tyre choice

Submitted: Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 19:07
ThreadID: 109282 Views:3228 Replies:12 FollowUps:25
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Looking at new tyres..Want to get one that are inbetween mud and allterain.Cooper stt or micky tomson seem to be only options any info on which ones are better or any experience with either brand or any other options would be appreiated
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Reply By: scruffy - Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 19:27

Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 19:27
Look at the Maxxis 753. Bob
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Reply By: Member - Will 76 Series - Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 19:35

Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 19:35
Mate, I brought the Cooper AT3's but now wish I had of purchased the Cooper ST Max. In my view they are a fantastic in between tyre of AT's and MT's. Two of my mates have purchased the STMax's and they are an awsome tyre with great side wall protection and grip but also quiet. I love the Micky T's but they are so dam noisy especially the muddies.
Regards Will
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Follow Up By: cvhq - Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 20:48

Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 20:48
Yes i was heading towards cooper stt untill mate raved about new mickey tomsons.All about side wall strengh for me.Still leanig twords stt thanks for comments
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Follow Up By: olcoolone - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 08:08

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 08:08
Mickey Thompson have weak side walls.... had MTZ's on our 200 series and they were dangerous, changed to Cooper ST Maxx's and could not be happier.

Many buy tyres suited to only 5% of their driving leaving the other 95% of there driving compromised......

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Follow Up By: cvhq - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 11:24

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 11:24
Yes you are wright about tyre choice.Defender set up as 4wd and camping mainly drive another car around town misses may drop off kids at school while im at work.Other then that car mainly used off road.Cooper st max seem to be popular choice on this forum.Leaning towards buying these at moment.Just whent into mickey t dealer said they were the same tyre as cooper
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Reply By: scruffy - Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 19:41

Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 19:41
Maxxis 753 $270
Summitt mud hog $220
Toyo OPAT $269
Kelly TSR $290
Just a few others to look at. Coopers overpriced and the same with M/Ts in my opinion. Bob
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Follow Up By: Member - Keith P (NSW) - Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 20:05

Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 20:05
Don't get the BFG allterrain KO....not like they used to be anymore...since Michelin started making them. I have a set ...and have not had as many punctures with any other brand as I have had with these....and they are not wearing all that well either.
Lookin at Maxxis 751 or Cooper AT 3 next.

Cheers Keith

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Follow Up By: Top End Az - Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 21:21

Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 21:21
Keith - didn't know Michelin took over making the BFG's. Was looking at a set of all terrains. When did they take over?
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Follow Up By: Member - Keith P (NSW) - Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 23:25

Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 23:25
About 3 years ago ...just before I bought my set apparently. I started asking questions after about my second puncture on a fairly new set of tyres...and that what I found out.
Never ever buy them again....be lucky to get 70000K out of them....when my earlier sets of tyres went 90000 to 110000 average....just not good tyres anymore.


Cheers Keith
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Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 06:53

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 06:53
Michelin bought BFG in 1988. Loooong before you bought your tyres I suspect.

I don't think that acquisition had anything to do with your punctures. Never let a good story get in the way of facts though.
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Follow Up By: olcoolone - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 08:15

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 08:15
Getting punctures are not the tyres fault but more to do with lack of luck.

We see it on our service vehicles, all run the same tyres and do the same work a varying locations..... one service vehicle might get two punctures over a month and the rest nothing...... then all good for 4 months and then another service van for no reason gets a few punctures.
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Follow Up By: Top End Az - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 10:09

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 10:09
Exactly. I recently got an 8mm Sidchrome open ended spanner through the tread of my Dueler 697 LT driving at 70kph on the main road into town. Bit miffed as they have only done 20k km. Bad luck really. I contacted Bridgestone but said that their tyres are durable. Maybe so, but I've never had a spanner through any of my other tyres over the last 20 years, including H/T tyres on our Camry's.

All comes down to luck (and in the bush, a bit of sensible driving too)
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Follow Up By: Steve - Wednesday, Aug 27, 2014 at 18:31

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2014 at 18:31
I put bfg a/t tyres on in Feb 2011 and done 50000 on them. Not much rough stuff. The Oodnadatta and a few not too rough dirt roads but mainly highway and if they continue their current wear pattern I reckon I'll comfortably get 100,000 out of them. Have also done well with Bridgestone 694s and their variants.
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Reply By: Member - eighty matey - Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 20:11

Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 20:11
If you're not confused enough have a look at Wrangler Duratracs.
I found them a really reliable and hard working tyre for all conditions.

