Which tyres - Cooper ST or BFG All terrain [Archive]

pommie

16th June 2006, 03:13 PM

FenianEel

16th June 2006, 03:20 PM

Folks,

I'm looking to change the tyres on my 110 Defender from the woefully inadequate road tyres that are on there at the moment - to something 60%Road 40% off road or more 50/50. I have had some excellent experiences on BFG All-Terrains in the past - although they seem rather puncture prone on rocky surfaces.

Anyone have any experience of Cooper STs ?? How do they stack up ?

Thanks .... Pommie

Welcome to the forum mate, (shame about the user name:eek: ) Just kidding:lol:

I wouldnt go near ST's there are too many block shredding & delaminating probs from what I've seen, do a search on this forum for Coopers.
Other tyres have their issues too, but havent the class actions or dramas of Coopers. Their STT's though seem pretty good though, and there are folks that swear by them.

Cheers

Rayngie

16th June 2006, 03:21 PM

Can only speak for a mate with Coopers on his 110, loves them and can't speak highly enough, does high mileage with loads of off road and hav'nt let him down,

seqfisho

16th June 2006, 03:22 PM

Do a search on ST's and the BFG's will seem like perfect compared.

Some bad results with ST's from users on this board.

Martin

16th June 2006, 03:26 PM

I had a delaminated BFT AT, and won't touch them since. I also found the new BFGs prone to chipping, and on a flinders trip lost an entire lug off a new tyre.

I was running BFG on front, and Cooper ST-C on back, and after a rocky 6 hour trip, found the ST-Cs looking new, and the BFGs looking chipped and tired. (The C in ST-C is for anti chip compound)

I have heard similar reports from long time BFG users who have now turned to Coopers. It is true that a certain set of serial numbers were recalled on Coopers, due to the potential for delamination.

I personally love my coopers, and really - i dont hink you could go far wrong with either brand.

JimmyB

16th June 2006, 03:38 PM

I know this is throwing another brand into the mix.... but what are your thoughts on the Goodyear MTR's??????????????

isuzu110

16th June 2006, 03:52 PM

I've had BFG AT, MT and Cooper STs and STTs. Both sets of BFGs developed cracks in the sidewalls.

I've been running STs on the County since 2001 and I am very happy with them. Never had a puncture, including a lap of Oz.

incisor

16th June 2006, 04:22 PM

i wouldnt fit coopers st to my wheelbarrow. their warranty isnt worth the paper it is written on once you move out of a capitol city. A few short searches will reveal some of the abysmal results of warranty claims and some truly horrendous failures of their products, but some swear by them not at them..... be a boring world if we were all the same :p

camel_landy

16th June 2006, 04:28 PM

Don't forget that there's 2x types of BFG AT.... The main difference is that one has a more agressive side wall.

My money would go on the BFG AT or Wrangler MTRs. The MTRs are a stonking mud tyre with great on-road manners.

HTH

M

crump

16th June 2006, 04:45 PM

crump

16th June 2006, 05:04 PM

Anyway, to get this thread off INC's garden implements,(thanks for the hijack) I recently thru neccessity put on a pair of Simex Road Trekkers, $120 ea fitted, dunno anyhting about them, but they seem as good as the Grabbers and similar tread pattern.

dungarover

16th June 2006, 05:06 PM

Coopers- Crap tyres IMO and over-rated. I've done trips in recent times and the only tyres that have punctures seem to be Coopers. Plus all the bull**** going doen as far as delamination,etc.. It's simply not a risk you want to take.

BF's are a much better option. Had 3 sets in the past and can'r complain about them (especailly the way I treat them). I don't run BF's anymore but won't hesitiate to do so again.

Another all-terrain option, the Pirelli Sciorpion At. Good tyre for a good price. The old man's 98 P38 Rangie has a set (245/70R16's) and they do the job although like most AT tyres, mud is there enemy (Up at Levuka last weekend, they turn to skates once they filled up with mud).

Goodyear, great all-round tyre (MT/R's). Pity they're so expensive and you have to wait til bloody Christmas to get them :mad: .

Anyway, best of luck in what you choose.

Trav

DiscoTDI

16th June 2006, 05:10 PM

I can only give you info on BFG AT's. I drive on minsites just about everyday, wet or dry. My ute cops a flogging and has a 500litre fuel tank on the back. Last set I put on was 70000klm ago and there is still a bit of tread left and I will say for my money I will put them on my disco next as they have not failed me once on some very crappy roads, also for there mud performance they are very good as I have not been stuck yet when the roads have been absolute sludge (Its great fun driving sideways up hills):cool:

DiscoTDI

16th June 2006, 05:13 PM

Forgot to add to that I do approx 1800 - 2000klm a week and 60% is on road, have found them a good tyre thats not too noisy and doesnt break traction easily in the wet;)

mr_sav

16th June 2006, 05:15 PM

Folks,

I'm looking to change the tyres on my 110 Defender from the woefully inadequate road tyres that are on there at the moment - to something 60%Road 40% off road or more 50/50. I have had some excellent experiences on BFG All-Terrains in the past - although they seem rather puncture prone on rocky surfaces.

Anyone have any experience of Cooper STs ?? How do they stack up ?

Thanks .... Pommie

Gidday mate. I have a County plodding around on ST's and I am extremely pleased with them particuarly with the 60/40 rule you apply.

I still haven't bothered to pull out the nail that was in the rear right tyre. Possibly moved since my last rotation.

I run them across my truck and off-road trailer for consistency and interchangability. I know which of the two I would be leaving out in the sticks if it came down to my last spare tyre.

Regards,

Steve.

Rovernaut

16th June 2006, 05:15 PM

I have cooper sts on mine. No delamaination, no lugs chipped off, done a few miles on them, tread pattern still excellent.They never seem to wear out! Only criticism is now that they have been on a couple of years the tread compound must be harder and don't grip as well in the wet as they used too.

B92 8NW

16th June 2006, 05:51 PM

Hi Pommie

RE BFG AT's and Cooper ST's, I asked myself the exact same question only 2 weeks back. I was convinced with the ST's and had a look at them and admittedly they were a very good looking bit of equipment. But I researched them well and uncovered serious negatives about Cooper quality issues. The climax was when I stumbled across the D2AU website and read about the delamination issue and the poor warranty response. The pictures on D2AU were absolute verification that the Coopers were not a wise choice especially given that they were of the same size that I was going to buy. The sheer amount of damage inflicted onto the Discovery was amazing.

I ended up purchasing BFG AT's, and whilst this might sound a bit "pathetic", but putting aside off road performance, sidewall strength and tolerance to chipping etc (all broadly speaking offroad concerns) I purchased them on the basis that essentially at the end of the day I use my disco 60% on road and why compromise on the safety when your life is on the line. A tyre essentially self destructing at 110km/h as the cooper did does not consitute a safe tyre.

I am very happy with my BFG's and they are without a doubt up to tasks that I am likely to need them for.

incisor

16th June 2006, 06:40 PM

I dont think they make them in that size anyway.:p
you havent seen my wheelbarrow mate...

George130

16th June 2006, 08:35 PM

I have BFG Mudds. Done 60,000 on them and they were on it when I bought it. I do 1800-2000km a fortnight on road plus my play time. Only puncture was on a trip to ACE's when I scored a monster nail through the tread.

DiscoTDI

16th June 2006, 10:10 PM

George130

17th June 2006, 08:33 AM

I have found them to be prety good so far. They even coped with the section of iced up road yesterday

goofyr

17th June 2006, 09:07 AM

Hey Pommie,

I'm doing my research for a new set as well. Can't comment on personal experience as I haven't used either tyre, I'm still waiting for my michelins to wear out. But from the reports I've read, the BFG's might be a better bet I have read problems with the Cooper STs in various forums. But I've decided I will go for Pirelli Scorpion ATs when its finally time to change. They seem reasonably priced and they seem to suit the type of offroad driving I do.

Slunnie

17th June 2006, 11:02 AM

I've had the Cooper ST's and never again. The tread blocks seperate as already stated maybe 1 million times already. Interestingly, I'm also hearing that the ST-C does the same. I've seen the BFG AT's in the mud, which is really when you want traction and they are not my cup of tea. I also don't like that they have no circumferential grooves to evacuate water quickly. I chose the MTR and that has been an excellent tyre. It gives traction everywhere, isn't as noisy as the ST, and wears well. It will chip on shale, but then again all tyres will.

I'm still looking for a better touring tyre, and I have not yet found it. The closest I can find is the new STT, and there is no chance in hell I would buy that for quality in construction reasons, and the Mickey Thompson MTX, but that looks skinny in the tread depth and it may not be very good in the greasy stuff.

DiscoMick

17th June 2006, 08:56 PM

I'm very happy with our BFG ATs and have had no problems with them. Make sure they're the LT ones.
I note most of the magazine hotshots swear by Coopers, particularly the new ST-C and STT. Wasn't the ST-C supposed to fix the problems of the ST?
The Pirellis seem a good buy for the money as stated, but I've heard people say they're better suited to European mud than to Aussie shale roads, altho I can't comment from experience.
I've heard people say the Gooodyear MTRs are good, but wear quickly, altho again I can't comment from experience. What did you find on their wear Slunnie?

dragonwagon

17th June 2006, 09:45 PM

I had BFG A/Ts on my Disco on the factory alloys. Took them off after 55k.

2 of them had started to fall apart & were no longer round ( I was told the belts had shifted ) They had been given a thrashing though so not too dissappointed with their life span.

