Cooper tyre stuffed in under 5000kms

Interesting comments...thanks for that.

I had a closer look at my 5000km STT's yesterday. The tread depth is now 13mm (started at 15mm), so it looks like the wear rate is quite high. In fact, if I take them down to 6mm depth where I would normally change them out, I'd only get a total of 22,500kms!!! (Assuming the wear rate remained constant...it could slow up a bit.)

I also noted several small cracks developing on the tyre case between tread blocks. And now reading Flagg's comments, I suspect they could be candidates for a similar delamination failure, as he experienced.

Perhaps I should get a Cooper rep to look at them under warranty, but maybe I should also get some independent source to state, what Flagg mentioned...

...(very deep) cracks in the tread, which I was told allows water to get in and the rest is history...

I started out wondering if the failure was bad luck, but now it appears the STT's could quickly develop into a safety risk, as well as much, much shorter life than promoted.

Thanks again for those comments.

Could you post a pic and were abouts are you? ( ie state )

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I had a closer look at my 5000km STT's yesterday. The tread depth is now 13mm (started at 15mm), so it looks like the wear rate is quite high. In fact, if I take them down to 6mm depth where I would normally change them out, I'd only get a total of 22,500kms!!! (Assuming the wear rate remained constant...it could slow up a bit.)

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I have found that the first couple of mm's always wear down quickly, I'm guessing till they get used to the car? And this is not just Coopers I have seen do this.. Has anyone else ever noticed this happening??

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Originally Posted by Defendozer

I have found that the first couple of mm's always wear down quickly, I'm guessing till they get used to the car? And this is not just Coopers I have seen do this.. Has anyone else ever noticed this happening??

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I have BFG km2's. The first 5,000 kms they reduced in tread height dramatically. When I complained to someone (a 4wd'er not the tyre store) i was told that the tread blocks compress and harden as they vulcanise more from weight and heat. You should expect the tread blocks to stabilise and wear more consistently thereafter.

The same happens with bike tyres on your pushy. Old timers say you should put a new set of tyres under your bed for 6 months mumbling something about sleeping with them to know them better. The science suggests that the rubber continues to harden over time making them more puncture resistant.

MLD

So the trick then is to buy a set of tyres a few months ahead of time and leave them in the backyard in the sunshine:D

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Originally Posted by Defendozer

So the trick then is to buy a set of tyres a few months ahead of time and leave them in the backyard in the sunshine:D

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a common truckies trick ;)

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Originally Posted by Defendozer

So the trick then is to buy a set of tyres a few months ahead of time and leave them in the backyard in the sunshine:D

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Something you wouldn't want to do with BFG A/t's as they seem to go hard with age,then they have less grip on the bitumen,and also get cracks between the tread blocks.

After many sets of these,this is the only complaint,but usually happens when they are 6 to 7 yrs old,so the K's are pretty high by then anyway.

Overall i have found them excellent,with no punctures at all.:)

The offending projectile made a neat cut through the tread block and right through the carcase. The cut was about 25mm wide, but a photo wouldn't have shown much. It's probably been disposed of by the tyre shop now. I'm in Brisbane, by the way Booftdi.

Last month the in-law's hilux shredded a cooper just out of Alice Springs on the Old Andado Road, just before Allambi, still had 1 bar on the mobile so we could phone Mount Dare to check for a spare and not have to go back to Alice, thankfully they had one.

Only puncture on the trip, but it could have happened to either of us I suppose, my KM2's were great.. I did have 2 spare just in case, considering the price of tyres my next purchase will be a tyre monitor.




https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...12/10/1543.jpg

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Originally Posted by Defendozer

So the trick then is to buy a set of tyres a few months ahead of time and leave them in the backyard in the sunshine:D

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I always thought this was a bit of a myth, until.....

SWMBO needed new tyres for her car. Did the usual ring around, getting prices, and mumbles about them being hard to get. (This is for a 2010 XR6 - wtf)

Anyway, ended up ringing an independant tyre mob, and spoke to the guy that owns the place. He had a full set that he had "put away for his own car"

When I went to get them fitted, I asked him about it. He confirmed that he would always put a set away, and let them cure for 6 to 12 months before fitting them.

He said to keep them out of the sun, just put them in a shed or somewhere similar, and leave them alone. Dont store stuff on top of them or anything, that may deform their shape.

Considering that tyre life is about 7 years, before they should be replaced regardless of tread, even putting them away for a year or so, should be ok.