1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Cooper Discoverer A/T3 Review

Discussion in 'Wheels & Tires' started by Misterclean, Oct 22, 2012.

  1. Oct 22, 2012 at 10:26 AM
    #1
    Misterclean

    Misterclean [OP] Member

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2010
    Member:
    #33991
    Messages:
    17
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    Salt Lake City, Utah
    Vehicle:
    2004 Double Cab 4x4 TRD
    Transmission Cooler, 2" lift front/w Billy 5100 Coilovers, 2" Pro-Comp AAL Rear/w Billy 5125's, Epoxy frame coating, Thule Basket W/Outdoorsman 300 bed rail towers, Black wheel coat
    Long story short, I buck trends. And when it comes to shelling out cash, I want a product that fits my needs over what is cool, trending or flavor of the day! I also research the hell out of a product before buying.

    Reviews and recommendations are good and always helpful... but what else is out there?

    Living in Utah there is a considerable amount of off-road... but with my profession, many highway miles. I want a tire that does everything very well, even if they don’t excel at one specific thing! The Goodrich T/A K/O came highly recommended but I decided to give the Cooper Discoverer A/T3's a try based on equally high recommendations. On paper, they looked to fit the bill in regard to what I was looking for.

    For perspective, My Tacoma is a 2004 TRD 4WD Double Cab. Billy 5100 leveling coil-overs up front set to highest... and Pro-Comp AAL with Billy 5125's.Moving from Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 2, in P265/70 which were great wearing tires, giving me 54K miles under aggressive driving through most of those miles.

    FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Moving to a LT tire may not be the best for our Tacomas in regard to comfort or fuel economy…but these "C load" rated tires are not horrible by any stretch. This is one reason I chose the Cooper. Few manufacturers offer a C rated LT tire. And I can imagine that a "D" or "E" load tire having more weight and stiffer side-walls could get uncomfortable and kill fuel economy quickly! To me, the Coopers were a perfect compromise. It took a bit of getting used to, as handling and softness WERE compromised... but not to a degree that I didn't expect. Fuel economy difference has been negligible at best as they are only approximately 5 pounds heavier than the tires they replace. The BFG’s would have been closer to 10 pounds heavier!

    Where looks are concerned... I mounted the tires White Letters out. I liked the look with my White truck/Black wheel combo from chancing it with the old B'Stones. I was happy overall. Decently aggressive but not overly so. The tread is very deep compared even to the A/T K/O, (9/16th compared to 7/16th ??) although not as square shouldered. Two notes… I didn't like that there was way too much rubber left from trimming out of the mold. Also, there are no built-in rim edge protectors.

    ON ROAD: Handling is very good. NOT as good as the Passenger tires they replace. But again, this is to be expected. I do miss the responsiveness of the passenger rated tires but on the same side of the coin, I rather liked the more truck-like, on-a-rail feel off the line and on the highway. The compromise is much more evident on twisty, mountain passes, where it takes more effort and time to corner. Especially if you like a bit of speed in doing so. A definite plus would be when exiting a turn… the tires pick up on the straight-line much more quickly! Wet road traction is AWESOME! These tires STICK. And they cut through standing water like no other tire I’ve had. Even at highway speeds on a trip to Denver through a downpour. I also, purposely pushed the grip to its limits while making turns on wet surface streets and was unable to break free without considerable effort. No spin on moderately hard launches from the line. (I do have considerable weight in the bed with a loaded tool box and Cargo carrier set-up). The Coopers are also very quiet. Even at highway speeds, the difference over other“P” rated A/T’s I’ve had is hardly measurable.

    OFF ROAD: I recently took the Taco out to the Desert north of the Great Salt Lake. A place called Kelton, near Promontory Point, where the East/West Railroads Met. Great area because there is a mix of loose soil, fine sand & steep, rocky bluffs to climb and a wide expanse of open desert with deep, moist, sandy flats to rip through! No real mud to speak of but the sand of the flats is heavy, almost cement-like as it has a lot of organic materials in it and holds moisture from the lake. The closer you get to the lake shore, the wetter and deeper it gets. Only to about 2 inches but it really causes a bog-down. More importantly, a bog that doesn’t END! If you go out more than a mile, you’ve committed! This was a GREAT opportunity to see how the tires evacuate material and evaluate digging power. These tires performed AWESOMELY! An even better test was stopping and then re-gaining traction again from a start. MAN was I impressed! Obviously, these are not mudders but I could swear they were if I didn’t know better! As far as “rock climbing” is concerned… the tires performed admirably. They dig and grip very well over the loose, volcanic soil and conform well to larger rocks when aired down “slightly”. This is NOTa tire for EXTREME rock climbing but for the regular adventurer they are more than adequate. I beat up on them pretty good with no chipping or scars left behind after my trip. I also noticed they did a FAR BETTER job of evacuating stones from the tread than the Revo 2 A/T’s

