Tyre Choice - Wrangler Silentarmor VS Michelin

[Captain_Rightfoot]

Well the General Grabbers are up for replacement. They have done 60k and they have been very badly chipped by dirt road travel. I've enjoyed their handling and quietness - but they aren't up to dirt roads I'm afraid.

So, I'm looking for replacements before our trip to WA. I don't want muddies! We do general stuff - with lots of dirt road and sand. The main things I'm after are...

1. Non chipping.
2. Quiet (Defenders are loud enough!)
3. Handle well.
4. Tough.
5. I'd really like it if they could make coffee.

Anyway, the two tyres I've narrowed it down to are the Michelin LTX AT2 (http://www.michelin.com.au/tyre/patterndetail/SUV/LTXAT2) and the Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor (http://goodyear.com.au/TyreDetailAction.do?website=GYR&websegmentcode=RV&mtpcode=00386&from=nPerPage).

The Michelin I know will be good because I have one as a spare and it seemed pretty good.

The Wrangler is American made and sounds like it's the right thing for what we want.

Price wise the Wrangler is the cheaper of the two, but not by much. Interestingly the Wrangler can be bough with a lifetime puncture warranty for only $16 a tyre which seems like a steal to me!

If anyone has either I'd love to hear from you.

[Loubrey]

Back in 1998 I had to change tyres before setting of on a FIFO (well more like DIDO!) job in central Africa. I'm a BFG man myself, but they weren't available, so I was "forced" to put a set of Wranglers on. They were obviously not the new Silent Armour type, but I was pleasantly suprised by their durability and they are much quieter than any other 50/50 tyre I've had before. I put 75 000km on them in 18 months driving a 90, I did 98% of that on severely corrugated roads and they were good for another 5 000km to 10 000km. In my opinion you can't go wrong with the Wranglers.

I've not run the Michelins myself, but mates with them on had no complains I know of. They appear to be a good long distance touring type tyre.

I remain a BFG man, but that is just foolhardy brand loyalty I'm sure!:D

[dromader driver]

I've been using XZA michelins on gravel and tar for about 6 years on the defender.when I bought thetruck it had geolander A/T on wider rims that had not been rotated and were very noisy. When XZA was fitted there was NO noise.
over that time only one puncture from a nail. Lots of warning if you push them too hard on both gravel and tar. currently upto about 70000km's and probably another 20 000 to go.
On soft stuff around home after rain they tend to cut in but have not been bogged yet.
not sure if I will try XZL next time as they were on the bushfire truck and very good.

[amtravic1]

I have had Silent Armours on a Rangie for nearly two years. So far I have been very impressed. They are quiet, have excellent road holding and seem to be wearing well. Surprisingly I have had no punctures even though I spend allot of time on building sites where I would have expected at least a couple of punctures a year.
I have been lazy on the last couple of 4wd trips and could not be bothered changing wheels to my mud tyres and also have been very surprised by the performance of the tyres on tracks, MUCH better than I would have thought at low pressures however I did pop one off a rim on a very rutted muddy hill at 18 psi.

by the way, my silent armours are not American made as I thought they would be but have made in Indonesia stamped on them.

[Captain_Rightfoot]

I have had Silent Armours on a Rangie for nearly two years. So far I have been very impressed. They are quiet, have excellent road holding and seem to be wearing well. Surprisingly I have had no punctures even though I spend allot of time on building sites where I would have expected at least a couple of punctures a year.
I have been lazy on the last couple of 4wd trips and could not be bothered changing wheels to my mud tyres and also have been very surprised by the performance of the tyres on tracks, MUCH better than I would have thought at low pressures however I did pop one off a rim on a very rutted muddy hill at 18 psi.

by the way, my silent armours are not American made as I thought they would be but have made in Indonesia stamped on them.

