Mich CT

[Kmvreter]

Finally ditched the Doneflops and am back to my Mich's!
Talk about quiet and smooth. The ultimate set of highway shoes. Installed an instant 1/2" lift by upsizing to the 265/75/16. These also nicely fill the wheel well. Got the Cross Terrains for C$220/ea (~U$191) before taxes. Now to monitor to see how the size and pattern affect the fuel economy.

ps. I caused a weird TPWS issue but I'll post that in another thread once it's resolved.

Here's a token pic. (Need to clean it up but got cold and wet again.)

 

[Samuel]

no rubbing at all?

tires are looking good~

 

[Kmvreter]

no rubbing at all?

tires are looking good~

Thanks, no rubbing.

Turns out I changed them too early because there was a light snowfall overnight. They have better ice/snow traction than the Doneflops had (conditions were subdivision streets packed down and slippery) because the ATRAC didn't kick in all the time (2wd mode.)

 

[pipspeak]

Be sure to let us know how mileage and ride change. Do you ever do any offroading?

 

[Kmvreter]

Be sure to let us know how mileage and ride change. Do you ever do any offroading?

These are my 3 season road tires. I don't intentionally off-road so much as take alot of lousy secondary roads, gravel backroads and the odd trail.

If I ever do want to offroad I can always put on the BFG winter wheels.

 

[Kmvreter]

Update

Really nice smooth ride.
I noticed or perceived an initial difference in longer stopping distances (compared to the BFG I run for the winter.) I didn't notice this the past 2 years that I swapped back to the Doneflops. I've adjusted and am used to it now. These have less rolling resistance and this also shows up in the increased mileage.

I have some preliminary fuel economy data to compare. Data for all years is the same time frame (first dozen fillups after swapping back to the all-season tire in the spring.)
I keep detailed records so here are the figures:

13.904 L/100Km (20.316 MPImpG) over ~4700 Km
(averaged from past 3 years on stock size Doneflops.)
13.542 L/100Km (20.859 MPImpG) over 4690 Km
(uncorrected on oversized CT.)
Saving 0.362 L/100Km = 0.3761 C$/100Km
(using actual averaged fuel cost of C$1.039/L)

13.021 L/100Km (21.694 MPImpG) over 4877.6 Km
(corrected kilometres by 4% factor verified by GPS.)
Saving 0.883 L/100Km = 0.9173 C$/100Km

Got some savings from change in tire brand/model but got more savings by upsizing. Expected minimum savings of C$917.30 over the 100,000 Km warrantied life of the tire. These tires will pay for themselves and I expect the savings will increase as fuel prices keep increasing.
I'll update this info in the fall with the year-to-date totals when I put the BFG's back on.

 

[coolpop]

That tread pattern is different from the stock CTs that came on my 04 and that I see on the 06 and 07 Runners. Your tire pattern looks like the one on Michelin's web site. My CTs had the open shoulder grooves.

Hmmm.

 

[Kmvreter]

That tread pattern is different from the stock CTs that came on my 04 and that I see on the 06 and 07 Runners. Your tire pattern looks like the one on Michelin's web site. My CTs had the open shoulder grooves.

Hmmm.

I don't think there is a different CT tread pattern (didn't know they changed it.) Not sure how you see that from the pic I've attached (the pic in my avatar has my BFGs) so I'll post a close-up later.

 

[Kmvreter]

Closeup pic as promised:

 

[Kmvreter]

Coolpop (or anyone),
Is this pattern different than what you have? Looks like any other CT I can remember.

 

[coolpop]

Thanks for the pics as you promised.

I got the scoop on the tires from a Toyota rep. Yes, the CTs that are stock on the 4Runners have a different tread pattern because they are specially made by Michelin for Toyota.

Take a look at the CTs on some 4Runners and you'll see a more open tread pattern on the shoulder. Looks like it would have better hydroplaning resistance because it would evacuate water better.

I'll see if I can find some pics.

OK check out the 2nd pic here http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1469&highlight=black

Notice the open shoulder pattern?

 

[Pirate VI]

yep, my stock ones have a different tread pattern as well, (also dont have the white outlined letters, not even on the inside) That must be why tire kingdom took so long getting me a replacement tire when I needed mine replaced under warantee, they did tell me the ones i have had a different model number than the ones they had in stock.

 

[Kmvreter]

Yes, the tire companies make the same "model" of tire for OEM vehicles but they have different catalog numbers and always have less tread (that is how they can pinch some pennies.) I didn't realize they would make a tread modification, just thought tread depth. Makes sense though because they have to use an entirely different mold anyways.
As for hydroplaning, the 4 radial channels in the CT pattern are what work for that. I don't know how much a closed or open shoulder block tread pattern would impact that.