R19 tyres.... Cooper or not?

[sittingbison]

Gents, sorry to blather about this topic again, but I'm in a real quandary.

I was just about to put on a set of 255/55R19 Cooper Zeon LTZ when a LR specialist said they are rubbish, then a tyre guy said the same and they were impossible to balance.

Options are:
1) Cooper
2) not Cooper

Options for (2) are limited especially 70/30 (road/dirt) AT

3) 18 inch rims

This option costs $2000, but opens up options. Vehicle is D3 HSE TDV6 auto, I'm not sure if the 18 inch rims will fit with bigger brakes etc

Are the Coopers really not a good option?

Cheers
Bison

[LGM]

I have had Continental (came with the D4 from new), Cooper, Pirreli, and now Hankook tyres.

Whilst the Cooper tyres were on the D4 I did not have any trouble getting them balanced. I was in attendance when this was done on three occasions and no comments were passed nor was there any undue mucking around to get the tyres to balance out.

As for their performance they traveled OK on the bitumen with a little bit of road noise. They handled on the dirt as good as anything else. The one thing I cannot vouch for is their capability in very rough going as I did not get the opportunity to get serious whilst they were on my D4.

The other thing that springs to mid is that I did not get the km's out of them that I thought I would!

That the best I can do for you!

P.S. Not sure about the brake issue with a D3???

[winaje]

Entirely apart from my personal experience with Cooper tyres, I have also been told by a trusted tyre guy about the Zeon LTZs, "you don't want to use them on grass do you? they are hopeless..."

General Grabbers seem to be the best option in that size.

BUT, if you have a 2.7l TDV6, why not go to a 17" BMW rim, and run a proper tyre like a Bridgestone D697? I've recently done this on my 09 D3 TDV6, and even with the purchase of the rims, I got out of it cheaper than just tyre purchase in 18" for the same tyre.

PM me for more info etc...

[LRD414]

Have a look at these threads that might help. There is more negative feedback than positive feedback about the Zeons in 255/55R19 and there is a lot of positve feedback about the GY Duratrac in that size.

But there is still some people who have been happy with the Coopers and probably still are.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/...5-19-a-34.html

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/...55-19-a-2.html

And here's someone who recently did a long trip towing a big van using Zeons in 285/50R20 on his Range Rover.

Outback Trip in L322


Cheers,
Scott

[Owen]

I have Hankooks, RTF10, quite happy with them but would definitely go smaller rims with 697's if I could but I am stuck with 19's (budget wont allow Gordons Rims)

[Ben_Vapid]

I'm about to make the same decision, and my research seems to suggest the Hankooks give the best bang for buck in the 19"

[RHS58]

Hankooks when my time comes to replace the 19 inch Wranglers.

[dalil]

Whats wrong with Goodyear 255/55R19 Wrangler Duratrac?

[LandyAndy]

Whats wrong with Goodyear 255/55R19 Wrangler Duratrac?

Would be my choice in the 19" size.
Unsure weather its sold in australia,the online tyre shops certainly list the size.
Next time Im at Beaurepairs for a work tyre fix I will ask.
Andrew

[Graeme]

The 19" Duratrac is certainly available but what's its noise like compared with the Hankooks? I find the 19" Hankooks very mild noise-wise but my 17" Duratracs, albeit with larger voids, are much noisier and would not want them as everyday tyres knowing that the Hankooks are available. The 19" Duratracs are only P-rated like the 19" Hankooks and may or may not have a stronger carcase.