Tire Advice: 2015 Highlander

[RN89]

Hello everyone,
I have a couple of questions before I break down and purchase new tires. Our 2015 Highlander just turned 40,000 miles today. Currently, it still has the OEM tires - Bridgestone Dueler H/L 422 Ecopia. They've worn evenly with not-so-on-time scheduled rotating. The front is 4/32 and the back is 6/32.

It was recommended to me today that I replace the tires asap (the front ones) but I am wondering if I can ride them a little longer as they are 4/32. I live in South Texas so there is now snow, just the normal rain storms that roll in. Also, just verifying that I should leave the tires with more tread on the back, correct?

Next question is about tires. I have a couple different tires on my list that I have been researching.
1. Michelin Latitude Tour
2. Micheline LTX
3. Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Plus
4. Toyota is offering Buy 3 get 1 for $1 on the OEM Bridgestone Duelers. Seems to be the cheapest options, but only 40k miles out of the Bridgestones?!

Do any of you have any opinions of the tires listed or have them in use? Reviews? Further recommendations for our 2015 Highlander FWD? Thanks in advance!

 

[edyvw]

Highlander? Michelin Premier LTX!

 

[RN89]

Those have very good reviews all around. They're expensive, but I'm willing to pay for a good product. It's my wife's DD, so I'm concerned with rain traction, comfort, quietness, and tread life.

 

[Oey12]

Michelin LTX Defender hands down in my opinion. My wife has a 2016 Highlander and as soon as the tires wear more I plan on getting them. I have also have them on two other Tacoma's. For highway commuting, ice, snow, and rain it's a tough tire to beat for all around use.

 

[AZjeff]

Originally Posted By: RN89
It's my wife's DD, so I'm concerned with rain traction, comfort, quietness, and tread life.


But you're wondering if you can run the 4/32s out a while longer? Make a choice and keep your wife safe.

A month ago a guy at work hydroplaned and rolled his '14 Ram truck because he was trying to squeeze a few more miles out of the tires. Not worth it.

 

[benjamming]

TireRack in their review of the Michelin Premier LTX stated:

What We Liked: Good road manners and excellent wet weather performance along with good winter traction
What We'd Improve: Not much improvement needed here
Conclusion: This tire raises the expectation of what a Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season tire can do in wet and winter's worst weather

If you're willing to pay for them, then I doubt you would find any better options.

TireRack also states that the rear on a FWD vehicle should have the best tires. Linky

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Oey12
Michelin LTX Defender hands down in my opinion. My wife has a 2016 Highlander and as soon as the tires wear more I plan on getting them. I have also have them on two other Tacoma's. For highway commuting, ice, snow, and rain it's a tough tire to beat for all around use.


+1. I'll probably use them on our minivan when the time comes!

 

[CKN]

The Tirerack consumer reviews also state the following-

(from a verified purchase review)

But there is a problem . . . you'll never get close to wearing them out before they dry rot. I have over 5/32" tread depth remaining on these tires approaching 60,000 miles of abuse but I no longer feel safe on them due to the checking and cracking between the tread blocks. Mine don't have the sidewall cracking or separation other folks have experienced YET but I'm sure they'd do it eventually were I to push them much further.It's a shame they couldn't engineer these with a more balanced rubber compound that could deliver both mileage and longevity.


Dry rot is a common compliant on the new generation Michelin tires-on all the various "flavors" of their tires.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

You can probably wait for the black friday sales coming up

What size do you need? 245/60-18?

Nothing wrong with the Michelin Defender LTX if you have the money for them. There's also the Cooper Discoverer SRX with a rebate going on right now. General is also popular on here, and the Grabber HTS60 is on rebate, too.

The Nitto NT421Q and Falken Ziex ZE950 are also worth considering.

OE tires aren't the greatest, as they're designed to be cheap.

 

[Nick1994]

Throw the 6/32" ones on the front and let them start to wear evenly to 3/32-4/32 all the way around.

People wouldn't blink an eye if all 4 tires were at 4/32" so why do they freak out if tires with slightly more tread are on the front?

I've got 2 brand new RT43s on the front of my Camry and 2 with 23,500 miles on the rear, at 6/32". Just drove it through some crazy rain the other week and it drove fine.

 

[CharBaby]

I also recommend the Michelin LTX. However, I believe that the LTX MS/2 are now discontinued though you may still find them, there are new replacements called Premier LTX and/or Defender LTX. All should be a fine(even the best) tire.

 

[BrocLuno]

Yeah, I'd move front to back and back to front. 70% of braking is fronts. That's the safety thing. She prolly is not cornering like a racer ...

I gave up on Michelins when I had one separate. I'd already tossed a few off for dry rot. They just don't last with time like they used to

Others have offered some good brands. I like Toyo for all around performance on light truck and SUV use. Bridgestone's are good too, and on sale at Costco every other month or so ...

