Envoy Tires...

[TimRXUV777]

Hi just posting here, to ask what tires did my Envoy come with and some specific tire buying advice..? I can't find what was stock on this truck when new anywhere that i have looked? I would think those are the tires my Envoy was designed to run on right? When i bought it, it had two General Grabbers and two Bridgestone Dueler H/Ts.. Currently it is has one Cooper on it.. I still really like the way this things rides, it has the air suspension. But i need to buy some tires.. the tires on it are pretty much bald.. I want to maintain the ride so i think i am leaning towards buying at least two more Duelers.. or is General Grabber the better tire for ride and smoothness? It has the Cooper on it because one of the Grabbers blew out on me.. I would appreciate any advice you can give me on tires.. including what this SUV came with from the factory and how close it may be a good idea to stick closely to those tires?

 

[Bow_Tied]

I believe Duelers are Bridgestone, not BFG.

The tire placard on your drivers door jamb will tell you factory size.

The type or brand of tire depends on what you want to do with it and your budget and your climate. I would recommend these points are more important than the original brand/model of tire which may not even be offered anymore since a lot of time has passed since new.

 

[TimRXUV777]

I believe Duelers are Bridgestone, not BFG.

The tire placard on your drivers door jamb will tell you factory size.

The type or brand of tire depends on what you want to do with it and your budget and your climate. I would recommend these points are more important than the original brand/model of tire which may not even be offered anymore since a lot of time has passed since new.

Thanks changed them to Bridgestone..

 

[Beacon]

There is very good possibility that if your spare is in "new" condition, that it is same brand and style that came on your vehicle from the factory. Did you search on motor trends website for an old review? sometimes they list specific tires

 

[TollKeeper]

I dont remember the original tire name that came on the Envoy, but my Envoy had a new set of them on it when I bought it back in 2007 (cant believe I have owned a vehicle this long).

I really enjoyed those tires, but they wore out quicker than i wanted, at about 2 years and 20k miles (with perfect alignment), they were toast.

I switched them over to Michelin Defender LTX-MS, and nearly 60k miles later, are still going, but I will need to replace them before winter hits.

The downside to the Defender LTX-MS, they are fairly expensive. They are only OK for braking in snow/ice (But I dont know many tires that are better than OK).
The upside, they ride extremely quiet, last a long time (80k treadwear rating). I have yet to get a flat tire. Up to this point, I havent had a hydroplaning incident. They grab really well in the snow. They have really good siping on them.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

You will be better buying even a new basic set of actually matching tires. Don't mix n match or have new and used.

 

[Reprise]

I would appreciate any advice you can give me on tires.. including what this SUV came with from the factory and how close it may be a good idea to stick closely to those tires?

I'd guarantee the OEM tire model is not still going to be manufactured.

The other thing is that OEM-spec tires are generally a poor choice, when it comes to replacements. What's important to the manufacturer (in this case, probably a compliant ride) isn't necessarily the best tire to put on the vehicle, when it comes time to replace them.

A good place to go to see what other owners of the same vehicle bought for replacements (and how they liked them) is Tire Rack. You may not find many examples there, due to the poor sales & 15 years' history claiming their toll on the XUV - if that's the case, you can look at the LWB Envoy XLs and Trailblazer EXTs, since all XUVs were LWB, and there was no difference in suspension parts or characteristics between any of them.

You will be better buying even a new basic set of actually matching tires. Don't mix n match or have new and used.

^^^ This. You'll generally get the best deal on 4, the best wear due to rotation, the most predictable handling, etc. Unless I had two of the same tire that were practically new (and it sounds like you don't), I'd get 4. If you buy retail, a lot of places will do free rotations (1st one is the most important, at about 6,000mi).

If you do buy a set of 2, the tire dealer should put them on the rear axle, and take the best two and put those on the front. The next best one will become the spare, especially if the spare is very old (OEM spare was same size, so at least you won't need to worry about sizing)

If a new spare is recommended, you don't have to get the same exact tire as the new set - you can get something less expensive, if you want, since it'll be used only for emergencies (and hopefully never).

 

[DocBrown]

A good place to go to see what other owners of the same vehicle bought for replacements (and how they liked them) is Tire Rack.

Yes, this is my first go to when researching new tires.

If you want OEM tires, simply stick to the stock tire size and load rating and use the door sticker as a guide for proper PSI.

I just put the Bridgestone Dueler H/Ts on my Sierra, so I can't say much about how well they wear but they are quiet and ride nice for a full size truck. They match the OEM specs of the truck. We just towed our travel trailer on a long weekend trip and they performed great. Part of the trip was in pouring rain.