Steve.
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Follow Up By: cvhq - Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 20:57

Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 20:57
Thanks mate big outlay of money good to know and look at all options
available.thanks for reply
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Follow Up By: Member - eighty matey - Wednesday, Aug 27, 2014 at 18:53

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2014 at 18:53
Buying tyres is one my least favourite things in life.
As you say, it's a big outlay of money and you've got them on your vehicle for a long time.

I just recently bought 6 Toyo Open Country MTs for our trip to the Gulf via the Davenport Range that we start on Saturday.
They are one step below a Bobcat tyre but we're travelling through a lot of remote country and I don't want to have any trouble with my tyres.

I actually bought a couple of Cooper A/T3s just before Christmas and destroyed one on a New Year drive, so, "no more Coopers" said the one I love.
At our Tyrepower dealer the Toyos were $50 a tyre cheaper than Cooper ST Maxx and Mickey Thomsons.

Hoo roo,
Steve
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Reply By: Life Member - Terry 80FTE - Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 21:10

Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 21:10
I had a good run out of Wrangler Duratracs worked well all round, good in the mud when new, not as good in the sand as my current STMAXX's possibly because of the square shoulder or the fact the ST's are larger, luvin the STMAXX's more at the moment after a Simpson desert crossing and taking in the Simpson Geocentre.
Down side is the price but I wanted a good all round tyre with strong side walls.
Cheers
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Follow Up By: cvhq - Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 21:47

Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 21:47
Thanks mate spend fair bit of time on beach tewah, frazer plus bush so cooper sound better in your opinion.I am more concerned with side wall strength then price as would pay more to have less flatsl.Are stt and st max the same tyre.Done central aust this year ,cape york and cross simpson next year
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Follow Up By: Life Member - Terry 80FTE - Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 22:03

Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 22:03
The STT's are a muddy,
STMAXX are an aggressive all terrain.
I've got Goodyear Wrangler MTR's for my muds,
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Follow Up By: cvhq - Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 22:08

Monday, Aug 25, 2014 at 22:08
Ok thanks its the st max im looking at
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Reply By: BunderDog - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 06:17

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 06:17
Just remember that Coopers own Micky T's and are probably made in the same factory. The company struggled after Mickey and Trudy were murdered and was finally sold to Coopers a few years ago.
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Follow Up By: AlbyNSW - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 06:33

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 06:33
Yes same parent company together with several other brand names they own
They are not the same tyre, their carcass structure is different
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Follow Up By: olcoolone - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 08:23

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 08:23
You will find most tyre manufactures produce a few leading brand names using different technology and processes.

I don't know if Mickey Thompson ever produced their own tyres in their own facility or whether it was just him as a designer and a marketing name.
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Reply By: Member - KeithB - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 08:39

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 08:39
I just put some 33 inch ST Maxx tyres on my 200 series and loved them on my last vehicle as well. What I didn't like was the range of prices quoted - from $370 to $485 a corner in my size. So do be sure to shop around.
Keith
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Reply By: Mark T6 - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 12:17

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 12:17
I'd like to make a comment and I know you will think its just bagging Coopers but my facts are just that.

The last 4 years a group of mates and I have done some reasonably heavy duty 4WD trips, this year I moved to a caravan and still did some off road stuff but not as full on as the following.

2010 Simpson Desert crossing and all the "tracks" to and from.
2011 Anne Beadle and Gunbarrell Highways
2012 Cape York (including the OTT)
2013 Canning Stock Route (the most difficult of the lot) also coming back via the Tanami and Plenty Highways so thousands of off road K's

Now of the 5 of us, 3 were running Coopers, 1 Micky Thompson and myself BFG, all were AT's.

On every trip the tyres to fail on every occasion were the Coopers, we lost 3 tyres in 2010, another 3 in 2011, just the 1 in 2012 and a staggering 7 on the 2013 trip.

For the tyres who are supposed to have the strongest sidewalls they failed miserably as most were lost this way ( one copped a nail and shredded itself after losing pressure).

I have had to replace my BFG's (they did 2010-11-12 and my normal running around) and will have to replace then before doing the Kimberley (up to Kulumburu) in 2015 as they were so knocked around with the CSR where we had dreadful conditions BUT not one blow out or flat in all that time.

Now I have no axe to grind, I am not "anti Coopers", and from purely a traction point of view they go well BUT the figures don't lie, 14 heavy duty trips, 3 4WD's and FOURTEEN tyres.

Oh, and no need to make a comment about "had the tyre pressures been right" either, we are all experienced 4WDers and let me assure you know what pressures to have and are constantly changing and checking them (sometimes 3 or 4 times a day in the bad stuff).

