Michelin LTX M/S2 Load Range E

[USAFANGWINGNUT]

I just bought 4 new Michelin LTX M/S2 Load Range E tires to replace my OEM BF Goodrich Rugged Trail T/A on my 2006 Nissan Frontier NISMO 4x4 at around 30500 miles. Yep those are the real OD numbers. I don't use the truck very much. The BFG's were tired after about 20,000 miles....very poor traction on wet surface here in SW Florida. The Frontier was bought new in Maine hence the 4x4. Only spent one winter in Maine.
The most obvious improvements with the new tires are: traction both wet & dry roads, improved cornering, quieter ride and a slight improvement in MPG of 1 mpg.
I was really surprised to notice that even though these were Load Range E tires that they did not have a harsher ride.
My question is since these are Load Range E should I run them at the same 35 PSI as the OEM tires or should I up the TP to say 5 or 10 more PSI?
Many thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Smokescreen]

I run 40psi with my load range E's.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Measure and check the wear. A frontier is pretty light for load range E truck tires. I run load range E truck tires on my Cherokee and if I go above 30PSI in any of them, it bounces around like crazy.

 

[USAFANGWINGNUT]

When the new model Frontier came out in 2005 it was considered heavy compared to the Toyota Tacoma. That was one of the negative points of that new design. Now I see the newer ones have put on like 500 more pounds over my 3650 lbs. I suspect it's to do with improving crash test.

I have not noticed any bouncing around since the tires weigh 8 lbs more than the BFG OEM. The Bilstein shocks don't feel overwhelmed by the extra weight and load range.

 

[USAFANGWINGNUT]

40 psi is what I'm running them at now and feels ok. I thought sure I'd feel more harshness in the ride but none at all.

 

[rfeir]

Go by the recommended pressure posted on the door jam! Less pressure for serious off-road. LT tires use a different standard for load ratings, per pressure, but the E rated tire, the LT tire and a P rated tire should all still use the recommended pressure posted on the vehicle.

If a vehicle specs a LT tire, the LT tire would be larger than the P rated tire for the same load rating, but still carry the same pressure recommendation. Some vehicles require more pressure than a typical P rated tire, thus the spec for an E rated, or LT tire. (And it is more conservatively rated for load thus larger for a given load requirement at any given pressure).

 

[Tzu]

I have those tires on my Silverado right now (got them used from my brother) and I can't wait to get those off for ride quality only. It's a half ton truck but the ride is like atleast a 3/4 ton all the time. I run 35psi just to make it comfortable. I had a similiar set on before with less load range and those tires rode and wore incredibly well. No more load range E rating for me, but Michelins are going back on.

 

[SteveSRT8]

A mistake in my book, as you paid a lot more for E range than LT.

An 80 psi ten ply rated tire? But good luck to ya!

Probably want to keep the pressure down a bit, but it may take experimentation to get it right. Be glad you have good shocks.

 

[Ken2]

Look at page 95 the .pdf of this Toyo Load/Inflation table
http://toyotires.com/tires-101/load-and-inflation-tables

"WARNING! Please note that size for size, LT-metric tires require higher air pressures to carry equivalent loads of P-Metric tires and that any failure to adjust air pressure to achieve the vehicle’s load requirements will result in tire fatigue and eventual tire failure due to excessive heat buildup. Due to the higher PSI requirements of LT-Metric tires they may not be suitable for replacing O.E. P-Metric tires because of the ride harshness that results from higher PSI."

You really need to check a load/inflation table to know what air pressure to run in the LT tires. Be sure to reduce the listed load capacity of the P tires by 10% due to truck use, as noted earlier in this table.

Will we ever get away from calling tires like these 10 ply or 10 ply rated? That dates way back to the fifties and earlier when the tires actually had ten plies of cotton cord. A modern Load Range E tire will have two or three plies of tire cord in the sidewalls.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Great tire, but why would you need a load range E tire on that truck? I hope the "less harsh" ride continues for you because these tires typically have a very stiff sidewall for supporting heavy loading.

