anyone runnig these xl's or xzl's thinking of getting a set and was wondering how they are . need atleast 38" maybe 40"s
michelin tires
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bjowett
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I had a set of 325/85R16 (38.5") but never ran them offroad. Their only downfall is they are bit heavy. The sidewall is unreal thick!
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yeah they look tough and good bang for the buck .
Every set I have seen on a trial rig have sucked.
Too hard a compound and bullet proof sidewalls that dont flex.
Ed
Too hard a compound and bullet proof sidewalls that dont flex.
Ed
Rock Taxi said:
Ed is saying the opposite of the truth.
Been running XL's and XMLs since 2001, and won't use anything else. Rubber compound is nice and soft so they'll stick to the rocks just fine, as mine did in Moab (mind you, you'll be lucky to get 30-40,000kms on a set). The tread patterns are of military design and seem to work in mud/gravel with little/no wheel speed just fine. Sidewall has excellent flex, even on the 16.00R20 size with 12,500lb load capacity (mind you, aired down to 1-3 lbs or so), as they are all a radial design. The thick bead resists blowing off the rim even at low air pressure.
the only problems with these tires is that they have terrible traction on wet pavement/ice/snow, and they are VERY heavy for their size. Oh, and they are hard to find and expensive when new.
I went through sidewalls on regular MT tires every few months, and when I switched to bias ply swampers, I couldn't keep the beads on the rims (and had to buy a hearing aid after a few trips down the road).
Michelin's are the only offroad tire I'll ever use again.
Peter Straub
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- #6
thanks for the info I might have a line on a set going to try and get them I have went thru my share of 35 mts and I cant afford to have alot of blow outs .and I think the added tire weight may be good to keep her on here wheels.
Peter,
I have seen the same thing around here as Ed. I have never seen a rock rig do well with Michelins. Ever. In fact, a lot of the Rockwell guys that were running them have since switched to 49 IROKs and they perform MUCH better.
I have seen the same thing around here as Ed. I have never seen a rock rig do well with Michelins. Ever. In fact, a lot of the Rockwell guys that were running them have since switched to 49 IROKs and they perform MUCH better.
I also have the 325/85R16 XMLs and love them. They out perform any TSL and are stronger then the bogger. I have not had the oportunity to wheel them against an irok.
I also have the 9.00R16 XL which is a nice tire just way to skinny...the 11.00R16 would be much nicer.
Like peter I drive a heavy wagon and they seem to work well at around 5-7 psi with no beadlock and a 7" rim....
I also have the 9.00R16 XL which is a nice tire just way to skinny...the 11.00R16 would be much nicer.
Like peter I drive a heavy wagon and they seem to work well at around 5-7 psi with no beadlock and a 7" rim....
Behemoth60 said:
Might be differing opinions due to differences in the terrain?
I don't doubt you love yours, but people here have grooved, trimmed, siped, etc... the military michelins until they finally give up and go back to Interco products.
Of course, I am basing this one the granite and dust/mud of Ok and Tx, not Moab so it may be the location more than the tire.
Ed
The Dude said:
Dude and Behemoth,
What type of wheeling are you doing with these? Had at one point considered the 325/85R16 XMLs for here in the N.E. (NJ/PA/NY) but backed away from so many guys saying they didn't do well in mud or rock. We try to do mainly rocks, but there is always some clay/mud mixed in making it a nasty combo. Been running bias ply grooved TSL so was wondering whay type of terrain you are running these in? Thanks.
for myself, I use them in the mud, clay, muddy rocks and scag (wierd bog stuff). I have also used them in loose gravel and sand with great success. My wheeling partners have TSL, boggers, and MTs...With the exception of the boggers (until he blows beads and rips side walls) they all want my tires 
I know Peter has done a lot more wheeling and he may be able to expand on his experiences...
I know Peter has done a lot more wheeling and he may be able to expand on his experiences...
Thanks Dude. That's the type of info I'm looking for.
wngrog said:
If the world was made entirely out of Rocks, and all wheeling rigs were rock rigs, then your and Ed might have a valid point.
