Cooper st V BfGoodrich on wet blacktop

Submitted: Tuesday, Feb 17, 2009 at 22:05
ThreadID: 66057 Views:3804 Replies:17 FollowUps:2
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Ok So have a set of cooper st 31's on my 05 Hilux dual cab.

I find them bloody dangerous in the wet going round corners.

Im not talking driving like a lunatic in the wet.

Driving at low speed going round minor corners they just want to brake away. Find I have a tone of understeer.

Just trying to find out if anyone else has these issues in the wet.

Looking at changing to Bf's (had them a few years ago and recall them being better in the rain than the coopers but that was on a toyota 4 runner. So i cant compare apples with apples.

Only interested in what both tyres are like in the wet on blacktop.

Thanks in advance

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Reply By: Geoff (Newcastle, NSW) - Tuesday, Feb 17, 2009 at 22:10

Tuesday, Feb 17, 2009 at 22:10
Hi Broom,
I have 285/75x16 ST's on my Troopy and I don't think they are any better or worse than the original 7.50x16 Dunlop Road Sl(Gr)ippers.

A couple of tonne has a lot of inertia on any road surface.

Geoff

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AnswerID: 349562

Reply By: Wayne (NSW) - Tuesday, Feb 17, 2009 at 22:17

Tuesday, Feb 17, 2009 at 22:17
sweep,

Most utes will step out in the wet. The 4 Runner that you had before had some weight over the back axle where as the Hilux would be light in the back.

You might have to put some weight in the back of the ute or lower the rear tyre pressure.

Wayne
AnswerID: 349565

Reply By: Member - Paul W (VIC) - Tuesday, Feb 17, 2009 at 22:35

Tuesday, Feb 17, 2009 at 22:35
I remember the day i picked up my Hilux from the dealer,going home i come to a roundabout ( raining ) in second gear only slowly going around as you do when you have a new car, it spun around 180 and faced the way i had come!! righto thats it i said, new rims and 32-11.5-15 BFG A/Ts on it that week and never looked back. Yes it will still step out but you have to try a lot harder. as for the coopers------ well i have never owned any as what i have read from others has decided that for me.
AnswerID: 349568

Reply By: Member - Marco T (VIC) - Tuesday, Feb 17, 2009 at 23:12

Tuesday, Feb 17, 2009 at 23:12
Hi Sweep,

I have a Navara dual cab with cooper ST on with little weight in the back.
I can not fault them - even in the wet. I do drive like an old man though.
There is allot of talk about brand of tyres, but I can say the coopers have been great to me.

Marco
AnswerID: 349571

Reply By: Member - Ron M (NSW) - Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 01:17

Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 01:17
I put Coopers on my 2008 GE Nissan wagon the day I drove it off the showroom floor , I'm extremely happy with them .. I have driven on sand mud water sleet snow and in mud pulling a caravan . I have never let the pressure out at any time. I love them as well as the 90,000 k warranty that comes with them..
But its the same ol same ol , Holdens or Fords , the both do the same job but some people will argue till the cows come home..
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AnswerID: 349579

Reply By: Member - Bucky, the "Mexican"- Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 04:45

Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 04:45
sweep

It happens to the best of us.

Read this ThreadID: 55984
From that day on I had a little weight in the back ie ..... 200-300kgs of sand in plastic bags.
Funny thing was that I have always had a little weight in the back, either carrying one thing or another, because I felt generous, I gave the Navara a birthday, and that happens, and trust me I do drive carefully.

Cheers
Bucky


AnswerID: 349581

Reply By: Member - Mick O (VIC) - Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 06:23

Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 06:23
Sweep,

how old are the tyres and what amount of tread is left on them? Utes are notoriously light on the road regardless of tyre (Owned three over the years). On my 3rd sets of Cooper ST's. No issues. Always been great on the road and better off road. (Using Dick Cepek FC2's at present but have a set of ST's for off road work)

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AnswerID: 349587

Reply By: curious - Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 06:57

Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 06:57
Sweep, I have Cooper STs on my Prado, very happy with them and on the 2nd set. I've found them a bit slippery sometimes in the wet but reckon that's the compromise for a reasonable off-road tyre. Eventually I'll run a set of highway tyres and save the STs for off road and trips but in the meantime, I'm just more careful when it rains. They're certainly not dangerous on wet roads but HTs have a better design for bitumen. - Peter
AnswerID: 349588

Reply By: sweep - Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 07:13

Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 07:13
Just so you know the Hilux has plenty weight in the back.

Its my plumbing truck.

Its got a trayback with 2 big toolboxs full of tools, stock etc.

I have had the suspension upgraded as the original was no good with the weight

I just find the front has huge understeer and break traction easily in the wet on the blacktop.

Very happy with the tyre in all other conditions,
AnswerID: 349589

Follow Up By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Saturday, Mar 14, 2009 at 17:42

Saturday, Mar 14, 2009 at 17:42
We have the same setup as you with one of our SES vehicles, and find that the ST's on it loose traction in the wet easily. They allow for easy wheelspin compared to other tyres we have on our vehicles.

