Michelin LTX M&S2 no good in snow

[Runner Up]

For the overwhelming majority of you, I suspect this is no surprise. We got 12 cm (5 inches) of snow on the weekend, and I had to take my utility trailer around to the back of my property. I never thought for one minute that I'd run into trouble with a 4x4 4Runner. Boy, was I wrong! I never got hung-up at all, but the tires just kept a spinnin'. It was quite a show. I thought for a minute I was going to have to rescue myself with my Honda CR-V :wow2:

I've had my Tacoma up to the floor boards in snow with near-bald all-terrain tires of various flavours and never had an issue.

As soon as my pocket book will allow it, I'd like to mount a set of General A/T2's. A friend of mine has them on a Tacoma and they work very well in mud and snow.

 

[Lolrax]

You live in Canada, why aren't you buying winter tires? All Terrain tires are practically as bad as summer racing slicks in sub zero temperatures w/ ice or snow.

 

[Runner Up]

You live in Canada, why aren't you buying winter tires? All Terrain tires are practically as bad as summer racing slicks in sub zero temperatures w/ ice or snow.

Winter tires are for people who don't know how to drive. I would consider the LTX M&S2's an all-season (3 season) tire, not an all-terrain tire.

The LTX works great in the summer. Good gas mileage and low noise, but traction is almost non-existent.

 

[JEL]

If you want A/T tires I know the Pirelli Scorpion ATR is highly thought of and popular around here, apparently good in snow for A/T tires.

 

[Lolrax]

Winter tires are for people who don't know how to drive.

Omfg you're one of those people. I am so sick of arguing with ignorant Canadians who believe their sick driving skills can beat the laws of physics.

Who wouldn't want to accelerate almost as they would on dry pavement? or stop 40% shorter on snow and ice? I don't even get it.

Driving in snow and ice is so much fun with good winter tires on.

 

[Raven]

Winter tires are for people who don't know how to drive.

I don't want to seem argumentative, but I consider that a very silly statement!
I spent much of my youth driving in northern Ontario snow, with bald tires on 2WD (rear wheel drive) vehicles. Not the smartest thing to do, but I was young, foolish, and broke. I think I learned a few things about how to drive in poor conditions.
So, in my opinion, winter tires are for people who are smart enough, and experienced enough to know they are superior to so-called all season tires.
Winter tires have been designed for a particular purpose. All season tires are a compromise - they do a fair job in most seasons, but they don't do a great job in any of them, especially not winter.

There are already too many people living in snow country who say: " I have all season tires, I don't need to put snow tires on!" You should not be encouraging them.

 

[wnelax04sr5]

my michelin ms2's have been awesome in any snow, heavy and wet or light and fluffy, deepest i had it was about a foot last winter

 

[anotherrunner83]

i agree with wnelax, my MS2's have been great in snow. i have to try to make them spin. ATRAC rarely kicks in, the truck just goes with those tires, for me anyway.

 

[Runner Up]

my michelin ms2's have been awesome in any snow, heavy and wet or light and fluffy, deepest i had it was about a foot last winter

Based on what I experienced last night in the back yard, there's no way mine would make it in a foot of snow. It had a very difficult time even in the spots where there was only 2" of snow. Worst tires I've ever used.

 

[wnelax04sr5]

Based on what I experienced last night in the back yard, there's no way mine would make it in a foot of snow. It had a very difficult time even in the spots where there was only 2" of snow. Worst tires I've ever used.

weird that you have had that experience, i used to have yoko geolander hts' and i hated them in all weather, but there are people on here who have them and have had them and love them. sometimes not everyone gets the same experience weirdly

 

[Runner Up]

You live in Canada, why aren't you buying winter tires? All Terrain tires are practically as bad as summer racing slicks in sub zero temperatures w/ ice or snow.

For the record, the General Grabber A/T2's are studable, but even without studs they are fantastic in both mud, and snow. I've accompanied my buddy many times while checking his trap line, and he runs the Grabber A/T2's, and I've seen for myself how capable they are.

Llorax, I'm glad you run winter tires. Everyone is safer as a result.

 

[Rocket61]

Winter tires are for people who don't know how to drive.

Wtf?

 

[Lolrax]

Llorax, I'm glad you run winter tires. Everyone is safer as a result.

Appreciate the sneak diss. If I ever need lessons on glitching the Matrix to make things like temperature, friction and density irrelevant to driving applications, I will be sure to drop you a PM.

 

[Runner Up]

weird that you have had that experience, i used to have yoko geolander hts' and i hated them in all weather, but there are people on here who have them and have had them and love them. sometimes not everyone gets the same experience weirdly

Yeah, I used to run 31" BFG A/T KO's on my X-Terra and they were terrible in the snow.

I used to run a Hercules A/T year-round, and they were great in the snow, but unfortunately they don't make them anymore. They had a really nice tread pattern.

I also used to run Kumho Road Venture KL78 on my Tacoma, and although I didn't really like the tire, with a bit of weight in the back I very rarely had to use 4WD in the snow or light off-roading, even when they were worn down.

I really was expecting a lot more from the LTX's. They really are a summer tire.

 

[m85476585]

Maybe they get a different kind of snow up there in Canada?

There are lots of different conditions that a winter tire has to work in:
-Deep/soft snow
-Packed snow
-Wet snow
-Dry powdery snow
-Slush
-Rain
-Slick ice
-Rough ice
-Wet ice (melting)
-Dry ice (not the Halloween kind, just frozen solid)
-Dry pavement
-Extreme cold
-Mix

The Kumho Road Venture, General Grabber A/T2, and BFG A/T KO have the mountain/snowflake rating. I can't tell if the Hercules A/T do, but they look like they have enough sipes to qualify. The BFG A/T KO has notably less siping. The LTX MS2 has a lot of siping but not the mountain/snowflake rating. It's not an A/T tire, so it won't work as well in deep snow. I guess the OP doesn't know how to drive since they didn't work for him?

 

[Runner Up]

Maybe they get a different kind of snow up there in Canada?

The Kumho Road Venture, General Grabber A/T2, and BFG A/T KO have the mountain/snowflake rating. I can't tell if the Hercules A/T do, but they look like they have enough sipes to qualify. The BFG A/T KO has notably less siping. The LTX MS2 has a lot of siping but not the mountain/snowflake rating. It's not an A/T tire, so it won't work as well in deep snow. I guess the OP doesn't know how to drive since they didn't work for him?

The Hercules tire I used to put on the Taco were the Terra Trac R/S. They were a great tire, but we can't get them up here anymore.

I guess some people view 2" of snow as "deep snow"???

 

[4RunnerFan]

Got these tires for my 4Runner and did not have any problems in snow whatsoever last year (bought them new the previous August). In fact, they performed marvelously. OP, how many miles are there on your set of Michelins?

 

[Bossman]

I installed Michelin LTX MS2 tires on my 03 Limited V8 with full-time 4WD at the end of last summer, and ran them throughout the winter season with no issues.

Granted, they are no winter tire, but when I adjust my driving to match the conditions they seem to handle the situations (snow, ice) just fine.

I ran my previous tires (Michelin Cross Terrains) in the winter as well.

 

[CookieRoe]

speak for yourself OP, mine are probably the best tires I've even owned. On snow/wet/dry/whatever.

 

[Ohcrymore]

OP, try winter rated GY duratracs. My EMS agency uses em on our ambulances (RWD only) and they're amazing. There are few better feelings than passing a stuck pickup on a steep uphill with a 14 ton ambulance. :banana: