Thoughts on the Michelin LTX A/T 2 tire - for towing and general use.

[Dan_69GTX]

The factory Firestone tires are NOT good in snow or in the field, so looking at this tire.

What are your thoughts for this tire regarding:
- traction (wet, dry, snow, mud, wet grass, etc)
- tread life
- road noise
- etc.

I will be using this on a 2016 crew cab 4x4 short bed (diesel of couse). For towing (7-8K bumper pull), winter driving, working in the fields. Not much real sloppy muddy areas.

Thanks!

 

[PBJ2500CTD]

I have had real good experiences with the LTX AT/2's. Had them on my 98.5 and 02 Ram 2500's. Towed 8-10K travel trailers 3,500 to 7,500 miles annually. Daily driver for rest of the time. Got over 68,000 miles on each set. Still had 2-3/32nds usable tread when I traded the 98.5 in and when I changed the tires on the 02.
The traction was excellent in all weather situations. Live out in the country and used to claw through the snow with no issues. Rain is normal here in the PNW and the tires gripped well. Dry traction was fantastic, no squirrelly feeling through the s curves at speed+. Very tight handling. Firm, but not harsh on the bumps. Not a mud tire, but worked well enough in the few times my trucks had to tippy-toe through the muddy fields.
You can hear the tread blocks slapping the pavement - IF you have real sensitive hearing. For me it was not annoying at all.
I have noticed the last two versions of the LTX AT/2 tires have had some tread block revisions; one to reposition the blocks for a quieter ride and one to revise the the outer block bridges to allow the biting edges to last throughout the tread life.
Mileage, snow and wet traction was far better than the BFGs and Toyos I had. BFGs were good; Toyos absolutely no wet traction.

FYI: I don't know if there is a difference between the "club" version (Costco, Sams Club, Sears, etc) of the Michelin LTX AT/2 and the Michelin discrete version. I found out on the plain ol' LTX tire the "club" version did not have the steel belt that the discrete Michelin tire had. Now I know where the $15.00 per tire savings comes from... I believe the steel belt saved our bacon a few years back when a road construction truck lost a couple BIG boxes of "flag" nails/spikes on I-70 in Colorado. Tires looked like porcupines. Must have been 25 to 30 cars stopped in the road with hissing tires. We were lucky, went deep into tread at an angle but none penetrated the steel belt. I pulled "a lucky" 13 spikes from the four tires on my truck. Only two barely hanging in the tread of one of the travel trailer's tires. Road crew was busy kicking the spikes off to the side of the road and handing out information to the local tire shop to get tires repaired on the company's account. So the LTX AT/2 tires are built tough. IF the LTX tires I have right now ever wear out I will be replacing with the LTX AT/2 tires.

 

[GAmes]

It is the only tire I have bought since wearing out the originals. I've got as much as 110k on the fronts, normal is 80-90. The rears get 70-80. I don't rotate. Too much work for little payback IMO.

 

[Bill Lins]

FYI: I don't know if there is a difference between the "club" version (Costco, Sams Club, Sears, etc) of the Michelin LTX AT/2 and the Michelin discrete version. I found out on the plain ol' LTX tire the "club" version did not have the steel belt that the discrete Michelin tire had. Now I know where the $15.00 per tire savings comes from...

The LTX comes in both a "P-metric" and a "LT" version. Could it be that the "club" version was the "P-metric"?

 

[PBJ2500CTD]

The LTX comes in both a "P-metric" and a "LT" version. Could it be that the "club" version was the "P-metric"?

They were the Load Range E LT tires in the LTX version...Oops! Silly me, and egg on my face... Must be oldheimers issues... I purchased the Michelin X LT MS2 which has 2 Polyester+1 Polyamide+2 Steel belts with a 70,000 mile warranty. At the time it was supposed to be the "club" equivalent to the Michelin LTX. What is a Polyamide belt really made of? I have had one tire repair due to a bolt puncturing center tread. All my older LT & AT2 Michelins had 3 bullet proof steel belts. So that's where the missing steel belt and 2 less pounds went. That was over 4 years ago and Michelin has made too many changes to keep up with over the years. Oh the choices and decisions...and confusion... Still will go with the LTX AT2, If and when these X LT MS/2's eventually wear out, due to the extra bite without appreciably tearing up the turf in crossing a wet, hilly, grassy field when pulling the travel trailer or loaded flat bed. Anyway, check the construction on the sidewall to see if it meets your standards. I will now go crawl under a rock and lick my wounds. I am so embarrassed.

 

[Blu-meanie]

I have a dually and noticed they were a bit more squirrely when towing. The width was narrower than what came on the truck even with the same size stamped on the tires. I've backed off some of the tension in the stabilization bars on the hitch, which helped a bit.

 

[GAmes]

I'm embarrassed too. I read the LTX and skipped the A/T. I only use M/S. Quiet, long lasting, good traction in rain and snow.

 

[TFucili]

I have a problem with companies making one-off versions of products, whether for large chains or for OEMs. No integrity. And, no, I don't believe in the tooth fairy...

 

[PBJ2500CTD]

I have a problem with companies making one-off versions of products, whether for large chains or for OEMs. No integrity. And, no, I don't believe in the tooth fairy...

I agree. I have no problem with a manufacturer creating a line for a specific customer, under a readily identified specific model or brand name. Go to a tire manufacturer's web site to see their offerings. Then go to the big tire selling houses like Tire Rack, Discount Tire, American Tire, etc. You will find a greater offering of models at the tire sellers. You used to be able to get detailed information as to the constriction of the tires. That has all but disappeared in any online review or available literature. Now you almost have to read the sidewall of each tire. Model series, tire ratings (Ply, load/weight, speed, etc.) seem to be changing faster than changing socks. Nothing wrong with technological updates, but it's getting harder to compare apples to apples.

