New 2021 Toyota 4Rrunner owner- help with tires

I purchased a new 2021 Toyota 4Runner owner and I love my new SUV except for the tires that came with it (Bridgetone). It was an aggressive pull and found out by dealer that one of the belt was warped. Dealer replace it with new Bridgestone and pull is still there....is there a better tire for this SUV? I always had Michelin on my other SUV....any suggestions.

I plan to use my Limited for highway driver. It has an tightness in the front left...dealer (Atlanta Toyota) alignment and replace with another set of Bridgestonme but there is still a tightness in going around left curves but not the right. Seems aligned as on flat road it drives straight if I take hands off steering wheel but the handling on these tires are still not what I should be getting in a new SUV. Just was thinking are Michelin better handling on these type SUV's.

 

Hi, welcome to the forum. What are your priorities? How will you be using the 4Runner?

I suspect you have the same tires that came on my 2020 Limited, and they are indeed horrible. God forbid you ever have to drive in snow.

The pulling issue might be something other than the tires. Let us know a bit more about when that happens and what it’s like.

Either way, there are a lot of great tire choices out there for different needs and priorities. You might even consider doing what I just did and buying a new set of wheels too, keeping the OEM set as a spare for different uses, eg winter specific.

 

Ok. You will probably be happier with Michelin Defenders. They’re a hugely popular and well rated tire for highway use. That’s what I would get if my priority was good highway driving.

The difference you feel turning left vs right is interesting and I’d continue to press the dealer to determine what’s causing it. But I’d caution that these vehicles don’t have the best dynamics for highway use. They tend to wander a bit, follow ruts and are pushed around by crowns in the road. For example, if you drive in the left lane, you’ll tend to feel the truck pulling to the left. They are top heavy, not aerodynamic and have suspensions more designed for off road use.

They are fabulous trucks for many many things, but serene highway cruising is not one of them.

This is my setup by the way. Truck had come with the 20” rims and tires you have.



edit — also Michelins, but not the first choice for mostly highway use.

 

Thanks for that response...I have a 1200 miles Highway trip planned next month and may put on those Michelin prior to the trip.

 

That kinda sounds like you have some physical binding/interference happening. I wouldnt suspect alignment or tires first as the cause if the steering is hanging up when cranking or uncranking in one direction. I’d be looking for something rubbing, something loose, poorly distributed load, etc.

When I first drove the 4runner, I remember thinking that it had a relatively weak “return to center” tendency when the steering wheel unwinds after a turn. That is a matter of geometry, and available alignment adjustment. Sometimes it felt like I had to finish the job and physically return it to center the last few degrees of steering rotation. That is what can make some 4runners feel more flighty on the highway. Actually, I kinda like it, it feels like it’s alive and doesnt bore me to death on long drives. You can get rid of most of this by increasing caster adjustment.

But, that flightiness or weak return to center should be the same in both directions. It shouldnt hang or experience resistance in one direction and not the other. Or at least, I cant imagine a good reason for that to happen.

 

Agree with all this. Though I have a pretty strong return to center, which I like, and got that from pushing out the caster.

 

yup. Out of the box, my 4runner felt on the safe side of lively. After my 2ish inches of lift, I kept my stock ucas, so I lost some caster. Now it just feels plain old lively. Still safe, but it doesnt feel like the usual take a nap while you drive vehicle. I actually enjoy it this way. Also, I could swear my turning circle is a bit better now haha

 

I know what you mean. One of the things that first surprised and impressed me about the 4R is how maneuverable it feels despite its size. How easy it is shuffle around city streets and the like. I’ve lost some of that by pushing out the caster (and prob also from the type of tires I’m now running) but the lack of straight line stability at highway speeds bugs me worse.

 

With my experience with tires on 4Runner;

Comfy onroad - Falken Wildpeak AT3W
Best offroad and good on road as a daily - BFG KO2
Best on snow - Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac

 

I haven't tried the Wildpeaks, but guessing that their suitability for highway use is relative to other All Terrain tires. The OP really wants to prioritize highway performance and doesn't get a benefit from AT capability. For his kind of use the Defender is going to be hard to top. The Wildpeak has got to be a bit heavier, noisier and worse on MPG. And with that aggressive tread, prob also a little less composed than a true highway tire like the Defender.

Surprisingly, the Defender also gets pretty good user ratings for off road. I kind of think of it as the epitome of all-around tires the way the Pilot Super Sport was the epitome of performance tires for many years. They're both go-tos. Both extremely hard to top in any relevant category, but especially so as an overall package. (Boy was I impressed by the Pilot Super Sports I had on my M235i! They lasted well too!)

 

True, I hear many good things about Michelin Defender. I don't remember all season tire road noise for a long time now so can't really tell about road noise.. As far as I can remember Michelin Defender is not a winter rated tire (no 3pmsf rating). Not sure if it has changed now.

So Wildpeaks 275/55R20 SL then 285/70R17 SL with comfortable ride, better tire strength, no noticeable road noise, better tread depth, 3pmsf rating, speed rating more that the 4Runner,etc.. was well suited for my needs with Limited..

 

I say Go E Load or Go Home

 

Dont forget to re-gear with the 285's

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Not sure why you say that? Not an expert but I haven't feel anything abnormal.

 

Highway only, Defenders without a doubt.

Mix of off road/highway/back roads, Wildpeaks. So far mine are spot on. We do have another winter storm moving in today, so we shall see how they handle ice, sleet and snow.

 

Defenders all the way. I have KO2’s and LOVE them but I do a little more than just highway.

I had the defenders on my Outback and it is a fantastic tire for DD, with weather

 

Defenders is what you want and need.

 

For a road tire, my stock Bridgestone Duelers have proven to be very good. The ride has been solid and smooth, MPG is good, pavement and wet grip are good. Could use a little more tread in snow, but even there, these have been acceptable. At 85,000 miles, I'm just about to reach the wear indicators, so I got my use out of them. Looking at moving to a Continental TerrainContact A/T per a recommendation. I'm just after a good road tire with a bit more grip.

 

Are Defenders winter rated like Wildpeaks to handle ice, sleet and snow?

 

They are not bad but remember they are not winter rated A/Ts.

 

Defenders are not Three Peak / Snow rated. But they get excellent user reviews for snow use. Check out the reviews on Tire Rack. They’re based on many millions of miles of use, so the ratings are not a fluke.

 

I honestly don't know if I've ever had a winter-rated tire. The Duelers have done fine, and these are a little more aggressive, so I'm probably ok there. Plus, they look like they'll channel rain a bit better. Does your Venza have those Contis on it?

 

I don't have this Venza anymore. It was traded for a 4Runner Limited.

Edit -
Here's a closer look of those tires on the Venza -
https://youtu.be/95vME7Be19Q

 

Ok, then did your Venza have those tires?

 

Yes sir, added the link of my video to above post.

 

Thanks. They look good on the Venza.