Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx
- Thread starter jim65wagon
- Start date
Fargo
Adventurer
Email Cooper. Tell them you want this tire in a 255/85R16. I have a couple of times as I want this tires in that size too. Unfortunately I haven't received any replies. So I have concerns they might drop the size. But I hope not. I think this tire in that size would be very nice. Although, I do hope they make it about a half inch wider than the 255/85 ST as that tire looks very narrow. A little extra width would be welcome in my book.
Redline
Likes to Drive and Ride
I hope I'm wrong, but the 255/85 is a slowly dying size, there will likely remain a few choices for several years, but I emphasize a few. As much as I'm resistant to the change, the future of LT tires is 17" & 18" wheels, if for no other reason than the brakes are too big and these are the smallest wheels fitted to many new trucks.
Having just purchased a truck with 17" wheels, and then purchasing a set of used 18" wheels, I've been educating myself on some of the 17-18" sizes. It's very telling that a search of an online tire retailer like The Tire Rack will show few, if any 255/85R16 treads for sale, but many in 275/70R18.
Back on-topic... The 275/70R18 size really has my attention in the new Cooper S/T Maxx. While I'm considering slightly taller/wider 18" sizes, and the 275/70 is really only slightly narrower than a typical 285, they are usually only 11" wide, not 11.3-ish which is a step in the right direction. Also the 275/70R18 are 33.3-33.6 depending on the tire, almost the identical height of the fading 255/85R16. Thirty-three by eleven is not a bad combination, at least not on paper. It seems pretty clear to me that the narrow thirty-three of the near future is not going to be the 255/85R16, but the 275/70R18.
After a full weekend of tire shopping, and considering many of the popular traction tires available, the Cooper S/T Maxx is still very appealing, though possibly a little too similar in tread void to the tires I already have. Yesterday I found theses guys in CA, http://tirecrawler.com. Their prices are very low on Toyos. Their price on the S/T Maxx is about $10.00 more per tire in the size I'm considering, but they are closer and the shipping is about $75.00 instead of $150.00. The S/T Maxx is interesting at any price, but for $890.00 plus $75.00 shipping….
Having just purchased a truck with 17" wheels, and then purchasing a set of used 18" wheels, I've been educating myself on some of the 17-18" sizes. It's very telling that a search of an online tire retailer like The Tire Rack will show few, if any 255/85R16 treads for sale, but many in 275/70R18.
Back on-topic... The 275/70R18 size really has my attention in the new Cooper S/T Maxx. While I'm considering slightly taller/wider 18" sizes, and the 275/70 is really only slightly narrower than a typical 285, they are usually only 11" wide, not 11.3-ish which is a step in the right direction. Also the 275/70R18 are 33.3-33.6 depending on the tire, almost the identical height of the fading 255/85R16. Thirty-three by eleven is not a bad combination, at least not on paper. It seems pretty clear to me that the narrow thirty-three of the near future is not going to be the 255/85R16, but the 275/70R18.
After a full weekend of tire shopping, and considering many of the popular traction tires available, the Cooper S/T Maxx is still very appealing, though possibly a little too similar in tread void to the tires I already have. Yesterday I found theses guys in CA, http://tirecrawler.com. Their prices are very low on Toyos. Their price on the S/T Maxx is about $10.00 more per tire in the size I'm considering, but they are closer and the shipping is about $75.00 instead of $150.00. The S/T Maxx is interesting at any price, but for $890.00 plus $75.00 shipping….
jim65wagon
Well-known member
That's my personal feeling also, and a major factor in switching to a 285.
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With our future plans involving a much wider range of travel I felt the need for a tire size that I could get anywhere, anytime. (note I said tire size not tire) If something nasty were to happen to one of my tires, I can walk into almost any tire shop and come away with another 285; I can not do that with a 255.
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I don't believe you should have any worries there. The pattern is good, the sipes are deep and if you look close the individual lugs are stepped, giving you a ton of biting edges. The rubber compound is grippy enough in the rain (better than the original ST) to make me believe it will be better than the original in the snow. If you try it James, you'll like it.Redline said:
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Another couple of weeks and I can give you a sand report.....
tacollie
Glamper
Can anyone verify if these run big? I saw a set in 265/75r16s next to a set of BFG Ats in the same size and they were almost an inch taller but they were both unmounted. I ask because I wish my 255/85 STs were as big as my KMs were. I am almost due for tires and it is between S/T MAXX and Duratracs.
