Cooper Discoverer A/T3 megathread?

The shop I’m going to was only $5 a tire more for the LT and $10 more a tire for KO2 than tirerack or discounttiredirect. They were actually cheaper on Falken Wildpeak AT3W and General Grabber AT2 by a couple of bucks. Guess it depends on the shop.

 

When I bought my AT3 LT tires for the sequoia the local shop was actually cheaper than online and they gave me a little bit of money for my takeoffs as well. So I do check local before I shop online.

 

Anybody know how much the AT3 LT265/75/16 in C-Load weigh? And how many plys the tread and sidewall are? I'm trying to decide between AT3 LT's in C-Load or AT3 4S in SL load, both size 265/75/16....

 

that's a 48lb tire in that size, load C.

 

AT3 XLT in 295/75r16.

 

Wider shot!

 

Not full flex but the best photo I have at the moment:

I just installed the rear suspension (Dakar HD + Billy B10’s) and haven’t maxed out travel yet.

 

Just took mine off for the summer set up, Nitto Ridge Grapplers. the AT3 4s worked great in the snow.

 

It's finally time to replace the tires on my Tacoma. I've pretty much settled on the Cooper Discoverer AT3. What I'm not sure about is whether to go with the AT3 LT or the AT3 4S and the C or E Load rating.

I do some off road driving on woods trails and old logging roads. Not serious rock crawling, but we do have some hills so good performance on dirt and occasional bare rock is important. In this use, I'm generally hauling a load of hardwood firewood in the bed and/or towing a log forwarding trailer. The trailer could run up to 5000# (maybe more if I'm getting aggressive on the loading). Speeds are generally low while working in the woods (less than 15 MPH). When towing the loads mentioned, I'm on paved and gravel roads with 40 MPH limits.

I also occasionally tow a camper that might run around 3000#, or do the odd trailer hauling generally less than 5000# on paved roads and highways. Speeds generally up to 55 MPH, but may get to 65 MPH if the trailer and road allow it.

Other than the uses above, it's typically "grocery-getting" type trips and running empty when one of our other vehicles is not available. Ride is a bit of a concern on this, since the truck does see this type of use fairly regularly.

Thoughts on the LT vs 4S version and LR C vs E for my use?

I currently have 265/70-16 tires on it. I was leaning towards staying with that. I had thought about bumping up to a slightly larger diameter (265/75-16) since a bit more ground clearance in the woods would not hurt. I've already rerouted that darn low hanging exhaust, and am considering some sort of skid plates. As mentioned, I'm not doing heavy-duty off-roading, but I have been known to lightly bottom out in some of the water bars and dips on my forest trails. I'm concerned about adverse effects on towing with the larger tires, though. Also, some have said I should just stick with the same size tires and add a small lift kit if I need more clearance.

I'm not at all concerned about the appearance or having the truck look tough/cool. This is a truck for getting stuff done in the woods, not for curb appeal.

Any thoughts from the tire/truck gurus out there?

 

I’ve only had three tires. OEM Goodyear, 285/75R16 (E) Duratrac, and now XLT in the same size and load range.

Can say that the XLT runs incredibly smoother, quieter, and more confidently on the road. I haven’t had it off road yet, but from all the reading I did in the thread before purchasing, I have no reason to suspect they’d be anything but good for anything but intense mud or rock crawling.

Excellent at getting groceries, too.

 

seems you're more or less between C & E. towing with stiffer tires can help your stability as you know. but w/o weight the ride is hard, especially when you have stock size (30-31") tires. for peace of mind i would go for E's, but i'm not the average user here, and i run 265/65-17 E's (AT3 LT) with no weight at all and love them. it's a super hard ride and i love it with E's regardless of the weight. the question in my mind is: can you easily deal with an E range ride when you run light? or will you hate it?

 

Good question at the end, and it’s worth adding that not all E tires are created equally (as I stated with my duratrac to XLT swap).

I carry a 285/75 spare on a TRD beadlock and hi lift in my bed 24/7, so I’d say my bed is light. Not jarring at all to me, and she doesn’t complain.. which is the only thing that matters in town.

 

I would vote for E rated LT's. You would probably be good with C's most of the time but with the towing and camper use, the E's will be helpful IMO. I also have E rated 285 XLT's and they are not super stiff on the street. They use a 2 ply sidewall compared to the S/T Maxx that uses a 3 ply, and are much smoother of a ride. The E rated 265 S/T Maxx's I had before these were very stiff on pretty much any tiny rock, bump, etc.

 

Thanks for the info so far, folks.

Another question came up: as mentioned I’m currently running 265/70-16. My mechanic put me in touch with the guy who is selling some 265/75-16. (LT version). Man only one summer, and selling for $240 for the set of four. These would be about an inch bigger diameter. So I get 1/2 inch more ground clearance, which would be nice.

Will these fit without rubbing?
Will they fit in the spare tire storage area?
Are there any downsides to this? Will the larger diameter have any significant effect on towing?

 

The only spot you would likely rub is a front mud flap. Spare tire area might require bending the plates out a little but it’s not hard or a big deal to do.

 

That sounds like a good deal. How many miles are on them?

 

Keep us updated about what you get and what you think.

I have been going through exactly the same debate; same sizes, same load rating questions. Mostly commuting, but two big road trips a year pulling a small camper into the most remote and gnarly backcountry we can get into. “I don’t need a mud tire ...” until I’ve got a 20 mile drive out of our campsite on a greasy, remote road.

I did put Cooper ATW’s on my 06 Tacoma(4cyl,MT). LT235/85r16E. Loved them! Never noticed any harshness to the ride. Beautiful on snow and ice. No drop in mileage. My only complaint was they held every rock they touched.

Anyway, curious to see what you get!

 

A local friend is complicating the issue: he’s suggesting I go back to the 245/75-16 tires (which were on the truck when it was new, long before I owned it). His reasoning is that the narrower tires are better in snow & ice, and my off-road situations are relatively mild (not true rock crawling, and no mudding, just getting up a hilly woods trail, and getting through the water bars & broad-based dips and getting back down with a load).

 

One of the issues we have around here is that gravel roads are sometimes treated with small crushed stone with really sharp edges. Turns out these are just the right size to work into the tread of the tire and puncture it. The resulting tear is much worse than plugging a hole from a screw. (I’ve lost more tired in the past 4 or 5 years than I have previously in my whole life.) I’ve had tires with only 15,000 miles on them that I’ve had to replace.

Would a LT tire be more resistant to this, or am I just trashing a more expensive tire? I’ve debated stepping down to a Mastercraft Courser AXT (Cooper’s budget brand) so at least I’m trashing a less expensive tire.

 

You’ll be fine. I drive on and park in gravel all the time. You’re over analyzing