Those who use their truck for heavy duty, often go in off terrain and are looking for a durable and comfortable tire for their modern vehicles. Here is a michelin defender ltx m/s2 review.
The tire was first launched in 2015 with the old version of (LTX M/S). Then the latest model of (defender LTX m/s2) was released with a stronger structure and better grip, especially in inclement weather.
All delivered pieces of information in this article were driven by tire professionals. With over 90 true customers experience who have tried michelin defender ltx m/s2 for more than 600 Kilometers, combined. And, always go for highway, city, and some off-road driving.
In our conducted research. We basically include heavy-duty truck vehicles and SUVs such as Chevrolet, Jeep Wagoneer, Toyota Tundra, Ram 3500, Suburbans a Gen3 Tacoma, and 21 Sierra Denali. to deliver the closest approach to your driving style.
A special case to consider is when the tire was running for about 90000 miles on a Toyota Tundra! It showed considerable longevity for heavy usage.
michelin defender ltx m/s2 incorporates the feature of safety on dangerous roads without sacrificing the riding quality but at a high price. So at the end of this article, I have listed 3 more affordable alternatives that you can confidently choose between.
Now let’s discuss the characteristic features of michelin defender ltx m/s2 in detail.
michelin defender ltx m/s2 overview.
| Tire type: | all-season tire. |
| Tire size: | from 16 – 24 inches. |
| Off-road score: | 8.7 |
| Comfort score: | 9.3 |
| Treadwear: | 9.5 |
| Dry traction: | 9.5 |
| Snow traction: | 8.6 |
| Load index: | XL (extra load tire) |
| Speed Rating: | H, T, or S speed rated (check the speed rate index here). |
| Mileage Warranty: | 50,000 to 70,000 depending on the tire speed rate and size. |
Why do you have to acquire michelin defender ltx m/s2?
It is a new version of Michelin LTX M/S2, which has been remarkably improved to deliver higher traction and more comfortable riding. Unlike most off-road tires, which transfer rough riding experience, you will not observe hazardous road impacts while driving.
The LTX M/S2 outperforms its competitors in the same category with long tread life and confident handling in inclement weather.
In addition to tire longevity and smooth riding quality, the Michelin Defender Ltx m/s2 also delivers pretty fuel efficiency. Imagine combining off-road features and good MPG records, it is rare to find this advantage in many off-road tires.
To be fair, it is unsuitable for budget-friendly seekers; it may cost from $280 to $500 per tire. However, the benefits of quiet riding and super steering and braking performance can deliver great value for the price.
From my experience, I usually recommend installing full winter tires stamped with a (3PMSF) symbol during real wintertime, particularly in places of heavy rain and snow. Michelin Defender Ltx m/s2 is not designed for this weather. However, many people are experienced with great handling in the snow (not deep snow), and they never get stuck.
Does Michelin Defender Ltx m/s2 properly fit your needs?
If you are seeking durable tires suitable for all seasons and don’t want to change to winter tires, Michelin LTX M/S2 will be the tire of choice. Although it is (M+S) rating, I don’t recommend that unless your city is known for occasional snow and rain (not stormy weather).
Whatever your vehicle size, light truck, SUV, commercial van, or even pick-up, Michelin LTX m/s2 has a reputation for heavy work. It can easily haul heavy stuff like boat packages or trailers for long-distance trips and handle hazardous construction sites. You can confidently accomplish these heavy tasks due to the tire’s strong sidewall and high load index.
In case you regularly go on off-road adventures with your family, you will need this tire for sure. Although the tire doesn’t have an aggressive look as an off-terrain tire, it can easily run over sand, mud, and rocks.
Michelin Defender Ltx m/s2 features and benefits.
Let’s take a closer look at Michelin LTX M/S2 and see how the tire tread blocks can achieve its durability, all-season traction, and off-road handling.
1# dry and wet performance.
With Michelin Defender Ltx m/s2, you can feel your vehicle is sticky to the road to deliver extreme stability on dry pavement. The 3D Sipeblock technology which delivers high-density sipes on the whole tread block allows the tire to maintain rubber cohesion in dry conditions.
Those plenty of sipes play a role also in the stability of the vehicle on wet roads, together with 4 circumferential grooves that evacuate water away from the tire, will prevent your car from slipping on wet surfaces.
