AT Tires

[stir_fry_boy]

Alright. About 35K miles ago I decided that I would replace my 2nd set of Cooper AT3's with Nitto Terra Grappler G2 tires. Both were stock size and P load, or SL as they call them now. Why? Well, Toyota was offering a by three get one free sale and they were OEM on the Pro and they looked good and I had read no negative reviews on them so why not. I spend a lot of time on the highway but for work and a bit of play I do have to go off road so an AT tire is fine for me.

I immediately noticed the Nitto tire did not get as good wet road traction as the Cooper. When pulling out into traffic on wet roads, I would now want to break traction where the Coopers had a higher level of adhesion. No real difference in heavy rain as far as hydroplane goes as both tires did fine in that respect.

The icy slush of winter driving was just the same as wet road traction. The AT3'S win here by a decent margin. When the snow got deep both tires performed admirably. Not as well as a dedicated snow tire of course but much better than an all season tire. So a wash basically. Dirt, mud and rocks I actually preferred the Nitto's. Why? They did not hold the small pebbles as much as the Coopers.

Road noise, when new, was the same. Of course over time every tire gets louder as they wear. Tire wear was also about the same as well. Both tires are around a 50K tire. What was really annoying with the Nitto, and the reason I went back to Cooper was the shake. I know that tires don't have nylon or polyester belts in them anymore but during cold weather or even cool weather the Nitto would seem to "flat spot" a bit after sitting overnight. Not much individually but when they all synced up it would shake. Also it seemed the more they wore the worse the problem would get. I rotate them every 10K and I had them Reba landed twice. After considering every tire from the BFG to the Michelin I decided to go back to the Coopers.

I now have around 2K miles on the new Coopers and they are a very good compromise tire. Just wanted to get this out there.

This is my 3rd set of AT3'S now and, at least for me, there are no balance issues. I was in the shop watching them balance mine and it was quick and painless with very little weight added. Truck is smooth at all speeds, if I can find a smooth road...

Great review! I just bought Toyo AT2 275/65/r18 load C for my 02'. They ride amazing, and it was rare to find a bad review. I did just get back from Yellowstone, and drove my TRDP. There was a time we drove through 30 miles of all different kinds of snow, and the stock Nittos (Terra Grapplers, not G2) with 30,000 miles. It did amazing, in 4H. With that said, I don't think that the G2s are as good as the originals. The G2 overall are not rated as high as many other tires like Duratrac, KO2, Cooper AT3, and Toyo AT2 based on what I saw. I really like Nittos, they hold up very well, and the G2 passenger rated tires are warrantied for 65k miles which is very good. Same with the Toyos. KO2s have no mileage warranty, mostly come in E rated, and are too expensive for what you get. Just my .02

I would get the Ridge Grappler over the Terra Grappler G2, but the Toyos should do very well.

 

[cryption1]

Funny you mention shake .... I have a set of KO2s I put on and even after 3 balances the vehicle just vibrates at around 60. Super annoying.

 

[g19nde]

Size?

AT2s on my stock TE (aside from TRDs and Spidertrax).

What size are these AT2s?

1.25" spacers?

No lift?

 

[RPS99SHO]

What size are these AT2s?

1.25" spacers?

No lift?

265/70/17. 1.25". No lift. Rub while turning in reverse with any little suspension compression. Still have trimming to do on the front bumper but there is some contact with the body mount.

 

[PCMSF]

I'm been nothing but impressed with my Cooper ATPs in all conditions I've had a chance to test them in (still waiting for upcoming Tahoe snowfall this season).

Had to slam on the brakes from 55mph to full stop and steer when a Fiat pulled out on me from the onramp the other day in foggy, slick conditions. Couldn't believe how well they performed in that situation, could have been a really bad wreck.

 

[Throwback]

I had the BFG KO2 265/70/17 LR:Cs swapped out for Cooper AT/3 P265/70/17s today and figured I would share my initial thoughts.

I did it mainly because I want the best possible foul weather performance and safety available. My research finds that the silica compound used in the Coopers offers significantly better wet performance than the hard, natural rubber used in the BFGs. I do take my TE off road, but mainly exploring forest service roads, and never in a situation where I air down tire pressure or rock crawl. 95%+ of my use is daily commuting and travel. The Cooper AT/3 gets good reviews for off road use as well. I'll update my experience as soon as possible.

