Today was the first time my new LC saw snow of any significance and it was very upsetting. Nice little winter storm up here in the NE and I am driving with white knuckles because this thing wants to leave the road every time I hit a few inches of a snow drift. Worst winter driving experience I have had in anything short of a sports car in the snow. I can't believe Toyota puts these tires on their $80k flagship. I thought I had to be wrong, but after going to Tire Rack and reading all the reviews on the dunlop I seem to be in the vast majority. Am I wrong to be angry with Toyota?
Stock tires can't really be this bad
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Can't speak to Toyota. But at the US of A Fortune 100 manufacturing co where I worked, cutting cost seemed to be #1 priority for the last 15 years. The results were predictable.
I just got a 2015 CPO with those tires. Reviews are terrible, I put them on CL just today. Toyota should rethink this.
bjowett
Supporting Vendor
Built for all seasons (good at very little) and a nod towards easy rolling perhaps. Mine went away quickly.
It's all about $$$. Toyota cuts costs like any other company and LT tires are significantly more expensive than P rated Duncraps. These trucks are great, but not perfect... rustproofing is also neglected from the factory and so this is something we also need to turn to the aftermarket for. The only consolation with the OEM tires is that they are in a worthless size anyways.
Toss them and buy a mud terrain. Get them siped while you are at it. Will make a significant difference in the performance of the tire in the snow.
first think i did to my 200 was to put K02's on it. factory tires are only on their to improve fuel economy. real tires will take you to 11.5mpg city and 16mpg highway
Jack of all trades, master of none. While I'm sure cost is a part of it, I don't believe it's as biased as you believe.
All season tires walk a difficult balance. For tires, snow traction is a specialty use case not unlike high performance track use or mud traction. I wouldn't expect max performance summer tires be good in the rain, in so much as expect mud tires to deliver good mpg.
Get yourself a good set of snowflake rated all terrain or dedicated snow tires. Also, not all A/T tires compounds are good in very cold either as they may use rubber compounds meant for warmer weather use. Some may work in 30F yet turn into skates at closer to 0F.
All season tires walk a difficult balance. For tires, snow traction is a specialty use case not unlike high performance track use or mud traction. I wouldn't expect max performance summer tires be good in the rain, in so much as expect mud tires to deliver good mpg.
Get yourself a good set of snowflake rated all terrain or dedicated snow tires. Also, not all A/T tires compounds are good in very cold either as they may use rubber compounds meant for warmer weather use. Some may work in 30F yet turn into skates at closer to 0F.
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I'm pretty sure Toyota used low rolling resistance tires to get highest mpg possible - not about traction. How many people will buy a 12 mpg Cruiser? Only nuts like me. Everyone else is looking to be green and save money. I practically live at the gas station.
First thing a cruiser head does is buy KO2s.
First thing a cruiser head does is buy KO2s.
I flew to St. Louis to buy my 200 and drove back to Utah. While in Wyoming there was a horrendous snowstorm. The stock tires were pretty awful but manageable. Then again I drive like a mentally ill person. Either way, I quickly swapped them out for KO2s, followed by Toyo M/Ts, followed by Cooper S/T Maxx. Coopers are my personal favorite so far.
C&D calls them 'no seasons', LOL.
And insult to injury, at least in my area the OEM tires are pretty much worthless on CL. I put mine on CL as soon as I could get to the tire dealer for Michelins. Those OEM tires sat on CL for a long time and finally sold for practically nothing to a guy who put them on his pickup truck just so he could sell it without the bald tires he had on it. Odd thing about cost, though. The Dunlop OEM tires on the Tire Rack are way expensive!
You want the best? That means 2 sets of wheels. Blizzaks for the winter and Michelin LTX or an AT like the Falken AT3s on another set of wheels for the other seasons. For 99.7% of Americans, that is too much of a hassle for storage, going to the tire store to get them swapped, cost, etc.
Also OEM tires have a different compound than the tires you would buy at Americas tire or Costco. OEM tires wear 30-40% faster than aftermarket due to cost savings.
Also OEM tires have a different compound than the tires you would buy at Americas tire or Costco. OEM tires wear 30-40% faster than aftermarket due to cost savings.
All season tires suck in the snow when new. After 15k miles on them, they are even worse. Even the best all season tires suck in the snow.
To add to this, get a second set of wheels like from a Tundra fairly cheap, then you can do your own swap in your driveway. Definitely a hassle for storage, but if you have the room it saves you a ton of time in the end.
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Thanks for all the replies. I love my LC, but am a little salty I have a worthless set of tires on it. I am definitely leaning towards the K02. Now have to somehow convince the wife we need new tires on a brand new $75k vehicle when I told her prior to purchasing this thing came turn key ready to rock!
I understand the biggest I can go on the stock setup is 285/65/18 with no rubbing. What if I used wheel spacers and was willing to accepted a little harmless rubbing? Ideally I would love to keep the 285 width and get up to at least 33 diameter.
I understand the biggest I can go on the stock setup is 285/65/18 with no rubbing. What if I used wheel spacers and was willing to accepted a little harmless rubbing? Ideally I would love to keep the 285 width and get up to at least 33 diameter.
To be fair, every vehicle I've ever purchased which had factory tires on it sucked in inclement weather until I swapped the tires. Goodyear Aquatreads made a huge difference on my wife's Civic. Bridgestone AT Revos were a huge step up on my 4Runner (from being able to spin the rears at a stop light to gripping like mad). Continental DWS was a huge jump on my Acura MDX. And the Nitto Ridge Grapplers are night and day difference in the snow on my LC.
All the manufacturers want better gas mileage, and they way they do that is with low rolling resistance tires. Less friction == better mileage. But less friction by definition means less traction.
I normally run my first set of tires 30k or so until they're 1/2 to 2/3 worn and then swam them early.
As to sizing go with either 275/70R18 or 285/65R18. Anything bigger and it'll rub and then you'll start having conversations with your wife like "it's only the mud flaps that I removed", then "I just need to trim a bit of that inner plastic liner", to "a lift and set of UCAs will fix that occasional noise"
(FWIW I'm on 34s with a 2" lift and lower offset wheels and I did a bunch of cutting and I still rub the KDSS and sway bar arms at full lock).
indycole
GOLD Star
Our 2018 GX came stock with star-rated Bridgestone Dueler tires which was great because our first drive was from Reno back to the Bay Area in blizzard conditions. No issues at all in low range and center diff locked with those tires on the GX's maiden voyage.
The Dunlops didn't have more than 8 miles on them on the LC... switched to KO2s on Day 2 of ownership.
The Dunlops didn't have more than 8 miles on them on the LC... switched to KO2s on Day 2 of ownership.