The Michelin Ever Tread 2.0 compound and full-depth sipes that act as biting edges make the tire suitable for all-season usage. Many users admire its phenomenal dry grip.
While the challenge on a wet surface may appear in the form of a little slipping, I know the one who drove with this tire on the road with 3 inches of standing water without any issues. So it may depend on how you handle this.
As you know it is the recent version of the old LTX m/s tire with improved traction, it shows a shorter braking distance of 10 meters to stop from 80 to zero mph. Holding your vehicle more quickly.
‘’ Considerable dry grip, managing wet surfaces, and handling light snow put the michelin defender ltx m/s2 to meet the all-season premium properties you might look for ‘’
2# michelin defender ltx m/s2 Off-road properties.
The tire is rated with ( M+S) symbol, which tells its ability to handle different road conditions even in mud and snow roads (places with occasional snow).
If you manually check the tire, you will notice that tire rubber is much harder than in dedicated off-road tires. This makes you have a big trust in this tire that it will find its way to adequate traction in hard road conditions.
Whatever road manners of rugged terrain, rocks, sand, and gravel, the Michelin LTX M/S2 is tested on such roads and proves its capability to tackle those challenges with relative ease. Only polished rocks stand against the tire stability but without any loss of confidence and control from the drivers.
Michelin has conducted endurance trials for over 3000 km of gravel roads in Spain. The michelin defender ltx m/s2 proved its strong construction to resist cutting and chunking even for long-distance running on sharp rocks and tough roads.
‘’ michelin defender ltx m/s2 has been re-engineered to be stronger to meet the higher-torque demands of modern vehicles on adventurous roads ‘’
#3 michelin defender ltx m/s2 tread component.
The tire implements Ever-Tread Technology which enables you to get 3 combined features including withstanding harsh conditions of high loads and high torque, all-season proper performance, and low fuel consumption.
Compared to the previous version of the tire, the tread pattern is designed to be in the form of blocks with narrow grooves in between. This creates additional depth and strength to deliver extra reliability.
You can get up to 70000 mile tread warranty. That tire gives exceptional durable tread that gets a high UTQG rate of 720. When it is compared to Pirelli`s tread depth, it shows higher tread by almost 4 mm. This ensures tire longevity for long distances till 72 k miles, one customer said.
In this test between michelin defender ltx m/s2 and its predecessor, the new generation lasts 10% longer than the old one. While LTX ms2 offers 2 additional years in tread life compared to 3 other leading competitors.
‘’ The key component that delivers all features of longevity, traction, and reliability of Michelin Defender ltx m/s2 is sourced from a unique tread design ‘’
#4 Driving experience and riding quality.
Michelin`s Piano Acoustic tuning technology provides you with the enjoyable and quiet driving experience you want during a long trip. This technology makes the tire more smooth and comfortable.
From my point of view, michelin defender ltx m/s2 is not the tire that offers the extreme comfort you expect from grand touring premium tires. But as a tire with a strong sidewall and exceptional long-lasting tread components, it can ensure delivering enough level of comfortability and quietness that is necessary for long-distance roads.
To be clear in terms of tire quietness, the matter is subjective. Some customers have experienced with little noisy driving and others are very admire of the tire’s overall ride quality.
Here is my experience and judgment. This variation in customer feedback depends on driving habits and load index rates. The higher the load index, the stiffer the sidewall, and so rougher the driving. So, try to select the tire size that fits your vehicle properly, it will have a suitable loadindex and you can get exceptional driving quality.
When the tire is conducted with the test over the unpaved road for about 3000 Km, the driver feels with slight tauter over road impacts but with full control of the road.
‘’ michelin Defender LTX m/s2 is the tire that delivers quieter riding than for the vast majority of quick-wearing out tires, that’s for sure ‘’
#5 Michelin LTX M/S2 performance.
Besides the strength point of a high load index for heavyweight endurance, Michelin LTX M/S2 has a polyamide cap ply in its internal construction that delivers additional reinforcement necessary for stability at high speeds.
Michelin loadindex is rated from XL to E which indicates its ability to carry up to 4100 pounds, so it is suitable for class 1 truck duty. To know what class is your truck, click here.
