4Runner Tire advice please.

[captpierre]

2013 4Runner with 123,000 km on original tires.  Bridgestone Dueller H/Ts. Have been  great  so far. 

Want to replace soon with new All Seasons. 

Just checked Costco site. 

Can replace with the same tires or Michelin Defender LTX M/S for an extra $120 more for 4 tires. 

I don’t mind the extra $ if it’s justified  

What to do?

[lew]

I've got Defenders on my F150 and they're the best 3 season tires I've ever used.

I use dedicated winter tires when the snow blows though.

Edited February 6, 2019 by lew

[Dutch01]

I use BFG AT KO2's year round on my Silverado and I love them. I'd never have any other tire on my truck again.

That's just me, good luck whatever you choose 

[craigdritchie]

Another vote for the Michelins here. I have the LTX on my Highlander, and they're excellent tires.

[Lape0019]

I had the Defenders on my Equinox and they are probably the best all seasons I have ever had. That is saying something because I always stuck with more economical brands because I didn't see the point. I was wrong. I have not had the Dueller HT but did have the AT2 and they were an alright tire for the money too.

Both tread patterns look similar so I would assume road noise wouldn't be bad with either. I know it was good with the Defenders. I also remember them wearing quite well. I sold the equinox not that long ago and bought a car. The car has both summer and winter Michelin tires on it too. They just work.

Edited February 7, 2019 by Lape0019

[JoshS]

Had the Dueller and also Michelin LTX's on my highlander. My vote goes to Michelin!

 

[porkpie]

I have about 85k on BFG all terrains on my F150.  Still have quite a bit of meat on them and they’ve been great tires.  I ran them on my old Chevy  before also.  Never had a problem.  I have to say that 123k on your stockers is pretty darn good!

[Chuck Enwinde]

Not sure, but the defenders may qualify as "winter tires" for insurance discount purposes.  Would probably make your decision a little easier if they do.  FWIW I've got Goodyear Duratracs on a '14 Tacoma and have been very happy with them.  

[Fisherman]

Go with the Michelin Defenders,  Costco has a darn good warranty program too. 

[John]

Depends a lot on your driving habits. Do you do a lot of highway? If so you may be disappointed with K02"s........great off road tire that look great, , I sold a lot, but they are quite noisy on highway. Michelin LTX MS are in my opinion the best "all 'round" if you don't plan on Winter tires. They also come in Winter compound and tread pattern.  I have run the AS for 6 years and put almost 200K on 2 sets and I wouldn't go back to the Goodyear Wranglers or Pirelli Scorpions that the factory puts on. I pull a heavy trailer and opted for the LT's rather than the P series.

If you want to wait a month or two Michelin rebates will be starting..

[Dutch01]

I read a lot of reviews about noise so I was worried when I got my KO2's but they're not that loud to me. I realize everyone has a different tolerance for noise but at least for me no issues.

[porkpie]

BFG’s are a little bit noisy, I’ll give you that, but I’ve done a lot of highway miles and you tune it out.  They are winter rated and have the snowflake on the sidewall, they are also pretty darn good when the road is rough.  Wear factor is pretty good and my wife has driven them into just about every curb imaginable and the sidewalls are still holding up!

[Dutch01]

21 minutes ago, porkpie said:

my wife has driven them into just about every curb imaginable and the sidewalls are still holding up!

???

This matters! I hate "bruised" sidewalls!

[Garnet]

Michelins even my tire guy said they are the best. 

[Headhunter]

I went through two sets of Michelins on my Jimmy. Both sets, the side walls cracked and not just on the curb side of the vehicle, all four tires.

I would listen to @John as he is in the business and has offered help to so many here.

HH

[Old Ironmaker]

I put on Cooper Discovery A/T 3's on my Silverado at 100K. They are 3 season but look more aggressive than that, they look like snows  handle the ice and snow well. I tested them when I got them by driving through a 4' plus drift in 4 low, no problem getting through it. I was expecting some road noise due to the aggressive tread but they are amazingly just as quiet as the original Goodyear's. My B-I-L that is a car junkie that races a Pro Stock Modified saw and drove mine then bought them for his 3/4 ton Ram that he drives to races as far south as Texas in Winter. He told me they handle better than the snow rated Goodyear's he had. They are a fair price as well. I highly recommend them. I have the white raised letters facing out, they look great too. 

I have not had any luck with Michelin's. A bad accident when the front drivers side belt separated at 30,000 KM's doing 110 KMH. Destroyed the fender, when it was hitting it then wrapped around the drive shaft. Thankfully it went into the ditch rather than southbound traffic. Scary stuff boy's and girl's real scary. Lucky to be alive. 

Edited February 7, 2019 by Old Ironmaker

[John]

2 hours ago, Headhunter said:

I went through two sets of Michelins on my Jimmy. Both sets, the side walls cracked and not just on the curb side of the vehicle, all four tires.

I would listen to @John as he is in the business and has offered help to so many here.

HH

Hi HH...Michelin are one of the best when it comes to warrantying tires for either premature wear or cracks or other defects. Typically they will jump through hoops to keep a customer. 

