If they only save you once a year...

Submitted: Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 15:45

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Member - Jeff M (WA)

Well we went on our first trip away with the Goodyear MTR's on. We did probally about 40% gravel/off road through the trip. We were hiking along a very smooth but narrow gravel road between Moora and Dalwallinu (I'd been down it one way and turned around to go back (doing some exploring) so I was familer with it and consequently going a little quicker than previously) when a GREAT BIG BLACK COW darted out from the bushes straight torwards the drivers door!

Now I was always told that you NEVER steer/swerve for animals no matter what, you just hit the ancers and hope for the best.
Sorry dad, I swerved like all buggery! It scared the bajesous out of me! I still don't understand how it didn't take the side mirror off, I could see down it's nostrals out the drivers door! But what impressed me the most was the way the MTR's just held on and barley even locked up on the gravel even with hard braking and swerving, just amazing! The back end didn't even slide at all. The desert dulers used to skip around all over the shop even just cruising on gravel, with the MTRs on the surf felt like it was on the tar. It was very good. And just FYI I was running them at the same pressures I used to run the DD's.

So I don't care anymore, I don't care if they only last 30k or if they are noisy on the road or if they aren't as strong as a split rim or if they aren't as good on the beach or that they cost a little more than some of the alternative beause my little baby girl was sitting behind me in her baby seat and didn't even wake up.
So in my eyes they've paid for themselves already.
But I still really enjoyed that first bourbon at camp that night! ;-) I was a little white knuckled after that...

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Reply By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 16:27

Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 16:27

Good yarn Jeff.......and most importantly, a great ending!!!!!

When you're hauling precious cargo in the back seat, nothing is too good or expensive; I know what you mean.

I've been tossing up whether to get MT/Rs or the new STTs next. So far the MT/Rs are looking the goods, and your story only serves to reinforce my thinking at this stage.

Onya mate

Roachie

AnswerID: 108263

Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 16:41

Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 16:41

Yup, that was basically the choice I came up with in the end. STT or STC vs MTR.
I went MTR purley because of the reports of the STT's chipping and the STC's just didn't look as aggressive as the STT or MTR. The Goodyears were also the only Mud Terrain running a Silica compound (like high performance road tyres) which IMHO would probally make them less likley to chip as the compound has some give in it. Also making them better on road possibly.
And the MTR's, just like the BFG Muddies and the STT and STC had the "Dura Wall" 3 ply sidewalls. Ok, Splits are obviously tougher but IMO one extra layer HAS to make it stronger than an AT, even if only a little.

So there you go, that was my decision making process and I am now finally at rest with it and am happy I did the right thing.

FollowupID: 365047

Follow Up By: Member - John (Vic) - Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 20:47

Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 20:47

Good stuff Jeff keep us informed of how they are going in the next year or two.
I agree about the BFG A/T's not being up to the task anymore.
I currently have BFG muddies but have heard nothing but good stuff about the MTR's so would love to read your comments as they wear.

Cheers

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FollowupID: 365071

Reply By: Coops (Kalgoorlie) - Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 17:07

Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 17:07

Another convert.
That's one thing that amazed about the MTR's - their capability on gravel.

AnswerID: 108275

Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 17:29

Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 17:29

Bec and I were actually laughing about the fact that even at 42psi the MTR's were giving us a smoother ride @ 100km/hr on the gravel than we were getting on the Great Northern Highway.!! ;-)

I did a reasonable amount of exploring over the long weekend and followed some tracks that were extremely over grown with some quite steep inclines and ruts and the majority of it I did in 2wd fully loaded with gear and there was no wheel spin at all. I did put the surf in 4wd a few times but it was more out of saftey than neccessety as I didn't want to get half way up and realise that I should have been in 4wd because I'm now slipping sideways down a hill!
But yeah their ability on gravel was astounding. I'm not sure what BFG Muddies or Cooper STC/STT's are like as I've only ever had Desert Dullars or BFG A/T's before but I tell you right now the BFG AT's are not playing the same ball game as the MTR's, the MTR's leave them for dead. Of course you have to put up with a slight bit more road noise, but I think'll I'll live with that, we were still able to talk at normal levels even with music playing in the background. The noise is there, but only in the background.