Thanks for that. :) Is it possible you have the Wrangler AT/SA (http://goodyear.com.au/TyreDetailAction.do?website=GYR&websegmentcode=RV&mtpcode=00799&from=nPerPage)? Have a look at the tread pattern on the link. They did mention that they weren't made in the US. They include "silentarmor" technology so it's probably still relevant. :)

[amtravic1]

I have this one

Tyre Search, Goodyear, Australia (http://goodyear.com.au/TyreDetailAction.do?website=GYR&websegmentcode=RV&mtpcode=00386&from=nPerPage)

[Captain_Rightfoot]

I have this one

Tyre Search, Goodyear, Australia (http://goodyear.com.au/TyreDetailAction.do?website=GYR&websegmentcode=RV&mtpcode=00386&from=nPerPage)

Well thanks again. That's the one I'm looking at. The brochure in front of me says that they are made in the USA so I'll check that. They must have changed source at some point. :)

[dmdigital]

Just checked and the four 235/85R16's I have for the trailer and its spares are all Made in U.S.A. These were bought in 2008.

You may have seen my other thread on Wrangler MTR's but I'm pretty convinced I'll go with Silent Armours now.

[Tombie]

4bar ATZs are worth a look too.

[Graeme]

I had LT225/75-16 Silent Armours on my D2. They performed well for everyday use and on 2 desert trips including visiting the Pedirka ruins and lasted about 80K. 1 root stake through a sidewall climbing a dune but that was easily plugged then subsequently patched on the inside and continued to be used. They were surprisingly useable in light mud too.

[rar110]

I have had a set of silent armours for about a year. Performed excellent in an emergent brake swerve situation, good in sand, no gibber stone yet.

Both would be good tyres.

[green_rangie]

Another vote for Wranglers. I have had a set of AT/SA's on my P38 fro 18 months and love them.

Also recommend the insurance, I hit a large rock on the side wall at some speed and where I would have expected a blow out the side wall formed an egg and drove all around Fraser Island for the next week before I reallised. Tyre was replaced when I got home for not very much money - they charge you for the wear on the old one.

[eksjay]

Go the Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armour ATs.

They are highly stable on road and just excellent and sure footed in wet weather, particularly in the cornering. Infinitely better than the slip'n'slide OEM Wrangler rubbish that came with my 95XJ Cherokee. In between, I had switched to Pirelli AT Scorpions which were also an excellent all around tyre, but Pirelli stopped making them.

The Silent Armour AT is much more durable....than the stuff that used to roll out Goodyear factories in bygone years.

If you are planning on driving anywhere near the Flinders Ranges or the Gammons, it doesn't matter what tyre you are riding on... you will have to keep your speed down on the gravel, particularly if you car is laden. Those roads will destroy all manner of tyres and I have seen it first hand, both on my car and others...

Craddock to Hawker Road [two tyre failures in the space of 10km - limped into Hawker with a punctured rear spare], and Blinman to Balcannoona are tyre killers.

[numpty]

Interesting thread Captain. And what price have you been quoted for these please?

[Captain_Rightfoot]

Interesting thread Captain. And what price have you been quoted for these please?

Hey Numpty :)

There is a brand new goodyear place on Pickering street that will to 305 a tyre. Plus, if you buy 4 you get a $100 cashback. So I guess they are 280.

The tyre protection warranty I find very appealing. It's 16 $ a tyre. I've destroyed two grabbers by staking them so that sounds great. Reading the fine print it says that all manner of nasties are covered (punctures, sidewall damage etc). The only downside that I can see to it is that they have to be inspected every 10k. If that means a $25 balance per tyre then I'll probably skip. I'll talk to them about that tomorrow.

The Michelins are $320 a tyre, so quite a bit more than the goodyear. I know they are good. However with the positive feedback in this thread I'm thinking of giving the Goodyears a go.

I find it really difficult buying tyres as the people in the tyre shops often favour particular brands and/or don't understand what your requirements are. Unfortunately, once you drive out the door you are stuck with them for maybe 5 years. Then, when you need more the tyre world has completely changed again!

[rar110]

I should add I seriously considered bighorn 255/85 as seemed to be soft compound and good for chassis lift. However i believe I made a good choice.

[Captain_Rightfoot]

Well the bullet is bitten. :o Thanks to everyone who contributed. :)

The first photo is fully inflated and the other 3 are at 18 psi.

I've only had a short spin around the block and at least my first fear is allayed - they seem very quiet. I know they are new but considering how aggressive they are they do seem hushed. I'll get some highway time later today.