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Deano_1's avatar
Deano_1
Explorer
May 15, 2019

New Tires for Tow Vehicle

Hey Guys,

Looking replace the stock tires on my 2014 Expedition EL XLT. The stock tires are P275/65 R18. I tow a 26 foot camper, with most of my towing within a few hundred miles. I live in upstate NY so we deal with snow and ice. Next summer we plan to drive cross county (not towing) so I would like an all around tire that might help with the mileage. I have been looking at the Michelin LTX A/T 2, LTX M/S and the LTX A/S but I honestly don't know the real difference between them.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Deano

18 Replies

  • Deano_1 wrote:
    I have another question on this. If the sticker in the door jam states 40 PSI, it the tires can be inflated to 80, can you safely pump them up to 80? I was looking at the LTX At 2.

    Thanks


    Yes, regardless of the pages of diatribe you may see by asking the question.
    However, you basically can't load the Expe heavy enough to need near that much pressure or capacity. Don't see you going above 50-60 psi on the rears. Front, still run whatever pressure you run.
    Bottom line, you still run the same pressure you need to, even if the tires are heavier duty.
    Nice part is E load tires aren't even breaking a sweat and they'll last much longer than P tires comparatively speaking.
  • I have another question on this. If the sticker in the door jam states 40 PSI, it the tires can be inflated to 80, can you safely pump them up to 80? I was looking at the LTX At 2.

    Thanks
  • Definitely switch to a Load range E tire. They don't cost much more if any in your size, you can air them up and towing performance will be much better than P tires, they'll last longer and dont ride any different if you air them down to be comfortable.
    Get a less aggressive AT tread and they'll be silent on the road and before winter have them siped and they'll run like dedicated snow tires if you want the best performance in the snow too.
  • JIMNLIN wrote:
    check out https://www.tirerack.com/tires/michelin-tires.jsp.

    The LTX AT 2 is a all terrain (AT) type tread and may be a bit noisy compared to a all season type tread. It has a good performance rating.

    The LTX M/S is a all season (AS) and shows to have a very good performance rating. The tread should be a bit quieter.

    The LTX AS is a all season tire. Tirerack shows to have a very poor performance rating from customers.

    Excellent summary !

    Switching from "P" (passenger car) to "LT" (light truck) may give a harsher ride, but the tires will last longer and you will notice less sway when towing.
  • Thanks guys, I found a dencent price for the Goodyear Wrangler with Kevlar. I will check out reviews on those!
  • check out https://www.tirerack.com/tires/michelin-tires.jsp.

    The LTX AT 2 is a all terrain (AT) type tread and may be a bit noisy compared to a all season type tread. It has a good performance rating.

    The LTX M/S is a all season (AS) and shows to have a very good performance rating. The tread should be a bit quieter.

    The LTX AS is a all season tire. Tirerack shows to have a very poor performance rating from customers.

    Check the reviews and pay attention to vehicles the same size of yours....and also from the same region you live and drive in. Use Michelins 1-800 number for their input.
  • Consider the Goodyear All terrain adventure with Kevlar, Nitto exo grappler, or BFG All Terrain. These tires are rated for extreme snow and you should be able to find a suitable LT tire for trailering.

    The difference between the tires you are looking at is tread design for use in surfaces other than pavement. The a/s is an all season and the other claims to be an all terrain.

    Tires are the most important thing on your truck. They should be selected for maximum traction, not mileage. This isn't a Prius.
  • Go to Michelin's website or to Tirerack and read the descriptions. I doubt there will be much difference in fuel mileage, but better snow traction will take away some mileage.