Time for new shoes, give me your thoughts

404NotFound

404NotFound

New member
Hey everyone.

My Cooper AT3s are showing their age, father-in-law and dad have both made comments when they've assisted with various mod installs. The tires probably have some life in them but they're about to be first time grandparents so...they might be more safety oriented.

For the record I've searched this forum, other forums, videos, specs, I've done everything but taste them to see if there's a difference. With that said I have 3 tires in mind.

1st: Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S.
2nd: Falken Wildpeak AT3W
3rd: BFGoodrich AT KO2

So a little about the truck and it's purpose: 05 V6 with C4 Fab bumper and winch. FJ/5100 swapped. I'm sticking with the stock 265/65/17s and it's a 90% street vehicle to work/college. I would say 90% of which is highway use. I'm building it to be an overlanding rig, hoping to take it up through some mountains in CO someday.

I've had Cooper AT3s on 3 vehicles and while they are better than other tires I've run, sometimes I feel they are lacking, especially in winter. I mean if it weren't for TCS I could probably roast those things for a block in the rain with very little effort is how they're performing right now.

I've narrowed it to these three tires because I think they all have the mountain/snowflake which where I'm from we never know what the weather is going to do so I might as well be ready to take on the world with my tires.

Here's what I've concluded so far:

Cooper: Newest, looks promising, but still untested in real world conditions.

Falken: Seems to be well received but I know a guy personally who could not get them balanced on his F150. It took 5 trips to the tire shop, and I've heard they're difficult to balance.

BFGoodrich: Heavy and pricey SOBs and do I want to join a cult...?


I would appreciate anyone's input. I know there's discussions on BFG and Falkens on here but only one thread with the AT3 4S so I'm interested in hearing what everyone thinks.
 
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I have 150k miles on BFGs over 2 sets on my truck. Could not be more pleased.

I’ll be getting my third set this spring.
 
I've contemplated the exact 3 tires and decided to go with the Falkens. I think they're a perfect mix between the less aggressive AT3 and more aggressive BFG. The previous set of regular BFG's I had on my prior vehicle were terrible on the rain. I remember hydroplaning numerous times. Just my. 02
 
JeffMerr said:
I've contemplated the exact 3 tires and decided to go with the Falkens. I think they're a perfect mix between the less aggressive AT3 and more aggressive BFG. The previous set of regular BFG's I had on my prior vehicle were terrible on the rain. I remember hydroplaning numerous times. Just my. 02
Click to expand...

I highly appreciate your .02
 
404NotFound said:
Does it kill your gas mileage being such a heavy tire and you also having a V6?
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I can't attest to the BFGs, but I can tell you your gas mileage will DROP!

I say this because I just recently put on a set of Michelins, stock size and just the extra weight of the new tires coming from the weight of worn out tires I lost 1.5 MPGs!!

I'm guessing you will lose even more than I did if you go with the BFGs because they're much, much heaiver than the tire I bought.
 
I'm in the same situation right now. My Cooper's are about to be death traps with the snow coming up. I'd like to get something more aggressive, but as much as I LOVED the BFG's I had on my last rig, I'm having a hard time justifying the cost when there's so much else I'd like to do, and I'll probably end up going bigger long before they wear out anyways. The Falkens are probably what I'll be going with.
 
AuSeeker said:
I can't attest to the BFGs, but I can tell you your gas mileage will DROP!

I say this because I just recently put on a set of Michelins, stock size and just the extra weight of the new tires coming from the weight of worn out tires I lost 1.5 MPGs!!

I'm guessing you will lose even more than I did if you go with the BFGs because they're much, much heaiver than the tire I bought.
Click to expand...

Plus I have a lift and some armor lol.
 
mjotrainbrain said:
I'm in the same situation right now. My Cooper's are about to be death traps with the snow coming up. I'd like to get something more aggressive, but as much as I LOVED the BFG's I had on my last rig, I'm having a hard time justifying the cost when there's so much else I'd like to do, and I'll probably end up going bigger long before they wear out anyways. The Falkens are probably what I'll be going with.
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You know I was leaning more heavily on the Coops or Falkens anyway, and threw the BFGs in as a "might as well" because of the love they get. I didnt dislike my current AT3s but I also think if I dont try anything else how will I know if theres something better out there or not? So now I'm really leaning Falkens way.
 
404NotFound said:
You know I was leaning more heavily on the Coops or Falkens anyway, and threw the BFGs in as a "might as well" because of the love they get. I didnt dislike my current AT3s but I also think if I dont try anything else how will I know if theres something better out there or not? So now I'm really leaning Falkens way.
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FYI I just saw that discount tire direct via ebay is doing $100 off a set $400 and up.
 
a different class of tire, i have used the General Grabber HTS 60. been a very good tire, can get 50-60k miles out of them, and been quiet. i see you do mostly highway driving, so probably should stick with a highway tire.
 
Move up

to a 265/70/17 C load Rating. Its a real upgrade over the stock P rated 265/65/17s
 
I have Falkens on mine and they are great. They look cool, they are quiet, and I haven't had any issues thus far. However, if budget allows I would go with the BFGs. Some of the reasons being the deeper tread, the better performance on ice and snow, and just the overall history of quality. I plan on putting those on next.

I don't have any experience with Coopers, but they are obviously good tires as well.

In summary, if money is a factor I don't think you'll be disappointed with the Falkens, but I do believe the BFGs are a better overall tire, and probably worth the extra cost.
 
The KO2 is a solid choice, just be sure to get the C vs E load rating- the Cs ride much smoother and get better MPG since they are significantly lighter.

Keep an eye out for the Discount Tire Direct Ebay sales, they usually run them in late October/early November
 
did you know that 265/70r17 is cheaper than the 265/65r17, also that size have more selections.
although you didnt list any bridgestone tires, im pretty happy with the dueler a/t revo 2. so far so good.

another good choice might be some toyo , yokohama , hankook , cooper tires.
65 vs 70, is the profile, lower the profile usually mean it cost more. see the price difference.

with discount tires, apply for there credit program so you get money back to yourself, usually the rebates that you receive, it pays for the install. discount tire direct, call and compare tire prices with tirerack, they will price match and give you a deal.
 
The Yokohama Geolander G015 is 'snowflake' rated. I'm on my second set, really like them , quiet on the highway, handle rain and snow well.
 
I recently bought a set of the Falkens in 265/70/17 and couldn’t be happier! They gave it the aggressive look I was going for without being too noisy as most tires that look like that are. Between the tires, and the more aggressive stance from better offset on my new rims, it changed the whole look, and I’m constantly getting compliments on it. I went through the exact same debate on tire brands, and ultimately decided that the Falkens were the better bang for the buck for me. Don’t get me wrong, the KO2s were a serious contender, but after rolling the Falken in 265/70 up to my old setup with the 265/65s, I was sold!
 
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