New Tires

[JohnSC]

I've gone through a few different variations of the Defenders and have them on my '11 now. I pushed one set to 75k+. My last set went to ~72k. They're great in dry and rain. They handle spirited driving well too. I find them to be acceptable in the snow, but not as good as the Pirelli Scorpions I had on there way back when. The Pirellis wore really quickly though and after I burned through 2 sets in ~70k I gave up on them.

Happily I won’t have any issues with snow having moved from Chicago to South Carolina. And being retired, I can plan any trips back north for periods of weather that are not inclusive of snow.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Calidad]

Hot summers mild winters Michelin LT tire is good. No snow I’d be headed that direction for a tire. But with snow and hot weather combo difficult combo to find a good tire the BFG Trail Terrain has been really good so far with very little impact on mileage

 

[sjwhiteley]

I've gone through a few different variations of the Defenders and have them on my '11 now. I pushed one set to 75k+. My last set went to ~72k. They're great in dry and rain. They handle spirited driving well too. I find them to be acceptable in the snow, but not as good as the Pirelli Scorpions I had on there way back when. The Pirellis wore really quickly though and after I burned through 2 sets in ~70k I gave up on them.

I will say that I'd rather have good tires that last 35k than just-ok tires that last 70k

Clearly, there are compromises, but it can be tough to find tires appropriate for a given application when that application is a wide range of surfaces.

If I didn't need to do any farm work at all, and it was a road car, I'd go with the Defenders, myself.

 

[ColoradoJon]

Went with Michelin cross climate tires this week. So far so good. Had Firestone Destination AT2 and liked them. Stuck with 22s for now I had planned to replace with 18s or 20s even but had a razorblade on the road make some serious damage and no warranty to replace. Couldn't wait for a good deal to come around. Cost difference to go Firestone again wasn't that much to get the cross climate tires. I actually like the tread look more than I thought I would. Very patterned vs aggressive. I have three decent firestones if anybody local wants them. 1/3 life left I am guessing.

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

I will say that I'd rather have good tires that last 35k than just-ok tires that last 70k

Clearly, there are compromises, but it can be tough to find tires appropriate for a given application when that application is a wide range of surfaces.

If I didn't need to do any farm work at all, and it was a road car, I'd go with the Defenders, myself.

They're great tires in everything but snow and we haven't had a snowy winter here in quite a few years. Last year we didn't even have 1 major snowstorm. The year before that I think we had one. Even if we had 14 days a year where the roads were really snowy, I'd still take the Michelins since 14 out of 365 is still trivial.

 

[Left Coast Geek]

I'll be putting BF Goodrich KO2 on mine when the Goodyear's wear out. I sold the 22" Hankooks along with the wheels and got some 18" takeoffs from an 2023 F150...

 

[Fastcar]

Continental TerrainContact H/T tires have been very highly rated as well.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=300

That is a great link! Informative as hell. Thanks for posting it.

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

I'll be putting BF Goodrich KO2 on mine when the Goodyear's wear out. I sold the 22" Hankooks along with the wheels and got some 18" takeoffs from an 2023 F150...

I had those years ago. They were great for snow/mud, but it was like riding on square tires compared to highway tires. They wore very quickly also.

 

[ColoradoJon]

Went with Michelin cross climate tires this week. So far so good. Had Firestone Destination AT2 and liked them. Stuck with 22s for now I had planned to replace with 18s or 20s even but had a razorblade on the road make some serious damage and no warranty to replace. Couldn't wait for a good deal to come around. Cost difference to go Firestone again wasn't that much to get the cross climate tires. I actually like the tread look more than I thought I would. Very patterned vs aggressive. I have three decent firestones if anybody local wants them. 1/3 life left I am guessing.

Fresh test today on some super icy overpasses. Slipped before I put it in four wheel. Watched several cars sliding where I didn't. I like what I see so far with the cross climates.

 

[LegalBrief]

I used to have Cooper AT4S3, liked the look, low noise and performance in the ice and snow. New Navigstor and put (after much debate) Pirelli Weather Actives. Very quiet on the highway, no winter yet.

 

[CoolViper777]

I used to have Cooper AT4S3, liked the look, low noise and performance in the ice and snow. New Navigstor and put (after much debate) Pirelli Weather Actives. Very quiet on the highway, no winter yet.

Hi, can you share your experiences wtih your Pirelli Weather Active tires, for the last year, including winter/snow experience. I'm thinking about putting them on my 2019 Exp Plat 4x4. We live in Pittsburgh, PA, so need some decent snow performance, but not necessarily a dedicated winter tire.

 

[Mr Big]

Hi, can you share your experiences wtih your Pirelli Weather Active tires, for the last year, including winter/snow experience. I'm thinking about putting them on my 2019 Exp Plat 4x4. We live in Pittsburgh, PA, so need some decent snow performance, but not necessarily a dedicated winter tire.

