you want when climbing a fire road up a mountain pass. Exactly what you don’t want on a highway in the rain.

 

[Sugarloafer80]

At 3K they better look new.....

 

[Roonie]

and what size tires are they? I think the pressure recommendation changes based on size...I think?

LT275/70r18 load range E and I have had them at since the start 35 psi. Toyo ATIII. They have 31,000 miles on them in pic from post #36..

 

[Roonie]

At 3K they better look new.....

31,000 miles. you misread my post.

 

[Sugarloafer80]

Indeed I did. damn hard rubber. Wet traction??? is there any???

 

[Kosmic Kitty]

Indeed I did. damn hard rubber. Wet traction??? is there any???

How many years since the manufacturers date code will you all still use the tires. I used to be a 5 year man now I've been rethinking that stretching out to 7yrs/so on some of my cars if no cracking still soft with the fingernail poke test.

Indeed I did. damn hard rubber. Wet traction??? is there any???

How many years from the manufacturer’s date code will you still use your tires? I used to be a firm five-year guy, but I’m rethinking that and considering stretching them to around seven years on some of my cars—as long as there’s no cracking and the rubber still feels soft using the fingernail poke test.

 

[Mopper]

Sideways question: how do Michelin Defenders wear so well and still have a good grip in so many situations? Or am I overestimating grip?

 

[Kosmic Kitty]

How many years since the manufacturers date code will you all still use the tires. I used to be a 5 year man now I've been rethinking that stretching out to 7yrs/so on some of my cars if no cracking still soft with the fingernail poke test.

How many years from the manufacturer’s date code will you still use your tires? I used to be a firm five-year guy, but I’m rethinking that and considering stretching them to around seven years on some of my cars—as long as there’s no cracking and the rubber still feels soft using the fingernail poke test.

posted twice again = sorry

 

[FifthToyota]

I'm a BFG guy. Been running BFG AT's on all my various Toyota 4x4's I've owned over the years, including my LC. Zero problems on dry, wet, snow, dirt and rocks. I like to drive over things, a lot, those BFG sidewalls can take a lot of abuse, and I never worry about traction in any weather. Just my 2¢.

 

[ultane]

How many years since the manufacturers date code will you all still use the tires. I used to be a 5 year man now I've been rethinking that stretching out to 7yrs/so on some of my cars if no cracking still soft with the fingernail poke test.

How many years from the manufacturer’s date code will you still use your tires? I used to be a firm five-year guy, but I’m rethinking that and considering stretching them to around seven years on some of my cars—as long as there’s no cracking and the rubber still feels soft using the fingernail poke test.

Several months ago I spoke to someone at Michelin corporate, and he said the Michelin tires are good for ten years.

 

[bgeorger]

I'm a BFG guy. Been running BFG AT's on all my various Toyota 4x4's I've owned over the years, including my LC. Zero problems on dry, wet, snow, dirt and rocks. I like to drive over things, a lot, those BFG sidewalls can take a lot of abuse, and I never worry about traction in any weather. Just my 2¢.

I am with you. My KO3s have performed very well in all conditions. I have zero complaints.

 

[Matthew@LC250Mods]

How many years since the manufacturers date code will you all still use the tires. I used to be a 5 year man now I've been rethinking that stretching out to 7yrs/so on some of my cars if no cracking still soft with the fingernail poke test.

How many years from the manufacturer’s date code will you still use your tires? I used to be a firm five-year guy, but I’m rethinking that and considering stretching them to around seven years on some of my cars—as long as there’s no cracking and the rubber still feels soft using the fingernail poke test.

6 years is generally the limit; if they were stored in a warehouse for the first year or two, you can push that a bit, ie 7 should be fine. I would not run a 10 year old tire no matter how good it looked or if it was stored away from UV.

 

[DubDub]

Circling back now that the deed is done. Got the wife’s sequoia’s Pirelli Scorpion XTM ATs swapped out with some XL G3s. Not a LC, but a good back-to-back after putting almost 7k miles on the Pirelli.

I am willing to cede that my experience was soured by (likely) a bad batch from Pirelli. Had one replaced under warranty for gross misalignment issues, and had one the kept throwing alignment and bobbing around right at 6k miles of use. Replaced with a $300 refund to me.

Put 100 miles of mixed driving on the G3s, and basing my impressions on that short period. With that said… The G3s track better at all speeds and are a softer ride. The Pirellis are WAYYYYYY quieter and definitely look more bad a$$. I think the Pirellis also cornered better and they were bulletproof in rain and on sand (the only off-road environment the Sequoia sees). I am hoping the G3s do well in rain, time will tell.

 

[ultane]

Sideways question: how do Michelin Defenders wear so well and still have a good grip in so many situations? Or am I overestimating grip?

Well, they got it right, in many ways.. I strongly recommended them to my daughter for her Honda minivan, their main transport for their kids. For 40-45 years, I was a ‘Michelin man’, but after the OEM ATX’s on Miss Daisy, and Michelin corporate’s response to my complaints, NO MORE. But in all fairness, I don’t think they are in the same league as many AT tires discussed here.

 

[GR8Santini]

Factor in some of our OE spec tires are not near the same as their retail variants @ tire store. Lower tread depth, lighter design in helping manufacturers chase MPG claims because of having to meet CAFE mandates.

Hopefully my post is allowed w/ connotation of a factual political statement. Don’t want to get us blocked in a discussion.

 

[Altitude]

Well, they got it right, in many ways.. I strongly recommended them to my daughter for her Honda minivan, their main transport for their kids. For 40-45 years, I was a ‘Michelin man’, but after the OEM ATX’s on Miss Daisy, and Michelin corporate’s response to my complaints, NO MORE. But in all fairness, I don’t think they are in the same league as many AT tires discussed here.

Not sure - I ran Defenders on my Tahoe for 70,000 miles and made countless trips up and down I70 in every conceivable weather condition. The 3PMSF Wildpeaks I had next slid around in many of the same situations where the Defenders were planted.

The Defenders seemed better on packed snow. I’m sure the Wildpeaks would have been better on a 4WD road but that truck was too big to go on any.

 

[Mopper]

Clarifying about Defenders- I do mean on pavement behavior- always liked them but rarely drove them on anything as tough as a desert- or forest-service road and certainly not worse. (now I have 2 sets of rims, so maybe Defenders to replace Geolanders on 20" rims when the time comes?). @ultane - sorry for the big business BS you faced, terrible signature for Michelin to make, gives me pause. Sometimes it seems like companies just lose the recipe for what made 'em great unfortunately

 

[ultane]

Factor in some of our OE spec tires are not near the same as their retail variants @ tire store. Lower tread depth, lighter design in helping manufacturers chase MPG claims because of having to meet CAFE mandates.

Hopefully my post is allowed w/ connotation of a factual political statement. Don’t want to get us blocked in a discussion.

Yeah.. my selling dealer had OEM Michelin ATX’s, and then a higher priced Michelin ATX, which had significantly more tread depth shown on their website.