Which Highway Tire

[claydoctor]

Have 56K on my 2006 4-Runner Dunlops with plenty of tread left and except for a few nails early on, have no complaints. I know Cross Terrains have good rep but boy are they getting high. Like white letters but Cross Terrains look dumb to me "MICHELIN-MICHELIN". Anyone have any experience with Goodrich Rugged Trails? They get decent Tire Rack ratings and are owned by Michelin, I understand. Most of my driving now is highway so I'm interested in comfort and low noise. Don't need A/T versions. Options are Cross Terrains-raised black letters, Rugged Trails or stay with Dunlop. I know this is a perennial topic but any comments on Goodrich or others based on experience? Thanks?

 

[alaskaman]

Depends on your driving circumstances and what your priorities are. tread life, noise, ride comfort????

......I found the Michelin LTX M/S a superior highway tire very quiet with nice road and cornering manners. I bought them in Flag and put them on my 1997 SR5 2WD.... still have them on with good tread after 40K.......so my daughter reports to me=).

Goodyear as well makes a couple tires with excellent highway manners. The Regatta and another one I can't name right now.

 

[cknsls@adelphia]

Highway Tires

I have the Michelin Cross Terrains and believe they are the best highway tire made.

I would think the LTX tires would ride rougher due to the LT tire designation.

Just my thoughts.

 

[alaskaman]

perhaps. never rode on the CT's so can't say. both a exceptional tires from the reports I hear.....

 

[Even Steven]

I've recommended Cooper Discoverer ATRs over and over again, and I'll do it again here.

They are basically highway tires (not really a true all-terrain tire) with an aggressive tread on them. They perform very well offroad and excellent in snow. To me, they are the best all-around tire you can buy. I doubt I'll put any other tire on my 4Runner in the future...

 

[alaskaman]

Yo. Even. I likewise am the same on the Scorpions by Pirelli but the guy wants a HIGHWAY tire.....think Goodyear Regatta.

:

 

[Even Steven]

Yo. Even. I likewise am the same on the Scorpions by Pirelli but the guy wants a HIGHWAY tire.....think Goodyear Regatta.

:

Well, there's highway tires and then there's highway tires.... I believe the Discoverer ATR is actually classified as a highway tire, although it is definitely not the same type of highway tire that I've seen on other SUVs.

Have you ever seen the Goodyear Integritys Honda puts on their Pilot? Those tires look like they should be on an Accord or something....but not an SUV!

So when he says he wants a highway tire, I'm assuming that he wants a smooth rolling, quiet tire for the highway that has low rolling resistance and will perform well on the highway. I think the Discoverers fit that bill and also work well in the nasty stuff too...

 

[delmartian4]

Michelin

Has anyone tried the Michelin

 

[alaskaman]

saw that tire also...looks like a fine ride.

 

[delmartian4]

Michelin

Here's a pic of the tire. Read on another forum that its Michelin's latest version of the LTX MS tire but sold only at Sam's Club, Walmart and Costco ... for a dollar less than the comparable LTX MS ... noticed it has six ribs instead of the five for the LTX MS.

 

[delmartian4]

Michelin LTX MS

Here is a pic of the LTX MS ... a tire I once uses on another SUV and was very impressed with ... only problem was stopping on highway ... not exactly the best at that ... something Consumer Reports also found out ... otherwise gas mileage was great and so was the ride.

 

[claydoctor]

Thanks for the opinions and advice so far. A few comments. I have had the Michelin LTX M&S on a '96 Explorer and thought it was a great tire. doesn't come in 265X65X17, however. I had Cross Terrains on my 2004 Explorer and thought they were good but no better than the LTX and they picked up gravel in my driveway and redistributed it every morning in my wheelwells for the first 5 miles. Not a problem now as my driveway is aggregate. How much of a problem is it to go to a 265/70/17 to widen my choice of tires? I would think the current 65 ratio would give better handling.

 

[claydoctor]

Yo. Even. I likewise am the same on the Scorpions by Pirelli but the guy wants a HIGHWAY tire.....think Goodyear Regatta.

:

AS for the Pirellis, I used to have a BMW back in the 80's and it seems every time I went in the service bay, there was another Pirelli tire off a brand new BMW that had suffered a tread separation. Might have been isolated incidents but kinda soured me on Pirellis.

 

[alaskaman]

roger that on the Pirellis. I thought long and hard and did a ton of research on them before buying. have 5 K on them now and not averse to telling all should they fail. the road manners are aggressive and in snow they are competent. combined with the already superior brakes and EBD of the 4Runner stopping is nothing that I have ever seen before........on anything save a jet when it reverses engines....LOL

returning to Alaska later this year and will find out about the soft tread with the hard spot on freezing cold weather......

 

[03_4x4Runner]

I now have BFG all terrains but looking back the stock Bridgestone Dueller HT tires were excellent. Quiet, rode good and never needed balanced their entire life. They are not the best looking tires but held up well in moderate desert off roading. Also never had a flat. If I did not off road I would consider the stock tire again.

 

[Uneek]

I have Cross Terrains on the 4Runner, no complaints with these tires. Quiet and grip well in dry pavement, rain and snow. Slight sliding on ice.

I have Rugged Trails on my Tacoma, they grip well in dry pavement and rain. Never took the Tacoma to the snow, 2WD. There's a bit more noise with the RT's, nothing annoying or unbearable though.

For the meatier look, I'd consider RT's again (most likely, I think my Taco will look funny without the meatier tires), otherwise, CT's.

 

[delmartian4]

I understand from reading other posts the 265x70x17 can rub with 4th gen 2wd 4runners but not with 4wd. Also understand speedometer will be off and towing is not optimal because of the extra inch this size offers.

Otherwise a lot of forum members seem to like the extra height and look.

 

[delmartian4]

Cross Country tires seem to be a popular favorite on this site yet Tire Rack surveys and Consumer Reports rated the LTX MS higher ... Cross Country also comes in a 275x65x17 that is wider than the 265x65x17 yet is only a 1/2 inch taller (hard to find because size has been discontinued by Michelin).

I presently use Hankook 285x60x17 V rated Ventus tires with no rub and same height as the 265x65x17. They ride hard, handle great and are slightly noisy. Gas mileage not as good as it was with stock Dunlops.

 

[claydoctor]

I'm beginning to think I may be stuck with ponying up the money for the Cross Terrains. Maybe I'll go blackwalls. I usually like the look of white letters but I am getting tired of scrubbing them. Funny thing is, even though they get a lot of bashing, I've had no problem with the Dunlops.

 

[claydoctor]

Just wandered onto the Michelin website and they show 3 tires in 265/65/17, the Cross Terrain, the new LTX A/T2, the all terrain tire and the XC LT4. I'm not familiar with the last one and how it differs from Cross Terrain. I don't believe it is listed on Tire Rack.com. Specs look similar except it has a better treadware rating than Cross Terrain and the "Maximum Load" rating is higherThey list benefits of the Cross Terrain as "Quiet Comfortable Ride. 65,000 mile limited warranty and precise control in wet conditions." For the XC LT 4 they say "sure grip in wet and snow. Three belt durability and wears evenly, long lasting" cross terrains are listed by Michelin as an SUV tire and other two are listed as "Light Truck". I'm confused.