Have Cooper STMaxx's - need to go to a C range tire

Currently have 265x75x16 Cooper STMaxx's on my 2012 DCSB.

My work-life priorities have changed and my driving will now be 95% city-highway driving with the occasional farm / trail / woods outing, nothing serious.

Worse conditions I can foresee will be muddy ruts getting to a duck blind or a shooting spot in the woods.

I love my STMaxx's but they are heavy and have impacted my MPG in a noticeable manner. I'd like to get a set of "C" range tires that handle better on the pavement and should improve the MPG a smidge. Then toss the STMaxx's on craigslist or similar.

In doing some research a trend is to go to a 17" wheel and get the AT KO2's - this isn't an option I'd like to do as I'm not a huge fan of the BFG offerings since they discontinued the original mud terrain design (loved them).

My research has left me with limited options for a "C" range tire, the leader of the pack is the Cooper A/T3 in 265x75x16.

Any other suggestions for what I should be looking at? Will I see a difference going from an E to a C range tire?

Thank you in advance!

 

I did the same thing, went from St maxx to toyo at 2. You will notice a difference. The toyo at2 have been a great tire in the c load.

 

Father in law has the Cooper AT/3, all I can say is they are LOUD and he isnt a fan of them in the snow. Definitely a noticeable hum over 50mph. Seems normal with this type of A/T.

Really need to ask yourself why you want an AT tire if you are on pavement 95% of the time.

 

Toyo Open Country AT2 - 265/75/16 - Load Range C

https://www.treaddepot.com/#!productDetail/tireStandardFitment/352610

Great Tire!

 

For your reading pleasure!

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/load-range-c-or-close-off-road-tire-options.411370/

 

I went from the Cooper AT3's Load Range C in 265/70/17 which I also thought sucked terribly in the Winter. To Cooper ST/MAXX Load Range E in 265/75/16 and went from 17.0 MPG to 16.5 MPG. And I drive pretty much all around town.

 

I just switched to falken wildpeaks at3. Went with them because they offered a light truck tire and I didnt want to go above c load. Came from duratracs load c.

 

A lot of people claim issues with balancing etc. but I went with duratracs for the same reason. Wanted something aggressive in a C without ditching my 16" trail teams. I am very pleased as I approach 20k miles with them. I rotate every oil change and have had no balance/vibration problems. Slight hum on the highway since day 1, but very slight and has not gotten any worse. I also use the truck to access some fishing spots that require driving through an extremely rutted up farm field and puddles that often approach the frame and these tires have performed flawlessly, often times not requiring 4wd, which is un-heard of at this farm.

I have also entertained the idea of the toyos though. I have a friend who has them and absolutely loves them, and they have held up very very well. I think hes somewhere over 50k on them with minimal rotations and still some decent tread.

 

Ran BFG KOs and Duratracs on my 1st Gen. Was happy with both, though I found the Duratracs noticeably louder than the BFGs.

My 2nd Gen had Yokohama Geolandar A/T-S on it when I bought it in April. I logged about 5K (summer-time, highway) miles on them. Low road noise and good mileage.

I migrated to Cooper Discoverer A/T3 about a month ago. Several hundred miles on them so far. No noticeable increase in road noise or change in mileage. (FWIW, I made the switch to up-size and after reading largely favorable reviews from other TacomaWorld owners.)