Cooper vs Michelin
Hello, I'm looking for input on Cooper Discoverer HT3 tires for my 31' class c on a Ford E450 chassis. I currently run Michelin LTX MS tires on my RV which I put on in 2013. I've recently had ...
Forum Discussion
That Michelin XPS RIB® tire has a great reputation as a commercial tire - with it's steel sidewalls for improved curb scrubbing ruggedness in delivery service. However, it's tread is best suited for strict hard surfaced and dry, or merely wet, roadway surfaces.
The Michelin M&S tires are named that for a reason - they have a more aggressive tread to handle a wider variety of road surface and weather conditions - which IMHO is a better way to go for an RV that needs to be ready for anything anytime.
I now run the Michelin M&S2 Defender tires on our Class C, but of a different size than the stock MIchelin M&S that came on our E450 chassis. I discovered that the slightly taller and narrower M&S2 Defender tire in the LT215/85R16 Load Range E tire size has the same weight versus pressure ratings as the tires that came stock on our E450 - LT225/75R16 Load Range E.
This slightly taller and narrower tire provides at least these advantages:
1. It's larger diameter provides more ground clearance for everything on our Class C.
2. It's larger diameter provides a higher "air balloon" to support the weight - hence a slightly softer ride.
3. It's larger diameter provides a taller overall gear ratio to slightly counter the E450's low 4:56 differential ratio so as to help with fuel mileage.
4. It's narrower width provides more room for cooling air flow between each tire in the rear dually sets.
The only disadvantage I've noticed is not one I care about - the speedometer reads around 1.5 MPH low.
I'm also hoping that the new sidewall material in the M&S2 Defender's sidewalls helps with Michelin's "notorious early sidewall cracking" problem. For comparison, the Cooper's on my 4X4 pickup are at least 8-10 years old with not a sign of exterior cracking.
The Michelin M&S tires are named that for a reason - they have a more aggressive tread to handle a wider variety of road surface and weather conditions - which IMHO is a better way to go for an RV that needs to be ready for anything anytime.
I now run the Michelin M&S2 Defender tires on our Class C, but of a different size than the stock MIchelin M&S that came on our E450 chassis. I discovered that the slightly taller and narrower M&S2 Defender tire in the LT215/85R16 Load Range E tire size has the same weight versus pressure ratings as the tires that came stock on our E450 - LT225/75R16 Load Range E.
This slightly taller and narrower tire provides at least these advantages:
1. It's larger diameter provides more ground clearance for everything on our Class C.
2. It's larger diameter provides a higher "air balloon" to support the weight - hence a slightly softer ride.
3. It's larger diameter provides a taller overall gear ratio to slightly counter the E450's low 4:56 differential ratio so as to help with fuel mileage.
4. It's narrower width provides more room for cooling air flow between each tire in the rear dually sets.
The only disadvantage I've noticed is not one I care about - the speedometer reads around 1.5 MPH low.
I'm also hoping that the new sidewall material in the M&S2 Defender's sidewalls helps with Michelin's "notorious early sidewall cracking" problem. For comparison, the Cooper's on my 4X4 pickup are at least 8-10 years old with not a sign of exterior cracking.
