Michelin Defender LT LRR rating

[Tomioka]

I'm shopping for some tires and I've noticed the LT versions of the Michelin Defenders have the Green X low rolling resistance designation while the P-metric version do not have the LRR designation. What is the difference in tread compound or design or etc between the LT and P metric versions?

 

[Johnny2Bad]

LT will almost always have more plies than a P tire, and enjoy the correspondingly higher load rating plus greater puncture / damage resistance. Often some of those extra plies go on the sidewall, making for a stiffer ride (but again, higher side puncture resistance).

Any Green X or Low Rolling Resistance designation would be specific to the tire model. The inherent qualities (as noted above) might contribute to that designation but I think that's a question best addressed to Michelin themselves.

 

[Rand]

LRR only applies to other similar tires.

AFAIK
A LRR UHP Summer tire might be worse than a non-LRR Grand touring tire for example.

 

[CapriRacer]

Not according to Tire Rack.

All the Defenders have an LRR GreenX designation.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: Kibitoshin
I'm shopping for some tires and I've noticed the LT versions of the Michelin Defenders have the Green X low rolling resistance designation while the P-metric version do not have the LRR designation. What is the difference in tread compound or design or etc between the LT and P metric versions?



They may have a LRR designation but LT tires are heavier than "P" tires generally. So-where is the advantage?

 

[userfriendly]

According to Rand, the comparison is between tires of the same type.
In this case LT tires vs. other LT tires.
The weight difference between tires of the same size, is an indication of it's construction.
For example, compare the weight of a p-metric 265/70/18 to Toyo's CT Commercial LT265/70/18.
Both are the factory replacement size for 3500 GMC/Chev's, but the LTs are for light trucks.
For fuel economy, the choice is a rib design, the more worn out the better.

 

[CapriRacer]

Just so everyone understands:

There is no official designation *LRR*. It has been used by various dealers to try to distinguish tires that have lower rolling resistance (better fuel economy) - but it is a comparison of like versus like - that is tires with similar wear and traction characteristics.

So if an P245/75R16 Goodstone FireEagle has an LRR designation, it has been applied by the dealer, and it means *better fuel economy compared to other P245/75R16's similar to the FireEagle with similar wear and traction properties (so the UTQG ratings would be the same).

Generally that also means the entire line of tires has the designation

- BUT -

LT tires are built quite differently than P type tires and one might be *LRR* and the other not.

- PLUS -

Some tire lines include Original Equipment tires (tires that are supplied to new vehicles) and in those cases, individual sizes might or might not be *LRR* as each size is different from any other size within the line.

 

[K20FA5]

The ones I put on the Pilot (P245/65-17) have the Green X mark on the sidewall.