What used to drive me insane was every time I went off road & dropped pressures I would get crap caught in the bead & the constant hiss of leaking air, requiring changing/repairing on the track. I do not know if it is a compatability issue with BFGs & Landrover alloy wheels but I have not had this happen with the cheap jap mud terrain/sunraysia type wheel & tyre combo I now run.

Cheers

Greg

Slunnie

18th June 2006, 12:20 AM

I've heard people say the Gooodyear MTRs are good, but wear quickly, altho again I can't comment from experience. What did you find on their wear Slunnie?
Mine have been on for over 20,000km, probably about 23,000km. I've just measured tread depth at 11mm on the road tyres and the used spare at 12mm. I'm not sure what the new tread depth is though. So for me the wear rate has been excellent, especially considering I usually only get about 40,000km from a set of tyres. I drive the thing normally and am not afraid to corner it decently or brake late, the tyres have just been good. These are 285/75-16 that I run also.

gruntfuttock

18th June 2006, 10:00 AM

Have a look at this link on the MTR http://www.off-road.com/jeep/products/goodyearmtr/ .

charliebrisbane

18th June 2006, 04:50 PM

I have had the ST's and both of the BFG AT's. The ST's did lose a lug and had anymore damage been done to the tyre they would have put in a waranty claim. I was doning a fair bit mud and dirt and rock work at Landcruiser Mountain park when I think I did the damage so not really surprising. Overall the ST's were good and were ok on the road with road noise but it was an 80 series cruiser and I had the 305/70 16's so it was never going to be too quiet. Both sets of BFG's I had were also good and no major problems. I would say that the more aggressive ST's were better off road and not as good on road or in the wet but thats what you get when you go for a more aggressive tyre in any case.

I have just bought some STT's for the Rangie and again they are excellent off road and good in the dry but they seem to be a little more skatey in the wet than any of the others so again you have to trade off on road manners for off road performance. I have the 275/65 18's now and am very happy with them they grip like none off the others did off road so I got what I was looking for.

good luck,

Charlie

LoadedDisco

18th June 2006, 05:51 PM

I am running BFG M/T and have found them fantastic off road and great on road. Road noise is very minor.
I have only had them on for a month so far so cant comment on there wear of long term durability.

gruntfuttock

18th June 2006, 06:03 PM

Also here http://www.4x4wire.com/reviews/gymtr99/index.htm and here http://www.4wdmonthly.com.au/forum/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=6114

weeds

19th June 2006, 08:19 AM

i have bfg at on my defender, they copped a hiding on my simpson trip, well not the desert more the gibber rock on the trackes around the desert, a lot of chipping and crackes in the luggs. a mate of mine did a similar trip a month later with st's destroyed two and knocked the other four around, he said he is going back to bfg's.

my next purchase will be bfg mt as i had a look at other cars on my trip including tag along operators/trip leaders with mt's fitted and there was next to no chipping, i guessing due to the gaps in the tread the gibber rock didn't/doesn't damage them as much.

in saying all that another good mate goes on a big outback trip every two years and only ever uses the standard tyres that are fitted when he purchases his cars new, patrol and prado, next to no punchures or damage

RR5L

19th June 2006, 05:44 PM

I had ST's on my rangie, someone offered me enough money to convince me to get them off (the tyres). Ive gone for the Dick Cepek FCII which is another 60/40 type tyre. The outer lugs are beefier than the ST's whilst the inner lugs are perhaps marginely closed in, looks like a good comprimise only time will tell. Others on various forums have given them a decent wrap as well.

Michael2

22nd June 2006, 01:40 AM

http://forum.d2au.com/viewtopic.php't=353

Have a look at what Coopers did to this members Disco.
Yes, problems can occur with any tyre, but doing a web search, as some have already suggested will show that Coopers have a greater affinity for catastrophic problems.

rick130

22nd June 2006, 08:27 AM

my next purchase will be bfg mt as i had a look at other cars on my trip including tag along operators/trip leaders with mt's fitted and there was next to no chipping, i guessing due to the gaps in the tread the gibber rock didn't/doesn't damage them as much.
I think that the compound is what influences chipping (or not) not the actual lug arrangement.
If you look at the Cooper ST/C's they use a much softer compound to reduce the chipping associated with the ST's, and as such don't off their milage warranty.
When BFG released the M/T KO's here in Oz they chipped badly, you should have seen some that ran around here, they were destroyed in a short while. BFG/Michelin changed the compond and no more problems.

Frenchie

22nd June 2006, 11:22 AM

What used to drive me insane was every time I went off road & dropped pressures I would get crap caught in the bead & the constant hiss of leaking air, requiring changing/repairing on the track.

Yeah, my BFGs do this, every time I play in the mud! :mad:

Overall they seem to be ok and are wearing well but performance in mud is disappointing (no better than the OE General Grabbers).

I think I will try MTRs next time.