Tire help

[kenaiking]

Hey guys this is my first post here but I have been lurking for a while.

I bought a 2001 Isuzu Trooper earlier this year. I have a 2 inch lift from independent 4x4 sitting in the garage waiting to be installed. I went with the rancho 9000xl and OME 929 springs as we always end up filling the trooper( plus canoe, bikes, ETC) I have the spacers if I would like to bump it up to 3" but for now I'm going to do 2. It is used as a family camping/exploring rig. Right now it does about 50% pavement getting to where we are camping, 30% fire roads and 20% trails. I'm looking for a tire that would work well for my use but also be tough as most of the trails around here have large sharp rocks. I live in Montana so it also will see a fair amount of snow. We are planning to make it to canyon lands in the spring and would like to be able to do the white rim trail as well.

Right now I have it narrowed down to the Cooper ST MAXX, Hankook ATM and Yokohama Geolander ATS. As for size I'm totally stuck between the 235/85/16 and the 265/75/16. I like the skinnier tire but am a bit worried about the tall trooper and the ride of the 10ply. With the copper they are all 10ply but they have a 3 ply sidewall which is great as I have already shredded 3 c load rated tires in the past 3 years.

I have have searched and searched the forum but that has just made the decision harder. I am going to buy all 5 tires locally so I don't want to make the wrong decision. Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[Hilldweller]

Did you look at the Cooper STT also?
I ran them on both my Jeep and Power Wagon and like them a bunch. The only reason I have Toyos on now is because the Coopers don't come in the size I want.

 

[kenaiking]

I did consider them but the local dealer does not stock them so I couldn't see them first hand.

 

[Hilldweller]

I did consider them but the local dealer does not stock them so I couldn't see them first hand.

Cooper makes many of the offroad "boutique" tires, like the Cepeks, Thompsons, & ProComp. The STT is basically the generic version of those higher-dollar tires. Decent in snow, wet roads; great on rocks and mud. I've wheeled in Montana and I'd run them if I lived there.
Physically they look like a Toyo MT.

 

[Hilldweller]

Found a picture on my Jeep:

 

[telemike]

Check out Kelly TSR as well. I'd run wider tires in case of emergency maneuver on highways where stability could save a life

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[Hilldweller]

The TSR is a good tire. Same as the Goodyear Duratrac and Fierce Attitude basically ---- all off the same assembly line with just slight mods to the footprints.

 

[kenaiking]

STT's are a no go. They want 235 a tire. A bit more then I want to spend. That's almost what unpaid for the trooper on the low side the ATM 's were 178 a tire.

Does anyone make a 8 ply an more? All the tires I called about today were 10 or 6 ply. I think I'm a bit too hard on tires for a 6 ply.

 

[Hilldweller]

...Does anyone make a 8 ply an more? All the tires I called about today were 10 or 6 ply. I think I'm a bit too hard on tires for a 6 ply.

Go to the Tread Depot web page and search around to see what comes in your size. They have a good selection and dealers will generally match their prices.

 

[kenaiking]

Thanks I will give that a try. I would really like the STT as I haven't read a bad review yet. The ST MAXX is my second choice but there are a few reviews that give me second thoughts.

 

[kenaiking]

Alright looks like my two choices are the ST MAXX or the Hankook RT03.

No one in town will price match and those two are in my budget.

Anyone running either of those? Pros or cons?

 

[Hilldweller]

I see the ST Maxx as being the generic version of the D!ck Cepek Fun Country ---- and that's a well respected and time honored tire.
...I've never run it though or even seen it on a trail.

 

[telemike]

I looked at ST/Maxx and they are heavy and stiff compared to other same size tires, I went for the Kelly TSR instead. The Cooper seem to be for larger construction oil/gas trucks than Jeeps imo

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[AA1PR]

I switched from Cooper AT3's to BFG TA KO's & couldn't be happier
its a nice all around performer that is E 10ply too

 

[kenaiking]

Well I ended up with the hankook Dynapro MT. I really wanted the STT but I couldn't justify the price. After reading a ton of reviews they sound like a solid tire.

I need to do the front brakes and repack the bearings before I get them installed but will post pictures when I do.