Cooper Tyres

Hi Brian
If you are doing the normal Simpson Tracks, you will have no troubles at all with the ATR's, trust me, I have had many trips across the Simpson.

The most important thing to remember is to DROP YOUR TYRE PRESSURE!

Even if the sand is firm, run about 18psi up front and about 20psi in the rear. If the sand is very soft, like the start of this years season, you would start at about 14psi front and 16psi at the rear. You will get many arm chair travellers telling you should do this and you should be using this type of tyre.

The normal travelled ways over the desert, eg French Line, WAA Line, or the Rig Road, then the QAA from Birdsville are easy from both directions if you know what you are doing. I prefer starting from Birdsville and going west over the desert, but first timers will find it easier coming from Dalhousie and going east. The tracks are all sandy and your usual speed is about 30kph to 40 kph and slower in places. There are only a couple of rocky sections that you would take slower and that is near the Knolls.

As the tracks have many vehicles travelling on them, you should have no tyre problems. On your way to the desert, either the Birdsville track or Coming in from Mount Dare, again keep you tyre pressures low. On the rocky tracks from either direction, I run 24psi front and 26psi rear and you will not have any tyre chipping, but having said that, you do not drive like a mad man at these pressures, keeping to about 80kph. Sure there are great sections of outback tracks that your can travel at much greater speeds, but when you speak to people that have tyre trouble on say the Birdsville track, it is usually speed and high tyre pressures that cause tyre failure.

If you are going very remote, off road driving where there are no tracks at all, them you may want to look at a different tyre.

Your Cooper ATR's will be great for your outback trip.

Stephen

Brian
ATR is closer to a road tyre than STT or ST, so ATR should be a better sand tyre.
Be interesting to see if anyone has a different view though.
JD

I think the STT is the mud terrain in tjhe Cooper range. Mud terrains are less suited for desert/sand travel. You's be better with the ATR or ST under the circumstances you are describing.

Brian, I can not answer your specific question, but had a similar dilema before our recent trip.

I had ATRs on the vehicle, with one spare and Hankooks on the CT with one spare. ATRs had only done 20K and I was happy with them. Given the trip we were about to do, after some consideration, I traded the lot in on nine 31 inch STs. Six on the road and 3 spares, all interchangable between veh and CT. Bob Jane gave me a good deal on the changeover (including 100% refund on the unused ATR spare), so I bit the bullet.

The STs were great on the trip. A bit more road noise on the black top, but very good off road. Good self cleaning in mud. No chipping that others have mentioned occasionally. I had no punctures, so the 3 spares have not had a run yet.

The ATRs would probably have been OK, but I felt better with all tyres the same and wanted to move to slightly bigger tyres anyway.

I came across a couple of guys travelling together on ATRs on the GRR. They showed me some chipping and small delamination on both vehicles. When I asked, they had been running at 45 psi the whole trip, including on the dirt. Said this is the advice they got from the tyre seller. So not sure if their problem was wrong tyre or wrong pressure.

I ran 38 front and 46 rear (due to weight) on bitumen and 28 front and 34 rear on dirt.

Does't answer your question, but hope it helps.

I did the Simpson with the original Bridgestones that came on the Patrol from new. They were far more worn than I should have had on for that trip but I still had no problems on the sand or rocks.

I did have trouble at Lake Poeppel where I simply lost traction in the mud. There was about an inch of rain the night before and things were a bit sticky. I did drive out of it under my own steam but there was a worrying moment when the car stopped going forward.

The AT's should be fine. As was suggested earlier sensible use of the pressure gauge and the right foot are the safest bet.

Duncs

Brian

Are your ATR's the passenger rated ones or the 10ply LT rated ones. Big difference in wear, strenght and stiffness of ride.

I just did GRR and had to let the pressure down for ride comfort. 40+ psi wa just too hard with stiff side walls.

Sand will be different of course but I can say the ATR LT's never let me down on the trip.

Hi Brian,

As other have alluded to, ATR's are generally better in sand. In rocky country I change over to ST's.

In "stake" country, particulary after a bushfire, I don't think it matters what tyre you run. It all comes down to luck and, driver experience.

Regards

Kim

If you are doing the "standard" type of Simpson trip, ATRs should be fine.
As others said it is down to luck and tyre pressure...

I'm planning a Simpson trip for 2007. I have Cooper AT/Rs on my Prado at the moment but also have 4 x spare rims with Goodyear Wrangler AT/Rs which according to this thread and others are a very good sand tyre.. The Coopers are great as an everyday tyre but I think I will throw the Wranglers on for a desert trip - does this make most sense?

rich