 

[GAmes]

When did one-of, as in one of a kind, become one-off?

I just looked at the M/S. It shows 2 plies of steel, 2 polyester and 1 polyamide.

 

[PBJ2500CTD]

When did one-of, as in one of a kind, become one-off?

I just looked at the M/S. It shows 2 plies of steel, 2 polyester and 1 polyamide.

I'm kind of old school, can't teach old dog new tricks, show me the proof, sometimes slow to come around. I have since researched and learned the polyamide belt (whatever the material is; Kevlar, polyester, etc.) is probably a good thing as it is very strong, flexible, less susceptible to moisture, heat and all those other bad tire things along with saving a pound or two per tire. In other words tested and applied technology. I still have a little flicker in by remaining brain cell that is not convinced a poly(anything) is actually stronger than steel when it come to puncture issues. I may be wrong. Hey, I am still a believer nothing can compare to the Armstrong Tru-Track tires for all around on or off road fun.
The LTX AT tires I purchased in 2008 had 2 polyester and 3 steel belts. IIRC the LT (prior to the LTX) had three steel belts, too. The LT AT that I purchased for my 98.5 around 2002 had 2 poly and 3 steel. I don't remember what the LT construction was in the 80's that I put on the Jeep J10, and 97 Dodge Ram 1500 in 99, but there were lots of steel belts and they just wouldn't wear out. The LTX in 2013/14 were advertised with 3 steel belts (brochure and website). I couldn't find much info on the X LT M/S2 but I was told by the tire salesperson that the X LT MS2 was the same as the LTX, just made for the "clubs". I discovered the polyamide belt/steel belt change a while after the tires were installed. No big deal, just not what I was expecting. The tires are wearing well and all characteristics are fantastic. The AT2's do have a slight traction advantage off road and on slippery, wet grass. But the LTX M/S2 and X LT M/S2 are one of the best road tires around. All I know is I have yet to have a bad experience with the variety and number of Michelins I have owned since 1968.

 

[GAmes]

I buy my tires from an old friend, which costs more than the discount houses, but he takes care of me too. The M/S2 was a replacement for the M/S quite a few years ago. It has 1/16 inch less tread than the M/S had when new. As a consequence I've lost about 10k miles per tire, both front and rear.

 

[Bill Lins]

check the construction on the sidewall to see if it meets your standards.

I'll have to look @ mine tomorrow & see what they say. Years back one of my OEM "Good"years threw the tread & belt while I was in Houston- had to get an immediate replacement @ Discount Tire. When I got home I realized the pair I bought were the "P-metric" version. Thankfully they were on the back. As soon as I could, I bought a pair of the correct tires & put the "P-metrics" on one of my trailers.

 

[Tuesdak]

The factory Firestone tires are NOT good in snow or in the field, so looking at this tire.

What are your thoughts for this tire regarding:
- traction (wet, dry, snow, mud, wet grass, etc)
- tread life
- road noise
- etc.

I will be using this on a 2016 crew cab 4x4 short bed (diesel of couse). For towing (7-8K bumper pull), winter driving, working in the fields. Not much real sloppy muddy areas.

Thanks!

They do alright. Very good on noise vs more agressive off road tires. They don't experience cupping like more agressive tires. Typical trademark of the brand softer ride and squirrelly vs stiffer sidewall tires. Weak area is sidewalls that are exposed to off road derbis. I put a thumb sized branch through the near tread sidewall on my last set. Went BFG KO2 for better sidewall protection, but, BFG tread life sucks!

Wet and dry they did well. Not sure they are good enough for snow... If you are changing tires over traction you might want to go more agressive. IMO wet traction will be better than what you have now.

Overall a good in between tire for street and off-road/snow tires.

 

[DaveHess]

I have the Michelin's for about 40,000 miles now. I like them alot. Think I am going to go to Cooper HT3 next time. I like the Cooper tread design and American made.

 

[Tuesdak]

I have the Michelin's for about 40,000 miles now. I like them alot. Think I am going to go to Cooper HT3 next time. I like the Cooper tread design and American made.

The Cooper HT3s (Commercial delivery type of tire) were like railroad wheels vs. the squirmy Michelin LTX. I had them on the old Chevy 3/4t and The Dodge. They wore even on the Chevy and ok treadlife. However I couldn't stand the exceptionally low tread life out in our extreme heat on The Dodge - Under 18K miles as I recall. I put Michelin LTX on just for the longer tread life and even that was a hard debate. Even though the HT3s were prorated at 50K miles it still cost money to change tires. Good traction and IMO these are the only two differences between the two tires. Can't go wrong with either unless tread life is your #1 concern.

 

[DaveHess]

JDoremire. Thank you very much for the input. I truly appreciate your words there. The other option is the Cooper AT3's. I put maybe 5,000 miles a year on my pickup and it only sees roads between April and October. Between October and April only comes out "as needed". The AT3's really seem senseless since I don't run her very much in snow and definately no mud! The only dirt roads she sees is in the campgrounds.

 

[Bill Lins]

I just looked at the M/S. It shows 2 plies of steel, 2 polyester and 1 polyamide.

Same as mine.

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Thanks for all the input! I ended up not going that route and bought some Falken tires that are rated for severe snow too. Still an AT style tire. Got a smoking deal on them since I don't have to get ripped off on mounting and balancing (I do my own). I don't think the store was too happy to find that after they quoted the tires (and mounting and balancing) that I just wanted the tires alone.

 

[Bill Lins]

Got a smoking deal on them since I don't have to get ripped off on mounting and balancing (I do my own).

Was it a better deal than buying online (Tire Rack, etc.)?