Cooper A/T3

[mkpatrol]

OK, I need new tyres for the Pathy, I can get Cooper A/T3's for $290 each locally.

I am a mechaninc by trade but I have been out for 10 years, I still work in the industry but in the new vehicle sphere so I am not up on the latest & greatest aftermarket stuff so I did a search and came up with this:

toaddog wrote:
The only thing I do not like is the tyres.

Given the number of fatals and accidents with cooper tyres suddenly letting go.


That is an interesting comment Toady .. and one that should have it's own thread to be honest. Tyres are such an important part of the car and if they fail at speed .. well the results can range from simple panel damage to horrific.

FWIW, a guy I know won a set of Cooper tyres a numebr of years ago and all but 1 suffered side wall failure within 12 months. One might suspect there is a bad batch getting around however this happened to him 5 or more years ago so that is probably unlikely. More likely is that Coopers have dubious product quality but I've never owned a set so can;t really comment with any authority. Would be interested to hear more from you on your comment though.

From here:

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic ... 3#p2126915

So, yes there are some mixed reviews on Coopers but I have never heard of them suffering sidewall failure or causing accidents such as Firewall tyres for the US years ago.

So, ATM they are winning in the price stakes against the BFG's & Mickey Thompsons.

What are peoples experience with these tyres?

Its not a rock hopper, its a daily driver so I am looking for something reliable with pretty good grip.

[mkpatrol]

I will add, the last recall from Cooper tyres as in 2006.

Discuss guys.

[Shadow]

I've got a set of cooper STT's

I have put nearly 60,000 on them and they have been great

They are a little ripped up from rocks, but thats to be expected given the trails I was driving with a 3tonne 100 series ontop of them.

i would have no issue buying another set.

[-Scott-]

I'm on my third set of Coopers - 31" S/Ts (sold with 60%+ tread after 30k km), 285/75R16 STTs (sold after 6 years but unknown km with roughly 50% tread) and 285/75R16 ST Maxx (had them for about 18 months, probably done 10k km, killed one with a stake through the shoulder).

Before I bought the ST Maxx (for a Simpson Desert trip) I considered Toyo M/Ts (too expensive), Wrangler MT/Rs (too expensive), MTZ (from memory, similar price, but I preferred the Armourtek 3 carcass) and BFG M/Ts - none in stock in my size, and told it would probably be 6 months before any would be available.

A couple of years back my brother bought a set of 265/75R16 S/Ts for his 80 series. I tried hard to NOT influence his decision - so far, no problems.

Last year (from memory) My father bought 265/75R16 AT3s for his Prado, after two sets of Bridgestone 694s. he was also considering Bridgestone 697s, and I also tried to NOT influence his decision. Not sure how far he's driven on them, but as of yesterday they still have masses of tread and he's still very happy with them.

At this stage, I would have no hesitation buying more Coopers.

FWIW, I was in a tyre store yesterday morning (dropping of the Paj for a wheel alignment, and another spare tyre) and noticed advertising that the AT3's two sidewall plies are 2000 denier. I believe the old Cooper AT/R was 2 x 1500 denier, and the last time I noticed (quite a few years back) BFG A/T were three plies of 1000 denier. Make of that what you will.

[brad 93hilux]

I had cooper STT's in 33x12.5 r15 back around 2006 and got about 60,000 (from memory) and sold them with tread. Never had one puncture and performed 1000x better then the 32" and 35" MTR's I have/had.
They were abused hard on rocks for years and although they chipped up were still great

I also have a prado 120 now and I'm seriously considering buying a set before the trip to the gulf/ cape York I'm doing this year.

No failures for me.

Brad

[mkpatrol]

I have looked at the heavier treaded tyres but I dont really want that for this car as its a daily driver with the missus in it all the time.

So far it has gone everywhere we have pointed it with the stocko Goodyears so any A/T tyre will be an improvement.

Thanks for the replies guys, keep them coming.

[CRUZAAMAD]

i read on lcool, that when in remote areas, they loove the coopers because they see them fail all the time.
and thats where they make their money, being remote and you need a good tyre, as well as a spare
all my friends bought a set at the same time of coopers all terrains, and never again.
all navara's

[-Scott-]

i read on lcool, that when in remote areas, they loove the coopers because they see them fail all the time.
and thats where they make their money, being remote and you need a good tyre, as well as a spare
all my friends bought a set at the same time of coopers all terrains, and never again.
all navara's

What type of Coopers? When I was at Mt Dare in 2006 they ran nothing but ST/C and STT (same compound) as nothing else lasted on their roads.

[Guy]

I have a set of cooper ST MAXX's so far they have been brilliant .. a few high country trips etc .. have not had any chipping great on the road not bad off road .. they are bloody heavy though for an AT with very thick sidewall ( load range E ) need the pressures dropped significantly to work well offroad, at least 4 to 5 psi lower than the dunlops they replaced

[AndyH]

I have a set of AT3's on the hilux.
Mostly daily driven but when she goes off road I am not kind to her.
Never had any trouble from them.
Them have lasted quite well and handle whatever I throw at them.
They aren't a masive fan of the mud but that's a given.
Really nice and quiet on the road to the point that the old boy put a set on his prado.
I just drop the pressures a bit more offroad and it's sweet. Rocks, sand, trails, all good.
I have and would recomend them.
Andy.

[mkpatrol]

Well bought them today, initial impressions are they are better than the road going Wranglers, they turn in at speed heaps better. We are heading blackberry picking tomorrow and there will be a bit of off road stuff then so I will let you know how they go.

[mkpatrol]

Good on wet tar & pretty good on loose gravel too.

Provided they last the distance, they will be a good tyre me thinks.