Also, I to am going to miss the 255/85s.
Also, I to am going to miss the 255/85s.
Redline
Likes to Drive and Ride
Exactly my thoughts. With the expansion of light-truck tire/wheels sizes and tread patterns in recent years it's quite possible, or even probable, that your exact tire size & tread will not be in-stock when you need a replacement.
Yes sir, I've noticed all those great looking features and I'm not trying to say the S/T Maxx will not be a good winter tire, I think it will. Without naming the tire I was trying to say that I'm not sure the S/T Maxx will be as good as the FCII. The ******** Cepek FCII has proven itself to me as a great winter tire. I think the shape, number and location of the sipes is a big part of its success, and I don't see those same sipes in the S/T Maxx. But the S/T Maxx is severe snow rated, the FCII is not, if anyone other than us consumers wanted to look, though I've yet to have a chain-control DOT worker look that closely at my tires.
Maybe if I get a set of the new S/T Maxx and I feel like playing tire junky this winter I can do a back-to-back snow/ice traction tests? :sombrero:
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Redline
Likes to Drive and Ride
I think the best source for tire data are the manufacturers published figures, really the only way to gauge apples-to-apples or apples-to-oranges because people opinions vary so much. Cooper is good about listing tread width, something other manufacturers don't always share.
Having run and tested several 265/75R16 & 255/85 treads, there is no 265/75 tire I can think of that will come close to the height of any 255/85, even the Toyo MT. Years ago I even went to the trouble to do a static loaded radius air-down test to measure the difference (it's in some thread here on The Portal). Unmounted tires are always much taller as you know.
DuraTrac vs. S/T Maxx is a good comparison & maybe a tough decision, the DuraTrac has had my attention for a while. I'm not a big chest thumping 3-ply sidewall guy, as all tires are soft rubber and relatively easy to cut/pop, but if it helps you I've been told the DuraTracs have 2-ply sidewalls (like most LT tires) and the S/T Maxx has a 3-ply sidewall.
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tacollie
Glamper
Thanks. I don't expect or want a 265 to be as big as a 255. I love the 255s but am not doing a regear yet and would like to give my clutch some love. My S/Ts mounted new were about 32.5 and by buddies 265s BFG ATs were 31.5. I was hoping for something between the two. I want something that does better in wet conditions than the S/Ts. I felt like the S/Ts were ok at everything but not really that good at anything.
Fargo
Adventurer
I hear you on tire size. I too would like something between the 265/75 and a 255/85 or 285/75. But thats a pretty small margin. So there really isn't anything in there. The closest I have found is a 255/75R17 Thats the stock tire on the new Jeep JK Rubicons. Its just a little taller than most 265/75/R16. Most 265/75R16s have published specs of 31.7" - 32". The 255/75/R17s that I have been looking at have published specs of 32"-32.3" for a mud terrain. So they should be anywhere from a 1/2" to a 1/4" taller than a comparable 265/75R16. Its really quite a nice tire size. Its probably what I would run if I didn't have to purchase new rims to run it. The other thing I like about that size is that the tires are available in load range C. Which is nice for a Jeep.
In regards to the Duratrac vs the ST MAXX this is a comparison I have considered as well. They seem to be similar tires. The duratracs have a more agressive sidewall but I think the ST MAXX may have a more aggresive tread. But I a haven't looked at one closely in person yet. As far as sidewall plys. I have seen some Duratracs, like the 285/75/16 have 3 ply sidewalls. I think all the load range E Duratracs are 3 ply but I could be wrong.
Fargo
Adventurer
I've been thinking about comments people have made on the forum about wanting common tires so they can pick up a new one on the road if they have to. At first I thought this was a great idea and something to consider. But then I thought about it a little more. And it got me thinking.
1) How common is this? How many of you have destroyed tires and needed to pick up a new one right away and couldn't wait until you get home.