Take from this what you will.
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Follow Up By: Mark T6 - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 12:19

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 12:19
Clearly that is 4 trips NOT 14
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Follow Up By: Member - Frank P (NSW) - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 15:00

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 15:00
Yes, I am a fan of BFG ATs as well.

Four big trips, all between 10k and 18k of outback dirt and gibber plus numerous weekends and short trips to softer destinations. The vehicle is always heavy and the trailer puts about 150kg on the towbar.

Every time so far I have come home with the same six tyres on the wheels and three unused spares.

Mates with Kumho, Coopers, Toyo and Bridgestone have not fared so well.
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Follow Up By: cvhq - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 15:44

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 15:44
The only reson have not looked at bfg is i want something more aggressive the at's but not as agressive as muddies.Leaving cooper stmax.Mikey t's ATZ P3 or duertracs.
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Follow Up By: Crackles - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 21:28

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 21:28
That's a very similar experience to mine Mark. While few people that I tour with run Coopers, they have been disproportionately the worst performing tyre on every big trip without exception. I do believe however that generally the current tyres they are now making are far better than the shockers we've seen fail in the past 15 years but they'll have to prove themselves over time before we'd ever touch them.
The tyres of choice in our groups are currently MTR's, Procomp, Bridgestone Dueler's & a few are trying out the new Nitto's.
Cheers Craig..............
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Follow Up By: Life Member - Terry 80FTE - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 22:47

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 22:47
Mark, do you know if any of the cooper tyres on those trips were the newer STMaxx's?
As we do know Coopers went through a bad patch. I had some STT's that lost some lugs, have also had Procomps and NFG's split around the bead line, and sidewall tears in both.
Even my preferred mud MTR's have ripped off lugs and had punctures,
Why can't they make tougher rubber? Hhmmm. maybe it's what we do to them.
Cheers
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Follow Up By: Crackles - Wednesday, Aug 27, 2014 at 17:17

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2014 at 17:17
"We do know Coopers went through a bad patch"
Terry I wouldn't call 15 years a bad patch. That's a systemic problem ;-) But credit where due personally have not seen or heard 1st hand of the current tyres having any of the common failures of the past.
Cheers Craig........
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Follow Up By: Life Member - Terry 80FTE - Wednesday, Aug 27, 2014 at 20:44

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2014 at 20:44
Hi Craig, "15 years.....systemic problem;-) " yeah I guess times a relevant thing, LOL, it was about 10 years ago I went away from them,

decided to try them again due to good reports, they looked a good tread/shoulder design and the strong side walls,
as previously stated lovin them, they work and are holding up well, and don't understeer as much in the softer stuff like the MTR's.
Hope they will be my main tyres for a while.

Cheers
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Follow Up By: Mark T6 - Saturday, Aug 30, 2014 at 17:38

Saturday, Aug 30, 2014 at 17:38
All were AT's, I think that's the STT (not an expert on the brand).

This is in the period 2010-13

Maybe the current (as in 2014) Coppers are better, who knows

Remember I am NOT here bagging the brand, just recounting the experiences I saw first hand.

None of us run Muddies, all of us use our Fourby's both on and off road.
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Reply By: Krooznalong - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 13:23

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 13:23
I'll throw another name into the ring - Kumho KL71. Sold as a MT but not as aggressive as some. Not too much road noise.
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Reply By: Member - Anthony W Adelaide - Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 14:25

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2014 at 14:25
We are running Cooper STMaxx on our 79 Series and could not be happier with them. We just got back from Kimberly and Canning trip as well as Nullarbor crossing, 13000 kms and we had no flats the whole way. Plenty of traction in all types of country including mud.

There not cheap but sidewalls seem strong at low pressures which is a good thing IMHO.

Still a bit noisy but not as bad as full muddys.

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Reply By: Freshstart - Wednesday, Aug 27, 2014 at 09:40

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2014 at 09:40
Cooper ST Maxxs here. No complaints at all.

Sorry, but I can't even tell you how much we paid for them or even how many miles they have done so far.

We have two complete sets of wheels, one with 265 ATs and another with 285 ST Mqaxxs. We use the AT's around town and change to the TS Maxxs for bush and country driving. Have to remember the speedo is wrong with the 285's though.

Cost, road noise and lifetime, within reason, are not in our selection criteria for tyres. We want them to stick to the dirt, rocks, sand or road and that's all.

There is enough noise from the corrugations anyway so we really don't care.
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Reply By: Member - Odog - Thursday, Aug 28, 2014 at 18:18

Thursday, Aug 28, 2014 at 18:18
I must be the only one running Dick Cepeks.. FC2. Think they are made with coopers and Micky Ts.. I feel lonely.... But I'm happy with them.. Cheers
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