    TREADWEAR: I’ve only put approximately 4500 miles on the Coopers but I can say that my old Bridgestones began to show me wear patterns almost immediately…which was a good thing because it allowed me the opportunity to evaluate early on the best rotation pattern. Again, those tires gave me more than 50K and could have gone longer. The Coopers have showed very little signs of any “patterns” Therefore, I’ve settled on a criss-cross rotation to both axles. The ‘stones went rear straight forward to the front …and the fronts criss-x to the rear. I expect 60K easy from the Coopers!

    SNOW/ICE: I was informed that although these tires don’t carry the “snowflake” symbol, it is a matter of Cooper not submitting them for testing. Knowing from my career experiences how these test certifications work and the costs associated with them, it makes sense that Cooper’s philosophy is to keep costs down and let real world performance be evaluated where it makes the most sense… On your vehicle with you at the wheel! I expect great things from these tires in the snow and will post soon.

    CONCLUSION: Sans snow and ice… and I expect great things…(See update below) These tires aren’t just good A/T tires, they’re GREAT A/T tires! They are the perfect tire for someone like me that doesn’t want to sacrifice any specific thing for greater performance in another area. This tire will do everything very well if not Excel at one specific thing. The way I see it, the perfect tire for all around performance. Head & Shoulders above the Dueler A/T Revo 2’s they replaced. The Duelers were good, well wearing, quiet tires that did well in snow and handled well.. but were horrible on wet roads, ice and prone to damage and compromised traction off-road. Based on that, I can only imagine the fun I’ll have come winter with the Dicoverer A/T3’s!
    UPDATE: Lots of snow this winter! The AT3's performed GREAT in deep snow. Ice traction was just "acceptable" which is expected with any AT tire. I did get stuck during one, particular outing in about 18 inches of hard-packed, heavy, wet snow in the mountains... but I decided to STOP for a picture opp! This was a mistake because a bigger problem was caused by the truck settling in and ultimately "bottoming out". My Tacoma only has an additional 2" or so of lift. In highway slush, the tires track VERY well!! ALSO... these tires are wearing EXTREMELY well. Again, I have settled on a straight front-to-back rotation and have done this twice so far. Tread is still like new!
    See Attachments at bottom. "Tire 2" Pic shows the rubber "tags" left from trimming...
    [​IMG]

    Tire 1.jpg
    tire 2.jpg
    Current.jpg
     
    ExtraExtra likes this.
  2. Oct 22, 2012 at 10:36 AM
    #2
    TACO TX

    TACO TX Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2012
    Member:
    #87962
    Messages:
    2,309
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Kelly
    Denison ,Texas
    Vehicle:
    2017 DC TRD Off Road 4x4(Barcelona red)
    Weather tech liners, Ranch Sierra truck cap
    I have them on my 03 trd dc and love them as well although I opted for the p metric. I can't wait to test this winter when everything is wet and muddy where I hunt. Glad your happy with your choice.
     
  3. Oct 22, 2012 at 10:59 AM
    #3
    Maticuno

    Maticuno Resident Pine Swine

    Joined:
    May 26, 2011
    Member:
    #57287
    Messages:
    3,812
    Gender:
    Male
    California High Deserts
    Vehicle:
    2011 Suburban 2500
    JBA Shorty Headers, Flowmaster FlowFX Sing/Dual Exhaust
    Thanks for the review! Throw in some photos and I'll add it to my member's review thread.
     
  4. Oct 22, 2012 at 11:26 AM
    #4
    Misterclean

    Misterclean [OP] Member

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2010
    Member:
    #33991
    Messages:
    17
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    Salt Lake City, Utah
    Vehicle:
    2004 Double Cab 4x4 TRD
    Transmission Cooler, 2" lift front/w Billy 5100 Coilovers, 2" Pro-Comp AAL Rear/w Billy 5125's, Epoxy frame coating, Thule Basket W/Outdoorsman 300 bed rail towers, Black wheel coat
    Pics added!
     
