A/T tyre decisions for D2

[dobbo]

Up for new road tyres on the disco. I've decided to go for AT tyres at the moment due to the highway km I do. Hear are my options tell me what you think and experiences.

[Phoenix]

My brother swears by the pirelli scorpions that he had, althopugh he's just swapped for muddies, but that's because he's more of a weekend warrior rather than a tourer.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

I bought some Cooper ATR's just recently,,

seem fine on the road, very little noise,
great on the sand;)

[hiline]

My brother swears by the pirelli scorpions that he had

same here :D :D

dont know why i bought coopers this time around :dbcry: :dbcry:

[Tusker]

Can't comment on all the tyres listed, but the STR is in a different league to say a BFG AT.

I run the STRs as my road tyres. The quietest, best riding, best wet weather grip, best steering response tyre I've had on a 4wd. Have a look at the tread pattern you'll see what I mean.

Off road, forget it. Haven't attempted anything difficult, don't intend to. But on normal hi-range dirt roads, I'd say they are about 10 kph off the pace. This is not what they are designed for.

My thinking is that are an HT tyre, they shouldn't get a puncture easily, they'll go anywhere on dirt a Falcon or Commodore will. Which is all I ask of a road tyre.

For a true all-rounder, I think the new Goodyear kevlar jobbie beats the BFG AT. But you didn't list that one.

Regards
Max P

[96Fender]

I have had the Cooper ATRs for 40Ks on Fender, I was doing a lot of Ks on the black top. I have used them off road in a wide range of conditions, excellent on the sand through to "O My" in the mud. CSR and Cape York, got there and back. Not my first choice for those type of trips but slow and steady wins the day. The ATRs have done what l purchased them for.

[PhilipA]

I have had BFG AT since I started 4wd in 1977, and back then they were textile radials!!!
In that time , and about 6 sets I have never had a puncture off road ( including Simpson desert, and numerous club trips) and have got at least 70k from them before they were unsuitable for off road with about 3-4 MM tread.

I still have a set of 245.75x16, but recently for highway work I bought a set of 205x16 BFG Long Trail. Made in France ( I bet by Michelin as they own BFG), these are the best highway tyres I have owned and are dead quiet with great wet performance and turn in from their closed outside shoulder. Haven't taken them off road yet but reckon they will go anywhere dry, and even have a bit of wet traction as the inside shoulder is open .
Considering the well publicised problems with Cooper, I reckon they represent a significant risk.
Regards Philip A

[Martin]

I was on BFG ATs, but after I delaminated one, and gouged an entire lug off another on a single flinders trip, I was advised at Hawker motors that station owners were swapping from BFG to Cooper AT/C (which have an anti chip compund), as the BFGs have moved to a softer compound. (I have no evidence of this - just hear say)

I run BFG on the back and coopers on the front, and the coopers are now by far loking the better tyre in terms of both ware, and are far less chipped and scuffed, even though they are on the front. I will keep to Coopers now, and aim to replace the BFGs, and keep them for spares on long trips.

I find both tires to be real good choices though - I dont think you can go wrong with either....

[goofyr]

Isn't the Pirelli Scorpion STR a HT tyre?
I'm going to go for AT tyres as well and will be putting the Scorpion AT on.

Cheers,

[Lucy]

You haven't listed Goodyear Wrangler AT/R. I run these in 245/70R16, they have been awesome so far. Using them on my D1 V8, will put another set on my D2 Td5 shortly, when the michelins wear out.

[weeds]

i voted bfg as i have not used any odf the others

mine chipped quite bad during my simpson trip

a mate has just brought some pirelle's will wait and what they are like

[tombraider]

I was on BFG ATs, but after I delaminated one, and gouged an entire lug off another on a single flinders trip, I was advised at Hawker motors that station owners were swapping from BFG to Cooper AT/C (which have an anti chip compund), as the BFGs have moved to a softer compound. (I have no evidence of this - just hear say)

I run BFG on the back and coopers on the front, and the coopers are now by far loking the better tyre in terms of both ware, and are far less chipped and scuffed, even though they are on the front. I will keep to Coopers now, and aim to replace the BFGs, and keep them for spares on long trips.

