Michelins new Defender tires

[Drew99GT]

I just found these at Discount Tire. They look great. 90,000 mile tread warranty, 3D siping, low rolling resistance. They have all the latest technology in one tires so no area of performance is compromised. The interlocking sipes still allow traction in wintery conditions, but they stay stiff and locked together during cornering to reduce squirminess and increase tread wear.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42388

 

[Hollow]

See also:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2488755#Post2488755
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2562823&page=all

 

[Drew99GT]

Oops!

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
They have all the latest technology in one tires so no area of performance is compromised.


Well, all tires have compromises somewhere. The most modern tires have really done a good job to minimize them however.

Maybe Michelin will surprise us all with this one, but with an 800 tread wear rating and a 90,000 mile warranty, I'm rather curious how much wet traction and comfort this tire will be able to deliver. In addition, higher mileage tires often compromise on rolling resistance, so it's likely not as easy on fuel as other choices.

Again, lots of different metrics out there. No one tire can hit them all out of the park.

 

[Drew99GT]

One area where Michelins excel IMO is they usually start with 1/32s of additional tread for wear resistance without sacrificing too much ride quality and traction.

 

[Hokiefyd]

The Defender, in every size listed on Tire Rack, has 10/32" of tread. Which is kind of what worries me: they don't have additional tread depth (10/32" is fairly standard for all-season tires), so the compound that is there must be either super advanced or harder than most. I assume the later, but I could be wrong. My baseline is the predecessor to this tire, the Michelin HydroEdge. It had an 800 tread wear rating and a 90,000 mile warranty, and the biggest complaint seemed to be the noise and ride comfort out of that tire. Like I said earlier, I hope this Defender is surprising in that regard.

One plus on these is weight, at least if other sizes are similar to mine in being lighter than "normal" for the size. In 225/65R17, the Defenders only weigh 25 pounds; the lightest I've seen in that size is 24 pounds (Continental CrossContact LX), and the heaviest is 30 pounds (Michelin Latitude Tour).

 

[Drew99GT]

Really? Uh oh. Thanks for the info. To compare, the Michelin Desitiny in the size I regularly buy is 11/32 (225/60r-16).

Have thy gone with a much harder tread compound for the Defender?

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Really? Uh oh. Thanks for the info. To compare, the Michelin Desitiny in the size I regularly buy is 11/32 (225/60r-16).

Have thy gone with a much harder tread compound for the Defender?


I think so. It's 10/32" vs. 11/32". And with a treadwear rating of 800 vs. 740. That's a 10% reduction in tread depth and an 8% increase in rated life. Unless they've really come up with a super innovative compound, one has to assume that the Defender will behave somewhat like long-wear tires. We won't know for sure until Tire Rack or Consumer Reports tests it. CR will publish its testing of this tire in October. Tire Rack may beat them to it, I don't know.