Gary:

Thanks, that says a lot. They come with a price, but never have been let down buying good tires.

The FEH is wearing the Latitude Ice X right now for winter tires. I'm a studded tire fan, but these studdless tire's performance in winter conditions is really amazing.

The Tours ought to fill the bill nicely for the reamining 3 seasons then.

 

I just did some research.

The Michelin Latitude Tour tire is NOT marketed as a Low Rolling Resistance tire.

The Michelin Latitude Tour HP ( high performance? ) tire is.

http://www.michelinman.com/tires/suv...specifications

The HP tire is rated for 51 psi.
The regular is rated for 44 psi.

The HP tire is rated as temperature A ( best ).
The regular is rated as temperature B ( middle )

BOTH are rated at traction A.

The HP tire has a treadwear of 440 ( which is middle grade )
The regular has a treadwear of 720 ( which is high )

The Continental Eco Plus Tire is Tread 520, Traction A, Temp B.
I got 72,000 miles from the Eco Plus.

The standard Lattitude Tour is what is stock on all 2009 Escapes, I think.
This is NOT the LRR version of the tire!

Aditional info: the HP LRR versions is not listed in a 235/70/16 on the web site.
There is a 235/60/16 and just about everything else!

 

Oh.... the Michelin web site lists the HP in almost every size EXCEPT 235/70/16.

I could go with a 235/60/16 but that would change the speedo/odo without adjustment.

Is it worth it to get LLR????

 

Tire Rack:

Latitude Tour Black Sidewall = $129.00 each + $16.00 each shipping

$145.00 total ( x4 ) shipped to your door or mine ( no tax ).

Big-O tires will mount and balance for $12 + $2 stem + $2 disposal fee.

These should be 80,000 miles ( or better ) tires.

 

I have the factory Michelin's on my '09 and have zero complaints, they even worked out well this winter (tho they never saw more than a 4 inches of snow).

 

So, are these the same part number as the OEM Latitude Tours on the 2009 cars? Remember that Ford and Michelin jointly announced these tires as LRR tires, and stated that they alone were worth nearly 2 mpg during the pre-release roll out of the 09's...

Thanks,
Mark

 

I think as the whole industry matures and advances, all road tires are being made with lower rolling resistance than prior generations.

The Latitude Tour is probably a lower RR tire.

From Michilen, without scientific data, it sure sounds like Latitude Tour HP is the lowest rolling resistance tire.

The HP also looks like it is made for heavier duty applications.
16 inch rim is the smallest they make, and they go up to 22 inch for the HP.

The fact that the HP has 51 psi sidewall markings tells me it is for heavier vehicles than the FEH. That doesn't mean you couldn't put them on a FEH. However, there was not an exact size match for the HP.

 

Last time I checked there was only 2 Latitude Tour tires that fit our FEH/MMH. The only difference is one has raised white letters and the other does not. Michelin did not have a Latitude Tour tire prior to these LRR that fit the Escape 16" rims. My mileage increased when I put just two of these tires on my '05 FEH, so they are LRR tires. One important thing to remember is LRR means lighter weight also.

Goodyear mounted the 2 Michelin Latitude Tours on the front of my '05 FEH. I brought a scale to weigh the '05 FEH Rim, so now we can compare the weights. The stock FEH Rim is 2.2 pounds lighter than my new '09 FEHL Rim which is 20.4 pounds. The standard FEH Rim weighs 18.2 pounds. If you add the new Eco Plus at 31 pounds, the total weigh is 49.2 pounds. If you replace the Eco Plus tires with the new Michelins, the standard FEH Rim and Michelin tire would weigh 47.6 pounds each. WoW! This is what my new tires and Rims weigh on the front of my '05 FEH now.

The FEHL Rim and Michelin Latitude Tour tires weighed 49.8 pounds, which is .6 pounds more than the stock FEH rim and the Eco Plus. The folks that got the '09 FEH non Limited models have the 47.6 pound tire and Rim set-up.

The Michelin tire is 29.4 pounds and the Eco-Plus are 31 pounds which is 1.6 pounds heavier. The sidewall of the Latitude Tour is thinner which flexes for a smoother ride at higher PSI than the Eco-Plus. So the lighter weight will give you a LRR and better mileage. When I replace my '05 rear tires with the Latitude Tours, I might just exchange the tires and rims on my '09 FEHL to compare mileage with the lighter rims.

GaryG

 

Lighter Weight = good all around.
Less "unsprung" weight = smoother ride.

More flex = bad!
More flex eats up more energy, creates more heat, and lowers MPG!
The HP version of this tire states to paraphrase "extra stiff construction for lower rolling resistance... our most fuel efficient tire."
Perhaps this adds weight, and thus is not an advantage for light duty vehicles like the Escape?

I just went to my local Ford Dealership.
I looked at several new 2009's on the lot.
I got on my hands and knees and examined each tire.

There was a 2009 Mercury Mariner
There was a 2009 Ford Escape
There was s 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid.

All three cars ( 2 regular, 1 hybrid ) had the EXACT SAME TIRES.
Identical Michelin Latitude Tour tires on the hybrid and regular cars.
The Colorado Dealership wanted $190.00 per tire plus $30 each to install.
When the dealer service rep read the description of the tire from his computer out-loud to me, it said something like "excellent on snow & ice".
A very big plus.
I'm buying four from tire rack for $145 each delivered.

There was a 2009 Escape Limited ( not hybrid ) that had more rugged off road tires, also Michelin but I forget the model.

-John

 

I'm buying four from tire rack for $145 each delivered.

There was a 2009 Escape Limited ( not hybrid ) that had more rugged off road tires, also Michelin but I forget the model.

-John[/quote]

I'm with you. Off to Tire Rack (as soon as I wear out the Conti's which have 46k on 'em)

Mark