SUV Tires

Stephen Locke

Stephen Locke

EF3
Joined
Aug 23, 2008
Messages
258
Location
Roeland Park, Kansas. (Kansas City)
What is the current thinking regarding tires. Best/worst etc. I've seen consumer reports but I'm looking for first hand experience here. The Goodyears I'm taking off have weather cracked like an old tractor sitting in a field and they have developed sidewall leaks :eek: . I'm especially interested in hearing from SUV owners as I've got Ford Explorers. There are lots of tires from China now. I know a couple wrenches who say the Chinese tires are safe. As an SUV owner I'm tempted to buy Michelins just to make myself feel better. Are they really superior? Please discuss . . .
 
Yeah...any ideas anyone? I have a Chevy S-10 that I need to put 4 new tires on so people's opinions will help me decide which kind to get
 
I have run a lot of tires and have never had good luck with Goodyears nor Uniroyals. I have found Kelly Springfield to be hit and miss. I have had the best luck with Yokahama and Bridgestone/Firestone. Both are Japanese owned companies that make their tires here. Michelins are good tires, but I had a set on my truck and had the same problem that you did with your Goodyears. They rode smooth and the tread lasted, but they started cracking very early.

Bridgestone also makes Firestone tires, and I have found the Destination LE to be so good for me that it's all I buy now. They wear well, do good in the rain, and are quiet. Look them up on http://www.tirerack.com and look at the user reviews. Many people like them very well. I just put a set on my truck also. So far that's my third set, but I'm sold on them.
 
I also put Destination LE tires on my truck about a year ago and I coudn't be happier. They get great traction, tend not to hydroplane as easy, and have showed significantly less wear than other tires I've used. This is saying a lot for an '04 RWD Silverado short bed (A vehichle not recommended for muddy roads). I was told by a local mechanic that, for my style of pick-up, these would likely be the best tires for the price and he's turned me into a believer.

-Eric
 
Added a set of Goodyear Fortera Triple-Tred to my 2006 Honda Element just before chase season 2009, and my hydroplaning was significantly reduced, almost to none at all. They also performed very well driving around in the peak of the Norman blizzard last month and do good on wet dirt roads too.
 
I put a set of Bridgestone Dueler A/T Tires on my 2003 4Runner Sport Edition in July 2008. These tires have held up quite well and I should be able to get through another chase season with them. I plan on purchasing the same tire next time.
 
The only place I have purchased tires for the last 15+ years is online at Tire Rack. I did buy a set of Vredestein winter tires for my VW Passat one time at another online store and they were definitely worth the investment. They are a Dutch company and make very good tires. Over the years I've had the best luck with Bridgestone, Dunlop, Continental and Pirelli. My wife's GTI came with a set of Fulda's, which I believe are made in Germany and they seemed like good tires, although they were of the summer variety. I've been thinking about buying some Falken's next time she needs tires, but those are geared towards performance and I'm not sure they would be the first choice for an SUV. My Nissan Murano came with Toyo tires, which is the first time I've ever had those and they seem to be wearing well, but they are an oddball size so I will have to replace them with either Yokohama's or Michelin's in the next year or so as 235/55/20s are truly hard to find.

When it comes to Michelin, you definitely pay a premium, but you also walk away with close to the best money can buy. I'd seriously consider taking a gander at some Bridgestone or Dunlop tires and whatever you do, buy them from www.tirerack.com as you will save a boat load of money. Even when you count the mounting and balancing you can often times save well north of $100 on a set of four. As was mentioned above, the customer reviews on Tire Rack are invaluable so do check them out. Happy shopping!
 
I'm also interested in hearing opinions on this. I purchased a used truck with Nitto Terra Grapplers ( extremely popular here and cheaper than some) a while back and will have to be replacing them this year. I'm really impressed with the tires as I had absolutely no hydroplaning issues. The truck I had before (the same make and close to the same weight but two wheel drive) was wearing Uniroyal street tires. I know I hydroplaned at least once with those tires and they generally did not feel as safe when it was really raining. I will be looking for an all terrain tire and will likely purchase the Terra Grapplers unless I determine that some other tire might do even better when it's pouring buckets.
 
Bridgestone Dueler AT Revo II best tire ever for a SUV. I had 2 sets first the Revo then the Revo II great tires all the way around and highly rated. I had these on my Ford Escape over in England and they handled those crappy roads great. Brought the truck to Kansas and put the second set on and also fantastic on gravel/dirt/snow/rain.

bs_duelerat_revo2owl_ci2_l.jpg


http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Dueler+A/T+Revo+2
 
Last edited by a moderator:
BFGoodrich All Terrains also has my vote.

I would also check local joints for the full install price (including balance, valve stems, mounting, etc.) as I've found going to a local place is cheaper, especially when there is a sale. Some places have both online and local, so you can order online and have installed local, getting the best of both worlds.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top