New Michelin’s, this truck finally feels right!

[Bruce Beard]

After some 32,500 miles, I finally got rid of those awful Firestone tires my truck came with.
i elected to go with my standby, Michelin. In this case, the tires are the new Defender LTX M/S in the stock LT 285/60-R20 in an E load range.
My dealer gave me a competitive price, got tires with date codes from just 3 weeks ago and got me in quickly!
The tires all balanced with very little weight and I was happy to see the mechanic hand torque my wheels (as requested).
So, I know that all new tires feel good but this truck never felt right on those Firestone’s. The difference is night and day, it tracks better, it no longer has even a hint of vibration at speed and I swear it actually rides better with the Michelin’s.
it just feels the way it should now. Time will tell just how nice these new Defender series are but I am guessing that like most of my own Michelin’s, they will be awesome.
Bruce

 

[Flash1034]

It’s hard to beat Michelin’s. I wish they made a true All Terrain tire...I would have em.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

^^^ I agree with a true all terrain. Come on Michelin, get with the program already.

 

[Regcabguy]

Agreed. AT and with a stronger sidewall for puncture resistance

 

[Flash1034]

After some 32,500 miles, I finally got rid of those awful Firestone tires my truck came with.
i elected to go with my standby, Michelin. In this case, the tires are the new Defender LTX M/S in the stock LT 285/60-R20 in an E load range.
My dealer gave me a competitive price, got tires with date codes from just 3 weeks ago and got me in quickly!
The tires all balanced with very little weight and I was happy to see the mechanic hand torque my wheels (as requested).
So, I know that all new tires feel good but this truck never felt right on those Firestone’s. The difference is night and day, it tracks better, it no longer has even a hint of vibration at speed and I swear it actually rides better with the Michelin’s.
it just feels the way it should now. Time will tell just how nice these new Defender series are but I am guessing that like most of my own Michelin’s, they will be awesome.
Bruce

Let’s see some pics with your new tires installed.

 

[Bruce Beard]

Let’s see some pics with your new tires installed.

I can do that...
They are pretty boring though. Black walls, highway tread, you know the drill.
I will take pictures tomorrow though.
Bruce

 

[Killer223]

The Michelin AT would be Any from the BFG line, as it's the same company.

 

[GrantP]

The Michelin AT would be Any from the BFG line, as it's the same company.

Exactly. You beat me to it...

 

[Flash1034]

Where are those pictures you Promised?

 

[Bruce Beard]

Where are those pictures you Promised?

Here is a quick shot.
Bruce

 

[Bruce Beard]

As promised, not the most exciting looking tire but sooo nice to drive on...
Bruce

 

[Jared Herzog]

I had those tires on a past truck. Ran them for 20,000 miles or so. Then needed an all terrain so i moved the Michelins over to my dads truck. 03 3500 drw. He is still running them. They balance nice, ride nice, and last a long time. Great tire. If i had to find one flaw it would be that they dry rot easily. Might be the age (5) years or might just be a characteristic of the tire. Also put those tires on the wife's suburban. Same thing. Great ride and longevity. Just dry rot earlier than i would expect.

 

[Flash1034]

Thanks for the pics....looks great! Nice truck.

 

[Jared Herzog]

Just reread my post. It sounded negative. That is not my intent. I need tires soon and am considering that exact tire for my 15 3500. Another good thing is they do not grab stones and fling them around like some other tires do. This is important as i do not want my flares pounded by rocks.

 

[Bruce Beard]

Just reread my post. It sounded negative. That is not my intent. I need tires soon and am considering that exact tire for my 15 3500. Another good thing is they do not grab stones and fling them around like some other tires do. This is important as i do not want my flares pounded by rocks.

No need to explain, I am in complete agreement about Michelin’s tendency to dry rot.
I give a typical Michelin 5 years at the outside, before dry rot takes them.
As I drive 15,000 to 20,000 miles a year, I tend to wear them out long before that anyway. i am after smooooth.
As smooth as I can get in a 2500 anyway!
Bruce

 

[Jared Herzog]

They are smooth. I have never had much if any weight added to get them balanced either. Keep us updated as the miles add up.

 

[TCDiesel]

I've ran Toyo's for years ,and I tell Ya all around use they cannot be beat, I decided to go with the C/T just to try them, they will be at the Shop Monday. My TransForce Are bologna skins at 37K. https://www.toyotires.com/tire/pattern/open-country-ct-on-off-road-commercial-grade-tires Click on show full details

 

[jacknife]

I wouldn't keep a tire for more then 5 yrs anyway, no matter the brand

 

[Bruce Beard]

I feel the same way about tire age, 5 years is plenty...
Here is a Tirerack article on the subject. By the way, Tirerack has some interesting articles on the subject of tires. There is a lot to be read if you go looking.
Bruce

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=138

 

[Jared Herzog]

Long post warning:
I agree. My dad put 2100 miles on his truck in the last 18 months. Just changed the oil and fuel filter for him. I am talking him into getting those tires again and soon. He hauls a 5th wheel and the tires are scary looking. I am going to start running his truck a few days a week to get the bugs sorted for sitting for so long. The tires on his truck came off my 12 Duramax. They have a manufacture date of early 12. They were the nice michelins stock. Wish ram would give us those tires instead of the transforce or Nexens.
When i got the truck i went to discount tire and got the road hazard. On my way home from work i hit a chemical bottle in the road. I got some chemical on the tires in the rear. I stopped and wrote down the name, and to wipe the truck down with water, because i had to know what it was to get it off the paint. It flashed dried and was horrible as i was an hour from a car wash. It was something commonly used to cook meth. Within a week the tires that got splashed had dried up. It was so bad that they road hazarded the tire and i got two new ones for the dually pair on the passenger side.
Anyway, i agree that five years is my cut off. I usually wear through a set every other year. I am currently in the market for tires. The Nexens were horrible. I took them to discount tire to sell them when the truck was one day newly bought. They did not want the tires as they can not sell them due to being so crappy. So i suffered through them. I could not bring myself to just toss them.
On that LML i ran those Michelins a long time before giving them to my dad. I was working on a ranch building a home miles from pavement through some bad mud and terrible roads. I got stuck a few times so went with the bfgoodrich all terrain tires. They took tons of weight to balance and for some reason the rim guard hit the wheel skins so the cap would spin slowly and lay the valve stem over. I was never stick in the mud again. So back to discount those tires went. I swapped them for the all terrain version of the MS. They looked street biased and i once again feared being stuck. I was literally shocked as those tires held up well to being cut by our granite and flint found here on ranch roads and surface rock. They also never got stuck and three of the six tires required no weight to balance. The others only had the smallest weight in one spot. Once again the truck rode like a dream.
I have ruined three of my Nexens on my 15 3500. I am holding out for a sale at Discount Tire since the truck is currently sitting at a job site.