I would imagine they would last nearly forever on your truck

 

[gaijinnv]

Originally Posted By: USAFANGWINGNUT
I just bought 4 new Michelin LTX M/S2 Load Range E tires to replace my OEM BF Goodrich Rugged Trail T/A on my 2006 Nissan Frontier NISMO 4x4 at around 30500 miles. Yep those are the real OD numbers. I don't use the truck very much. The BFG's were tired after about 20,000 miles....very poor traction on wet surface here in SW Florida. The Frontier was bought new in Maine hence the 4x4. Only spent one winter in Maine.
The most obvious improvements with the new tires are: traction both wet & dry roads, improved cornering, quieter ride and a slight improvement in MPG of 1 mpg.
I was really surprised to notice that even though these were Load Range E tires that they did not have a harsher ride.
My question is since these are Load Range E should I run them at the same 35 PSI as the OEM tires or should I up the TP to say 5 or 10 more PSI?
Many thanks for your thoughts.


It's not rocket science, but some science is involved.

For sake of discussion, I am assuming your stock tire size is P265/75R16 and factory recommended Tire Pressure is 35psi. If that is not the case, then just read the following for the logic - not specific numbers.

The BFG Rugged Trail T/A tire is a "P-Metric" passenger car rated tire. At 35psi it has a Load Limit of 2,601 pounds. This Load Limit has been factored up by 10% because it is a passenger car tire.

The idea is to find the Tire Pressure for your Michelin LTX M/S2 tires (which I assume are LT265/75R16 Load Range E) which will support the same Load Limit as your stock tires.

Since the Michelins are "LT" or Light Truck tires, the Load Limit does not have to be factored up, so the number we are looking for is 2,601/1.1 = 2,365 pounds.

The Tire Pressure required to provide your Michelins with a Load Limit of 2,365 pounds and be safe on your vehicle is approximately 47psi. (Source: 2012 Yearbook of The Tire and Rim Association, Inc.)

So no, you should not run your new Load Range E tires at the same OEM 35psi. You should run them at 47psi.

HTH

 

[gaijinnv]

Originally Posted By: Ken2
Look at page 95 the .pdf of this Toyo Load/Inflation table
http://toyotires.com/tires-101/load-and-inflation-tables

"WARNING! Please note that size for size, LT-metric tires require higher air pressures to carry equivalent loads of P-Metric tires and that any failure to adjust air pressure to achieve the vehicle’s load requirements will result in tire fatigue and eventual tire failure due to excessive heat buildup. Due to the higher PSI requirements of LT-Metric tires they may not be suitable for replacing O.E. P-Metric tires because of the ride harshness that results from higher PSI."

You really need to check a load/inflation table to know what air pressure to run in the LT tires. Be sure to reduce the listed load capacity of the P tires by 10% due to truck use, as noted earlier in this table.

Will we ever get away from calling tires like these 10 ply or 10 ply rated? That dates way back to the fifties and earlier when the tires actually had ten plies of cotton cord. A modern Load Range E tire will have two or three plies of tire cord in the sidewalls.


You are correct, sir!

 

[ChrisW]

Good post gaijinnv. The door placard is not necessarily applicable if the new tires are not of the OE load rating. For example, my Mazda6 originally came with 94W rated tires in 235/45R18 and door placard says 32psi for this tire size in that load rating to safely carry the load of the vehicle. I now have 98W rated tires in the same size, which require 33psi to reach the equivalent load carrying capability of the OE tires at OE inflation. At work, we have this all calculated for us in our computer system via software tool based on the Tire Assoc. charts.

 

[gaijinnv]

Bump for USAFANGWINGNUT

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: Ken2

Will we ever get away from calling tires like these 10 ply or 10 ply rated? That dates way back to the fifties and earlier when the tires actually had ten plies of cotton cord. A modern Load Range E tire will have two or three plies of tire cord in the sidewalls.


Ha, so true. Remember I started driving when tires were simple bias ply and radials were not yet available at any price!

Old habits die hard.