I'm not sure why though, yet suspect it may be a harder compound with these sizes. Like you said, they are great in other conditions.

Maybe there was a batch change with these tyres which may explain some users experience of them being positive.

Andrew
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FollowupID: 622148

Reply By: Bob of KAOS - Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 08:02

Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 08:02
I have a set of STs and a set of Michelins for the Disco.

There is a noticeable difference between the two in terms of wet grip and road noise, but that would be expected. I know the Coopers are less grippy, so I drive accordingly. I wouldn't say they were dangerous though. Any sideways activity is predictable and does not result in over or under steer.

Maybe its your vehicle setup that is 'bloody dangerous'. Are the diffs locked?

Bob
AnswerID: 349594

Reply By: Member - Tour Boy ( Bundy QLD) - Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 09:12

Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 09:12
Sweep,
I have had 2 D4D hiluxes for work and I found that it doesn't matter what tyres or pressures you are running, they are a pig in the wet.
For example this morning on a straight section of road and light rain I hit a bump and the rear ended up in the grass.
The vehicle always feels like it has a loose or broken u bolt or centre pin. It skips out in the wet or dry.
Every new model of these I get seems to be worse.
The rear diff clutch packs seem to be too tight so it so like driving with a locker engaged all the time.
Cheers
Dave
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AnswerID: 349603

Reply By: Sea-Dog - Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 10:21

Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 10:21
G'Day mate.

I have BFG Muds on my 80 series and while it is a bigger heavier vehicle I was a little concerned when I was buying them that 1. The mud terrain would be too noisy on the black top for day to day driving, and 2. that they would not have the grip in the wet etc.

I am pleased to say that my experience with them has been VERY positive as far as road driving goes.. I can bear the noise which to me is not that bad as I keep my tyres rotated and correctly inflated etc, and the grip on road has been exceptional.. I can honestly say that I have not had one incident where I felt the tyres were letting go on me.

I also thought that they would wear very quickly but I now have over 60,000 klm on them and they have a heap of wear left to go yet. i am very happy I went with these tyres.

cheers
AnswerID: 349611

Reply By: Splits - Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 11:52

Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 11:52
I have done 22,000 ks in my 03 single cab Lux on stock size 205 x 16 ATs that were past their halfway point when I bought the car and have never had a problem on wet roads. The loads range from empty to 70% of maximum and the pressures are always as per the factory specifications. There is a 9 psi variation for the rear depending on load and I always change it as necessary. The front stay the same at all times.

From past experience with other cars that I have owned plus customer's cars at work, the more aggressive the thread pattern the worse they are on wet sealed roads. I suppose that is to be expected because for any given tyre size, an off road version will have less rubber in contact with the road than a street version.

A Yamaha trail bike that I owned years ago was an absolute bugger of a thing in the rain with its original knobby tyres which is why I fitted a set of street tyres during a period when I used it for commuting to work in Sydney traffic.
AnswerID: 349625

Follow Up By: Lex M (Brisbane) - Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 13:16

Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 13:16
What?
You use stock size tyres at recommended pressures!!!!!
Shock. Horror. That'l never work..... ;-)

cheers
Lex m
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FollowupID: 617903

Reply By: Wherehegon - Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 13:16

Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 13:16
Had BF's A/T's on the back of my lux 2.8 diesel so wasnt powerful thats for sure but the back end would step out of line very easily. I currently have them on the prado as well, while they arnt as bad (I think due to extra weight plus AWD I think they are not that good with wet road grip. Never had any other issues either on or off road BUT definately not the best in the wet.......... WHG
AnswerID: 349643

Reply By: Mikee5 (Logan QLD) - Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 13:49

Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 13:49
I read that you have a ton of weight in the tray and it is a dual cab. I think that the tray on a dual cab is behind the rear wheels. All that weight behind the rear axle may be having a leverage effect and may be making the front too light, this may be the cause of the understeer. Just a thought.
AnswerID: 349646

Reply By: shaneo86 - Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 14:46

Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 14:46
sweep,

go pirelli all the way i used to have CRAP bridgestone duellers even in the dry they would slip day like today in brisbane raining oily iv been driving from work and back and even giving it some to se if it will slide and very little
AnswerID: 349651

Reply By: Rolly - Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 14:54

Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 14:54
This might seem a bit funny(odd) to some of you, but I understood that it was always a requirement to adjust tyre pressures to the load on the tyre and the tyre to the nature of the use of the vehicle.
It beats me as to why some individuals will spend a swag of cash on fancy add-ons and yet baulk at the cost of an extra set of rims and tyres.
And why are folks in so much of a hurry that they can't be bothered to adjust the pressures when the load is changed.
Make's you look a bit of a pedantic dill? Not half as stupid as when you wrap the wagon around something solid or wipe out another car or a mob of pedestrians.
Utes are, by their very nature, less forgiving than the average sedan and need a bit more attention to the fundamentals of intelligent driving.
The single car accidents on country roads bear witness to that - a very high percentage of them are utes; out of all proportion to the Kms travelled in respect to other vehicle types.

AnswerID: 349654

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