Forces of acceleration and braking performance are remarkably accepted because the tire has a large contact patch with the road surface. With this tire, you can take turns so simply due to the high level of lateral grip.
What helps the tire to handle heavy loads is the strong two steel belts which also make your car stable at high speeds. Also, you can direct your car very accurately due to the tire`s obvious steering response, so thanks to the twin polyester body casing for delivering this feature.
In the track, michelin defender ltx m/s2 shows superior steering response around the corner and long ramps compared to the old version of Defender ltx. It enables the drivers to adapt to quick directional changes due to its sharp and accurate steering.
‘’ the notable improvement in handling dynamics and steering control of michelin defender ltx m/s2 will assure precise performance for your modern truck ‘’
#3 Cheaper alternatives for Michelin LTX M/S2.
I have searched for other choices for those who are seeking limited-budget tires. I also make my choices to ensure the tires probably serve well enough but at a lower price. Let’s discuss the following options.
1. Falken Wildpeak H/T02.
| Type of tire: | highway all-season. |
| Mileage warranty: | 70 Km. |
| tread life warranty for LT sizes: | 50000 miles |
| UTQG: | 700 AB |
| Ride quality: | 8.6 |
Falken Wildpeak H/T02 is designed to match the light and medium-duty needs of Light trucks, pickups, and SUVs. Plus the 4D Nano Design and 3D Canyon Sipe technology, the tires are rated with the M+S symbol as they can handle all road conditions without any issues. So, if you want a tire that is suitable for round year use including occasional snow and rain, it will be among the choices we recommend.
If you look at the tread design, you will notice that it has a 5- central ribs tread pattern to improve traction perfromance on wet and dry roads. Even during cornering, you can easily handle your vehicle because the tire shoulders have Variable edges to deliver maximum tire steering response. But on slippery surfaces, you still have to slow down on wet cornering. Also, many customers felt safe with this tire in snow up to 5 inches, it showed precise snow traction as well due to its numerous lateral sipes which stick to the road surface.
Falken Wildepeak H/T02 acquired its durability and high endurance capabilities from its strong internal construction which contains the main component of advanced silica compound reinforced by wider steel belts. The tire showed its ability to haul up to 3500 lbs and to deal with aggressive roads precisely.
If you drive your car through construction sites or damaged roads, the Wildpeak H/T 02 will deliver optimum handling in this manner without any fear of tire damage or puncture. The aggressive upper sidewall acts as a shield to protect the tire and gives it longevity. The tire is originally equipped on 2WD and 4WD trucks.
On the other hand, with this aggressive look, the tire still provides a satisfactory level of ride quality. You can ride with Falken Wildpeak H/T02 for a long distance without feeling any road impact inside the driving cabin. The tread pattern is designed with different looks to minimize road noise and vibration so you can enjoy smooth and comfortable driving.
In brief, Falken Wildpeak H/T 02 is the cheaper mirror for Michelin Defender Ltx m/s2, which delivers very similar performance on-road and off-road. It is a good investment you have to consider.
2. Hankook Dynapro AT2.
| Type of tire: | On-road all-terrain tire. |
| Off-road score: | 7.9 |
| Wet traction: | 8.2 |
| Dry traction: | 8.9 |
| Ride quality: | 8.6 |
Hankook Dynapro AT2 stands for All Types of Pavement, which can decently handle different road conditions. The tire can achieve a balance between off-road traction and on-road requirements. This is what makes the Hankook one of the alternatives for Michelin Defender Ltx m/s2 but at a lower price by 40%.
Similar to Michelin LTX M/S2, Hankook AT2 delivers extreme dry traction due to ‘’Tie bars’’ between the tread blocks at shoulders, which maximize stability. Besides stable driving, you can feel similar comfort, smoothness, and quiet riding to Michelin during long road trips.
Hankook AT2 is the recent generation of the old (RF10) and is almost 6% more fuel efficient. The tire is rich with silica compound and reinforced by a 3-ply casing and two steel belts in its internal construction, which provides confident off-road driving without any fear of tire damage or punctures.
Although many customers have used those tires for over 70000 miles, many others complained about their remarkably short tread life. So, I always recommend rotating your tire regularly every 7000 miles, it will significantly help.
