Thread: Best Tyres D3 (moved from FAQ)

Hello,

after two sets of Cooper STs in 245/70R17, I recently fitted BG Goodrich Mud tyres KM/2.

Now with over 15 000Km I can really tell you that they are better off road than the Coopers since the are MT Vs AT for the Cooper.

Though the BF are as good as the Cooper on the tarmac and even seem to wear out a bit slowly.

Indeed now i'd recommand the BFs, whereas I use to recommand the cooper since they are pretty good themselves (though were the only one availble for 17" LR rims when the D3 came out)

cheers

Verydisco,
Did you fit 245/70/17 KM2s?

Discojools

DiscoSaffa,

I like the sound of the conti's, I for one would appreicate it if you keep us updated on their performance throught one of your regular AULRO twitters.

MY 2008 D3 came with a set of the conti UHP Cross contact . Very nice on the road but not designed for any serious off road ? I have of course taken them off road a few times and the tread is getting a bit cut up and with nearly 27,000 kms I am strating to consider my trye options.

Has anyone tried the Cooper Zeon LTZ, they come in a 285/60R18 with a load index of 120s. Not sure on pricing and probably outside the legal 15mm increase however they look, and sound from the marketing guff like a high performance ATR if that makes any sense.

At the momnt I am bouncing between the Pirelli ATR, Cooper HT or possible Cooper ATR and or the Conti's ATR.

Still a few thousand Km's till I have to make the decision, unless I damage the currnt ones beyond repair in my next few off road trips.

George
TDV6

If you want to stick to a legal size, consider the Mickey Thompson 5-rib ATZ in 245/70/17. They're probably one of the best AT tyres you'll get in that size for the D3. If you're willing to go up to 265/70/17, look at the 4-rib version - closest you'll get to an MT without buying an MT.

Cheers,

Gordon

Originally Posted by DiscoWeb

DiscoSaffa,

I like the sound of the conti's, I for one would appreicate it if you keep us updated on their performance throught one of your regular AULRO twitters.

Hi George

Only done a few km on them but, for what it is worth, here are my initial impressions.

To date I have driven them on road (obviously) wet and dry, and on our construction site which could be considered light 4x4 (you can’t get around in a 4x2, but it doesn’t come close to testing the D3’s capability) and so far so good.

They are noisier than the standard rubber, but unless it is on your radar, you wouldn’t really notice. Grip on road, wet (some VERY wet) and dry is good. Grip on dirt roads is good, they struggle a little in gummy mud. One issue that I have is that they pick up stones for nothing, but that is to be expected with the aggressive tread (about the most aggressive I have seen on an AT). They also look pretty good……..

Fuel consumption seems to be up a little, but that could just as easily be the sort of driving I have done since I have fitted them (no long distance cruising as yet).

Will keep the updates coming as time goes by.

DS

gghaggis,

Do Mickey Thompson do 18's.

Might have been my oversight below but I am on 18 inch rims, I do not do enough off road to justify a separate set of 17 inch rims so not sure the MT's are an option.

George.

Originally Posted by DiscoWeb

gghaggis,

Do Mickey Thompson do 18's.

George.

Oops - sorry, my mistake. Got confused with VeryDisco's post. No, they don't do an 18" that will fit.

Cheers,

Gordon

I should probably have said something about the thinking in deciding on the Contis.

Like you George, I don’t do enough off road work to warrant 17 inch rims, which limited me to either the General Grabbers, the Pirelli ATRs or the Contis. I had all but decided on the grabbers, but local availability narrowed it down to the Pirellis or the Contis. I didn’t like the outer tread pattern on the Pirellis because it is almost “closed”, and I had seen some reports on here that in the wet, once worn a bit, they weren’t great. Price wise the Contis also won out, so decision made.

I was a bit apprehensive because of lack of information and experience of the tyre here on the forum. In the end I came across this thread:

Continental Cross Contact AT - Any thoughts?

Job done

DS