 

[Chickenhawk]

Good comment. I just want to reinforce what my friend Reprise said above. If buying tires in pairs, the best tires ALWAYS go on the back, regardless of whether it is front-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive.

AWD and 4WD vehicles should have four matching tires. (A mismatch in diameters can cause undue wear on differentials and transfer cases.)

If one is going to keep their truck, I have had Michelin LTX M/S tires on two Trailblazers since new (and now the new Defender LTX M/S.) I will never have anything else. Prior to that, I had LTX M/S on two Blazers. I have NEVER worn out a set. I always had to change them after many years just because of age cracks. When looking at the cost, remember that the expensive tire that lasts twice as long may be a better deal, especially when the ride and handling are so superior.

 

[TollKeeper]

Thats 2 votes now for the Michelin Defender LTX-MS now. I wonder how many on the forums are running those tires.

 

[C-ya]

For a non-A/T tire, I like this one and have them on my TB EXT. Kumho Crugen HT51 Link Great wet and dry traction, but not great in the snow. I use dedicated snow tires in the winter.

They also have a decently priced A/T tire - Link I have only ever used HT tires (or non-A/T). The TB came with General Grabber HTS tires when I bought it.

Tire Rack is great for reviews. If you don't have one close, you can order and have them installed locally. You may be able to find Kumho tires locally as well. I used SimpleTire.com to order my HT51s and took them to my mechanic to mount and balance on my second set of wheels.

 

[Reprise]

Oh, yeah! I put those same Kumhos on my first 1500HD, based on @C-ya 's recommendation. I'll back him up - for the $, they're a pretty good tire.

I got a 'buy 3 / 1 free' at PepBoys; they've since discontinued them. But IIRC, a set of 4 in stock size 245/75/16 were less than $500 - installed!

For a 10-ply 'E', you can't beat that pricing with a stick.

 

[gmcman]

Not sure when they stopped production, but my Envoy came with Michelin Cross Terrain.

I have gone from those, to the Kumho Ecsta, Lattitude Tour, Continental Cross Contact, and back to Michelin Defender LTX.

They all suk in the snow. I have some Blizzaks that transform the Envoy into a tracked vehicle in the snow.

The Cross Contact was somewhat firm, despite pressure settings.

The Lattitude tour was very quiet and smooth, but hydroplaning above 60 MPH was problematic. Do not use the HP version with the Lattitude Tour, they are a different animal than the Non- HP.

I really like the Defender LTX. If you dont care about MPG's, then most will work. Otherwise, stick to a LRR tire (low rolling resistance) I lost 2-3 MPG with the Kumho, sold them after 17K miles and bought the Lattitude Tour, immediately regained my lost 40-50 miles per tank. The Defender is good for MPG's also.

I have found that every tire wore even around 35-36 PSI cold, the defender likes 37-38 cold for me anyway. 30-32 PSI and your MPG's will suffer.

My $.02.

 

[TimRXUV777]

If one is going to keep their truck, I have had Michelin LTX M/S tires on two Trailblazers since new (and now the new Defender LTX M/S.) I will never have anything else.

How would you think, gmcman, the Michelin Defender LTX compare with the Bridgestone Dueler H/Ts? I have Blizzaks on another set of Envoy wheels that i swap on in the winter, for driving in our snows, so for now i would be mostly wanting something that gives a nice smooth quiet ride.

 

[TollKeeper]

I have a set on my Avalanche. The do pretty good, but are a very soft tire. The truck wallows around at any speed.

 

[gmcman]

How would you think, gmcman, the Michelin Defender LTX compare with the Bridgestone Dueler H/Ts?

Looking at the reviews for the H/T they don't seem like a desirable tire. The tread doesn't look like it would be terribly noisy, but doesn't look anything spectacular.

I've learned over the years to put up a little more for a good tire, it pays you back without a doubt. My lesson learned with the Kumho's...40 miles per tank and that was when gas was around $3.75-4/ gal for 87.

I was losing almost $10 per week in that lost 2 MPG. $40 per month minimum, add in weekend driving and easily $50 per month. At the end of the year I lost $600 and that was FAR less than the price difference.....that's almost 80% of the price of a new set of Michelins, with alignment!

That 2 MPG is a big deal, may not be enjoyable when buying the tires, but even at $2.50/ gal I would have bought the Michelins twice over the course of the treadwear.

$200 is a lot for a tire, but $140 per tire isn't that much cheaper when all is considered.