tyre choice

Look at the Maxxis 753. Bob

Mate, I brought the Cooper AT3's but now wish I had of purchased the Cooper ST Max. In my view they are a fantastic in between tyre of AT's and MT's. Two of my mates have purchased the STMax's and they are an awsome tyre with great side wall protection and grip but also quiet. I love the Micky T's but they are so dam noisy especially the muddies.
Regards Will

Maxxis 753 $270
Summitt mud hog $220
Toyo OPAT $269
Kelly TSR $290
Just a few others to look at. Coopers overpriced and the same with M/Ts in my opinion. Bob

If you're not confused enough have a look at Wrangler Duratracs.
I found them a really reliable and hard working tyre for all conditions.

Steve.

I had a good run out of Wrangler Duratracs worked well all round, good in the mud when new, not as good in the sand as my current STMAXX's possibly because of the square shoulder or the fact the ST's are larger, luvin the STMAXX's more at the moment after a Simpson desert crossing and taking in the Simpson Geocentre.
Down side is the price but I wanted a good all round tyre with strong side walls.
Cheers

Just remember that Coopers own Micky T's and are probably made in the same factory. The company struggled after Mickey and Trudy were murdered and was finally sold to Coopers a few years ago.

I just put some 33 inch ST Maxx tyres on my 200 series and loved them on my last vehicle as well. What I didn't like was the range of prices quoted - from $370 to $485 a corner in my size. So do be sure to shop around.
Keith

I'd like to make a comment and I know you will think its just bagging Coopers but my facts are just that.

The last 4 years a group of mates and I have done some reasonably heavy duty 4WD trips, this year I moved to a caravan and still did some off road stuff but not as full on as the following.

2010 Simpson Desert crossing and all the "tracks" to and from.
2011 Anne Beadle and Gunbarrell Highways
2012 Cape York (including the OTT)
2013 Canning Stock Route (the most difficult of the lot) also coming back via the Tanami and Plenty Highways so thousands of off road K's

Now of the 5 of us, 3 were running Coopers, 1 Micky Thompson and myself BFG, all were AT's.

On every trip the tyres to fail on every occasion were the Coopers, we lost 3 tyres in 2010, another 3 in 2011, just the 1 in 2012 and a staggering 7 on the 2013 trip.

For the tyres who are supposed to have the strongest sidewalls they failed miserably as most were lost this way ( one copped a nail and shredded itself after losing pressure).

I have had to replace my BFG's (they did 2010-11-12 and my normal running around) and will have to replace then before doing the Kimberley (up to Kulumburu) in 2015 as they were so knocked around with the CSR where we had dreadful conditions BUT not one blow out or flat in all that time.

Now I have no axe to grind, I am not "anti Coopers", and from purely a traction point of view they go well BUT the figures don't lie, 14 heavy duty trips, 3 4WD's and FOURTEEN tyres.

Oh, and no need to make a comment about "had the tyre pressures been right" either, we are all experienced 4WDers and let me assure you know what pressures to have and are constantly changing and checking them (sometimes 3 or 4 times a day in the bad stuff).

Take from this what you will.

I'll throw another name into the ring - Kumho KL71. Sold as a MT but not as aggressive as some. Not too much road noise.

We are running Cooper STMaxx on our 79 Series and could not be happier with them. We just got back from Kimberly and Canning trip as well as Nullarbor crossing, 13000 kms and we had no flats the whole way. Plenty of traction in all types of country including mud.

There not cheap but sidewalls seem strong at low pressures which is a good thing IMHO.

Still a bit noisy but not as bad as full muddys.

Cheers

Cooper ST Maxxs here. No complaints at all.

Sorry, but I can't even tell you how much we paid for them or even how many miles they have done so far.

We have two complete sets of wheels, one with 265 ATs and another with 285 ST Mqaxxs. We use the AT's around town and change to the TS Maxxs for bush and country driving. Have to remember the speedo is wrong with the 285's though.

Cost, road noise and lifetime, within reason, are not in our selection criteria for tyres. We want them to stick to the dirt, rocks, sand or road and that's all.

There is enough noise from the corrugations anyway so we really don't care.

I must be the only one running Dick Cepeks.. FC2. Think they are made with coopers and Micky Ts.. I feel lonely.... But I'm happy with them.. Cheers