Another Michelin Defender LTX Platinum Thread

[g7bupw9z]

I have one of the earliest VINs. After more than 42 k mi, the tire treads measure 7⁄32" and 6⁄32". Discount Tire considered that “excessive,” saying the tires now have only about half of their tread life left. I pointed out that the OEM originally equipped the vehicle with 9⁄32‑inch treads, and they were impressed at how well the tires have held up after over 40 k mi.

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[MisterChilidog]

Has anyone on here tried these tires off-road?

I had the Defender 2's on my Ford Escape, which is a poor comparison, but I found them to be reasonably competent off-road - even pulling my utility trailer with my 4-wheeler on it. Glad I don't have to drive that rig anymore, but it got the job done before the CT got delivered.

 

[hemiarch]

I had the Defender 2's on my Ford Escape, which is a poor comparison, but I found them to be reasonably competent off-road - even pulling my utility trailer with my 4-wheeler on it. Glad I don't have to drive that rig anymore, but it got the job done before the CT got delivered.

That’s really been my only reservation about making them my next tire I’ve got the factory AT.
I’ve been trying to decide between them and the K03.
Both seem to get rave reviews
I have a bit of brand preference towards Michelin due to positive past experiences but I wouldn’t call myself brand-loyal.

 

[Tecyber1]

But that hideous sidewall…

LOL.

I do respect the choice however, people have given good reviews so I would consider them an option.

Agree there, bad sidewall view and covers mostly suck but nothing worse than the core wheel package. Lame AF considering the CT is so mean looking. At some point I will trade looks for efficacy so I get it.

 

[deftguru]

I too had the Michelin Defender LTX Platinums installed. Going on 6k miles now and couldn't be happier: minimal range loss, smooth, quiet, and DEEP tread that will last!

They look really nice! How well do they handle snow compared to the factory? do you keep them year round?

 

[carsonag01]

They look really nice! How well do they handle snow compared to the factory? do you keep them year round?

I'm in San Antonio. Other than the freak snowmageddon we had a couple years back, the most we ever get is maybe some frost on the grass in the winter.

So, year round!

But, the tread is very deep. They double as All Terrain and All Season.

 

[Tecyber1]

I too had the Michelin Defender LTX Platinums installed. Going on 6k miles now and couldn't be happier: minimal range loss, smooth, quiet, and DEEP tread that will last!

That doesn't look bad and sounds like it performs better than the OEM ATT?

 

[Diveflyfish]

Well, I delayed as much as I could finally pull the trigger on the Michelin’s to replace the Wrangler territories. They barely made it 30K miles

They really live up to what everyone had said. Very quiet. Look just fine with the Cybertruck Covers. Definitely recommend for anyone looking to replace their tires.

What is the speed rating for this tire?

 

[carsonag01]

That doesn't look bad and sounds like it performs better than the OEM ATT?

I had the Pirelli's, so I can't speak for the OEM ATT.

 

[MisterChilidog]

That’s really been my only reservation about making them my next tire I’ve the factory AT.
I’ve been trying to decide between them and the K03.
Both seem to get rave reviews
I have a bit of brand preference towards Michelin due to positive past experiences but I wouldn’t call myself brand-loyal.

FWIW I bought the Tesla Winter Tire package, and I was surprised to note that I got better range when towing (though not under normal driving conditions) with the Winter tires. The down side is that they are quite noisy, and not as smooth as the OEM ATs - definitely only going to use them during the Winter. For everyday driving, I 100% preferred the OEM ATs.

But I did feel that I could do better than the OEM ATs for everyday driving, and I hoped to replicate the improved towing range of the Winter tires, so I started researching and comparing options. The two best candidates, as near as I could tell, were the Michelin Defender LTX Platinum and the Bridgestone Dueler AT Ascent. It was a tough choice, and I'm still not sure I made the very BEST choice, but I do still believe these two tires are the best options for my preferences.

I ultimately went with the Duelers because there was more data suggesting they have lower rolling resistance, which I hoped would lead to better towing range. They're also All-Terrains, as opposed to the Defenders being All-Season, and they certainly have more aggressive treads. For everyday driving, the Duelers are smoother and quieter than the OEM ATs, and they perform at least as well off-road. I can't say they yield many extra miles for everyday driving (but certainly no fewer), but they do seem to out-range the OEM ATs when towing.