I find both tires to be real good choices though - I dont think you can go wrong with either....

Martin

Off course the Coopers are wearing better, they're under less load and drive up front than the rears.... ;)

I'd suggest blowing them all off for the Mickey T A/T... far better than either the Coopers or BFG...

And whilst MT is a Coopers subsid... They are planted differently.

Cheers
Tombraider

[waynep]

I put Cooper ATR on a couple of months ago to rpelace the Michelin XPC as road / light offroad tyres.

So far they seem good - very quiet and improved ride on the blacktop.

Yet to try them offroad. ( this weekend :D ). They don't look as capable as say a BFG AT

Still playing around with pressures but 32-34 on seal seems to be best.

[Ace]

I skipped all those and went with the Mickey Thompson Baja MTX's, light truck construction, bloody tough, great in the mud for an A/T tyre and cheaper than the rest. I only paid about $220 mates rates, normal retail is about $250. Matt

[dobbo]

I skipped all those and went with the Mickey Thompson Baja MTX's, light truck construction, bloody tough, great in the mud for an A/T tyre and cheaper than the rest. I only paid about $220 mates rates, normal retail is about $250. Matt


The Simex's are only $180.00 fitted on a 235/70/R16

[Slunnie]

I skipped all those and went with the Mickey Thompson Baja MTX's, light truck construction, bloody tough, great in the mud for an A/T tyre and cheaper than the rest. I only paid about $220 mates rates, normal retail is about $250. Matt
If I went to a more road orientated tyre, the Mickey Thompson MTX would also be my choice. I think that they are one of the few AT tyres on the market that are any good.

[LoadedDisco]

I would just go straight to the B. F. Goodrich Mud terrain.
There are great on road and off road.

[dobbo]

My personal preference the Simex AT300i have not had a vote yet. Has anyone used them or know of any reviews?

I like the aggresive nature of the tread pattern, the height of the lugs and most importantly the price.

The goodyears kevlar ones are too expensive $100 more per tyre than the ordinary Goodyear ATR which are a bit overpriced.

The BFG's are very nice but again $70 per tyre more expensive than the Simex

Heres some links

Simex
http://www.simextyre.com/Tyres/at300.asp (http://www.simextyre.com/Tyres/at300.asp)
BFG
http://www.bfgoodrich.com.au/index.php?a=tires.off_road_suv&name_copy=All-Terrain+TA+KO
Goodyear Silent Armour
http://www.goodyear.com.au/4wd-tyres.htm
Goodyear ATR
http://www.goodyear.com.au/4wd-tyres.htm
Pirelli Scorpion ST (not STR)
http://www.pirelli.com.au/

[hiline]

i got 115,000k's on my SCORPION A/T
never had any problems at all :D

and at around $180-$190 they ain't bad value

[Graeme]

GY Silent Armor. Only done 4k but good all-rounder so far.

[Norm Mueller]

I'm sold on Cooper S/T. I'm running my second set of 235/70R16 at the moment. The first gave me 80000km easy, and I drive country roads and coarse forest roads. I did half of that 80k on the dirt with no problems at all and they grip fine on tar as well. Although I am thinking of going to 245/75R16 STT (the new type) for my next set, but that's still 40k away...:)

[LandyAndy]

Hi Dobbo
Have a look at the Cooper ST.
Ive got 255/70 on mine,done 15000ks,rotated them once,very happy with the wear or lack of it.Just went out and checked the depths,9.5mm to 9.8mm,spare(unused) 12mm.
No signs of chipping that they have a "reputation" for,BUT I airdown as soon as the going gets tough.
I wish I had gone for the more aggressive STT,but they have performed really well off-road anyway.
No problems as yet in the wet RE braking/ABS,2 tyreshops refused to fit BFG M/Ts as they reckoned it wouldnt stop in the wet with ABS.
Andrew