20" Michelin Defender LTX Platinum Tires review -- For all of you thinking about a 20" tire! Your wait is over!

[RivianInVA]

I just changed out the Pirelli to the Michelin Defender Platinum (275/65/R20) LTX based on recommendation from this thread. Had Discount Tires price matched what Costco had (basically installation fee waived). DT set the tire pressure at 48psi, I'm pretty sure I should increase the tire pressure but not sure what to set it at yet... the Pirellis lasted only 23k miles for me. with these ones rated for 70k, i'm hoping i get half my money back as credit when i'm ready to get new ones again

This is the first picture I've seen where it shows the stock tire size and black 20s fully. It looks great! I think you may have sold me on my next tire. Please report back on efficiency!

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[mattlear]

Can anyone confirm that if I order tires from Costco (need to order them to the store for install), of a different size than stock, that they will indeed install them?

I still thankfully have quite a bit of tread on my stock ATs (13k miles in 6 months) but I'm looking at the new Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 in 275/60/20 or possibly even try 275/55/20 because I'm so curious about the efficiency (and 117 load rating vs 116).

They would NOT put them on at my Costco. I got a refund.

 

[usofrob]

So, based on that equation and a new tire load index of 126, the pressure at which the tire can take the same maxload as the 116 rated tire would be 59 psi.
New psi=80*2756/3748

what is your reference for this formula? Do we know that there is a linear relationship between tire pressure and load bearing? Or, is it a reasonable to assume it is linear and any non-linearity is not material for this calculation?

So, apparently it's not linear. (Edited to add But it looks like the actual load handing is better than linear. So you could still use the linear calculation and be safe. Or you could look at the pdf in the following link to do a more thorough calculation.

For those that want to know the details:
https://www.toyotires.com/media/2125/application_of_load_inflation_tables_20170203.pdf

Here's another forum having a similar discussion about similar tires:
https://www.tundrasolutions.com/thr...hould-i-use-for-my-load-range-e-tires.149922/
https://www.tundrasolutions.com/thr...ange-e-tires.149922/#lg=thread-149922&slide=0

 

[usofrob]

Also, check this out:
https://tiresize.com/pressure-calculator/
"Passenger type tires are fitted with a 10% overage in load capability when used on SUV's, Light Trucks, and Vans because of the difference in load handling. This load overage can be removed when changing to an LT type tire."

That explains why Rivian needs to use 116 vs the calculated 113 for P tires. But for some reason you don't need to do that with LT tires. I guess it's because P tires are for passenger cars and not really rated for trucks, where as LT are specifically light truck.

 

[usofrob]

If I understand the Toyo tables correctly, it looks like for E rated tires on a Rivian you'd need about
55 PSI for LT275/60R20
50 PSI for LT275/65R20

But if their table is correct, it would have to apply to all tires of the same size in the same way of the same load rating. So the PSI would be the same for any tire manufacturer you choose as long as it's the exact same size and load rating. I.e. the load index is a function of the tire size and the load index SL, XL, C, D, E. Is that right?

 

[SPITmadFIRE]

What's the expected return on efficiency vs stock ATs? Is there a need for RIVIAN to reset anything for speed accuracy?

Typically if the circumference of the tire hasn't changed significantly, you don't need to adjust the speedometer estimates. If you use the same tire size you're almost certainly fine.

 

[Shoey008]

Can we see pics of entire vehicle please?

 

[RWerksman]

I think this will be my next. Have we definitively determined if they are substantively different from the stock Pirelli tire?

 

[R1Sky Business]

Efficiency is about the same as stock but noise is significantly less, Correct?!

 

[Shoey008]

Efficiency is about the same as stock nut noise is significantly less, Correct?!

Noise is definitely less.

Efficiency will need a little more data but I think it's not as good. I've only driven for commuting in local roads with the new tires (3 days old), I'm getting 1.7 mi/kWh (w/ Pirelli I was at 2.17 mi/kWh), let me report back in a couple of days after some weekend driving on freeways. See pics Trip A is with Pirelli. The new Michelin tires is Trip B. Keep in mind I'm still using 48psi. Have not attempted higher psi's yet.

 

[Shoey008]

If I understand the Toyo tables correctly, it looks like for E rated tires on a Rivian you'd need about
55 PSI for LT275/60R20
50 PSI for LT275/65R20

But if their table is correct, it would have to apply to all tires of the same size in the same way of the same load rating. So the PSI would be the same for any tire manufacturer you choose as long as it's the exact same size and load rating. I.e. the load index is a function of the tire size and the load index SL, XL, C, D, E. Is that right?

I think so, it's all based on load rating, load range and psi. I found this other dataset (Discount Tire Load Inflation Tables), slide 3 has E load Range (Presume that is same as "E1", which the Michelins are ), it does not have all the details for 126 index, but when i plotted the load index by psi for all the other load indexes and put a reference line at 2756 load index (i.e. the Pirelli load index), roughly around 55 psi is what Michelin should be inflated to. (the reference line intercepts at around 58 psi for load indexes 121 and 123, so ~ 55psi if it was load index 126).

Good explanation here on how one should go about figuring it out.

 

[Supratachophobia]

I just changed out the Pirelli to the Michelin Defender Platinum (275/65/R20) LTX based on recommendation from this thread. Had Discount Tires price matched what Costco had (basically installation fee waived). DT set the tire pressure at 48psi, I'm pretty sure I should increase the tire pressure but not sure what to set it at yet... the Pirellis lasted only 23k miles for me. with these ones rated for 70k, i'm hoping i get half my money back as credit when i'm ready to get new ones again

Initial range efficiency?

 

[Ronimal]

Can anyone compare these to the snow performance of the stock AT tires? Any more efficiency data? I’d love a quieter option to the stock ATs that has similar looks, efficiency and snow performance. I won’t be crawling rocks anytime soon lol. The stock ATs seem to be quickly getting louder with age.

 

[Runamok]

In this thread, we've had people describing the LTX platinum with both increased and decreased efficiency. Considering their increased weight, they can't be more efficient than stock ATs, right?

This is really the only thing holding my order back.

 

[ksujeff99]

In this thread, we've had people describing the LTX platinum with both increased and decreased efficiency. Considering their increased weight, they can't be more efficient than stock ATs, right?

This is really the only thing holding my order back.

Winter is a hard time to do an efficiency comparison though. And some are coming from AT tires and some from the AS on the 21” or 22”

I’m going with the Platinum once my Black Rhino wheels come in. I’m on 21” wheels now.

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