I could play it safe with the Michelin Defender LTX M/S a 9/10
The Toyo Open Country H/T II has really caught my eye, Japanese design and mfg and with the Toyo Proxy heritage of my ricer days back more than a few decades..they can make a good tire..
I'm looking for an awesome road tire that handles weather particularly snow ice and packed snow yet smooth and quiet on dry pavement..very light to no off road activity (have a '95 T-100 beater for that) maybe a frozen lake party here and there but mostly the aforementioned.
I'll need to be talked out of the Toyo's...opinions please.

Toyo Open Country H/T II

Michelin's 265/65/17 line-up

 

I would go based on Tire Racks ratings. If you're looking for a highway tire it looks like the Michelin is the best:

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/surve...0&autoModClar=

All season looks like BFG:

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/surve...0&autoModClar=

Those are a good starting place. Also the Toyo A/Ts came on some of the new Tacomas and I haven't seen good things on those forums. I would look over there as well.

 

I have always been fond of, and have used the General Grabbers AT2/ATX for almost a decade, and swear by them in terms of set it and forget it. Some of the best ratings in the industry, along side some of the best wear ratings as well.

 

everyone will have a different tire opinion...difficult to test drive them and return them. The michelin defender was the cross terrain which was the OEM tire in the GX's earlier years....it ultimatly became the defender LTX m/s....for year round everyday needs, here and on tire rack, it continually comes up the top rated tires.....they do last forever....

 

True, but my thing has been, from an owner of several LT Tires throughout the last few decades is; Michelin tires crack/Dry Rot even in daily use before your tread wears. Not sure if this was individual results? But I have also heard the same thing from a few of my friends. Now, me? I'd rather have a tire which wears sooner/evenly before the tires become unsafe with a ton of tread still left on them. Just my 2 cents, and as you mention, "Everyone will have a different opinion."




Edit: Now with that being said, my Winter/Snow tires on my other vehicle are Michelin lol

 

I am super happy with my Michelin Defender LTX. Smooth , quiet, excellent traction in winter/summer. $800 installed from Sams Club on Black Friday

 

If any tire can top Michelin it's Toyo but opinion is scant, everyone seems to like the Toyo but to few feedbacks too
buy them over the Defender which I've owned before and alway impressed me even as it became older.

 

Are they quiet on the road?

 

Surprisingly yes. As I've driven them with the windows rolled down, and up.

Not only that but, if winter/ice is something you look for in a tire, this is why I swear by them.

 

Thank you. Will add as an option for my future tire upgrade)

 

I have a question...
Are you running them on stock specs? https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tir...al-grabber-atx
There are options on the link and I dunno really understand these numbers. What should I chose for stock, please? Width, Ratio, Diameter? I did not lift my GX and I'm confused... I only know that my stock tire size is 265/65/17.

Thank you.

 

Stock size tires for the 1st gen GX are in fact 265/65/17. As a 1+ tire upsize, the biggest tire you can get away with is 265/70/17 without any modifications to your suspension, rubbing, or the body of your vehicle.
Now, with that being said, General Grabber AT/2 came in a 265/65/17 and 265/70/17.... The new and improved, or successor to the AT2s are the ATX.. The crappy(Or GREAT, depending on which side of the spectrum you fall into) thing about that is the ATX no longer come in a 265/65/17. Or at least from what I have seen/found.

For my GX application (And to let you know, I too, am fully stock when it comes to suspension, or any mods really) I chose the ATX in a 265/70/17. There is no rubbing, LTL or anything strange of that nature.

I cannot wait to use them this winter, as we get plenty of snow and Ice on the highways.. Especially when playing in the snow around the Lake Tahoe area.


PS: Some people(although the ATX does not offer this size) like to drive on skinny* tires. That skinny size being 255/75/17* which is pretty equivalent in size.

I hope that helps.




EDIT:
Here is a great article by my fav. online magazine, good read when you get a chance....

https://tctmagazine.net/january-2014...nsport-f-a-s-t

 

AT2 doesnt really look like a highway tire, more like a noisy fuel pig on the I, 16/32" new, and although it may be quiet new road noise can develop.
as the tread wears...btw General Tire is owned by Continental who is also a world class mfg right up there with Toyo and Michelin.

 

Thank you, that really helps.
A few questions more...
1) Do you have E rated tires or the ones which are more for highway? I don't remember the rating letter.
2) As the post above mentioned that the noise can develop. Can you comment on that, please? You have enough experience with them I guess? I'm leaning towards E rated tires on General Grabber.

Thank you.

 

I have the 115T rated tire, Hence zero noise, even when the tire tread wears over time. the 115T rating is more for highway as that is my primary use( I am always 10 minutes from the highway in either direction of travel), and my commute has always been 90% highway/10%city. I don't off-road as often as I'd like to if any at all. the 115Ts have a higher speed rating and the E rated tires have a stronger higher count of ply load range (4 vs 10, I think). To me, the E rated tires are more geared towards towing, tougher Jobs(Although they both do quite well with respect to towing). Crawling, (Rock or Mud), people tend to gravitate towards the E rated tire for sidewall protection, Although the ATX new and improved design gives it a better side wall protection vs its predecessor the AT2. Again, to me they've always done excellent with everything I've thrown at it, from mild off-roading, to heavy snow, and ice on the highway, mainly around the Tahoe/Truckee area, and west of the area.