We are in a severe drought so I will never be able to compare wet performance of these tires. I had the BFGs on for just under one month, and just over 1k miles. Discount Tire made good on their 30 day ride satisfaction guarantee and gave me a full refund credit for what I paid for the BFGs. I paid $25ea to have the Coopers road force balanced and the technician was very thorough. They actually mounted the tires, ran them on the machine, then popped the beads and spun the tires, finally adding weight to balance and running them on the road force machine a final time. It's an interesting process to watch.

My experience with the BFGs was that they rode very smoothly (no steering wheel vibration) once road force balanced, but at 42psi+ they felt harsh and somewhat squirrely. At 35psi they felt very smooth, but somewhat squishy and sloppy in turns.

The P-metric Coopers actually feel just as positive as the BFGs at 42psi in terms of handling, but ride as smooth as the BFGs at 35psi from a harshness perspective. I was very surprised as I expected the P-metric tires to be much squishier in all conditions.

I'm a weirdo and I gained significant peace of mind knowing I'm running a tire that is OEM spec and matches the door jamb data, knowing that as long as I'm at 32psi I am good in all conditions in regards to load.

The BFG is a great looking tire and I know they do very well when aired down in more serious off road situations. So far I am more impressed with how the Coopers ride on the highway and I expect they will be great in the off road conditions I expect to encounter.

I was afraid that the P-metric Cooper would look wimpy, especially compared to the BFGs I had, but I actually think they're a very good looking tire.

(Photo taken at dusk so the lighting is screwy)

 

[funshot]

why can't I find a tire rental place, try before you buy (wishful thinking i know) Thank you all for the reviews and info.

 

[Throwback]

Looks like photobucket is acting screwy. I'll get a better photo today and host it somewhere else.

Discount Tire is as close to a tire rental as you can get. Go buy a set of tires and if you don't like them they will swap them for a different tire, refunding full purchase price of the first set. If that second set isn't up to snuff get a third, etc. I'm sure if you were blatantly taking advantage of them it wouldn't be so easy, but if you're honest and can articulate your issues it's a very painless process.

That policy is DT's, not a manufacturer deal.

 

[e60ral]

why can't I find a tire rental place, try before you buy (wishful thinking i know) Thank you all for the reviews and info.

Just talk to the tire place, some will let you swap tires within a certain amount of miles if you are not happy.

 

[Throwback]

I took a couple more photos this afternoon in case anyone wants to know how the P265/70/17 AT/3s look. Even though I specifically said "no tire shine" I got it.

 

[Throwback]

I took a ride up to the mountains this afternoon and was pleased with how the Coopers did on the twisty highway running 60mph and on some of the forest service roads and trails.

I never aired down, just went along at 32psi and was surprised to see how much flex the AT/3s have over rocks at street pressure. I suppose I could see a potential sidewall vulnerability issue if one was running very sharp, rocky trails, but at the same time it seems like the tires do a great job of gripping changing surfaces.

It does make me a bit apprehensive about this setup though, as I generally get way back in the National Forest a long way from cell service or help. This picture was a photo-op, but I went through many areas that were all rocks as big as that one stacked up.



Based on today's ride - either the Cooper sidewalls are tough enough that I shouldn't worry, or I was dancing right on the edge and should go back to BFGs or something more off-road oriented. Undecided at the moment.

 

[Throwback]

I think this is going to be the final chapter on the AT tire story for me.

I mulled it over, slept on it, and decided to see if Discount Tire would swap out the Coopers for the BFGs that I left there last week. Unfortunately they had already sent back the set that they pulled off my truck. I felt bad and offered to do whatever made since financially to make things right and get another set of 265/70/17 C KO2s mounted. They were amazingly cool about it and just had me pay the difference on the initial prices on both tires, no additional mounting, TMPS, or disposal fees. To make things a bit better for them I bought a 5th KO2 and had it mounted on my spare wheel at full price.

I have to give credit where it's due. I took advantage of Discount Tire's 30-day ride satisfaction guarantee to it's fullest, probably way above and beyond what they expect a customer to do. They were never anything but helpful, friendly, and willing to do whatever to make me happy. Amazing customer service.


So... at this point in the course of one month of purchasing this Certified Pre-owned 2014 Trail I have had 4 sets of tires on it.