Hankook AT2 is marked with a (3PMSF) symbol to indicate its ability to run over snow roads. However, you can’t trust this tire in deep snow conditions as it will probably get stuck. The tire design does not have enough aggressive tread blocks and the tread depth is not as deep as Michelin Defender ltx ms2. So the superiority in wet and snow handling will go for Michelin.
What I see about this tire is it can deliver decent performance over dry roads. You can really enjoy your trip with smooth and comfortable riding but it is not for true off-road conditions. If you often drive on highways or little unpaved roads and want to acquire cheap tires for a big brand name, the Hankook AT2 is a proper option for you. If you are a man who likes adventure places that are full of challenging road conditions, you have to check Defender LTX MS2 or check the best all-terrain tires review.
3. Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse HT.
| Type of tire: | Highway all-season tire. |
| Off-road score: | 8.1 |
| Wet traction: | 9 |
| Dry traction: | 9.2 |
| Ride quality: | 8.5 |
| Treadwear warranty: | 60000 miles. |
Goodyear Wrangler Workhouse HT is another acceptable alternative to Michelin LTX M/S2 with a symmetric tread pattern featuring interlocking tread blocks. as it can run for your truck or SUV in different road conditions including slightly rough terrain. It provides year-round suitable traction for all different weather conditions including mild winter and only- light snow conditions.
Inside the tire grooves there are biting edges together with numerous sipes along the tire tread and shoulder grips will provide your vehicle with considerable traction and stability during the towing process. However, some customers complained that some vibration in the steering wheel may happen in case of heavy objects hauling only.
You might face difficulty in tire balancing which causes vibrations during driving. But once you fix this problem you are now able to do your heavy work and run on unpaved roads confidently.
Pay attention to the version you will buy, LT tire is reinforced with either a 1 or 2-ply polyamide cap in its internal construction while the other versions are supported with a 2-ply polyester casing between the two strong steel belts. So, if you often pack your truck with extra heavy Loads, the polyamide cap in the LT version will be more convenient to ensure vehicle stability and tire durability. To know how to detect the LT version and how to read the tire letters and numbers on the sidewall click here.
The aggressive look of the tire shoulder delivers you the confident feeling of tire durability but with no comfortable riding, that is what you first think! But the fact is the Wrangler Workhorse HT can make your journey quieter and smoother than many other terrain tires. Also, it is good to know that many customers who used the tire for over 10000 miles were very admitting with its quietness and smoothness, but this admiration gradually disappeared after extra miles running. Just remember it is not a grand touring tire that is designed to deliver maximum comfortability.
My final thought about this tire is there is no special feature about it. It is a standard all-season tire that can save you in light difficult situations. But the main key benefit here is you can get those standard features at a very reasonable price of about 50% cheaper than Michelin.
Wrapping up.
Based on my experience, in case you constantly use your truck for heavy tasks, you will need a tire with 10-ply reinforcements. Otherwise, the michelin defender ltx m/s2 will be compatible with your needs.
Exceptional toughness and durability along with considerable ride quality are the main features that the majority of truck drivers seek. In addition, the off-terrain endurance and year-round traction make more than 95% of customers will buy michelin defender ltx m/s2 in the next tire set.
If you want to join the Michelin LTX M/S2 fans, check the price here.
FAQs
How does michelin defender ltx m/s2 perform in snow?
Although the tire is not rated with (3PMSF) which is dedicated to snow weather, michelin defender ltx m/s2 performs great in snow compared to lead competitors. The tire offers a solid grip in light snow and is manageable in deep snow; however, we always recommend switching to dedicated winter tires for severe snow and ice conditions.
What is the difference between Michelin MS and MS2?
The new Michelin defender ltx m/s2 delivers more precise traction in snow and winter conditions. Advanced tread compound makes the M/S2 more durable and reliable for heavy tasks. The ride quality is also significantly improved with better steering response.
What does m/S2 mean on Michelin tires?
The M/S symbol in michelin defender ltx m/s2 means it can easily handle Mud and Snow road conditions. To know about other letters and symbols’ meanings on the tire sidewall, check how to read the tire sidewall blog.
What does LTX Michelin mean?
LTX in Michelin tires stands for Light Truck X where X refers to radial construction of the tire. It represents the tire production line for Trucks, SUVs, and crossovers to emphasize tire durability and high load capacity.
