Road noise from Michelin XPS

westend,
Thanks for the input. I just checked the rear disc pads and there was plenty of material left but the front pads needed replacing so I did that even though the sensors weren't contacting the rotor yet. So, the search continues.

Some of the brake pad wear indicators will make strange noises as the indicator approaches the rotor. You might check those pad indicators and see if they are close or in contact with the rotor.

I just rotated the tires and am hearing the same sound and it doesn't seem to get worse. Going on a trip in a few days and I'll concentrate on the noise and where it might be coming from. I have an infrared thermometer and have been and will continue to check tire and hub temperatures.

Your noise is probably not from the tread, that's correct. Long shot but I have heard a passenger car radial make a rubbing noise on every rotation. I only listened to it in the dark, had the owner drive by me slowly while I stood close to the path of the car, one side then the other. I told him that from what I was hearing, something wasn't right in one of the rear tires. I forget which side, but I was able to be specific and he found the tire was bad. Replaced, quiet.

Thanks everyone for your input. So it seems the noise I'm hearing is not from the tires and probably something in the drivetrain. I will continue to search further.

XPS Used to be available in an M+S designation, I was going to buy some once but they did not come in my size (225/75/16). I just looked on the Michelin website and I see now they make what they call an "XPS Traction"

Here

The new "Traction" does not come in my size either. I can tell you from experience that the Rib is pretty slick. If you get caught in rain or snow you have to be extra carful.

Also, I noticed Michelin now gives the Rib a speed rating of "Q" that says it is good for 99 mph, they used to state they were only good for 75.

Agree and apologize. I read XPS as LTX. Worries me I did that. XPS, like our Bridgestone Duravis R250's, are clearly Highway Tread aka RIB.

No where on a XPS tire does it designate M&S.
Michelin calls it a "all-wheel-position highway rib light truck tire".
Does the inclosed picture look like a M&S tire?

Been running 225/75/16 XPS Ribs since 2004, three sets so far and no noise that I can tell :h

XPS is an all-season mud/snow tire. Tires like that develop a sawtooth tread wear pattern after x-thousand miles. You might try rotating them in a way that reverses their rotation. Early radials would come unscrewed if you reversed them but modern ones (last 20 years or more) do not. It's OK to reverse them.