19" Tire Advice

[elcarrodeloomis]

Time to replace the tires on my 06 HSE. I have read alot of the threads and see the Michelin Synchrone gets good reviews, but they seem a little pricey. I'm fine with that if they perform better or will last longer, but I didn't find much in the way of reviews of Toyos or Pirellis. Anybody have experience with them?

I put on a lot of freeway miles up and down I-5 and take occasional winter skiing trips. I don't do a ton of off roading, but I do travel some fairly rough gravel roads to fish and had the pleasure of digging my way out of a snow drift in the Shasta National Forest this June.

I hope I don't get blasted for another tire thread, but I'm interested in what others think - are Synchrones worth the money or are there other good 19" tires?

 

[Hollywood LR3]

These are great tires http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/pts/792504894.html

 

[jptruck]

There's no doubt that the Michelins are an extreme improvement over the GY tires, but if you're going to be doing some serious off-roading, you should probably try to score something more aggressive. I live in an area that snows alot and I'm in the woods alot for work, and I've never been stuck with mine.

 

[Houm_WA]

The Michelins would be fine for what you described, elcarr....I still haven't put them to the real test in snow and that may be a weakness, but short of getting an all-terrain tire they are probably your best option. I'm not sure about the Toyos or Pirellis either.

 

[jimbiram]

I drove my Michelin Synchrones for 25k miles until I picked up some Cooper Zeon LTZ's and some 18" wheels to go with them. I loved the Synchrones even in the snow in Big Bear. They were a huge improvement over the GY's. I took them offroad several times, and despite the narrower tread width, they did very well on 2N17X in the Silverwood Lake area behind Lake Arrowhead, only giving a little more slippage. I did not take them in severely rocky trails, but for occasional light to moderate offroad use, they are fine. I was actually rather suprised, as was NWOODS at how well they performed on the trail.

 

[ChuckD]

How did the Coopers work out? I'm about ready to get some, but am also looking at the GY Wrangler silent armor for my 18" wheels.

Thanks.

ChuckD

 

[Houm_WA]

Chuck, I did the same thing Jim mentions....bought some 18" rims and mounted Zeons on them. The only difference (maybe) is that I also kept the 19s with the Synchrones on them. I do a bolt-on/bolt-off procedure when I plan to go out on the weekend.

The Coopers do just fine off-road and handle surprisingly well on the road, too. I prefer the Michelins on the road, but if I had to drive 200 miles on the Coopers I wouldn't bat an eye at the thought.

...after my first experience I would have a tough time purchasing any tire that said "Goodyear" on them....especially if it also said "Wrangler." I know that the vaunted MT/Rs are technically Wranglers as well, but they are just different.

 

[mustbeaudi]

Bridgestone catalogs a tire, but not yet available. Toyo HT tread (not AT) is what I got. I have no comparison on this LR3, but the Toyo's aquaplane resistance does not really impress me compared to lots of tires on other cars, including wide high perf ones. No winter experience yet. Quiet, smooth, highway tire not offroad tread.

 

[dropper]

There's a relatively recent post on the newly available 19" Pirellis you may want to search for. Great for freeway and light offroading.

 

[jimbiram]

I kept my Synchrones and 19s but haven't put them on since last August. Drove to Colorado and back last summer for Great Divide Challenge II and doing it again next week for Great Divide III. The Zeon LTZs are a fine tire, although on the highway for long trips with full load, I run at 45 psi since the sidewall is a little soft when they get warm. Run them at 25 psi offroad and they do great. Would buy again in a heartbeat. I want to put the 19s on sometimes, but too lazy. My 19 rims are chrome, so I always got laughed at when going off road!