1) OEM Dunlops - Smooth, squishy, very worn at 25k miles, seem pretty fragile.
2) BFG KO2 LT265/70/17 C - Quiet. Positive roadfeel at 40psi+. Smooth but squishy at 32psi. Tough to balance.
3) Cooper ATP P265/70/17 - Loud, positive roadfeel and somewhat bumpy at 32psi.
4) Cooper AT/3 P265/70/17 - Noise level between KO2 and ATP. Smooth from a balance standpoint, but translates all road imperfections yet still somewhat squishy. Feel very lightweight and agile. Sidewall seems very soft off road at 32psi, potentially vulnerable on rocks.
5) BFG KO2 LT265/70/17 C - (Second set) - Quiet. Positive roadfeel at 45psi, glass smooth. According to the road force machine these tires are almost perfectly round and balanced. The technicians were amazed at how perfect they were. I only put about 20 miles on them - stop and go, and 75mph interstate - and they rode perfectly. The tech said he runs 45psi in his and for me to try that on the highway. So far so good.


So there you have it. Most people probably are not as sensitive to subtle tire characteristics as I am, but I pay close attention to that stuff. I decided to stick with the KO2s since my wife and I enjoy exploring way back in the national forest by ourselves. After seeing the way the sidewalls of the Coopers were exposed on rocky trails I chose to not take a chance. I'll deal with wet pavement performance later, and at that point I'm on my own, outside Discount Tire's 30-day policy.

I just have to say that I have never had such a good customer service experience as I have had with Discount Tire. They probably hate customers like me, but now they have an advocate and lifetime customer. Thanks guys, and sorry for being such a pain. :bigok:

 

[68deluxe]

I think this is going to be the final chapter on the AT tire story for me.

I mulled it over, slept on it, and decided to see if Discount Tire would swap out the Coopers for the BFGs that I left there last week. Unfortunately they had already sent back the set that they pulled off my truck. I felt bad and offered to do whatever made since financially to make things right and get another set of 265/70/17 C KO2s mounted. They were amazingly cool about it and just had me pay the difference on the initial prices on both tires, no additional mounting, TMPS, or disposal fees. To make things a bit better for them I bought a 5th KO2 and had it mounted on my spare wheel at full price.

I have to give credit where it's due. I took advantage of Discount Tire's 30-day ride satisfaction guarantee to it's fullest, probably way above and beyond what they expect a customer to do. They were never anything but helpful, friendly, and willing to do whatever to make me happy. Amazing customer service.


So... at this point in the course of one month of purchasing this Certified Pre-owned 2014 Trail I have had 4 sets of tires on it.

1) OEM Dunlops - Smooth, squishy, very worn at 25k miles, seem pretty fragile.
2) BFG KO2 LT265/70/17 C - Quiet. Positive roadfeel at 40psi+. Smooth but squishy at 32psi. Tough to balance.
3) Cooper ATP P265/70/17 - Loud, positive roadfeel and somewhat bumpy at 32psi.
4) Cooper AT/3 P265/70/17 - Noise level between KO2 and ATP. Smooth from a balance standpoint, but translates all road imperfections yet still somewhat squishy. Feel very lightweight and agile. Sidewall seems very soft off road at 32psi, potentially vulnerable on rocks.
5) BFG KO2 LT265/70/17 C - (Second set) - Quiet. Positive roadfeel at 45psi, glass smooth. According to the road force machine these tires are almost perfectly round and balanced. The technicians were amazed at how perfect they were. I only put about 20 miles on them - stop and go, and 75mph interstate - and they rode perfectly. The tech said he runs 45psi in his and for me to try that on the highway. So far so good.


So there you have it. Most people probably are not as sensitive to subtle tire characteristics as I am, but I pay close attention to that stuff. I decided to stick with the KO2s since my wife and I enjoy exploring way back in the national forest by ourselves. After seeing the way the sidewalls of the Coopers were exposed on rocky trails I chose to not take a chance. I'll deal with wet pavement performance later, and at that point I'm on my own, outside Discount Tire's 30-day policy.

I just have to say that I have never had such a good customer service experience as I have had with Discount Tire. They probably hate customers like me, but now they have an advocate and lifetime customer. Thanks guys, and sorry for being such a pain. :bigok:

Any problems with the 265/70-17 KO2 rubbing? I just bought a new 2016 Trail and will replace the stock tires. Not looking to lift or change tire size.

 

[Throwback]

No issues with rubbing or with the 5th KO2 mounted on the factory spare wheel in the original storage location.

