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phil1ben · 11-22-2016, 05:46 AM

I expect to be buying a 2017 or 2018 Int'l Sig 25 FB next year. I will be towing it with a 2007 F-150 Supercrew Lariat (5.6 L) with 140,000 miles in good condition for its age like its owner. I expect the vehicle to get some use when not towing.

Time to replace my tires. My question is whether to replace the tires with Michelin Defenders (which are highway all season) or Michelin LTX (All-Terrain On/Off Road tires). We live in PA where we do get snow but I rarely if ever go off-roading. We do intend to take the trailer to Big Sky country in the early fall and late spring.

Better to get the All-Season or All Terrain? The Tire Rack analysis shows that the Highway All Season are better in the snow but I doubt that is the case when we get a foot of snow. Any thoughts? Thank you.

lsbrodsky · 11-22-2016, 05:54 AM

I just did the analysis and bought the all terrain. I have a 2 wheel drive TV and there have been a couple of times the extra tread has been useful in getting out of soggy campgrounds.

Larry

Adventure.AS · 11-22-2016, 06:01 AM

Out west, in the mountains, if there is snow you may be required to have tire chains if you don't have 4 wheel drive with tires rated for snow. Do the All Terrains have a "snow flake" rating?

Dexterpix · 11-22-2016, 06:09 AM

Michelin LTX come in Mud/Snow rating (LTX M/S 2 the m/s is mud/snow) and I run LTX A/S (all season) I think the new DEFENDER may have replaced the A/S LTX's. I travel in central/northern Maine all year and with 4 wheel drive have not had any significant issues with the A/S. They do get marginally better MPG. (maybe 1/2 to 1 MPG). I have a Nissan Xterra I run LTX M/S, with the lighter weight and shorter wheel base I like a little more grip from the M/S 2's. Both are excellent tires. What is your comfort level about driving in adverse conditions. A/S just require a little more patience in adverse conditions.

Joe D

SCOTTinNJ · 11-22-2016, 07:01 AM

Whatever you do get the LT rated tires, not P rated. Will help a bit with stability.

I bought the Michelin all season tires recently for my truck. I went away from the all terrain tires because I read that they throw a lot of rocks. Well so do the all seasons. I'm likely going with all terrain next time.

lsbrodsky · 11-22-2016, 07:12 AM

Be careful with this recommendation. One of the joys of my 1/2 ton is how nicely it rides, especially on P-rated tires. If you put LT's on it and pump them up to 80 pounds, you will never get the ride comfort you have on P-rated. My truck has towed just fine on P-rated.
Larry

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCOTTinNJ

Whatever you do get the LT rated tires, not P rated. Will help a bit with stability.

I bought the Michelin all season tires recently for my truck. I went away from the all terrain tires because I read that they throw a lot of rocks. Well so do the all seasons. I'm likely going with all terrain next time.

SCOTTinNJ · 11-22-2016, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsbrodsky

Be careful with this recommendation. One of the joys of my 1/2 ton is how nicely it rides, especially on P-rated tires. If you put LT's on it and pump them up to 80 pounds, you will never get the ride comfort you have on P-rated. My truck has towed just fine on P-rated.
Larry

Just because you can go to 80 psi doesn't mean you have to.

lsbrodsky · 11-22-2016, 07:24 AM

You are not going to run LT tires at 35, the normal pressure on the truck nameplate for my P-rated tires. The LT's are stiffer, probably more plies, higher weight-rated tires. Good tires and very appropriate for 3/4 ton or more. I am only suggesting a careful decision before you decide to put them on a 1/2 ton.
Larry

SCOTTinNJ · 11-22-2016, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsbrodsky

You are not going to run LT tires at 35, the normal pressure on the truck nameplate for my P-rated tires. The LT's are stiffer, probably more plies, higher weight-rated tires. Good tires and very appropriate for 3/4 ton or more. I am only suggesting a careful decision before you decide to put them on a 1/2 ton.
Larry

I run mine around 45-50. Definitely less side to side movement and I can't say they ride much worse than my stock tires did. Then again my stock tires weren't that good and were worn, so any tire would probably feel better.

CRH · 11-22-2016, 08:26 AM

If you drive in the snow go AT. I have used BFG Radial AT tires on one of my trucks over 20 years. I intentionally go out in big snows to do business. I have never been stuck.