2) How wise is it to run a new tire with an old tire? I know for my Jeep Rubicon they (jeepforum) recommend not running a tire that is more than 2/32+/- difference. Its my understanding that the way the (Rubicon) differential is built, that running tires too different in size you can destroy a differential and possibly a transfer case if in 4wd. With different sized tires there can be too much stress on these components if you're on a no skid surface. So for my peace of mind, I would never pick up a new tire to run with old tires anyway. I would just patch what I had and hang it on as a spare. Off course if your open diffs front and rear and if your transfer case doesn't lock front and rear together like the Rubicon, it might be ok to do. But for me I don't have the option of buying a new tire to run with the old anyway.
Just something to think about. I wouldn't rule out 255/85R16s because they are hard to find.
1) How common is this? How many of you have destroyed tires and needed to pick up a new one right away and couldn't wait until you get home.
2) How wise is it to run a new tire with an old tire? I know for my Jeep Rubicon they (jeepforum) recommend not running a tire that is more than 2/32+/- difference. Its my understanding that the way the (Rubicon) differential is built, that running tires too different in size you can destroy a differential and possibly a transfer case if in 4wd. With different sized tires there can be too much stress on these components if you're on a no skid surface. So for my peace of mind, I would never pick up a new tire to run with old tires anyway. I would just patch what I had and hang it on as a spare. Off course if your open diffs front and rear and if your transfer case doesn't lock front and rear together like the Rubicon, it might be ok to do. But for me I don't have the option of buying a new tire to run with the old anyway.
Just something to think about. I wouldn't rule out 255/85R16s because they are hard to find.
Redline
Likes to Drive and Ride
That's what I thought, but was told by a tire shop manager yesterday that the DuraTrac is not a 3-ply sidewall. I just looked at Goodyear's site and there is no mention of it under:
One would think they would advertise the sidewalls if they were supposed to be stronger like the MT/R?
Redline
Likes to Drive and Ride
Understood tacollie. I think there are a few 265/75R16 out there that are 31.8" (or 31.9"?) but there really is a big jump from the 265/75 to the 255/85, and even the shorter 285/75 is about an inch taller and wider than the 265/75R16. I struggled with this for a while, so much so that even though I had the 4.88 gears and a nice V8 to turn bigger tires, I chose to leave my 255s at home last year and ran a set of 265/75 on my 4Runner on some pretty technical trails in Utah. I didn't like it and it didn't help that every other rig I was traveling with except one was on 35s. But like Jim65Wagon said above, I've come to accept that at least on the 4Runner I'm going to be running 285/75 treads because that's what works and what's available in the treads I want.
In the case of the Cooper S/T Maxx I'm looking at them for another platform which will run 18" wheels (didn't think this day would come so soon...) and thankfully there are lots of tire choices in the 275/70R18 size I like, including the new Cooper S/T Maxx. :victory:
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jim65wagon
Well-known member
Common in the sense that Murphy's Law takes effect every time you drive. I've only really ruined one tire - on the freeway, at that. I've seen several others that have various bits of road debris destroy sidewalls and/or treads.
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It's not common enough for me to worry about right now, but my future will be a bit itinerant - I'll have no home or home town to fall back to. Finding a tire of the right size wherever I may be may be necessary some day. I prefer to try to plan ahead (in this case way ahead) for any issues that may crop up.
Certainly it could cause an issue with an automatic locker, or a limited slip differential, or locked into 4wd. In an open differential even an inch different won't do damage to the components....it will steer funny, but it will work.
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For my peace of mind (if the tires are say half tread or less)I would realistically swap the spare onto the ground or (since my future itinerant lifestyle will involve a trailer) swap a trailer wheel/tire onto the truck and run the newly purchased on the trailer.
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I'm just trying to minimize Murphy's effect....
I'll chime in. I decided to go with the S/T MAXX somewhat based on Jim's reviews. I previously ran the STT on my 3rd Gen 4Runner and decided to go with something a bit less aggressive on my 4th Gen. I still plan on doing some mild/moderated off-roading with this truck, so I wanted a tire that is pretty capable, but one that still has decent on road manners. I pretty much narrowed it down to this tire, the Duratrac, and BFG A/T. I chose the MAXX because I really liked the capability/durability of the STT on my last vehicle. So far (about 2,000mi) I like the S/T MAXX a lot. Not too loud for a pretty aggressive AT, but still looks a lot like a MT if that makes sense. I haven't wheeled them yet, but I'll post an update on how they perform this fall. Overall I think these are GREAT tire if you want a good blend between a AT and MT.