Rocks are just one type of obstacle, and, indeed, are not the strongest application of the Michelin. But evaluating a tire's performance on a single type of terrain is an aweful short sited thing to do. I've run Michelins in a very diverse topography; mud, clay, sand, muskeg, gravel, shale, snow, ice, pavement, slick rock, and even some rocks. Over that diverse terrain, I've never had a tire problem, and never had a problem finding enough traction to move along (well, excelto for ice, maybe). If I were building a dedicated rock buggy, then I might consider different tires, but I haven't, and as a tire that operates above average in many different terrains, I maintain my endorsement of the Michelins.
Peter Straub
Eskimo
SILVER Star
I wheeled with a guy running some BIG michelin's, 46" or whatever.. on typical NC rocks, covered in slick stuff, they wouldn't wrap around the rock, and didn't have good grip in the loose stuff, compared to my SX's at 8psi. He was running almost no air... V8 Heep YJ.
I ran the 9x16 (aka 36" x about 10" wide) XZL's and they were too heavy and too narrow. Very heavy duty but I was worried about breaking Toyota axles. They do well in the rocks down in Moab and most stuff here. Suprizingly they were quiter than even MTRs, almost non existent on even a rig with no top at 75 mph. But I didn't keep em long, also just didn't flat out like the way they looked on the rig, like a school bus that was ready to tip over. I have since been pretty happy with regular-old 35 x 12.5s which I'll probably stick with for some time. If I start killing them then I guess I'll get swampers...
lowenbrau
SILVER Star
Its all about weight. If you manage to keep your buggy under 4000 lbs and want to run a 40" tire, Michelins might not be the best choice. If, on the other hand, your 'wheeling' might involve 4000 miles of pavement to get to the trailhead in Alaska those IROKS are going to suck. I've been all through this painfull decision making process. Wheeling has entirely too many compromises for my liking.
Just to spoil Behemoth's fun and add a little light to this conversation. Peter's rig has more unsprung weight than Nolan's whole rig. The tires do flex at 2PSI because they are each holding up 2000 lbs.
Just to spoil Behemoth's fun and add a little light to this conversation. Peter's rig has more unsprung weight than Nolan's whole rig. The tires do flex at 2PSI because they are each holding up 2000 lbs.
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Good point. I think if I ran a lot of mud and stuff, they would be good stuff.
On the other hand, every rig I have ever seen running Michelins have been Rockwell equipped BIG rigs and a lot of their problems was not the tires, but that they weighed 8000 pounds.
On the other hand, every rig I have ever seen running Michelins have been Rockwell equipped BIG rigs and a lot of their problems was not the tires, but that they weighed 8000 pounds.
wngrog said:
I think this may be part of the issue. I wieghed in today at 6498lbs with fully laden truck and just little old me....and my tires work great...but on a lighter truck, I would bet you would have a hard time flexing the side wall.
what really sucks is watching a little sami on 31's go where I can't on 38's in the snow because of my big heavy arse...oh well. I cruised 7 hours today at 75mph and can still hear myself think and my backs not sore...I sure do love my truck!!
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damn few weeks late for this one also.
XL's have the softest thread compound out of the 5 military michelins, and
i would go to say softer then almost all other tires (special componds, racing slicks,
etc.... excluded)
CUT or uncut michelins??? HUGE difference, thread is made for different vehicles then
what most are trying to run them on. XL's need cut period, the others can pass without,
but it wouldnt hurt them.
The sidewalls due breakdown/soften a bit over time of use with low air pressure.
BTW canadians I need more tires!
I hear tire softener does wonders on these, so i hear.
XL's have the softest thread compound out of the 5 military michelins, and
i would go to say softer then almost all other tires (special componds, racing slicks,
etc.... excluded)
CUT or uncut michelins??? HUGE difference, thread is made for different vehicles then
what most are trying to run them on. XL's need cut period, the others can pass without,
but it wouldnt hurt them.
The sidewalls due breakdown/soften a bit over time of use with low air pressure.
BTW canadians I need more tires!
I hear tire softener does wonders on these, so i hear.