I’ve had 2 flat tires in 2 months with the stock Pirellis 19” wheels that came with my 2023 110, which recently crossed the 30K mileage mark. I mostly drive highways so a bit bewildered at the tire life but thought I’d throw this out to get views headed to the dealer and wondering if another brand of tire should be my first question. At least I am getting good at deploying the tools in the trunk.

 

Do you know what caused the flat? I would think you'd look at that first as a solution.

 

is there new/recent construction in your area? New homes etc? Easy to pick up a nail or screw. As the tires wear down, you have less defense against such objects.

 

Are these punctures, or losing air through some other method?

Factory tires for any vehicle are notorious for not lasting. They are spec'd to a cost/value. Personally I'd change to something that fit my driving style and needs once the factory tires have run their short course.

 

So looking at other brands and going down the Defender 110 tire rabbit hole: the Pirellis are 255/65 R19 114Vs and it looks like if you want the 114Vs that is the only brand there is. But, intrigued, I poked around and it seems the 114 denominates a "speed" rating, with 114V the highest at 149 mph, 114H at 130 mph, and 114Q at 99 MPH. (Is that correct or is there more to it than that?) Since I don't make a habit of going above 80, is there anything wrong with trying out the Goodyear Wrangler A-T Adventure with Kevlar (114H), or the Wrangler Duratrac (114Q)? Thanks for any insights from the learning curve further ahead.

 

Did they still have good tread, or were they worn down to the point of failure? Do you routinely check your tires for damage? I do at every fill up. Other than a nail/screw/foreign object damage, you shouldn’t be surprised by a loss of pressure if the tires wore out.

 

Regardless of the claims, the OEM Goodyear AT 19" tires have weak sidewalls. Both flats I have had over 6 months' ownership were both embedded spiked rocks penatrating the tread. It's pretty hard to avoid altogether since coming up from the Asheville side you have 4.2miles unpaved / gravel even though it's NC-197. It winds up to Ogle Meadows and the Big Butt trailhead to Mount Mitchell at the county line and Pensacola township.

 

Yikes are there any 19s worth buying? Maybe the Goodyear Duratracs?

 

For off road, it's the only alternative without messing with sizing.

There is a 255/60R19 Falcon Wildpeak but you're giving up 1/2 sidewall. (OEM is 255/65R19). It's the original model, not AT3.

 

OMG - you are all hitting on one of the major axes I grind: Defender should allow the 18" rim with something like a KO2 (or Firestone Destination, or Wildpeak...) But yea, the weak part of Defender is the tire/rim set up. Because it's a big and heavy car, the rubber beneath it has substantial pressure. If you drive at an elevated height fast, that too can ware tires quicker (than a low slung SUV). The 19" rim limit tire choices: put in any tire selector that you own a Ford Bronco Badlands or a Rubicon, and then you get lots of tire choices. But when you put in Defender with 19" rims, it's slim pickings, and that's one issue that bugs me. If JLR knows there are dozens of tires for an 18" rim, and only a few really good tires for a 19" rim, why not offer the 18" rim to Defender buyers? The 19" rim restricts after market tire choices some owners may want. (N.B., this should be for the 3.0L engine with mild hybrid). For a long shot, tire companies are working to develop tires that won't puncture (making sidewall depth less of an issue as a bigger sidewall may not be necessary). Look up Michelin Uptis - an airless tire.