Recent experience with a Michelin Defender

Joined
Nov 17, 2003
Messages
564
Location
New Hanover, PA
Hi all. Wondering if anyone has any recent experience with Michelin Defender LTX ms tires. I've read many reviews online and while they generally score well, I see mixed messages on noise and tread life. I'm looking at them for my 2017 Explorer. I live in the mid-Atlantic region so we have all four seasons. Used for daily commute of 50 miles round trip...thoughts?
 
My step father uses them on his 2004 f150. So far he says that its dangerous because he doesn't notice when hes going 90 anymore. The tires are less than a year old so no real note on tread life but they have been the quietest tires I've seen on a truck.
 
Will you be using a separate set of tires for winter? If not, consider the CrossClimate SUV, if they are made in your size
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Seem to be as good as the LTX M/S2 that it replaced. I like them a lot. I can't tell much difference (noise, tire life, grip, etc.). A+ all around, but our winters are fairly mild.
 
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We put them on our odyssey before the winter came (that was a bust! OE tires would be heading towards 60k now had we known winter would be so warm). They do ride a bit firmer then the OE Michelin Primacy tires, especially if hitting an expansion joint, but we also run tire pressure a bit higher. No difference in noise, and fine handling.
 
FordSVTGuy

I'm on my 3rd set of these Defender Tires since Michelin switched from the LTX / MS2 tires.
I do lots of highway driving. They are very quiet and do pretty well in snow, and Great in the Rain. I normally run them about 75k miles down to about 6/32nds of an inch and sell them on Craigslist for $250-$300. I think you will be very happy with the Michelin Defenders. Good Luck!
 
Ran a set on a Jeep Cherokee 4x4 before trading in. Dealership thought they were new when they actually had over 35K miles on them.

They were wearing like iron, rotated at each oil change and pressures checked monthly. They did pretty well in Michigan winters as well.

I'd buy them again.
 
We have a set on a 2014 Grand Cherokee. They are the best tires we have had by far. We have also had the OE Michelin Latitude, Firestone Destination LE2 and Cooper Discoverer AT3. They have outlasted any of the other tires. The wet and snow traction is also significantly better than any of the previous tires. Snow traction is downright impressive. With the stock Latitudes, the Jeep used to slide all over the place and activate the ABS every time you hit the brakes. The Defenders are mostly drama free (about as good as you can get without a winter tire).They have also remained quiet and continue to ride smooth after 2 years.
 
The defender is a WIDE range of tires.

Similar to firestone destination.

The worst defenders were the passenger car models when they first came out 5+ years ago.

The new truck defender models are above average in every way.

**now waiting on michelin haters to post how bad they are when they never owned this model**
 
Originally Posted by Rand
The defender is a WIDE range of tires.

Similar to firestone destination.

The worst defenders were the passenger car models when they first came out 5+ years ago.

The new truck defender models are above average in every way.

**now waiting on michelin haters to post how bad they are when they never owned this model**


Long live Michelin....and Crown Vics......
 
Originally Posted by CKN
Originally Posted by Rand
The defender is a WIDE range of tires.

Similar to firestone destination.

The worst defenders were the passenger car models when they first came out 5+ years ago.

The new truck defender models are above average in every way.

**now waiting on michelin haters to post how bad they are when they never owned this model**


Long live Michelin....and Crown Vics......


What, no mention of the 4Runner...

...²
 
I have 62K on my Defenders. Will be replacing them before winter. Even down the the wear bars the still do awesome in the rain.
 
Originally Posted by ARB1977
I have 62K on my Defenders. Will be replacing them before winter. Even down the the wear bars the still do awesome in the rain.



A tire that defies physics-no tread but still does well in rain. They are truly a "Wonder Tire".
 
I actually have a set of 4 P275/65/18 Michelin Defender LTX M/S with only 10k miles on them (9/32 tread left) that we took off my 2017 Expedition that I am selling for $350 local pickup in the Colorado Springs, CO area. I took them off my Expedition to go up a size and get a more Off-Road oriented tire but the Michelins were great for Highway use. Discount Tire in our area are selling that size for $244/each brand new..
 
Originally Posted by CKN
Originally Posted by ARB1977
I have 62K on my Defenders. Will be replacing them before winter. Even down the the wear bars the still do awesome in the rain.



A tire that defies physics-no tread but still does well in rain. They are truly a "Wonder Tire".

As much as I dislike Michelin and won't buy them again, they did have decent wet performance down to the bars. My beloved RT43's at 4/32's are probably the same as than Primacy's at 2/32's. [Only difference is, that's 40k on each tire--guess which thus has a lower cost per mile?]
 
A quick update. I purchased the Defender LTX tires on TireRack before the current $150 rebate ended. I got the tires I needed for $748 for a set of 4. If I get decent life from them, it should end up being a good value. From time to time I'll come back to provide updates on how they are holding up. Any thoughts on how long I should go before the initial rotation? I was thinking 4,500 miles, as that would put me right at 40,000 even and then I can rotate every 5,000...

First impressions are good. Drove home and cleaned them and the rims up and then took out on the town for a spin. They are quiet and comfortable.
 
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You should be happy with them. I'm running 265/70/16's.

Both the defender ltx ms and the ms2 before it are fantastic. Likely the best performing all season truck tire on-road, and they don't give up a lot off road (out west).

They also do just fine with a 4x4 or AWD system in snow/slush.

Nothing wrong with altering your rotation schedule to make it easier on you. The tires won't notice.
 
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