Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

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Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by Lorgar » 14 Dec 2017, 12:17 pm

I'm not far off needing some new rubber for the cruiser.

For the past while I've had the original BFGoodrich A/T KO tires, I've been happy with them and had more or less defaulted to going with the current A/T KO2's as a replacement when the time came.

I ended up chatting to a bloke at the local tyre place who put me onto the Cooper S/T MAXX and looking at them clearly they're a bit more aggressive (which is what I'm looking for) but still have an 80,000 km guarantee on the road.

What's peoples experience with the S/T MAXX (and any comparison if you're in the position to give one)?

(For the record an A/T is what I'm after, I go "proper" off-roading about once a month and need some real tread but it's my daily driver as well and a mud-terrain tire isn't going to be the best option on balance.)
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by Daddybang » 14 Dec 2017, 12:39 pm

In my opinion if you are going into heavy corro or rocky tracks stay away from coopers. The amount I've seen (including the ones that were on the defender when I bought it) that split sidewalls is ridiculous. I know others will have different opinions and experience but that's been mine! :lol: :drinks:
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by Nick-J » 14 Dec 2017, 12:40 pm

I have a set of 265/75/R16 and like them a lot. After 45k kms they are still looking pretty good, however they do whine a bit at slower speeds. Never had a flat and that includes a fair bit of 4x4ing.

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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by Gamerancher » 14 Dec 2017, 5:02 pm

Brother -in - law conducts tag along tours out in the western deserts (W.A) and reckons the tyres that he has the most trouble with are Coopers, ( on customers cars ) side walls like party balloons, weak as p!ss. Read the fine print on the milage "guarantee" , doesn't apply if you leave the city.
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by Baz460 » 14 Dec 2017, 6:47 pm

I do a lot of trips up to the cape, the boys at the station tried the Coopers out and they failed miserably, just couldn't handle the abrasive tracks, they like me use BFG's, I use At's and they go with the Muddies.
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by Daddybang » 14 Dec 2017, 7:03 pm

Baz460 wrote:I do a lot of trips up to the cape, the boys at the station tried the Coopers out and they failed miserably, just couldn't handle the abrasive tracks, they like me use BFG's, I use At's and they go with the Muddies.


Yep they just don't handle it well. I use hankook ATs and run all over the Cape with em . :drinks:
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by Nick-J » 14 Dec 2017, 10:10 pm

Oh I forgot to mention that mine are LT variants, might explain why I haven't had any problems due to the extra ply layers.
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by Mitch » 15 Dec 2017, 4:40 am

In-aws are farmers. Go through tyres a fair bit. Coooers have been the worst, wont touch them anymore.

He has had mickey thompson lately and been pretty happy
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by Tripod » 15 Dec 2017, 5:51 am

F@cn tread separating Crnts of things.
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by AusTac » 15 Dec 2017, 6:56 am

Bfg all the way here ;)
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by marksman » 15 Dec 2017, 8:45 am

Daddybang wrote:
Baz460 wrote:I do a lot of trips up to the cape, the boys at the station tried the Coopers out and they failed miserably, just couldn't handle the abrasive tracks, they like me use BFG's, I use At's and they go with the Muddies.


Yep they just don't handle it well. I use hankook ATs and run all over the Cape with em . :drinks:


I use the hankooks as well, if you go at the right time you will get the buy 3 and get one free, mine are 31x10 muddies and cost just over $600 fitted

I have heard bad reports about the coopers but especially about the warranty for them, I think that if you go on dirt or offroad your warranty is gone
check it out as I may be wrong :unknown:
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by p3seven » 15 Dec 2017, 5:18 pm

Stay with the BF Goodrich AT. I have used them from the Nullabor through the sandy and gibber deserts and the Vic high country. Never faltered.
In the mud on the Darling river floodplain. You had to be careful. But, that was the day when a set of muddies on the roof rack would have been a help.
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by Lorgar » 19 Dec 2017, 2:47 pm

Wow, except for Nick it's scathing reviews all around :lol:

That's a pity. Just to look at they seemed like they could have some potential, and the guy at the shop was running them on his Hilux so was walking the walk, not just talking the talk.

Guess I'm sticking with BFG A/T KO2s as originally planned :thumbsup:

I must admit I keep look and their mud T/A KM2s and thinking, maybe. But if I'm honest with myself they're probably not the best choice, and I'm looking mostly because they just look tough :lol:
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by Sarco » 19 Dec 2017, 7:09 pm

I suppose that I have done in xs of 300,000Km on Cooper STT and more recently on ST Maxx over the last 8 or so years. They have been faultless throughout the Central Australian deserts, Vic high country, throughout the west and south of WA. Have never had a single puncture, separation or chip. Only maintenance has been regular wheel alignments and balancing and keeping correct tyre pressures for the circumstances.

I always suspect that people poo pooing Coopers Tyres have either in reality never tried them or have not done so recently.
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by Daddybang » 19 Dec 2017, 8:18 pm

Sarco wrote:
I always suspect that people poo pooing Coopers Tyres have either in reality never tried them or have not done so recently.


tell that to the six fourbys I've seen in the last year that were running coopers on the pdr that split side walls the set I had on when I bought the defender didn't last two weeks up here before two split their sidewalls :lol: :lol: :lol: :drinks:
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by Tripod » 19 Dec 2017, 9:04 pm

Sarco wrote:
I always suspect that people poo pooing Coopers Tyres have either in reality never tried them or have not done so recently.

I just replaced a set a few weeks ago that were separating one after another. :thumbsdown: Never again will I buy Coopers.
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by Bent Arrow » 19 Dec 2017, 10:06 pm

Interestingly we switched to Cooper STT's at my old employer because of problems staking the main face and sidewalls when we were running BFG and Hankook tyres. With the coopers we literally overnight stopped staking tyres on floodplains where we work. On my own hilux I have run mickey thompson ATZ 5 rib, Bridgestone AT697, and currently Cooper AT3. One of the places I work part time runs BFG ATs on their hilux's and landcruisers. From my own experience, the only tyres I would not buy again are the Bridgestone AT697. Poor wear and terrible grip off road. Sounds like there must have been a major change in QC at Coopers if the problems reported here are widespread.
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by Lumbajak » 13 Jan 2018, 9:38 am

Had st maxx for 80000 on my lux and were a pretty good. Never had a flat and they didn’t split like my mates old discoverer coopers which I was always waiting to happen. Couldn’t fault them but I run km2 mudders on my cruiser and with 25000 brutal Kim’s which includes trips through central Australia/across the desert/the territory and all around the cape and they have been faultless. I am a rubber slut :mrgreen: so may be getting the Toyo mtr next as I have the toya at2 on the lux atm and they have been brilliant.
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Re: Cooper S/T MAXX tires ( vs BFGoodrich A/T KO2? )

Post by holden4th » 13 Jan 2018, 7:04 pm

The 80,000 km claim might have a couple of caveats as well. Friends of mine with Cooper ATs found that after about 45,000 ks the rubber got quite hard and lost it's grip on the bitumen, especially in the wet. My experience on 4WD trips with guys who had Coopers was that sidewall staking was a problem. Saw one guy go through two AT tyres in less than 100 kms on the Simpson, leaving him only four. Luckily he got through to The NT without another problem. Personally, I think that Cooper's are overhyped and expensive as well.
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