Tire Life?

[More Power]

A while back I bought a set of 265 Michelins for my truck because owners reported great tire life. The factory Firestones lasted for about 45k, the current Michelins have a little more than 50K on them, and they'll need to be replaced this summer. I was hoping for more.

What's been your experience for tire life? What brands do the best? I don't want larger than 265s, but I do want an all season type tread. Thx.

[ToddMeister]

My brother put a set of newer Michelins (LT265-75-16) on his LLY last year, and they are not lasting as long as the older LTX M/S series that I have on my LLY.

His are at least 1/2 gone at 30K, don't think think they will make it to 60K

My LTX's should go 80K or more easily.

[Roy W]

I replaced my Bridgestones with 265/75/16 load range E Michelin MS-2's. New tread depth was 13/32. 20K miles later they're 10/32. I expect to get 60K plus out of mine. 60 psi front and rear on PYO wheels.

[DickWells]

My Michelins are the same as the last post, and I have 37 thousand towing miles on them and I consider that pretty darn good. I think I just might get 45 total out of them, before I have to swap, and I expect to go for Michelins again. Run 80psi, cold, all the time.

[ToddMeister]

Wow for the price they are getting for those new Michelins I would expect at minimum 80K....

[hogbody]

I just replaced the tires on my rig after 55000 miles if towing. They were the LTX's. Bought a set of Faulken Tires at Discount Tire. Took a 5,000 mile towing trip and they were terrible. Every time a truck passed me the truck would wobble and handle poorly. This did not happen with the LTX's. Went back to Discount and traded up to another set of LTX's. It cost me about $130.00 for the use of the tires for 5000 miles. Michelins are well worth the extra money after trying something different. Discount Tire is great also.

[FJ40INTOW]

I am on my 3rd set of LTX a2's. I replace them when they have 80K or so on them.

[DickWells]

When we went to Alaska in 07, our wagonmaster told me that I wouldn't get 50,000 out of any set of tires, towing, and that lines up pretty well with what I've experienced. I got 55 K out of a set of oversized Dunlop car tires on my old 95 Burb, towing a much lighter trailer. My all-up weight was, probably, ~12K lbs. Now, at a little over 20K, and with a LOT more power, I don't expect to ever get another 55K out of any tire. If you're towing at that kind of weight and getting 80K, I want to know what tires you're using, and I'll get myself a set, just as soon as this set of Michellins are gone.
Lets ask Mark R. what kind of mileage he gets with those big boats and trailers. Mark?

[Kennedy]

I'd be curious as to LTX MS or LTX MS2?

The MS2 is said to have silica in the tread compound. Maybe this affects mileage.

I just know this: When I take off the Blizzaks or whatever I'm running in winter and put the LTX MS back on I am always amazed at how smooth they ride and the MPG seems tp perk up as well.

On my 2005 the factory Bridgestones wore out pretty quickly and I switched to Michelin LTX AT2. These tires were still going strong at 98 k and headed to AK with the new owner so by the time he's back they should be at 110k.

I'm thinking with the Dmax that rotation should be at every 10k or less although I am pretty lax about doing this.

[ToddMeister]

My brother has the newer LTX MS2 with about 30K on them, and I have older LTX M/S with about 55 or 60K, and mine have more tread left than his do, FWIW.
Both trucks are LT265/75/16 E

[SoTxPollock]

JK, your right about the 10,000 mile rotation, that's what I did with my original from the factory bridgestones and they went 102,000 miles. I put a set of Revo's on and at 60,000 they were so noisy I could hardly hear the radio and was headed for Alaska with the 5er, so I put on a new set of Revo 2's and headed for Alaska, a little over 14,000 miles later with no chance to rotate them, the fronts looked perfectly new, but the rears were worn very noticibly down to about half the tread depth gone. I know with the edge set on 2 and heavy towing and heavy foot up those mountains etc, it has to really put a strain on where the rubber meets the road. I rotated them and will see how the overall mileage will go, but no replacement tire is going to match my factory tires and stock set up. I can see that with the truck new and me not hot rodding it at all and no heavy towing the tires last a much longer time.

Dick Wells your right, if you tow heavy, don't expect the tires to last a long time, just be thankful they can take all the use we put them through. The summer of 2011 was soooo HOT I think that had a lot to do with tire wear for me.

God Bless America, lets take our country back in November men and women of Diesel blood.

[DickWells]

Yup, rotation. Forgot to mention that I try to rotate sometime between 6 - 8 K miles, criss-cross the first time, and front to rear, next time, then alternate. The rears always wear faster than the fronts, and they always run hotter, too. I know, because I have Smart Tire sensors in all 8 tires, and can take a pressure, and/or, temp reading any time. Really interesting how the readings can vary, especially on the trailer. I keep the same pressures in all four trailer tires, but know for a fact that the trailer pros' reccommendations are right. IE, you should weigh each wheel and adjust the pressures accordingly, cuzz my left rear trailer tire runs hotter, and builds more pressure, by up to 20 degrees and 8 lbs psi, or more, and it's the one with the most weight. I just rotate them regularly, and (now), with LT's on there, I'm getting great service out of them, so I don't let it worry me.
BTW, running 80 psi, cold, in the truck tires will give me about 93-94 psi on a cool day, and up pretty close to 100 on a hot day, and it only takes about 10 minutes of running to notice that the pressures are already started to rise. On the trailer, I keep 66 psi, cold, in them, because my wheels are only rated for 60 psi, cold, and I can't tolerate that because my tire sensors will throw an allarm due to an over/fifteen psi variation. Trailer tires will see over 80 psi on a hot day.

[Kennedy]

My brother has the newer LTX MS2 with about 30K on them, and I have older LTX M/S with about 55 or 60K, and mine have more tread left than his do, FWIW.
Both trucks are LT265/75/16 E


I just popped one of my M/S. Caught it on the lift pad of teh hoist and tore a 4" gash in the sidewall. So I took it down to the tire shop and said order 2. They called and said that they were ready, but now I see they ordered MS2's. Seeing them in person I can see why they wear faster. The shoulder is broken much more plus the grooves between bars are much wider. Just plain less rubber on the road. Not sure if I'll keep them or make them swap them for what I wanted in the first place.

The new design should be a bit more capable, but these are my summer/highway tires.