Cooper Discoverer AT3 in snow

[WU7X]

This may be one of the top overall tires, according to a recently published test, but in slick, snowy environments they suck. We received our first light snowfall this morning in Spokane, WA. I had to get to a medical appointment and jumped into my 2011 T4R with a relatively new set of these tires on it. I found that in damp, slick snow environments the rear end would break loose a lot. The whole vehicle would slide when I hit the brakes to test them. I had to put it into 4WD just to back up a shallowly sloped driveway when I got home. I would not recommend these tires for winter driving.

Can anyone else talk about how well these tires are working for them in snow?

 

[Scott Brady]

The AT3 is not an extreme snow tire (i.e., not Mountain Snowflake rated). We found them to work as well as any other standard ATs in the snow and actually conducted quite a bit of testing with them.

Here is some information on snow/ice/winter performance: http://tires.canadiantire.ca/en/info-centre/winterTiresBuyingGuide/

Cooper has a winter (Mountain Snowflake) tire called the ATW, which scored 30% higher on the winter traction testing than the AT3. Sipes galore. . . and severe weather rated
http://us.coopertire.com/Tires/Light-Truck/Discoverer-A-TW.aspx

 

[tacollie]

We had them on our 05 Frontier and they did well in the snow for having no Snowflake rating. I rarely put it in 4wd. Maybe check your air pressure.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Clutch]

They don't seem to plow the roads here in the Boise area...

I am considering going to a full on studded snow tire...for the winter months.

 

[WU7X]

Hi Scott!

Thanks for the reply. I value your judgement and will read through the material you posted. I am also pleased to hear that these tires work well in the environment you drive in.

I really like Cooper tires and have used them for years. But I'm not pleased with this rubber compound and tread pattern when combined with my specific vehicle. We have too many days with slick snow or black ice coating our roads up here. Add those conditions to Spokane's already hilly environment, and this morning's experience dictates that I should not trust them this time of the year.

Fortunately, I have a new set of replacement tires that I ordered several weeks ago. They are awaiting a soon to happen suspension update and OME lift. The replacements are 255/80R17 Cooper Discoverer ST/MAXX. They are Snowflake rated, and should get me through just about anything I expose them to. I purchased these specific tires as part of my strategy for completing as many of the Backcountry Discovery Routes as possible over the next couple of years. Hopefully, they will turn out to be a better winter fit at the same time.

As an addendum, I had a pair of Mastercraft (Cooper) Courser LTRs on my gen 3 4Runner. An excellent pavement pounder, the tire also proved it's worth on several trips to southern Utah. It is not a winter rated tire to be sure. They exhibited similar driving characteristics on the winter roads up here. I replaced them during the snow season with a set of General Altimax Arctic tires and the issue disappeared. Guess this gets back to the idea of using the proper tool for the job.

 

[Clutch]

Fortunately, I have a new set of replacement tires that I ordered several weeks ago. They are awaiting a soon to happen suspension update and OME lift. The replacements are 255/80R17 Cooper Discoverer ST/MAXX. They are Snowflake rated, and should get me through just about anything I expose them to. I purchased these specific tires as part of my strategy for completing as many of the Backcountry Discovery Routes as possible over the next couple of years. Hopefully, they will turn out to be a better winter fit at the same time.
.

Didn't the Portal do a test on those too?

 

[Martinjmpr]

They don't seem to plow the roads here in the Boise area...

I am considering going to a full on studded snow tire...for the winter months.

Those are the Discoverer AT-S's, right? That's what I had on my 4runner until last weekend. Very good highway and snow tire (has the mountain snowflake thingy.) I finally replaced them after 2 1/2 years and 36,000 miles (and they were on the truck when I got it, so I'm not sure how many miles they had on before I got the 4runner.) Replaced with BFG AT-KO which has done great on our snowy streets.

Off road they are pretty marginal but for a vehicle that sees most of its miles on the highway or street and is in the snowbelt, those tires are first rate.

 

[Clutch]

Those are the Discoverer AT-S's, right? That's what I had on my 4runner until last weekend. Very good highway and snow tire (has the mountain snowflake thingy.) I finally replaced them after 2 1/2 years and 36,000 miles (and they were on the truck when I got it, so I'm not sure how many miles they had on before I got the 4runner.) Replaced with BFG AT-KO which has done great on our snowy streets.

Off road they are pretty marginal but for a vehicle that sees most of its miles on the highway or street and is in the snowbelt, those tires are first rate.

Discoverer M+S.

Little surprised by the lack of the snow clearing ability here (we moved here in August of this year)...back in PA they would plow before it turned to ice, never used a true snow tire when I lived there. BFG AT's were enough. I don't have very high expectations for the Ada County Highway Department when the next storm hits, so I am looking at snow and ice tires. Thinking they'll be good on snow/frozen back country roads too.

For the Tacoma, probably only run them for the winter season then pull them off and run my BFG AT's for Spring, Summer, & Fall.

Had to run tire cables on my RWD Trooper, current tires are like hockey pucks. Going to put studded snow tires on it too, to hold me
over until spring when I go to sell it.

 

[Buddha.]

Almost went with the AT3's, super glad I got the Grabber's with the mountain snowflake symbol.

 

[WU7X]

Great comments everyone!

I want to clarify something here: The streets here today have a slick coating of compacted snow with the probablity of black ice underlying that material. This is a frequent occurance here. I found the AT3's to be ineffective in this environment. I do not have any experience with them in a situation similar to the one visible in Scott's photo. It seems to show deep and possibly wet snow. These tires may work very well in that situation.

