... very simple when negotiating for a new vehicle ... no one is a slave to an "options package" ... you have the money ... the dealer does not ... if they want to close the deal, then negotiating 18" wheels is always on the table ... and easy swap-out unlike "embedded options". Until customers push back on things like 19" non-standard wheels ... Lexus will continue to do the same in the future ... and believe that they are the one that is in control.

 

Michelin Defender LTX is good.

 

With 2024 coming there will be a lot more choices in wheel sizes.

 

TL;DR: Are the Michelin Defenders noticeably firmer than the factory Dunlops? I'm hoping to find a firmer tire but not something as firm as an all-terrain tire.

Full story:
I bought a '23 Tacoma TRD Off Road Premium and chose the factory upgrade to Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires mostly because the truck is going to be my DD and the roads here look like a third world country in some places.

All of that to say... it has sort of made me hate driving my GX and I think it all comes down to tires. The Duratracs are firm and of course the ride quality isn't as smooth, but the Tacoma feels much less ponderous, much more stable, easier to drive, and less "all over the road" than the GX.

Further complication is that I'm trading my 2021 Luxury for a 2023 Luxury today, and it's made me wonder if I should look at a tire swap sooner rather than later. Ideally, I'd like something a bit firmer with more feedback than the OEM Dunlops, though still softer and more fitting for the GX. I like the 19" wheels a lot and do not want to swap down to the 18"s. Are the Michelins noticeably firmer than the factory Dunlops?

 

The Dunlops are like riding on water balloons ... no directional stability whatsoever ... frustrating and fatiguing just maintaining a straight line. In my direct experience (multiple 4-Runners, FJ Cruiser, GX470, GX460) ... they are truly garbage tires ... even a riding lawn mower deserves better.

Yes, you can have steering response and directional stability without being too firm. Michelin Defender LTX are incredible tires with a 70,000 mile warranty ... made for the GX ... you will be happy with the improvement. Drive directly from new vehicle delivery to Discount Tire ... they typically give $60-odd credit per tire for the Dunlops.

 

Thank you! Driving on water balloons made me LOL but you're totally right.

 

The Shocks and Tires work in unison ... where I have found that when the shocks have muted road surface feedback due to overly soft (Dunlop) tire sidewalls ... the shocks cannot respond to their full potential ... this is a balance between suspension components.

So my point is that the majority of forum posts focus on the tires being THE factor for ride comfort ... which is only one element in the suspension system. The Dunlop tires as a suspension component dumb everything down to where the driving experience is like having an epidural ... total road handling numbness. The Michelin Defender LTX is a great partner to the Lexus shocks where they can optimally perform ... maximizing their ability to take (un-muted) road surface feedback and react accordingly.

Lexus / Toyota clearly has a significant cost motivation using Dunlop tires on the GX470, GX460, 4-Runner, FJ Cruiser and Tacoma models.

 

Thanks for confirming this. I was a bit worried when I saw the special/closeout online for that tire. Looking to upgrade my Dunlops to the Michelin when the time comes.

 

At 1700 miles on my wife’s ‘23 GX, I swapped to stock size Michelin Defender LTX. She had been driving a ‘19 GX w 18” Bridgestone Alenza Ultra - a firm, grippy truck tire.

She hated the immediate downgrade she felt in the original tires and told me the prior GX must have had a different suspension based on drive feel.

Upon driving off the tire shop lot, the difference was notable immediately. $1456 OTD (road hazard added to the bill after this figure). Pretty shameful Toyota uses this tire. I wonder if the company execs drive anything with the Dunlops.

 

Toyota/Lexus uses the same Dunlop and Bridgestone tires on all of their Body-on-Frame vehicles ... 4-Runner, GX460, Tacoma, FJ Cruiser (in the past) ... 265 width in 18" and now 19"

They obviously have a volume deal going in the interest of cost savings. Amazing how Michelin Defender LTX tires transform the dynamics ... a testament to Michelin ... and a testament as to how horrible the OEM tires perform. Other than high-end sports cars ... most car makers play this same game ... installing tires that are only good for the duration of a test drive for those that know the difference.

 

To your point though, Bridgestone offers some quality tires above the entry level crap. Dunlop is what I work to avoid by not eating too often at Popeye’s.

 

Agree ... but never have been a fan of Bridgestone since the Ford Exploder situation where they fought to avoid accountability.

 

Fair enough. I’ve had many safe, comfortable miles on their tires over the years. But I recall reading a C&D article about that many years ago that pointed to Ford having some culpability based on recommended psi (was it 23? Why do I seem to remember that?). Bottom line with any company needing to attract investors, the stockholders come first. Oh well. I’m riding with my wife right now, enjoying her new GX with its LTX shoes

 

Ford /Bridgestone (Firestone) both played victim ... pointing the finger at the other ... and the fixation was on the "high center of gravity" ... and "tire pressure monitoring" versus calling both out on the tire specs being anemic to that application.

 

Did you wind up getting the Wrangler All Terrains? I am looking for any all-terrain tire and saw the Goodyear was the only one that would potentially fit. Curious to see if you pulled the trigger and how they worked out.

Thanks!