BF Goodies ATR or Cooper ST

If you have been happy with the BFG's then stick with them. I have had 3 sets and would not risk changing to any other as they could not be better for me. We have had one sidewall stake in 8 years on a cut sapling and my mate has had similar performance. I sure others have had good results from other tyres too.

I have Cooper ST fitted to my LR and have had an excellent run with them.
Have been up through the centre (mainly off the tar) down the Gibb River road ECT.
Have been running heavy and towing an off road camper . Not one flat as yet. Road noise is not too bad .35,000kls on them now and still 40-50% left !

Hi

I had the same problem a few months ago and eventually chose the Coopers Sure Trac for no real scientific reason. I am very happy with my choice.

But, make sure you get Light Truck tyres in the BFGs or Coopers because they are stronger and hopefully more puncture resistant, especially if you carry loads and travel rough stony tracks.

Cheers
Phil

I've been on BFG's for 7 years since buying a new Jackaroo - have done quite a few trips now to central Oz and one to the Kimberley - plenty of 'rough and tumble' travel involved. I use them on the Campomatic trailer too, because they seem very robust, when used with due care. Yet to have a flat with a BFG. I do add that I'm conservative in my driving habits so they get a good life from me - we always adjust pressures in the bush where indicated. I don't have a good reason to try anything else it seems ! No tyre is perfect but - they do lose small chips from the lugs when used on stony ground - this takes a toll if you cover a lot of this surfcae type - anecdotes here suggest Michelin may have toughened the compound since I bought mine. Some other makes don't chip like these apparently. 80k from my first set - 65k from the current ones probably (more bush travel on this latest set).

I'm on Cooper STTs and despite hard work in gibber country, the high country, the otways, Nullabor limestone and the Anne Beadell to name a few, they are in pretty good nick and with 43Ks under them, are looking like they'll be good for 80+Ks from 6 of them.

I've had one side-wall stake repaired, and there are some chinks (rather than chunks), and they made a nice wine (sic) as I drive along, but only a little worse than the ATs I had prior.

Let's compare notes in the Kimberley - will be there most of May.

Hi Fiona,

We have just finished a 6,000k trip into the Territory and I can't speak highly enough about the Cooper S/T's on our Patrol. They are 265/75R16LT's.

We did some serious heavy 4WDing on the Adventure Trail to the east of Arltunga, to the Plenty Highway (over 5 hours to do a 100km) over deep soft sand, mud, water crossings, rock and everything in between. I should have deflated the tyres over many sections but given the 40degree+ temperatures I took my life into my hands and soldiered on without deflating them.

The truck weighed in at 2.98tonnes. I was running 45psi (F) and 49psi (R) cold pressures.

So, at the end of the trip we had scratches down both sides of the body, dents and scratches in and under the back bumper and 2 small chips out of the tyres. Puntures Zero, Bogged Zero. Smiles on our faces from ear to ear. :-) All in all, very impressive.

Tyre noise seems to be an issue for some people, but we find it is not intrusive and is not an issue once the wheels leave the black top. I would recommend these tyres to any Patrol owners, with the only proviso being they are rotated every 5,000k's or there about.

I have a 60mm spring lift (Kings/Koni) and as yet haven't done anything about the camber. I experience minor scalloping on the edge of the front tyres if they aren't rotated regularly, but this doesn't seem to effect steering or handling. Overall they are far better in the wet than I ever thought possible.

Ours have travelled 40,000+k's and still have better than 50% tread left front and rear. I'll definately be replacing them with the same when the time comes.

Enjoy your trip ;-)

Peter

Hi Fiona
Go to bridgestone and get a set of Ozi made A/T duellers, trust me you get the same milage as the others, and in 6 years I've never had a problem taking them across the top end EG Arnhemland, Kakadu and ocasionly to the Kimborley.
I have 3 Landcruisers that do tours to these areas daily fom May- Dec, there about $100 cheaper as well.
Cheers Steve Top End Explorer Tours

FionaD,

I have a Patrol and I have tried both the BFG A/T's and the Cooper ST's and quite honestly they perform just about the same in my opinion. Never had a puncture in either sets and both have been through the Simpson, Flinders Ranges, Fraser Isl. Victorian High Country and countless other tracks. Both sets developed chipped edges, however the Coopers chipped worse with the blocks starting to rip off.

I am now on Cooper STT's and for the first time ever I can appreciate the difference that a tyre makes. These are fantastic tyres - they grip so well on gravel roads and of coarse going through mud (a rarity nowadays) they don't clog up as easily as the ST's or A/T's. Highly recommended.
Peter

I'm very happy with my Cooper STs, but they do produce a bit more road noise on bitumen than some less aggressive tyres. I ran Cooper ATRs before that. The ATRs are an excellent on road tyre with little road noise, but the STs are much better off road.

Have done GRR, Kalumburu Road, Mitchell Plateau, Cape Leveque, Bungle Bungles and lots of other notable 'bad roads'. No punctures and good handling. We run as high as 46 PSI in the back when fully loaded (38 front). Reduce about 10 PSI for corrugated roads and more for slower off roading and sand.

Most people I know with BFG (mostly AT, not ATRs) are also happy.

Hi Fiona, we put BFG A/T on our GU, they have done over 110000kls and still going, we did the CSR with ours and had no punctures until we hit the bitumen near Halls Creek. We are looking at doing the Central Road, Tanami and Gibb River Rd later in the year so will put a new set of them on then.

Cheers

Deanna

Had both, prefer the bfg remember coopers klms warranty is only for road use once you take them off road No warranty also Google Coopers recall (i had i set good & 1 set crap) good luck

My vote is for Cooper ST. They were fitted specifically for a trip to the Kimberley region, along and around the GRR. Came home with just under 10,000km's on them and looked brand new, no cuts, not chipping, no chunks, perfecto.

BFG's are for the old school boys, who used to run them donkey's years ago when the compound and manufacturer were different. They still perform but are not like they once were.

Never buy a tyre for its warranty, if one is offered then thats nice, dont rely on it. Do you kick up a fuss when your other consumables dont come up trumps. example, printer cartridge should print XYZ pages, however it falls short by ABC pages, do you go back crying demanding you get a new cartridge for free...

P.S. the ST will make your truck look sexier than the AT

I have no experience with the BFGs but I susppect if your happy with your current tyre you may as well stay with it. I didn't get them becasue there was some doubt about the quality at the time i bought, but as best I can tell that has been fixed or was unfounded. Like I said, never had any.

Having said that, I am currently on STs and love them. Went on about 35 000ks ago and had no faults at all so far. Haven't ever rotated them and wear has been pretty even. Only issue I've had is recently was my fault, belted a gutter and knocked the front left out of alignment and ended up toasting the tire, wearing of the outside, because I didn't realise and failed to look at the tire for some time. Just put on a new one and moved the still new spare opposite it. Had a chance to compare them to the 35k old back ones and they are at about 50% wear I'd say. The edges are a but soft on the lugs but no cuts scrapes etc.

I have done heaps of bitumen touring and a fair bit of off roading on dirt/gravel/rock. Grip has been phenominal in all conditions. Was particularly impressed with on road grip for such an agressive tyre.

The truck came with Duelers on it and they were terrible. When I got the Coopers on I was sunned at how well the truck handles. Used to live in fear every time it rains, now it corners and pulls up like a champ.