My take away from this is to not expect an all-terrain tire to be capable of doing everything. They make winter tires for a reason. I wish I could install my new set now instead of having to wait a month for additional parts to my buildup to arrive. Until I can get them on, I am going to be really taking it easy around here. I plan on having the center of these new tires siped to increase traction.

Scott, those ATW's look great! Wish they came in the size I wanted. Update on pic: The tire in the wheelwell is the AT3 at 265/75R17, the one leaning up against it is the new 255/80R17 ST/MAXX.

 

[Clutch]

Great comments everyone!

I want to clarify something here: The streets here today have a slick coating of compacted snow with the probablity of black ice underlying that material. This is a frequent occurance here. I found the AT3's to be ineffective in this environment. I do not have any experience with them in a situation similar to the one visible in Scott's photo. It seems to show deep and possibly wet snow. These tires may work very well in that situation.

My take away from this is to not expect an all-terrain tire to be capable of doing everything. They make winter tires for a reason. I wish I could install my new set now instead of having to wait a month for additional parts to my buildup to arrive. Until I can get them on, I am going to be really taking it easy around here.

Could always augment them with chains or cables...but they are a drag, can't drive over 30 mph...nor run them down open pavement for long.

 

[kayadog]

I live in coastal northeastern Massachusetts and last year we had an unusually severe winter. I was renting an ocean front house and faced extreme winter driving conditions on a regular basis. I found the AT3's to be very effective, in fact, the traction control kicked on only once or twice all winter. That being said, there are some black ice conditions nothing other than a dedicated snow tire will work on.

 

[just eric]

Hi Scott!
Fortunately, I have a new set of replacement tires that I ordered several weeks ago. They are awaiting a soon to happen suspension update and OME lift. The replacements are 255/80R17 Cooper Discoverer ST/MAXX. They are Snowflake rated, and should get me through just about anything I expose them to. I purchased these specific tires as part of my strategy for completing as many of the Backcountry Discovery Routes as possible over the next couple of years. Hopefully, they will turn out to be a better winter fit at the same time.

I don't see how the ST Maxx will be better than the AT3s in all but the deepest snow but I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. I recently inquired with Cooper about their recommendation for a wet weather and snow tire for daily driving and some trail use in the PNW. Here is the email exchange I had with Cooper Tires.

Me - "I am trying to find a new tire for my 2013 Toyota 4Runner. I have narrowed it down to the ST Maxx (255 80R17) and the AT3 (285 70R17). I live in Seattle, WA and so I do a lot of driving on wet and sometimes snowy roads. I also like to backcountry camp in the winter which has me driving on FS roads often with a foot or more of snow. Which tire do you recommend for my stated application? Thank you for your help."

Cooper Tires - "I believe the AT3 would be the best bet for you. The S/T Maxx is not as good for wet traction or snow traction. The S/T Maxx has a more cut/chip resistant tread, but the A/T3 is pretty good for that, as well."

Let us know how the ST Maxx work for you. They are a sexy tire and I hope they serve you well.

 

[cdthiker]

Welcome to Idaho.
We run studded tires on the ambulances down in Boise, and those things weigh in at 14k.
Having lived in New england, next to lake erie, the mountains of Utah, and now McCall Idaho ( mountains) I can safely say that out west they just expect you to drive in the snow better.
The use little to no salt ( for many reasons) The best all around tire I have found for my tacoma is the Hankook Danapro ATM it has a tread that looks a lot loke the Hankook I pikes that I run on mr Carolla. What it comes down to is nothing is going to work as well as 4 studded tires all the way around.

I drive that tacoma 30k a year all over the west coast for work and the only time those tires have really let me down was a hunk of highway on 84east going through OR in an ice storm. ( I also run with 500 lbs in the back all winter and it makes a major difference )

I have run just about everything from wrangler duras all of the above coopers and BFG's and just keep coming back to the ATM.

Next up going to take a look at the toyo M55's

 

[Clutch]

Welcome to Idaho.
We run studded tires on the ambulances down in Boise, and those things weigh in at 14k.
Having lived in New england, next to lake erie, the mountains of Utah, and now McCall Idaho ( mountains) I can safely say that out west they just expect you to drive in the snow better.
The use little to no salt ( for many reasons) The best all around tire I have found for my tacoma is the Hankook Danapro ATM it has a tread that looks a lot loke the Hankook I pikes that I run on mr Carolla. What it comes down to is nothing is going to work as well as 4 studded tires all the way around.

I drive that tacoma 30k a year all over the west coast for work and the only time those tires have really let me down was a hunk of highway on 84east going through OR in an ice storm. ( I also run with 500 lbs in the back all winter and it makes a major difference )

I have run just about everything from wrangler duras all of the above coopers and BFG's and just keep coming back to the ATM.

Next up going to take a look at the toyo M55's

I think you were referring to me? Thank you (love it here by the way)

I grew up in PA, and moved away when I was 21, so no stranger to snow driving. Actually, I love driving in the snow. My Tacoma was down for this last snow storm, just got back on the road today. The RWD Trooper's current tires on it are like hockey pucks. Actually shocked how bad they are. I wasn't going to put snow tires on it this early, because everyone told us that it doesn't snow much here, and when it does it is usually after the first of the year, and melts in a day or two.

Got my Tacoma back on the road today...it did better in 2WD with the BFG AT's than the Trooper with cables. The front end on the Trooper would slide with the mere suggestion of a incline if stopped...had to keep the wheels rotating. The Tacoma in 4WD it was like velcro compared to the Trooper. Drove it early this morning while there was still ice...so on second thought...don't think the Tacoma is going to need full on snow tires.

The Trooper however is getting them and 200 lbs of sand bags. I threw 200 lbs in the Taco's bed as well, but didn't feel like it needed it.