  5. Oct 22, 2012 at 11:36 AM
    #5
    1stacoma

    1stacoma Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2012
    Member:
    #80656
    Messages:
    525
    Gender:
    Male
    Austin
    Vehicle:
    2012 MGM SR5 DCSB 4.0
    5100's front and rear, front 2.5" rear 2" AAL, 18% tint front and rear, color matched grill. SCS wheels 275/70/17 BFG AT KO's. DTRL toggle switch.
    My BFG's have that same extra rubber from the manufacturing process. Nice write up.
     
  6. Oct 22, 2012 at 11:37 AM
    #6
    Maticuno

    Maticuno Resident Pine Swine

    Joined:
    May 26, 2011
    Member:
    #57287
    Messages:
    3,812
    Gender:
    Male
    California High Deserts
    Vehicle:
    2011 Suburban 2500
    JBA Shorty Headers, Flowmaster FlowFX Sing/Dual Exhaust
    Thanks! While I like the Wrangler Authorities that I'm currently running, I'm pretty sure my next tire will be the Discoverer A/T3 in a P rating.
     
  7. Oct 22, 2012 at 12:50 PM
    #7
    jrlyons21

    jrlyons21 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2012
    Member:
    #89030
    Messages:
    9
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Julian
    Cookeville, TN
    Vehicle:
    03 SR5, 2.7L, 4x4, Manual
    This is by far one of the best reviews I have seen on TW. Granted, I'm new here, but I have read dozens of reviews. Thank you. This is what forums are for IMO: honest information sharing related to a specific topic. Great great review. You made my decission a little harder, Thank you for that.
     
  8. Oct 22, 2012 at 12:53 PM
    #8
    JRod4928

    JRod4928 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2012
    Member:
    #84395
    Messages:
    900
    Gender:
    Male
    Pittsburgh
    Vehicle:
    '12 Tacoma SR5
    Extang Trifecta Tonneau WeatherTech Floor Liners Pop & Lock Tailgate Lock Antenna X Black Mesh Grillcraft with Tacoma Badge (Upper) and Cross (Lower) 18" BMF Wheels / Cooper 31.5" Tires 2" Leveling Kit
    i'm a fan :)

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Oct 22, 2012 at 1:17 PM
    #9
    Misterclean

    Misterclean [OP] Member

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2010
    Member:
    #33991
    Messages:
    17
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    Salt Lake City, Utah
    Vehicle:
    2004 Double Cab 4x4 TRD
    Transmission Cooler, 2" lift front/w Billy 5100 Coilovers, 2" Pro-Comp AAL Rear/w Billy 5125's, Epoxy frame coating, Thule Basket W/Outdoorsman 300 bed rail towers, Black wheel coat
    :thumbsup::thumbsup:
     
  10. Oct 23, 2012 at 3:01 AM
    #10
    mdb1grfe

    mdb1grfe Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2012
    Member:
    #87884
    Messages:
    100
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    Butler County, PA
    Vehicle:
    2018 TRD OffRoad, Silver DC
    D-ring tie-downs.
    Thanks MisterC, I'm getting 4 LT AT3s mounted after work today. My ranger had P and these will be six ply. There are so many different load ranges it is confusing.
     
  11. Oct 23, 2012 at 10:33 AM
    #11
    Misterclean

    Misterclean [OP] Member

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2010
    Member:
    #33991
    Messages:
    17
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    Salt Lake City, Utah
    Vehicle:
    2004 Double Cab 4x4 TRD
    Transmission Cooler, 2" lift front/w Billy 5100 Coilovers, 2" Pro-Comp AAL Rear/w Billy 5125's, Epoxy frame coating, Thule Basket W/Outdoorsman 300 bed rail towers, Black wheel coat
    6-Ply is The "C" rated version. The "E" rated version is a 10-Ply
    The 10-Ply's would be MURDER on Ride and Mileage.
    I recommend CONFIRMING with the dealer as they pull them out of stock that they are, indeed the "C" rated because my tech originally pulled the heavier.
    AN IMPORTANT NOTE: finding the right pressure is really important. I'm running 34psi front and 32psi rear and I consider this a minimum! You need a higher pressure than the 26psi recommended by Toyota as LT tires require higher psi to carry the same weight as a "P" tire.... but going +1 in size complicates things further.
    I did a lot of testing and calculations with different pressures... Including the chalk test ...and combined with ride, handling and keeping a close eye out for wear patterns, I'd say I've got it just right!
     
