Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2016 10:40:03 -0800
Reply-To: Neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Michelin Defender LTX M/S 205/65/15 or 16"
In-Reply-To: <21CB30B7-0FDA-432B-BD33-2E11A7D44F9B@NBNet.nb.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
From what I've read online, it seems the Evertread compound was
introduced in or around 2015. This likely depends on tire size but
older version(s?) of LTX tires may've been available up into 2015. The
Evertread compound is aimed at (in part?) increasing tread life. I
doubt this new compound adds any real benefits to ice performance. And
regarding increased tread life, this part of Dennis Haynes comment
from the archives from this post
http://tinyurl.com/glpgphf
" ..... Otherwise with the long tread life and resulting stiff
compounds the tires last long enough to fail in other ways. "
is something to consider. I'd suggest that some VW camper vans sit
unused for larger portions of a given year; as I'm sure you know, it
would be easy for a tire to have 90% tread but have sun checked
sidewalls. This is how my '88 Westy with the old long since NLA
version LTX tires arrived to me. The '81 Westy I'm installing the new
version LTX tires on is my daily driver and I tend to do a few longer
trips each year in a variety of weather conditions. I'm slightly leary
of the new rubber compound as it doesn't have as many years real world
use as, say, a Nokian, but I doubt I'll see any sidewall failures or
the like with this tire.
I took a gamble on using my Nokians year 'round and it payed off. But
my Westy wasn't my daily driver during most of that time.
Neil.
On 11/30/16, Roy Nicholl <RNicholl@nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:
> Neil:
>
> The LTXs were purchased in Jan 2015, but I do not recall if they used
> Evertread. However, like the X-Ice, I find them a little harder and less
> sticky than the Nokians - mostly noticeable when pulling away in slushy/icy
> conditions.
>
> Most of the Nokian Hakkapeliitta family of tyres I’ve run over the years
> aren’t happy once the temperature climbs above 6-8C and I wouldn’t last long
> running all year round … I have a set of WR C3 on the LT right now .. simply
> because I needed new shoes in September and it was too early to mount Hakkas
> … I’ve now found a second set of rims, so I think I’ll take them off in
> April and run them again next winter.
>
> The X-ice were more durable in the warm - though not the best performing -
> as I ran them into summer to wear them out so I could return to Nokians.
>
>
>> On 29-Nov-2016, at 23:41, Neil N <musomuso@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Roy. What generation LXT? Did it use the Evertread compound?
>> Regardless.....
>>
>> I agree. I'd think the Nokian winter tire is better for winter driving
>> than the Michelin LTX. But part of what I was looking for was a tire I
>> can use all year. Though I have not kept track of the mileage,
>> understandably, my current 14" Nokians "Cargo" winter tires wore out
>> relatively quickly in terms of miles.
>>
>> We don't see much snow, per se, here in Greater Vancouver and I
>> actively avoid driving my Vanagon in the snow. The WRG3 would
>> obviously have been a better choice in some ways but the tread
>> warranty is for less miles and finding a replacement Nokian locally is
>> too costly. (I noted Vancafes price though). I had WRG3 tires on my
>> Honda. They worked admirably!
>>
>> Neil.
>>
>>>> On 11/29/16, Neil N <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> I see comments in the archives regarding Michelin Defender tires here:
>>>>>
>>>>> http://tinyurl.com/h4r3om6
--
Neil n
Blog: Vanagons, Westfalia, general <http://tubaneil.blogspot.ca>
1988 Westy Images <https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/New1988Westy>
1981 Westfalia "Jaco" Images, technical <http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/>
Vanagon-Bus VAG Gas Engine Swap Group <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>