 

[EvoRunner]

I'm thinking of picking up the General Grabber AT 265/70R17 from Tire Rack for $600. Don't want to spend $1000 installed for the BFG's and it's mostly just a street vehicle.

Seems like these are some of the best priced for a good quality tire that also has an aggressive look or am I missing another option?

 

[RedSled]

I'm thinking of picking up the General Grabber AT 265/70R17 from Tire Rack for $600. Don't want to spend $1000 installed for the BFG's and it's mostly just a street vehicle.

Seems like these are some of the best priced for a good quality tire that also has an aggressive look or am I missing another option?

Take a look at the Grabber X3

 

[Peakbagger]

I think this is going to be the final chapter on the AT tire story for me.

I mulled it over, slept on it, and decided to see if Discount Tire would swap out the Coopers for the BFGs that I left there last week. Unfortunately they had already sent back the set that they pulled off my truck. I felt bad and offered to do whatever made since financially to make things right and get another set of 265/70/17 C KO2s mounted. They were amazingly cool about it and just had me pay the difference on the initial prices on both tires, no additional mounting, TMPS, or disposal fees. To make things a bit better for them I bought a 5th KO2 and had it mounted on my spare wheel at full price.

I have to give credit where it's due. I took advantage of Discount Tire's 30-day ride satisfaction guarantee to it's fullest, probably way above and beyond what they expect a customer to do. They were never anything but helpful, friendly, and willing to do whatever to make me happy. Amazing customer service.


So... at this point in the course of one month of purchasing this Certified Pre-owned 2014 Trail I have had 4 sets of tires on it.

1) OEM Dunlops - Smooth, squishy, very worn at 25k miles, seem pretty fragile.
2) BFG KO2 LT265/70/17 C - Quiet. Positive roadfeel at 40psi+. Smooth but squishy at 32psi. Tough to balance.
3) Cooper ATP P265/70/17 - Loud, positive roadfeel and somewhat bumpy at 32psi.
4) Cooper AT/3 P265/70/17 - Noise level between KO2 and ATP. Smooth from a balance standpoint, but translates all road imperfections yet still somewhat squishy. Feel very lightweight and agile. Sidewall seems very soft off road at 32psi, potentially vulnerable on rocks.
5) BFG KO2 LT265/70/17 C - (Second set) - Quiet. Positive roadfeel at 45psi, glass smooth. According to the road force machine these tires are almost perfectly round and balanced. The technicians were amazed at how perfect they were. I only put about 20 miles on them - stop and go, and 75mph interstate - and they rode perfectly. The tech said he runs 45psi in his and for me to try that on the highway. So far so good.


So there you have it. Most people probably are not as sensitive to subtle tire characteristics as I am, but I pay close attention to that stuff. I decided to stick with the KO2s since my wife and I enjoy exploring way back in the national forest by ourselves. After seeing the way the sidewalls of the Coopers were exposed on rocky trails I chose to not take a chance. I'll deal with wet pavement performance later, and at that point I'm on my own, outside Discount Tire's 30-day policy.

I just have to say that I have never had such a good customer service experience as I have had with Discount Tire. They probably hate customers like me, but now they have an advocate and lifetime customer. Thanks guys, and sorry for being such a pain. :bigok:

thanks for sharing your experiences. Was surprised you went back to the KO2's. Good luck.

 

[Throwback]

Sure thing. It's pretty unique to be able to experience these different popular tires on the same truck with the same wheels at such close intervals.

At this point I'm extremely pleased with the KO2s. They ride wonderfully and have absolutely zero vibration at any speed. I've settled on 40psi for now, which gives me a standing 19mpg around town according to the onboard computer. I generally drive within the "Eco" parameters though.

The biggest pro to the KO2s for me is rock puncture resistance. While it's 100% speculation and peace of mind for me at the moment, the KO2s make me feel much more secure when riding rocky remote forest service roads.

 

[budguy207]

Mickey Thompson ATZ p3

Just got these in today, haven't seen much about them in this forum. Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ P3 all terrains for my 2014 TEP in stock size. 265/70r17. They are a little more aggressive than the available online pictures suggest! Notice the picture of the Mickey next to the OEM tire of the same size! 4wheelparts.com had these for under 800 shipped. Decent sale. Figured I'd post them pre install if anyone else was in the market and wanted something different from the popular Ko2.

 

[Yoderguy]

I was looking at those Mickeys as well. Are they snow rated?