I made it to Kununurra , but blew a Cooper at speed

Corrogations were mentioned.............

Sat on 80 to 100k/h for comfort was mentioned...........

If you travel on corrogations at that speed, you're asking for trouble either way. If his tyres were up at what would be considered normal pressure for that sort of speed (on the black top), in a fully loaded 4x4 (say 38psi), then he was asking for trouble.

If he had the foresite to drop his tyre pressures to a more sensible figure (say 25 to 28 psi) for the corrogations and THEN STILL sat on 80 to 100k/h, then he was STILL asking for trouble.

Sorry Willie, but IMHO it wouldn't matter WHAT tyre you had on your truck, you simply cannot travel at those speeds over that type of track, without causing yourself grief. 80k/h (IMHO) would be the absolute maximum you could do on bad corrogations with a heavily loaded 4x4; regardless of the tyre pressures. If you MUST do those sorts of speeds to fit in a particular trip within the timeframe you've allowed yourself; to me it means you have bitten off more than you can chew.

Don't get me wrong.....I'm not defending Cooper Tires (sic)...I hate them with a passion....not so much for the fact that they chipped like no other tyre I've ever owned; but for the arrogance and indifference shown to me by the State Manager for Cooper Tires when I showed him. I now run Mickey Thompsons which I've since found out are owned by the same mob...BUGGA.

Sorry to read about your dramas....hopefully that will be the last for the rest of this trip.

Foregoing is just my opinion FWIW.

Agree Roachie that the speed in this case probably had more to do with it than the brand. I've been in the same position blowing a new MTR. At 100kph dodging all the rocks is damm hard then pulling up in time to save the sidewall after a punture is pretty much impossible unless you have tyre monitors. It's the risk one takes though if you need to get somewhere in a hurry but there's no point blaming the equipment.
What tyre pressure to run at high speed on dirt is the other issue. Do you keep the pressure high so the vehicle handles better & the tyres don't overheat or do you let them down to avoid punctures?
Still there is no reason even at 100 for the Coopers to chip & loose the lugs like they do.
Cheers Craig..........

I do 80 /90/100 kph on corrugated roads 7 months a year 325km per day.

Ozi made Bridgstones 40 front, 42 rear, 11 sets, not one blow out, no punctures, no problems.

Never have never will let my tyres down on dirt roads.

Steve.

Quote: "Never have never will let my tyres down on dirt roads"................

That, my friend, is sheer arrogance at it's worst. Now we know who is causing the bloody corrogations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Remind me never to do a tour with you Steve! You're probably a very nice bloke and you probably know a chit-load more about 4 wheel driving than I do (or ever will)................but I wouldn't be able to do a trip with you if that is your attitude.

I am extremely pleased for you that you have had such a great run with your tyres. I guess you've just shown us all the error of OUR ways, eh? I will make a mental note to run my tyres @ 40 and 42 and sit on 80 to 100k/h on gravel roads in future.....(NOT).

Cheers....(shaking head sadly)....

Roachie

Hey Roachie

I certainly don't have an arrogant attitude when it comes to this subject.

What I have done is explain exactly what happens when I run my tyres at this pressure.

Why would I change something that works, On the other hand you have not given me a reason as to why I need to change.

Some would say that would be and arrogant attitude, to say someone is wrong and then not give them a reason.

Many times I have read on this forum, people suggest you lower your pressure and speed, but take an extra tyre in case you blow one, many many times.

As for causing corrugations, it is badly maintained roads that cause them, I spent a bit of time in surveying and earth work before my current position.

Now from what I have read on this forum there are a lot of people that sing your praises, so please give me the courtesy of an explanation, before you brand me as arrogant.

Cheers Steve.

G'day Steve,
I apologise for using the language I did in my above response. It's just that is goes against everything I have ever read or heard.

I have always lived by the motto: "Drive according to the conditions". To me, that means slowing down when the road conditions are snowy, wet, icy, sandy, rocky, corrogated etc. It is as much a duty of care to my vehicle and occupants, as it is to the road, as far as I'm concerned. Travelling at 80, 90, or 100k/h on corrogated tracks with 40 odd psi in tyre might "seem" okay to the occupants. You think that your vehicle is "skimming" over the top of the corrogations and therefore your running gear is not suffering. If you could watch your undercarriage on a monitor/screen etc when you're doing this, I think you'd be interested in the extra work you're placing on your suspension (mainly shockers, but really it's ALL components.....rubber bushes, springs etc).

As for the formation of corrogations......this is a very scientific subject. Once again, I only know what I know, coutesy of Dr Karl Krisalinski (spelling?). He did a doco' on corrogations and the finding was that the 2 factors that caused them are speed and tyre pressures. Of course, your comment about lack of maintenance is true too. Once the roads ARE corrogated, it would be nice if the grader driver was given a job sheet a bit more regualrly than once every leap year!!!! hahaha

As for tyres blowing out etc? Well, all I can say is that I have never had anything remotely resembling a flat tyre when I've been out bush. In 35 years of having a license, the only flat tyres I've had have been in town; usually in my own driveway!!! LOL I used to take any extra spare on long trips, but have now ceased that practice......well, sort of anyway. My Patrol has 2 spares on the back, but one of those is for the camper trailer as I have replaced it's spare with 2 jerries.

Cheers mate......no offence meant.....I'll guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this subject and if I come across you along the track it'll be my shout.

Roachie

Steve with the excellent history you've got out of your tyres on the roads you drive you would be mad to change your ways but it's certainly not the result that many seem to get out of their tyres on outback roads. Adam Plate at the Pink Roadhouse has an interesting sheet with recomended pressures for different vehicles & tyres on the Oodnadatta track developed over the past 20 years after watching thousands come in with punctures for repair. In every case he recommends reducing tyre pressure by some amount from that used on the highway.
But if there is one thing I have observed about tyre pressure that's there is no one hard & fast rule for all vehicles & tyre brands & that one should stick to what works for for them.
Cheers Craig..........

Eric,

What tyre do you use ? I run Cooper ATR and no issues so far but am buying 2 new tyres before I head south was looking at Coopers again but really not fixed on any one trye brand.

Brian

Brian I run at the moment on the rear goodyear wrangler mtr and on the front maxxis big horn and when the goodyears wear out i will get another pair of maxxis.

Every trip I have been on no matter where there are always issues with coopers
and over the years thats a fair amount of trips.

All the best
Eric

David, you won't tear lugs off of highway terrain tyres because they don't have lugs. The problem with the ST is the compound is so hard there isn't any flex on the rough stuff. Also the lugs are these thin, flimsy things that stick out on their own, not the double strength ones of a tyre like the BFG for example.

sorry David, i just noticed you wrote torn treads, not torn lugs.