At this point, I suspect the Defenders might have been the right way to go for range, which was more important to me than off-road performance. But if you're looking for a quiet and comfortable tire that doesn't sacrifice efficiency, but still performs off-road, the Duelers might be just what you're looking for. At the moment, I'm back on the Winter tires until Spring. After a couple months of Dueler silence, the noise of these Winter tires is obnoxious. I've come to realize the Duelers are actually quite a bit quieter than the OEM ATs - moreso than I had given them credit for. I'll see how I feel about these Winter tires after another Winter driving on them (hopefully more opportunities to put them to the test in snow), but I might actually end up keeping the Duelers for my Fall/Winter/Spring tires and getting the Defenders to handle my Summer vacation driving, when I do most of my towing.

 

[Jbrazda]

FWIW I bought the Tesla Winter Tire package, and I was surprised to note that I got better range when towing (though not under normal driving conditions) with the Winter tires. The down side is that they are quite noisy, and not as smooth as the OEM ATs - definitely only going to use them during the Winter. For everyday driving, I 100% preferred the OEM ATs.

But I did feel that I could do better than the OEM ATs for everyday driving, and I hoped to replicate the improved towing range of the Winter tires, so I started researching and comparing options. The two best candidates, as near as I could tell, were the Michelin Defender LTX Platinum and the Bridgestone Dueler AT Ascent. It was a tough choice, and I'm still not sure I made the very BEST choice, but I do still believe these two tires are the best options for my preferences.

I ultimately went with the Duelers because there was more data suggesting they have lower rolling resistance, which I hoped would lead to better towing range. They're also All-Terrains, as opposed to the Defenders being All-Season, and they certainly have more aggressive treads. For everyday driving, the Duelers are smoother and quieter than the OEM ATs, and they perform at least as well off-road. I can't say they yield many extra miles for everyday driving (but certainly no fewer), but they do seem to out-range the OEM ATs when towing.

At this point, I suspect the Defenders might have been the right way to go for range, which was more important to me than off-road performance. But if you're looking for a quiet and comfortable tire that doesn't sacrifice efficiency, but still performs off-road, the Duelers might be just what you're looking for. At the moment, I'm back on the Winter tires until Spring. After a couple months of Dueler silence, the noise of these Winter tires is obnoxious. I've come to realize the Duelers are actually quite a bit quieter than the OEM ATs - moreso than I had given them credit for. I'll see how I feel about these Winter tires after another Winter driving on them (hopefully more opportunities to put them to the test in snow), but I might actually end up keeping the Duelers for my Fall/Winter/Spring tires and getting the Defenders to handle my Summer vacation driving, when I do most of my towing.

I'll be getting duelers as well because of the 3pms

 

[Gundo]

I've been so on the fence for these Platinum LTX tires - but need them to work in snow, ice and our regular travel to ski races across Vermont and New Hampshire - so have waited to pull the trigger. Then I started reading the reviews on tirerack.com - reviewers going out of their way to mention and comment on poor snow performance - one dude even returned them. We've run dedicated snow tires on our other vehicles for years, was hoping to avoid this time around with CT

 

[pricedm]

... if you are curious I went with KO3's for the truck.

Please update us with energy consumption of the KO3s compared to your stock tires. And any other impressions you can share. I like the KO3s on my dad's ICE truck and as such they are a strong contender for my Cybertruck

 

[pricedm]

I've been so on the fence for these Platinum LTX tires - but need them to work in snow, ice and our regular travel to ski races across Vermont and New Hampshire - so have waited to pull the trigger. Then I started reading the reviews on tirerack.com - reviewers going out of their way to mention and comment on poor snow performance - one dude even returned them. We've run dedicated snow tires on our other vehicles for years, was hoping to avoid this time around with CT

I would definitely NOT buy a highway-oriented tire for winter driving. An AT tire like BFG KO3 or Bridgestone Dueler Ascent will do a lot better than the Michelin Platinum LTX for winter driving. The AT tires will also be less capable than a true winter tire like Nokian Hakkapeliitta LT3 or similar Bridgestone Blizzak. I will likely get a do-all AT tire like one of these two mentioned above, and just drive slower in blizzard conditions. Or take my Model Y with dedicated snows: Nokain Hakkapeliitta R5.

 

[hemiarch]

That’s really been my only reservation about making them my next tire I’ve got the factory AT.
I’ve been trying to decide between them and the K03.
Both seem to get rave reviews
I have a bit of brand preference towards Michelin due to positive past experiences but I wouldn’t call myself brand-loyal.

Anyone got first hand experience with both these tires?

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