IMHO Pirellis will not last as long as the Michelin Defenders. But they are great performance tires, which I personally consider an Expedition a luxury vehicle. With that said, my choice for the Expedition would be Michelin Defenders, which I have on my Platinum.

 

[NevadaGeo]

I have the Pirelli Scorpion Weather active tires and just love them. I chose those over the defenders because most of my driving now is road trips so I preferred a road tire. If you will be taking your expy off-road often or somewhat, you should consider the defenders. They are both great tires.

 

[Mr Big]

I have the Pirelli Scorpion Weather active tires and just love them. I chose those over the defenders because most of my driving now is road trips so I preferred a road tire. If you will be taking your expy off-road often or somewhat, you should consider the defenders. They are both great tires.

In my close to 6 decades of driving, I've purchased a lot of tires. When I was younger, I would get the cheapest tire I could find. As I got older and wiser, I learned about the ride quality, mileage, directional vs. non-directional and treadwear. I ended up being a Michelin fan.

My 285/45 R22 Michelin Defenders LTX M/S are Super quiet and last longer, compared to my Scorpion WeatherActives I had on one of my vehicles. They also don't throw belts and have very even treadwear for such a large tire.

Both tires are great choices, and the Scorpions may be better for colder snow regions. But for smoother daily driving, treadwear and long-distance trips, as well as hauling, Defenders out performs the Scorpions. Another important factor is Directional vs. non-directional. I switched to Defenders because the Scorpion Weatheractives are Directional, while the Defenders are non-directional. This is a huge plus when it comes to rotation of the tires and even treadwear. I have horror stories about treadwear and the extra cost to move the passenger tires to the driver's side.

With that said, I found this comparison.:
Key points to consider:

Winter Performance:
The Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive excels in snow and ice thanks to its dedicated winter compound and tread pattern, making it a better choice for areas with harsher winters.

Tread Life:
The Michelin Defender is renowned for its exceptional tread longevity, offering significantly more mileage compared to the Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive.

Overall Handling:
While both tires offer good all-season performance, the Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive may provide slightly better wet handling due to its aggressive tread design.

Driving experience
Michelin Defender tires are designed to provide a sporty and reactive driving experience, especially when turning. Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive tires are designed to offer excellent wet performance and snow traction.

Who should choose the Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive:
Drivers in regions with frequent snow and ice
Those prioritizing good wet weather traction and winter capability

Who should choose the Michelin Defender:
Drivers looking for maximum tire lifespan
People seeking a quiet, comfortable ride with decent all-season performance

 

[ROBERT BONNER]

I'm a michigander that migrated to NC 18 yrs ago to escape the snow and salt; though, I do have to go back up north often. We all remember some of the worst drives we've had to deal with. For mine, I had a new set of Defenders on my old 2007 F150 4x4. It was 2 AM Thanksgiving day (don't ask) on M68 in Cheboygan County MI in an ice storm. The rain had washed all of the Salt off before the ice started. You could have skated on the road with a sharp pair of skates. I had it in 4H and was probably moving over 45 mph. A herd (20+) of deer suddenly started crossing the rode in front of me. I hit the binders hard and was amazed that the truck stopped quickly without ever tripping the ABS and chattering me into the crowd ahead of me. I figured that I had miraculously come across a dry spot. Once they'd passed, I eased down on the gas and was immediately spinning all 4 wheels. The braking traction in that instance impressed the heck out of me. I'll put the all weather traction of the Defenders up against anything I've ever driven.

 

[Rob6805]

I'm a michigander that migrated to NC 18 yrs ago to escape the snow and salt; though, I do have to go back up north often. We all remember some of the worst drives we've had to deal with. For mine, I had a new set of Defenders on my old 2007 F150 4x4. It was 2 AM Thanksgiving day (don't ask) on M68 in Cheboygan County MI in an ice storm. The rain had washed all of the Salt off before the ice started. You could have skated on the road with a sharp pair of skates. I had it in 4H and was probably moving over 45 mph. A herd (20+) of deer suddenly started crossing the rode in front of me. I hit the binders hard and was amazed that the truck stopped quickly without ever tripping the ABS and chattering me into the crowd ahead of me. I figured that I had miraculously come across a dry spot. Once they'd passed, I eased down on the gas and was immediately spinning all 4 wheels. The braking traction in that instance impressed the heck out of me. I'll put the all weather traction of the Defenders up against anything I've ever driven.

I live in Gaylord, MI so I know all about snow and ice. Just put a set of Cooper Discoverer Road and Trail ATs. They have the three peak snow rating and a 65k mile warranty. Can't wait for the snow!!