FollowupID: 365055

Follow Up By: BenSpoon - Wednesday, Apr 27, 2005 at 11:06

Wednesday, Apr 27, 2005 at 11:06

I found the same thing on the weekend- on gravel/sand tracks they were smoother than on the sealed Highways at the same speeds.

I was well impressed that I copped no punctures/rips after the weekend, especially after seeing the sidewall scuffs and cuts that have been left in the sidewall tread lugs.

FollowupID: 365150

Reply By: Member -Peter (York 4x4) - Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 18:06

Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 18:06

Hi Mate glad to hear you got home safe , thanks for droping in ,see you in Bridgetown , Did back to the future stay in the box or is it out already ? haha

AnswerID: 108284

Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Wednesday, Apr 27, 2005 at 11:39

Wednesday, Apr 27, 2005 at 11:39

He took the cover off it once so he could see inside it better, but he hasn't taken it out of the box. He was showing his two uncles the car last night when they came round for dinner, he was so excited about it!

We also found some really nice campsites on the way back to Perth from your direction, thanks mate!

One of the reserves had some bastards house-hold rubbish dumped all over the place which made me a tad angry but I figured I might organise a camping trip out there with a trailer and everyone can be on scab duty before we setup camp, then dump it off the next day at the tip.

Does the York tip have an entry fee?

What do you think of that idea? Am I a sad sack wasting my time or do you think there's some merti to it??

FollowupID: 365154

Reply By: Exploder - Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 18:55

Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 18:55

Almost became a member of the exclusive (I hit a cow club) hay. One of my mates is a member and I have almost become one to’ but glad u mist the aftermath is not pretty and nothing spoils a trip faster especially with little ones in the car.

As for the MTR’s from what you have described they sound like a real top-notch tyre can see why so many people r converting to them. That section of the great northern is shocking> went through that area last month.

And yeah my policy is if a cow run’s onto the road and you can swerve you swerve.

AnswerID: 108286

Reply By: RobEG - Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 20:45

Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 at 20:45

I'll stay with my Coopers and BFG's for a little time yet. Every set of Good Year tyres I have ever had (and there have been at least six sets on cars and 4wd's) ended up with tread separation and when it came to warranty Good Year had more excuses than an election forecaster and I ended up with a nil result.

AnswerID: 108305

Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Wednesday, Apr 27, 2005 at 11:25

Wednesday, Apr 27, 2005 at 11:25

Fair enough RobEG, we'll see how they go. That was the other reason I went with the Goodyears, because I had heard of the problems with warranty etc with Coopers and BFG. The guys I bought these off are my local tyre place (just down the road from home and just happen to be a goodyear dealer by fluke).

They gave me a card and said they will call me every 3 months to get the tyres rotated and balanced for free. (or 10,000k's). Or I can just go in there and they'll do it if I do the k's faster. They also said they will repair any puncutres (tread or sidewall) for free as long as they can repair it in house.
The other two mobs had nadda unless you count Coopers rediculous "milage gaurantee" that only counts if you drive your Cooper STT's around town to the shops and back.

But I guess it all means didly squat until you actually try and get some service but with any luck it'll be some time before that is required!! ;-)

FollowupID: 365153

Reply By: burdekinbarra - Wednesday, Apr 27, 2005 at 19:43

Wednesday, Apr 27, 2005 at 19:43

I have Cooper ST Light Trucks on my Nissan STL and after 18 months and 42,000ks they are at least 50%. I have had all the major tyres over the years and so far these have been the best. I run around 60/40 road/dirt with a lot of heavy towing and boggy conditions. I get Nissan to do a rotation at every 10K service and what I particular like about these tyres are traction (both in the rough and on road), very strong side wall and ability to pump them right up high when you have a very heavy load. Thank God the tyre makers having started making better tyres...was well overdue

AnswerID: 108455