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I recently went with the Cooper Discoverer ST Maxx after doing a good bit of research on various sites. So far only street driving ~ 500 miles. I am about to have my suspension installed and then will go off road and have a worthwhile opinion to express (I hope!).
My '05 GX will be my primary winter driver (Denver, CO) so hopefully the Coopers will perform well in the snow. If it is important to you, the ST Maxx is studable although I chose not to do so. Discount Tire price matched an on-line tire outlet so I saved about $60 per tire.
I purchased my GX second hand about a month and a half ago (89+K miles) and it had Michelin LT something or other tires (Latitude???). The Coopers have given a fairly comparable highway driving experience.
I recently installed Yokohama Geolandar G015. They're fairly new to the market. So far I've put 3,000kms on highway and logging roads and they've held up really well. So far I have yet to test them in the cold, rainy Northwest winters. The tires are rated as all-weather tires and are made using orange oil which is supposed to make the rubber adjustable to temperature changes. Check them out.
Not the best pic, but here's my 2006 with the BFG KO2's, with the E load rating. The load rating is overkill but thought I'd be gaining a bit in puncture resistance which is important in the rocky terrain where I hunt.
I'm seeing the KO2's on a ton of trucks here in south central texas - very popular and have a great track record so far. Check out the reviews on Tire Rack.
I run Cooper Discoverer AT3 in stock size and they are a fantastic tire for dry and wet weather. Cost is very inexpensive compared to many other all-terrains. Haven't had them out in snow yet, but interweb ratings and reviews show people are very pleased with them in wet snowy conditions.
I run the cooper discoverer AT3 also but in 285's. they are quiet on the highway, they have good traction for basic off-roading, and they do well in the snow last year really put them through the paces in the snow in Colorado. they aren't that expensive either so its def a good option if you go on the highway more than you off-road.
I have had pretty much the full lineup of BFG T/A tires on various vehicles over the years, and ALL of them have had the exact same problem: Between 1-2 years they start developing serious weather cracks in the sidewalls, by year 3 they are unsafe and have to be replaced. I imagine this is dependent on climate, surely this can't be happening to everyone. But up here in the high Rockies it happens on all of them, and it's the only All Terrain tire I've had this problem with.
Over the years I've had this happen with: All Terrain T/A KO, Long Trail T/A (twice), Rugged Terrain T/A.
I purchased my GX in April, the previous owner had put Rugged Terrain T/A's on it. I checked the DOT codes and they were made a little over 2 years ago. They are already full of cracks.
Instead I use Duratracs, Cooper Discoverer, or Yokohama Geolandar tires on my vehicles. None of those tires have ever experienced weather cracks during their service life. I can't wait to get these BFG's off of my GX.
I've had Terra Grapplers. They looked good, but they were a bit noisy and hard to keep balanced. For looks, I like the DuraTracs. I've never had them, but also read/heard nothing but good stuff about them. That said, I went with Cooper AT3s. I got a set of them installed for $550 OTD, and they look good. The DTs were something like $800-$900. The Discoverer AT3s are a great tire that's reasonably inexpensive, good in all conditions, quiet, and looks good to boot.
Duratracs are really loud, would not recommend them on the GX. A lot of solid options out there, but the BFG ko2 is the best tire out there hands down.
I have run the set of Michelin M/S2's that came on my '07 for the last 2 winters and I can't wear the darn things out. I have had great success with them in the snow, live in Colorado at 7,000 feet and have a public safety job that means I HAVE to be at work. There has only been once or twice that I couldn't get up my rather steep driveway (unplowed). That said, we have always run Yokohama Geolandars on our other vehicles - we used to buy the same size and trade them around from my Sequoia to a 4runner to a 94 Dodge truck. I've been torn between buying the Michelins again or trying the Geolandars. It looks from the chart above that the Geolandars are a solid choice - and I'm going to look for the Michelins on the chart, but price may make the call. Any opinions specifically between these tires? I do a lot of highway driving in the summer, not so much off road, but would like to get out there a little more.
I have run the set of Michelin M/S2's that came on my '07 for the last 2 winters and I can't wear the darn things out. I have had great success with them in the snow, live in Colorado at 7,000 feet and have a public safety job that means I HAVE to be at work. There has only been once or twice that I couldn't get up my rather steep driveway (unplowed). That said, we have always run Yokohama Geolandars on our other vehicles - we used to buy the same size and trade them around from my Sequoia to a 4runner to a 94 Dodge truck. I've been torn between buying the Michelins again or trying the Geolandars. It looks from the chart above that the Geolandars are a solid choice - and I'm going to look for the Michelins on the chart, but price may make the call. Any opinions specifically between these tires? I do a lot of highway driving in the summer, not so much off road, but would like to get out there a little more.
the michelin M/S is not an "AT tire so that takes it out of the running here...but it is one of the best all season, mud and snow tires out there.
08-23-16, 08:32 PM
