Pirelli Scorpions????????

Hi Steve, before you go anywhere near the scorpions do a Google of some of the USA sites. They are anything but good.

I had them on my RR and was lucky to get 20,000 kms before they were near slicks.

They are without a exaggeration, the most dangerous tyre I have ever used or come across.

Again, google the USA sites and see what they have to say about them.

I had, unfortunately, already fitted the crap before I read some of the complaints the Yanks had.

One guy put it in a nut shell when he posted “ it was like driving down a freeway covered in spaghetti “ and thats exactly how they handle.

You can’t take your eye off the road for a split second because they cause the vehicle to wonder at the drop of a hat.

I have just put Coopers on but I’m not pushing them as I have not done 1k with them yet.

Hi Steve,a good friend had them on his new Cruiser, we were driving on good forest rds west of Eden on NSW sth coast one afternoon and we had 2 flats in an hour.Took them straight back and went for the BFG's.Cheers mate.

Try my post that i had about these a few weeks ago...

post number 33494

Laura B....hope it helps

Steve,
You won't go far wrong with the BFG's, just make sure the ones you buy if you decide to go down that track are made in the US and not Japan. The US ones tend to last longer. To date I haven't had a problem with any of the BFG's I've purchased. I'm running the All Terrains on my Patrol and Muddies on my Range Rover. When I have a problem I'll change until then I'll be using someting I have confidence and experience. A few people in the 4WD club I belong to changed to Cooper's they've all come back to BFG's again now for one reason or another.
My opinions and experiences as usual.

There was a post on this not long ago.

I had a set on my Patrol but now there is only half a set. Lost 2 to sidewall bulges. I wouldn't go with them again. From responses to the previous post it would appear you shouldn't run a lot of pressure in them.

Wear is not great but not as bad as would be indicated by some of the earlier replies. It is the sidewall issues that have put me off. Never had a problem like this with any other tyres.

Cheers
Trevor

Hi steve
I'm working for a big tour operator (APT) here in Kangaroo Island. We are doing 4wd tours using landcruisers 100 series . We always used cooper tyres AT and now ATR ... I can say there are very good! In my 80 series I had a set of BFG good but very noisi tyres (on bitumen) ... Cooper ATR are very quiet and very robust! Just come back from North Flinders Ranges an Arkaroola wit a new set ... surprise! No one chip or cut ... tyres looked new!
If I can suggest ... go for it . They last longer (and they cost a bit more)!

Luca

Cheers for that mate. I keep referring to those test results in last year's 4x4 mag. It agrees with your noisey BFG comment but what bothers me is the stopping distance req'd and wet bitumen performance on Coopers. They don't test the ATRs just ST-Cs. Any comment on wet bitumen performance? Stopping?

Drivesafe: didn't know you drove a Roller. (RR) ;>)

truckster; we've been thru this argument and basically they all advertise, so they can't give top marks to them all. In fact, Pirelli, who's Scorpion came out top, did the least advertising. MT and Coopes occupied far more advertising space. Still, you and others have convinced me to steer clear of the Scorpions.

re: Coopers ATRs, I've just come off the dog & bone and the man said they don't do ATRs in 275x70x16. Am I missing something? Or is he?

The Pirelli Scorpion A/Ts are available in either LT or passenger construction. The mag test used LTs. Maybe some of those who have had bad experiences with the Scorpions have been using the passenger ones?

Just a thought - never had them myself.

Hi Steve, am at the same stage as you. Have a 5 month old STR Navara (great 4WD) & I am nearly through the OE B/stone 693's after 25K kms, might get 30 if I'm lucky, Not happy Jan!!!. This is my second set of 693's, I had a previous set on a falcon outback ute, good grip but same problem wear out in no time flat, & no I don't do smokys or circuit work. I would'nt have the 693s again.
I too was looking at the Scorpions but not sure anymore. Cooper ATR's look good , my local Tyrepower manager has them on his Triton 4by & he's wrapped with them, after 30K minimal wear & good allround grip. The new Yokohama Geolander A/T+11's are another I'm looking at, also look like a good AT tread said to be quiet & good wearing & good price $249. I've had 2 sets of BFG ATs on a previous Cruiser which we took 1/2 way around Oz. We found to be a good all round AT, had some problems with delamination of the casings which BFG replaced under warranty after 60K kms no questions asked, they said bad batch. I also found after about 50K they became slippery on the black stuff. At the risk of upsetting the huge BFG following on this forum, I thought after 25 years BFG might try tweaking or a newer tread pattern. If it aint broke don't fix it, I hear them all cry.
My research on the Michelins is all good but at $354 ea for the ATs its a big ask.
I'm no closer to a decision either at this stage.
Can you help me with the details of the tyre review you have referred to; which Mag & Issue please.

Cheers, Matt.

Just for something different - I actually have a set of Scorpion AT LT 31 x 10.5 on my HJ61, so can speak from direct experience not hearsay, nor drift the thread off topic by discussing other brands.

They handle well, but wear on the rears is not good. Handling is adequate for all my purposes - 80% on road and 20% off road. I might get 35K out of the rears but the fronts still have heaps of tread on them. I've had one flat rear from a 6" screwdriver going through the tread.

Tyre fitter recommended 40 psi in them, so that's what I ran for some time, but then found the tyre placard recommended 30 psi and given the rear were wearing too much in the centre, I dropped the pressure to 30psi and they've been doing fine.

Would I buy them again? Maybe. $160 is not bad.

Would they suit your purpose given you are towing? I'd have my doubts given my experience of high wear on the power wheels.

Tim

Steve,

Hi, I had a set of Scorpions A/T's on my 95 series Prado. They lasted me 50k easily. On the black top they handled great, a bit noisy. On the dirt they were average (not bad) and tended to dig in when on the beach. I had zero punctures. When it came to replacing them I had trouble getting the size I wanted and so decided to switch to Cooper A/T's. They were quieter, and were much better off road, but on the black top in the wet they felt like ice skates.

I now have a GU with Bridgestone which work well, but I don’t think I am going to get the same life as the Scorpions, but I think that is more driver related than the tire.

Angus

The deal is done. (de de de derrrrrrrrrrrr - fanfare)

BFGs @$280 plus steel rims @ $50 to save my mags "for best" all on 12 months interest free at Bob Jane.

Still, liked the Coopers ATRs but this was a good deal and all those BFG owners can't be wrong.

Thanks for the input, guys.

All I want to hear now is all you BFG owners telling me they're the best rubber you've ever had and you'd never entertain anything else.

(Wonder what those Coopers'd've been like??????)