Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx

TFin04

Adventurer
Anybody have experience with the ST Maxx in a lot of sand? I searched this thread for "sand" and found a few replies, but I'm curious if anyone has used these on dunes, sand trails, etc.

I live in Michigan and we have a lot of sand. I am considering the Maxx in 235/85/16 to save on some weight, but I am worried about their sand performance.
 

(none)

Adventurer
I just pulled of my low mile spare st maxx in LT255/75/17, and it measured right at 31.75" mounted on a 7.5 in wheel. I would say cooper's published numbers are accurate

Awesome. That's good to hear. That would have them at around 1.25" taller than where I am right now, pretty much what I'm looking for. Thanks.
 

bluejeep

just a guy
I have the MAXX in a 35 x 12.5 x 15. Absolutely quietest tire I've run on the Jeep for on pavement. Rides like a dream even tho my 97 TJ is not by any means 'new'. I have also had a little bit of experience with these tires offroad where I found them to flex nicely when aired down, and find traction very well in dirt as well as smooth rock. More 'testing' is required offroad to say much more about them. But on the pavement (ie - from TX to SD and return at 80 mph) they are excellent. Highly recommend.pics.jpg
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20160916_142236.jpg
    IMG_20160916_142236.jpg
    579.3 KB · Views: 48

Comanche Scott

Expedition Leader
Anybody have experience with the ST Maxx in a lot of sand? I searched this thread for "sand" and found a few replies, but I'm curious if anyone has used these on dunes, sand trails, etc.

I live in Michigan and we have a lot of sand. I am considering the Maxx in 235/85/16 to save on some weight, but I am worried about their sand performance.

Can't speak to your specific rig or tire size, but here is my experience fwiw.
Hth,

JKU loaded 315/70R 17, loaded down with gear.
I've run on the beach, and some deep sand/silt trails.
First beach run was at 30 psi. Took some throttle to stay on top.
Aired down to 14 psi, they worked great. Not "floatation tire" great, but definitely confidence inspiring. I had no worries stopping anywhere we wanted to, then just starting off assertively.

Looks like your size choice has plenty of side wall to drop pressure, which bodes well for running in the soft stuff.
 

Hilldweller

SE Expedition Society
I've had the STT-Pro and S/T on sand ----- the Pro ran circles around the old S/T. Never had Maxx on any real beach but it has the same rubber compound as the Pro and should air-down better than the S/T like Scott was saying.
 

jpachard

Adventurer
I just pulled of my low mile spare st maxx in LT255/75/17, and it measured right at 31.75" mounted on a 7.5 in wheel. I would say cooper's published numbers are accurate
Just another data point to add. I purchased the same size and have them mounted on 7" wheels and they are 31.85" with 39psi. So far a fantastic tire on my 2016 4Runner!
 

Telluric

New member
Down to ST MAXX and AT3

Thanks for this thread all! First post here...and apologies in advance for the novella by a newb :D I just wanted to exhaust my tire research before dropping a chunk of cash down so your input is valued!

I've been researching tires for the past two months and have put countless hours into narrowing down tire choice for our 5th gen 4Runner. I put together an excel spreadsheet comparing various brands of AT tires by gathering spec data and reading user comments. After staring at this for days and just finishing getting through 84 pages of this thread, it's come down to the Cooper AT3 (LT265/70/17) and ST MAXX (LT255/75/17) both in load range C. However I'm flipping back and forth on what is the "logical" decision here. The last week I've been more and more sold on the ST MAXX.

Hoping to get some input and opinions based on all of your experiences.

Some background/context. I have only done mild off road travels but plan to do more challenging terrain in the future for longer periods. The 4Runner is stock as it sits and I'm still trying to burn off the factory Bridgestones that have been terrifying since day one on wet pavement. The stockers only see pavement, gravel, and dirt roads. Otherwise for winter I'm running Yoko Geolandar I/T GO72 with about one season left on them so not too concerned about winter performance for what I'm looking at now. Other plans for the near future is potentially upgrading to Bilstein 5100's and mild lift (1.75/1”).

Another factor to consider is that we don't drive the 4Runner a lot only putting on average 10,000 kms a year (approx. 6200mi). Other than a few shorter trips throughout the week, it really is used as our weekender, going camping/up to the cottage on dirt and gravel roads, and a few road trips throughout the year. We're quite loaded during these excursions and find the handling of stock suspension awfully soft (hence the desire for 5100s) and the tire performance unpredictable and generally meh (on pavement…they are definitely not well suited to dirt and gravel). There are also numerous trails within an hour or two that I want to start exploring so want something reliable especially when trucking around the family. To be honest though the truck sees more pavement now than dirt but I want to change that.

A few factors and questions remain and so want to throw some out for discussion:

1. Given my aspirations for more travel off road and a good reliable all round performing tire on/off road are my choices suitable? My logical self says the AT3 is the better choice however I've been reading all these reviews about the surprisingly great performance and positive traits of the ST MAXX.

2. Handling-wise on pavement it looks like the AT3 might be the “better” choice at the expense of durability (AT3 2ply) and off road performance. Not to say the AT3 doesn't perform well off road but I feel I'd be a little more anxious about hitting the dirt especially given my limited experience and would have to finesse it through a little more. One major pro of the AT3 is additional siping (reportedly full depth of lugs) for wet conditions but reviews on here suggest ST MAXX is also adequate…hopefully more than my stock tires. Is the siping full depth for the MAXX too?

3. AT3 is 47lbs vs ST MAXX 52lbs (as weighed by another member on here for the size I'm looking at). Either one is considerably heavier than the stock Bridgestones (approx. 38lbs) and I'm concerned about the negative impacts of weight, primarily handling, a reduction in stopping distance, and lastly fuel efficiency. For the latter, consider again we don't put many miles on this so not a huge concern in our situation but still want to factor it in.

Should I be concerned over the weight? Is this a major safety concern? My wife will also be driving this (she is a fantastic driver for the record) so want to ensure we are both comfortable with the change.

4. Cost difference between the two is $30. Cheapest I've found up here is $250 AT3 and $280 for the ST MAXX (not mounted/balanced) and they will Road Force balance for $25 a piece.

5. Does the C load range of ST MAXX still have the 3 ply Armor-Tek3?

Any input would be much appreciated. Thanks.
 
Last edited:

SSF556

SE Expedition Society
answer to #5 is yes on the 3ply....I am running the exact same tire size on my Jeep GC CRD....go ST Maxx...it is a great on road tire and will erase the off road worry when out having fun. Plus it looks a lot cooler than the AT3....remember though the Maxx does not have the snowflake symbol..if that is important.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
188,184
Messages
2,903,519
Members
229,665
Latest member
SANelson
Top