[John]

1 hour ago, Old Ironmaker said:

I put on Cooper Discovery A/T 3's on my Silverado at 100K. They are 3 season but look more aggressive than that, they look like snows  handle the ice and snow well. I tested them when I got them by driving through a 4' plus drift in 4 low, no problem getting through it. I was expecting some road noise due to the aggressive tread but they are amazingly just as quiet as the original Goodyear's. My B-I-L that is a car junkie that races a Pro Stock Modified saw and drove mine then bought them for his 3/4 ton Ram that he drives to races as far south as Texas in Winter. He told me they handle better than the snow rated Goodyear's he had. They are a fair price as well. I highly recommend them. I have the white raised letters facing out, they look great too. 

I have not had any luck with Michelin's. A bad accident when the front drivers side belt separated at 30,000 KM's doing 110 KMH. Destroyed the fender, when it was hitting it then wrapped around the drive shaft. Thankfully it went into the ditch rather than southbound traffic. Scary stuff boy's and girl's real scary. Lucky to be alive. 

Usually a result of under or over inflation. Belts just don't separate anymore under normal conditions, unless it's a truck retread. So much R&D and Quality Assurance taking place at every manufacturer from Michelin to even lower cost Chinese tires. 

[Old Ironmaker]

5 hours ago, John said:

Usually a result of under or over inflation. Belts just don't separate anymore under normal conditions, unless it's a truck retread. So much R&D and Quality Assurance taking place at every manufacturer from Michelin to even lower cost Chinese tires. 

This was in the early 80's John. I am a bit of a nut when it comes to longish trips, Calendar Bay from Hamilton, 4 to 5 hours then. I would check everything twice from the torque on the wheels nuts to a new air filter before a longer than normal trip because I drove that car in the steel plant and the filters took a beating. I would always check fluids and tire pressures at every fueling stop. To this day I carry spare lug nuts as I once lost 2 of 4 in the snow at the side of the highway changing a tire. A law suit against Michelin would only get my lawyer wealthier. I ate the 500 deductible and if I'm correct the tire dealer gave me a new tire. 

Edited February 8, 2019 by Old Ironmaker

[John]

10 hours ago, Old Ironmaker said:

This was in the early 80's John. I am a bit of a nut when it comes to longish trips, Calendar Bay from Hamilton, 4 to 5 hours then. I would check everything twice from the torque on the wheels nuts to a new air filter before a longer than normal trip because I drove that car in the steel plant and the filters took a beating. I would always check fluids and tire pressures at every fueling stop. To this day I carry spare lug nuts as I once lost 2 of 4 in the snow at the side of the highway changing a tire. A law suit against Michelin would only get my lawyer wealthier. I ate the 500 deductible and if I'm correct the tire dealer gave me a new tire. 

Sounds like you have got things under control OI...

In the early 80's the tire industry was still developing radial tires and compounds and construction was still a bit of a black art ('scuse the pun). Tires are among the least understood and least maintained part of a vehicle. The average person never checks pressures and rely on their service centre to do it when they get oil changes. Every 5-10K is not sufficient and lots can happen in that time frame......and, with the advent of 10 minute oil change centres they prob still don't get pressures and levels checked. I have pretty much seen it all from 65 PSI in tires on a Corolla (customer said they looked flat) to canvas and steel belts visible instead of usable tread (customer had no idea)..

 

[Garnet]

Still would like to if air pressure is so important why is it the most itsy bitsy print on the whole tire. 

[Fisherman]

18 minutes ago, Garnet said:

Still would like to if air pressure is so important why is it the most itsy bitsy print on the whole tire. 

Because it's also located in the owners manual and right on the B pillar door jam or gas cap door so there's no excuse.

[Dutch01]

A word of warning, don't trust dealers with tire pressure if you run LT tires.

LT tires require higher pressure to match the factory load rating.  BFG customer service will take your VIN and tell you what pressure to run. They told me 50 PSI cold.

In my experience most mechanics will set them to what is on the door, and that's not always correct.

[captpierre]

Thanks Everybody. 

Looks like the Michelins are the way to go. Will likely wait till the rebates come back on. They had a $70 rebate in the fall. 

I guess it doesn’t matter that the full seized spare is BFG Dueller. I’ll hopefully never need to use it. 

[Old Ironmaker]

4 hours ago, John said:

Sounds like you have got things under control OI...

In the early 80's the tire industry was still developing radial tires and compounds and construction was still a bit of a black art ('scuse the pun). Tires are among the least understood and least maintained part of a vehicle. The average person never checks pressures and rely on their service centre to do it when they get oil changes. Every 5-10K is not sufficient and lots can happen in that time frame......and, with the advent of 10 minute oil change centres they prob still don't get pressures and levels checked. I have pretty much seen it all from 65 PSI in tires on a Corolla (customer said they looked flat) to canvas and steel belts visible instead of usable tread (customer had no idea)..

 

Thanks John I value your opinion. I can say 1 thing about Michelin. In the 90's they were the only customer we had that followed very closely the quality of their end product, wire, all the way back to our Blast Furnaces supplying the hot metal to the steel shop. When the Sr. Meltor at Steelmaking called me to say we had a few heats for Michelin , usually 1500 tons, I got me arse out of the office. Many a heat was diverted because it didn't meet Michelins metallurgical specs to the tee. And that was on the Sr. Meltor an I, big responsibility, big money. 

Edited February 8, 2019 by Old Ironmaker