cooper s/t's

[toddy]

hey everyone.

i was just wondering what is the general opinion of the cooper s/t's?
-are they as good as i have been told(no one i've talked to has bagged them)?
-what are they like in sand situations?
-and what is the going price around the place?

the size i'm looking at is a 285.75.R16, it's classed as a 33" and is 834mm in overall diameter. i've been quoted $288 a tyre by one place in south oz.
i will be doing mainly dirt and sand work with them, and very little in mud or rocky areas(if i can help it ;D).
any feedback would be great.

thanks

adam.

[BLU-125]

The Cooper S/T would seem to be a suitable choice for your usage. These tyres are quite agressive for an all terrain tyre and if you are spending a lot of time on the beach you may find the Cooper A/T more suitable.

Price sounds about right.

Don't forget regular rotation to maximise mileage if you do a lot of Off Road km's.

[baby_troupe]

I agree, they are a very good tyre for most applications.

There was a tyre comparo a few months ago in this mag & I am pretty sure this tye rated very good.

they have a serious problem with tread block chiiping on gravel work.

this is made worse in 2wd or towing a camper.

[toddy]

thanks for the info guys, i was after an honest opinion from people who are'nt trying to take my money, and thats what i got!
the gravel problem should'nt be too much of a problem for me, i hope!

once again, thanks guys.

[cj]

After looking around at all sorts of options I am now going to go with the S/T's. As far as the chipping is concerned, I have been told that there has been an issue and a limited number of sizes are getting a new compound (I think it was the 10 ply but can't remember for sure) but not all. They are putting the chipping down to people running road pressures off road instead of airing down to suit the conditions to allow the tyre to mould around the terrain(particularly rocky ground) thereby causing the side lugs to tear off. Please keep in mind that I have not run these yet and this is only what I have been told but I have talked to enough happy users to convince me.

When the air pressure bull didnt wash with me, and I had actually had them set at what they recommended for the terrain, one trip was enough to make the outer tread pattern almost unrecognisable, they then told me I had the ST's fitted on the wrong size rim for the tyre, even though it was within the recommended rim size for that tyre.

They have re designed the tyre, and a new tread pattern will be out soon, it sounds to me like a the tyre shop has been feeding you the same crap that has been in the Cooper press releases........

[BLU-125]

As one of Australia's oldest Cooper dealers, I believe I am entitled to make comment. The only issue with S/T's normally is with chipping associated with vehicles used regularly on poor gravel roads, on the shoulders. This is because there is a sipe along the shoulder blocks which gives two edges for chipping to occur. This is normally cosmetic only and has no effect on tyre life. ;)

I would be surprised if anybody found these tyres weren't the best allround A/T tyres available in this country. They're tougher and wear better than anything I know of. ;)

[toddy]

there hasn't been too many people who have said bad things about these tyres, they seem to have a good reputation. the chipping problem is of no real concern to me because i don't do extensive driving on gravel roads. Darren, thanks for your honesty there, atleast i'm aware of that now.
i've just ordered five 33"s/t's and some 16" inch rims, i'm hangin to get them now :D

i'll let you know how i get on with them, i'm heading over to kangaroo island in 5 weeks, a bit of offroading and a heap of fishing ;)

Most I know have had the tread blocks come off, down to the canvas, and mine within 3000km were unrecognisable in the tread pattern on the outer blocks, from a summer Vic high country trip.

The new owner got 23,000km from them before the canvas patches worried him enough to get rid of them.

And we wont go into the bead/sidewall cracking around the dia of the tyre about 20mm out from where they mount on the rim.

[baby_troupe]

Sounds like a design / manufacturing fault there Darren. I would have taken them back & asked for replacement(s).

26 people I know who have have all been fed the bs about pressures or the rim size.......

And been refused any warranty on them.

And Cooper then sent out a blurb about tyre pressures etc, and how it wasnt the tyres, but misuse etc etc.

They are replacing the ones that crack around the bead in the sidewall though.