I also like Kenda, but they are hard to find locally in many places. They made great motorcycle tires for decades. Now making automotive tires. I've got them on two vehicles and one motorcycle

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: CKN
The Tirerack consumer reviews also state the following-

(from a verified purchase review)

But there is a problem . . . you'll never get close to wearing them out before they dry rot. I have over 5/32" tread depth remaining on these tires approaching 60,000 miles of abuse but I no longer feel safe on them due to the checking and cracking between the tread blocks. Mine don't have the sidewall cracking or separation other folks have experienced YET but I'm sure they'd do it eventually were I to push them much further.It's a shame they couldn't engineer these with a more balanced rubber compound that could deliver both mileage and longevity.


Dry rot is a common compliant on the new generation Michelin tires-on all the various "flavors" of their tires.


Must have been someone from bitog.

Both the premier and the defender ltx are rated number 1 in category?

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Rand
Originally Posted By: CKN
The Tirerack consumer reviews also state the following-

(from a verified purchase review)

But there is a problem . . . you'll never get close to wearing them out before they dry rot. I have over 5/32" tread depth remaining on these tires approaching 60,000 miles of abuse but I no longer feel safe on them due to the checking and cracking between the tread blocks. Mine don't have the sidewall cracking or separation other folks have experienced YET but I'm sure they'd do it eventually were I to push them much further.It's a shame they couldn't engineer these with a more balanced rubber compound that could deliver both mileage and longevity.


Dry rot is a common compliant on the new generation Michelin tires-on all the various "flavors" of their tires.


Must have been someone from bitog.

Both the premier and the defender ltx are rated number 1 in category?


What is the rating on the tire?

60k with 5/32 is pretty solid performance.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: Rand
Originally Posted By: CKN
The Tirerack consumer reviews also state the following-

(from a verified purchase review)

But there is a problem . . . you'll never get close to wearing them out before they dry rot. I have over 5/32" tread depth remaining on these tires approaching 60,000 miles of abuse but I no longer feel safe on them due to the checking and cracking between the tread blocks. Mine don't have the sidewall cracking or separation other folks have experienced YET but I'm sure they'd do it eventually were I to push them much further.It's a shame they couldn't engineer these with a more balanced rubber compound that could deliver both mileage and longevity.


Dry rot is a common compliant on the new generation Michelin tires-on all the various "flavors" of their tires.


Must have been someone from bitog.

Both the premier and the defender ltx are rated number 1 in category?


Maybe-but the reviewer actually bought the tires. So.............. regardless of how they are rated-dry rot has been a consistent theme. Most owners assumption is that if they drive average miles-that the tread body should last as long as the tread.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: CKN


Maybe-but the reviewer actually bought the tires. So.............. regardless of how they are rated-dry rot has been a consistent theme. Most owners assumption is that if they drive average miles-that the tread body should last as long as the tread.


But have you bought the tires?

That reviewer says he abused them for 60000miles.. and they have 5/32 left.

I have a set of defenders and while they are wearing out about 3x faster than advertised.. no dryrot after... 3+ years.

My premiers are also showing no signs of dryrot after 2 years.

I think some of the whole dryrot thing is internet echo chamber. Did you also notice a ton of people saying they had used the defender ltx 3 years ago (It didnt come out that long ago).

How many people on bitog have a set of Michelin LTX MS/2 and pictures of their own tires dryrotting??

BUT YET according to the internets EVERY Michelin tire dryrots in 1 year in arizona.

/sarcasm off.

 

[jjjxlr8]

I think I'm going to go with the Cooper Discoverer SRX tires on my wife's 2014 Highlander next Spring. The OE Bridgestones tires probably won't make it to 35k.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Throw the 6/32" ones on the front and let them start to wear evenly to 3/32-4/32 all the way around.

People wouldn't blink an eye if all 4 tires were at 4/32" so why do they freak out if tires with slightly more tread are on the front?

I've got 2 brand new RT43s on the front of my Camry and 2 with 23,500 miles on the rear, at 6/32". Just drove it through some crazy rain the other week and it drove fine.


Once you get down to about 4/32 hydroplaning resistance really suffers.

Its much safer to have the 6/32 on the back because if the front lifts up on FWD.. you just understeer. If the back lifts up you might swap ends on the highway.

The rain in texas is a little more frequent than Arizona and quite heavy.

If he was in dry california what you suggest makes sense.

 

[dblshock]

LTX M/S have been a joy.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Rand
BUT YET according to the internets EVERY Michelin tire dryrots in 1 year in arizona.


I have a set of four LTX M/S tires from Arizona, produced in mid 2013, with only about 20,000 miles with what I would call moderate dry rot. My brother's father in law installed them on the Ridgeline shortly before he sold it to my brother. My brother owned it for about 12-15 months or so, putting about 8,000 miles on it. But, he parked it outside all the time. He lives in Tucson, AZ. When I bought it last year, the tires had a lot of cracking on them. Not quite as bad as some pictures you see, but they're pretty cracked. They haven't gotten much worse since I've owned it (it's garaged, and I have a home office), and the inside sidewalls are pristine as far as cracking goes.

So the stories of Arizona dry rot are not just internet lore. I own a set of Arizona dry rot.

Our MDX's Michelin tires are as old as these, and they're still perfect. They have just a bit of cracking down in the tread grooves. Very common for three year old tires. They have about 40,000 miles. The difference? The MDX didn't live outside in Arizona; it was garaged in the mid Atlantic.