Destination LE2
The best tire for little money - want one? So Firestone Destination LE2 is what you need. Why are these tires the best, what are they for, and who makes them? Read on for more details.
About tires in general
Destination LE2 is a lightweight all-season tire designed for crossovers, SUVs, and compact trucks. The tires have been designed for hard asphalt road surfaces and light off-road applications. At the moment, the production of these tires has been suspended, however, many dealers have this model in their assortment.
By the way, this tire model is one of the most popular in the Firestone range, it would seem, why? It turns out that the reason is in the ratio of performance and cost. But first things first.
Who produces
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is a North American company with headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Tennessee. It is the oldest American tire manufacturer and has been on the market since 1900. In 1988, Firestone and the Japanese concern Bridgestone merged. As a result of the merger, the Americans gained access to Japanese technology, which had a positive effect on the quality of the tires produced. At the moment, the brand's products can be purchased in many countries around the world.
How is it produced
Destination LE2 tires are manufactured in factories in the United States, Taiwan, and several other Asian countries. Tire production is carried out using a number of patented technologies that relate to the composition of production materials, tire construction, and tread pattern.
As production materials, in the manufacture of Destination LE2, synthetic rubber is used with a certain amount (more than 20) of chemicals. Depending on the functional application of a particular layer, the composition of the fillers differs.
Since the tread must provide sufficient grip on the road surface, silica particles are added to the thickness of the rubber. Such fillers function as abrasive and provide sufficient friction throughout the tire-to-road contact patch.
For the strength of the tire, the rubber is reinforced with a carcass made up of fabric-fitted metal cords. The practice of using metal cages is not new, but in these tires, the carcass weave is tighter. Due to the tighter weaving of the carcass, the tire is designed to withstand high pressure, to overcome mechanical deformations such as hitting obstacles like curbs.
In addition to the woven carcass, the breakers are responsible for the strength - metal strips encircling the tires around the circumference of the central rib. Breakers have one important function - they provide a uniform adherence of the tire to the road surface. Thanks to this, the tread wears out evenly and the tires do not have to be changed too often.
More about the tread
High-tech and multifunctional tread pattern. 4 longitudinal grooves run along the central rib. These grooves provide directional stability of the car on straight sections and when cornering. The transverse lamellas are made diagonal. Such a solution, on the one hand, increases the efficiency of traction with the road, and on the other hand, prevents the effect of aquaplaning, since the diagonal groove drains water from the contact patch with the tire sideways.
As a result, the tread eliminates the possibility of an uncontrollable skid, provides sufficient grip for intense acceleration and equally intense braking.
In addition to the tread pattern on the center rib, attention should be paid to the sidewalls. The tread on the sidewalls is made in such a way that you can drive on loose snow. By the way, the tire sidewalls are well reinforced, as a result of which they are not susceptible to mechanical damage.
Reasons to buy these tires
What are our reasons for buying tires? Their operational advantages, of course. So how does the Firestone Destination LE2 compare favorably with other manufacturers' tires and why should you consider buying them?
- Durability. Tires have a long service life. After all, it's not in vain that the tire manufacturer gives them a guarantee of 60 thousand miles or 90 days of operation. Just imagine, the manufacturer declares that if within 90 days the tires do not suit the buyer in some way, they can be returned, of course, with an indication of the reason for their dissatisfaction!
- Excellent handling on various road surfaces and light off-road conditions. This advantage is provided by the tread pattern and in particular by the location of the sipes, which are responsible for traction.
- Acceptable handling at any time of the year. In part, this advantage is due to the arrangement of the transverse sipes, and in part to the material from which the tread is made. However, you shouldn't expect excellent handling in icy conditions, as this is an all-season tire and nothing more.
- Low noise level. The noise level when driving on asphalt is really below average. This is an important advantage if you are planning a long trip. The reason for the small noise is the low tread height, only 0.5 inches, which is not much for an off-road tire. In comparison, tires with aggressive off-road tread are much noisier.
- Low rolling resistance. The tires of this model are, in themselves, perfectly balanced. Again, there is no aggressive tread. Therefore, nothing prevents the tire from rolling forward on a flat road. Low rolling resistance has a positive effect on fuel consumption. For all tires in this range, the manufacturer announces fuel savings of up to 10% compared to other tires. These savings are primarily achieved through reduced rolling resistance.
- Design without sacrificing cross-country ability. Firestone Destination LE2 tires handle well and ride off-road. However, these tires do not look like off-road tires. On the contrary, the tread pattern is almost like on passenger tires. And the tread itself is low, and therefore the tires will look great on urban crossovers.
- Price. Perhaps this advantage should be noted from the very beginning. These tires are among the most affordable in their class. Used tires or completely unnamed products from the countries of Southeast Asia will cost less. These tires are really a way out of a difficult situation when you want to buy something of high quality but do not want to overpay.
And of course, the review would be incomplete without drawbacks. You probably won't notice any shortcomings in this tire. Except when winter comes, you'll find that ice is not the kind of surface you should ride the Firestone Destination LE2 on. But let's not forget that the tire is all-season and, as you know, there are no all-season tires that perfectly ride on ice. So if you want your Firestone Destination LE2 to behave like winter studded tires on ice, buy snow chains. It is inexpensive, but in such chains, the purchased tire will generally be the best.