Tyres
Submitted: Wednesday, Jul 02, 2014 at 16:51
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greywiki
We are a couple of Kiwis currently planning a trip around Australia and the Jeep is going to need new rubber very soon,definitely before shipping across the ditch, can't decide between the Bridgestone 697 AT or the Cooper AT3 tyres. The Bridgestone has a higher load rating with a tread depth of 9.8mm compared to the Cooper tread depth of 13.1mm. Interested to hear from those who have used both and any helpful general comments. Price wise only A$26 dearer each on the Coopers.
Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Wednesday, Jul 02, 2014 at 18:27
Wednesday, Jul 02, 2014 at 18:27
Well Terry, you just might start WWIII but I can give nothing but praise for the 697 LT AT's fitted to my Colorado and Camper.
Have recently completed 10,500 kilometres from
Adelaide to the
Kimberley and including both the
Gibb River Road and the
Cape Leveque Road and no problems at all.
Not one
puncture. The LT's have a stronger sidewall and performed faultlessly on the bitumen (36psi) and offroad (28psi front, 30psi rear),towing the Campomatic Camper virtually everywhere I went.
Have previously had 693's, then 694's but the 697's look good with a reasonably aggressive pattern that does not give a lot of unfavourable road noise. I guess you could say I am definitely a Bridgestone fan.
I cannot personally comment on the Coopers, but there have been knockers over time on this
forum, with missing lugs and a warranty that doesn't give the owner full replacement for damaged tyres, just a reduction on the replacements.
You need to weigh up the cost difference on a full set which puts the Coopers at $130 extra.
I can't tell you yet how much life I will get out of my Dueler LT's but I have had them for 12 months or so and they still have plenty of tread depth on them.
Coopers advertise an 80,000k lifespan but does anyone really get this out of a set?
Over to the Cooper Owners!
AnswerID:
535346
Reply By: Bludge - Wednesday, Jul 02, 2014 at 18:28
Wednesday, Jul 02, 2014 at 18:28
Can of worms time.....
Tyre ratings are fickle... and not always as obvious as they may seem.
I have 2 sets of tyres, a set of Bridgestone 695's which are very good tyres, I run them at 32psi on a Toyota 100 series. I have had in the recent past Coopers STT's and had a good run out of them and currently run BFGoodrich KM2'S for off road work.
I have been informed that a higher load rating (like my 695's) may be 10 ply rating and 1500kgs, but that is at its maximum working pressure 80psi. Driving at a reasonable tyre pressure 32psi the load rating is a lot less.
A lower rated tyre may have 8 ply and 1360kgs, at its maximum working pressure of 60psi, but driven at 32psi.
But both tyres at 32psi the actual load rating will be close, leaning towards the Coopers for better strength at normal road pressures. Both are excellent tyres either way you will be happy.
As I said ... A can of worms....
AnswerID:
535347
Reply By: AlbyNSW - Wednesday, Jul 02, 2014 at 19:08
Wednesday, Jul 02, 2014 at 19:08
Probably can't go too wrong either way but what may influence your decision is to
check if either would be under warranty here in Australia should you need to call on it
Most likely they won't but worth checking
AnswerID:
535351
Follow Up By: greywiki - Thursday, Jul 03, 2014 at 07:34
Thursday, Jul 03, 2014 at 07:34
Spoke to dealer over warranty and thought he would collapse when asked if the tyres would still have the warranty in Australia. I got the impression that if I really pushed hard on the issue they would be but I can only imagine the hassle if I did have to make a claim.
Thanks
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819232
Follow Up By: olcoolone - Friday, Jul 04, 2014 at 09:32
Friday, Jul 04, 2014 at 09:32
Overseas warranties are a funny thing...... most products are sold in Australia by an Australian distributor whether part of a bigger parent company or a private company with no relation to the manufacture of the product.
Most of the warranty claim rejections if you bought something overseas is to do with protecting local interests and putting a stop to parallel importing or product purchased overseas by a local to save costs.
One other reason is the associated cost for them to recover costs.
BUT there is nothing stopping an Australian distributor acting as a warranty agent and accepting claims if a product was purchased overseas....... in most cases like yours I think they would warrant the claim due to the reason you bought the product in your
home country where you live and intended to use it overseas, you did not try and disadvantage the local distributor or take profits away from them.
You would have to go through the channels in your
home country and get them to follow through with an Australia distributor.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Stewy1 - Wednesday, Jul 02, 2014 at 20:41
Wednesday, Jul 02, 2014 at 20:41
Check that your prices are for the same construction tyres, the Cooper price may be for passenger tyres not LT. Last time I checked they were $80 dearer.
I had Cooper LT/ST on the Prado for 90,000km with no flats and changed them for Bridgestone 697 AT/LT last year before going around OZ.
The tyres performed
well with no flats and have 30,000km on them, I towed a 2 tonne offroad van across The Savanah Way, Lorrella Springs, GRR and
Mitchell Falls,
Cape Leveque etc.
I still have the Cooper tyres in the garage, and they have more tread left on them than the Bridgestones. I admit that the Bridgestones have had a harder life than the Coopers, but if I could get the Coopers for that price, I would buy them.
I think you should get a good run out of either tyre as long as you alter your tyre pressures and drive to the conditions.
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Follow Up By: greywiki - Thursday, Jul 03, 2014 at 07:43
Thursday, Jul 03, 2014 at 07:43
The Cooper's are passenger tyres, they do not produce a LT tyre in my size, 245-65-17 closest is 245-70-17. and they are an extra NZ$60 per tyre.
Will go with the Bridgestones.
Thanks for all of the comments all very helpful.
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Reply By: allein m - Thursday, Jul 03, 2014 at 12:16
Thursday, Jul 03, 2014 at 12:16
check this link out and make your own mind up
bridgestone 697
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Follow Up By: greywiki - Thursday, Jul 03, 2014 at 12:56
Thursday, Jul 03, 2014 at 12:56
Thanks interesting viewing and comments, I will be fitting the bridgestone 697.
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Follow Up By: allein m - Thursday, Jul 03, 2014 at 13:11
Thursday, Jul 03, 2014 at 13:11
When I first posted it a lot of people found it interesting and informative
if you do head up
Broken Hill way let me know we can meet and have a coffee
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Follow Up By: olcoolone - Friday, Jul 04, 2014 at 09:37
Friday, Jul 04, 2014 at 09:37
Oh a paid advertisement by Bridgestone to say how good their tyres are..... didn't he say the same for Mickey Thompson and BF Goodrich?
Hang on a minute I forgot Allan was very impressed and he would of said those kind words even is it didn't involve money...... are that's why he said nothing bad.
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Follow Up By: greywiki - Friday, Jul 04, 2014 at 11:09
Friday, Jul 04, 2014 at 11:09
Yes I agree on the paid advertisement, but where do you stop on looking, Yokohama also produce a good tyre and they are all around the same price. I guess it all boils down to how you treat the tyre rough yes but there different degrees of roughness.
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Follow Up By: allein m - Friday, Jul 04, 2014 at 13:50
Friday, Jul 04, 2014 at 13:50
Yes a paid advertisement but as a few people have said some helpful hints and information
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