Jacob D · 11-22-2016, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsbrodsky

Be careful with this recommendation. One of the joys of my 1/2 ton is how nicely it rides, especially on P-rated tires. If you put LT's on it and pump them up to 80 pounds, you will never get the ride comfort you have on P-rated. My truck has towed just fine on P-rated.
Larry

P rated tires may be fine for a 1/2 ton used only for pleasure but if you tow or put a load on them they may fail. The only time I have run them on my TV was when my tire shop mistakenly put two of them on my truck with two LT's. After towing about 5,000 miles the P's failed with side wall separation. The tire shop acknowledged their mistake and furnished 2 new LT's at no charge to me.

MelGoddard · 11-22-2016, 11:15 AM

My protocol is to run snow rated tired all year round.
It's cheaper, takes less storage space, and when trading in for new vehicle, you don't lose the cost of the extra tires.
My last TV was a Toyota 4-Runner, (excellent vehicle) shod with General 'Grabber' ATs.
They did the job and lasted a rather long time.
Now that I have a Ford F-150, it came with Hancook shoes, that will be replaced with B.F. Goodrich A.T.s.
B.T.W.; for insurance purposes, buy a tire with a Winter 'Snowflake' on the side.
Some Insurance companys offer discounts for winter tires; and if you have a winter 'accident' you can point to the snowflake and say: "But I DO have winter tires. (C.Y.A.)

Trailer Trash in a Tin Shed

MelGoddard · 11-22-2016, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsbrodsky

Be careful with this recommendation. One of the joys of my 1/2 ton is how nicely it rides, especially on P-rated tires. If you put LT's on it and pump them up to 80 pounds, you will never get the ride comfort you have on P-rated. My truck has towed just fine on P-rated.
Larry

Me too!

lsbrodsky · 11-22-2016, 11:25 AM

Jacob,

If you look at the load rating on P's, it is plenty for the rated load of a 1/2 ton and then some. Certainly if you overload your tires, they may fail. Far less likely to overload the tires on a 1/2 ton with LT's, but life is full of trade-offs. As far as I am aware, 1/2 tons come with P's and I doubt that people who do not exceed the ratings have problems with tire failure due to overload. This begins to fall into the opinion of buy a dually and a diesel so that you can haul anything you want.

Larry

Gneiss Guy · 11-22-2016, 11:35 AM

I don't tow in snow, but I do tow in rain. I pay a lot of attention to The Tire Rack's wet traction ratings. You might want to consider that.

pmclemore · 11-22-2016, 12:09 PM

You may want to consider that the more aggressive your tire tread is, the more rocks and gravel you will throw at your treasure.

Pat

B00merang · 11-22-2016, 01:31 PM

Michelin LTX please....I have used them for years on my Tahoes and Yukons, run them at 55psi, and have gotten a SAFE 70,000 miles out of every set. In my humble opinion....based on putting 212-264k miles on my trucks, I run the Michelin LTX exclusively and feel safe. Besides, Costco sells and mounts them. Safe travels, no matter which you chose. jon

ijustlee · 11-22-2016, 01:45 PM

I'd go with the tire tread that has more rubber in contact with the road surface. I'd think that would be the all season tires. To me tread is just air that doesn't grip the road. I like Michelins because the little grooves in the tread go all the way to the bottom, a lot of tires don't do that because the mold is more expensive.

toothpull · 11-22-2016, 06:33 PM

Towing our 25 FC out of Spokane, Wa this fall. Ram 1500 with 15k on it and stock GY P rated tires. Weight all good... Inflation 40 psi. Nothing like a side wall failure doing 60 on I 90. Fortunately the tpms alerted me and able to safely pull to shoulder. A call to AAA and a short wait brought help. Not fun with semis rolling by. Next stop tire store and changed out all tires to Michelin defender LT. Could have been worse as we had been traveling through Montana and Wyoming and many mountain roads. My advise? Get the best LT tire you can... Ride will suffer but isn't safely out goal?

wvstreamer · 11-22-2016, 07:49 PM

I think you kinda answered the question with the fact that you have plenty of snow. I am in the northern WV mountains and snow is often in feet not inches. I have the LTX M/s ...fair to good in snow and quiet in summer. Not so good in mud. Mine are E rated on F 250. Don't they make a 6 or 8 ply ? Maybe a D? For half ton that might be good. I like these Michelins and BFG AT's for all around- all weather use. I use my truck for everything every day and that makes a difference in my choices. LTX hard to beat.