  12. Oct 23, 2012 at 9:01 PM
    #12
    mdb1grfe

    mdb1grfe Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2012
    Member:
    #87884
    Messages:
    100
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    Butler County, PA
    Vehicle:
    2018 TRD OffRoad, Silver DC
    D-ring tie-downs.
    Hi Misterclean:
    The AT3s I bought are the "C" with a numeric 108/104 load rating. OEM is 109. I didn't want a "P" because I thought they wouldn't be as strong. At work I drive a Chevy dually off road a good bit here in Western PA and the Discoverer ST tires are awesome. Did I mess it up for my Taco?

     
  13. Oct 23, 2012 at 9:14 PM
    #13
    BuzzardsGottaEat

    BuzzardsGottaEat Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2011
    Member:
    #55669
    Messages:
    8,433
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    Some Toyotas
    Round tires
    Good call on tires and GREAT write up OP. Good to see categorized thoughtful review other than, I just got them and I like em. . . haha I too needed a all around highway/snow/off roat All Terrain and was about to pull the trigger on AT3s but the Graham Tire I went to had a deal on Dynapros for buy 3 get 1 plus a bunch of other freebies so I went with them since they're so similar. I look forward to getting these next and comparing the two for myself, from what I read they perform similarly.
     
  14. Oct 24, 2012 at 1:59 PM
    #14
    Misterclean

    Misterclean [OP] Member

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2010
    Member:
    #33991
    Messages:
    17
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    Salt Lake City, Utah
    Vehicle:
    2004 Double Cab 4x4 TRD
    Transmission Cooler, 2" lift front/w Billy 5100 Coilovers, 2" Pro-Comp AAL Rear/w Billy 5125's, Epoxy frame coating, Thule Basket W/Outdoorsman 300 bed rail towers, Black wheel coat
    MDB1: What size did you go with? Mine are 112/109 (LT265/75R16C1)
     
  15. Oct 24, 2012 at 5:49 PM
    #15
    timmy2112

    timmy2112 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2012
    Member:
    #85924
    Messages:
    52
    Gender:
    Male
    I have them, the tires were on the truck when I bought it used and I agree, they wear well and I will buy another set when mine wear out. I would highly recomend them for sure!
     
  16. Oct 24, 2012 at 6:16 PM
    #16
    BuzzardsGottaEat

    BuzzardsGottaEat Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2011
    Member:
    #55669
    Messages:
    8,433
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    Some Toyotas
    Round tires
    Might get AT3 or try out Nokian Rotiiva AT when the ATMs wear out . . . good reviews on the new tire there
     
  17. Oct 24, 2012 at 9:16 PM
    #17
    mdb1grfe

    mdb1grfe Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2012
    Member:
    #87884
    Messages:
    100
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    Butler County, PA
    Vehicle:
    2018 TRD OffRoad, Silver DC
    D-ring tie-downs.
    Mister: I got LT245/75R16 108/104 C. Must be different load ranges for inflation pressures. I can live with the 108 only a couple hundred pounds different from the 109 OEM. Live and learn. Drove about 30mi on the 4 lane tonight with a passenger and a couple hundred lb in the bed. Ride quality great and no different than empty.
     
  18. Oct 26, 2012 at 10:52 AM
    #18
    Misterclean

    Misterclean [OP] Member

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2010
    Member:
    #33991
    Messages:
    17
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    Salt Lake City, Utah
    Vehicle:
    2004 Double Cab 4x4 TRD
    Transmission Cooler, 2" lift front/w Billy 5100 Coilovers, 2" Pro-Comp AAL Rear/w Billy 5125's, Epoxy frame coating, Thule Basket W/Outdoorsman 300 bed rail towers, Black wheel coat
    That's exactly right, Mdb1.. different load ranges. 108 Nothing to worry about... You'll never overload the tires with a Tacoma!!
     
  19. Feb 20, 2013 at 5:00 AM
    #19
    dand

    dand You can't see me

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2011
    Member:
    #64083
    Messages:
    3,506
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Dan
    SE VA
    Vehicle:
    2020 MBM TRD Offroad MT
    1st stage commencing
    Love mine too!

    XD Enduros-Cooper AT3 024.jpg
    XD Enduros-Cooper AT3 010.jpg
     
  20. Aug 6, 2013 at 1:58 PM
    #20
    Greenbean

    Greenbean B.S. Goodwrench

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2012
    Member:
    #84332
    Messages:
    3,250
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Zack
    Western NC
    Vehicle:
    2015 AC 2.7L 5-spd 4x4 Utility Package
    I appreciate the review, Good information there,

    I am looking for my next set of daily driver tires for my little RC 4x4 and a shop down the road from where I work just quoted me M & B under 600 bucks for em,

    This very well may end up being my next daily driver tire.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top