Defender or K02 ? (1 Viewer)

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Jan 14, 2015
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Hey Guys, Looking for some advise on these two brands. It's about time for me to replace the current Michelin Defender LTX tires on my 97 LX450.
Original owner with 270k on the odo with everything 100% stock.
Been using Michelin since new and Costco doesn't carry this tire size anymore. Occasional drive up to Reno/Tahoe in winter snow and no off-road at all.
I'm thinking about BFG K02 as they look beefy and little aggressive. What's your experience on the ride performance in wet road condition and overall ride performance?

Both are about $270 each.

Appreciate any advise guys,

Thanks,
Dave
lexy lx450.JPG
 
I assume your Michelins are P rated as opposed to LT rated tires. Ko2’s are all LT rated which means higher required air pressure and significantly more weight per tire. This means worse braking, acceleration, and mpg. The higher required psi means a much harsher ride than a P rated tire as well.

KO2’s, like other true AT tires, have bigger voids to provide off road traction…but this means less traction on road, and worse performance in on-road rain and snow. They will also be noisier than the Defenders.

LT rated All Terrain tires are good and more durable off road, but you state that you don’t use the truck off road. You will be trading for a worse tire for what you do if you go with a true AT tire like the KO2.

The Michelin Defender is a great tire. But if you just want something different, or something with more of an off road look, consider one of the hybrid AT/all season tires, in a P rated size, such as BF Goodrich Trail Terrain, Continental TerrainContact, Michelin AT2, or the Yokohama Geolandar. These are somewhere between an aggressive AT like the KO2, and the all season truck tires you have in the Defender.

If it were me I would get the Michelin Defender again, but I’m biased as that is what I installed on my 200 LC.
 
I'm very happy with my KO2's, but they would not make my short list if my LC never saw dirt. Just to throw some ideas out there, take a look at the Falken AT3w, Firestone Destination XT, Cooper Discoverer AT3, Kuhmo Road Venture AT51 to name a few that come to mind. I'd also recommend a P rated tire instead of an LT.
 
I am a big fan of the Michelins. I run the LTX M/S2's on my 06' LX470, which share the tread pattern and other design elements with the Defender LTX M/S's.

Here is a really good thread on the Defenders over on ExPo - @Pskhaat has some really good real world experience (both on and off highway) with them and goes into great detail on them.

 
Just because you are running an LT does not mean you are required to run higher pressure. They are simply designed to be able to handle higher pressure because of weigh capacity.
 
I've got the BFG AT's and I like them on my 80. They are quiet on the road, but certainly not as quiet as Michelin LTX. I've got the LTX's on another vehicle and they are quiet, good handling on road, but they do hydroplane easily in heavy rain.
The only thing that bothers me with the BFG AT's is they pick up gravel easily and sling rocks up against the body.
 
using Michelin since new and Costco doesn't carry this tire size anymore.

Do you mean the 275/70r16 size? IMO that was a terrible, semi-bespoke size decision by Toyota. They really should have been 265/75r16, and I would 💯 do that over the 275 sizing for stock. Cheaper, common sizing, and regularly available.

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Just because you are running an LT does not mean you are required to run higher pressure. They are simply designed to be able to handle higher pressure because of weigh capacity.
That is completely false. LT tire have higher internal friction and will generate much more heat if you run P metric pressures in an LT tire. The load carrying ability of an LT is LOWER than a P metric at low P metric pressures, and tire failure or blowouts are possible. There are tables to convert the factory pressure for P metric to a correct LT pressure. There’s a thread on the 200 series forum where a member does the calculation for people. Most LT tires on a 200 end up with correct calculated pressures in the low 40’s psi, versus the 33 psi recommended pressure on stock P metric tires.

Of course you can run low pressure in LT tires going slow off road, but running the same recommended pressure for a P metric in an LT rated tire uis dangerous at highway speed on pavement, especially under a load or towing.
 
You're correct i apologize for shytty context.
What i waz trying to avoid is people running around thinking they need to be at max pressure because they are on lt tires.
Ive seen it happen, often.
I frankly think the ride differential between the two is way overblown.
 

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