edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Bridgestone based on TR testing is bit mixed picture.
Cooper seem to check all the boxes in that category.
Anyone running Large A/T tires that are "quiet"
- Thread starter panthermike
- Start date
Cooper seem to check all the boxes in that category.
Your photo shows exactly why I put LT tires on everything including my daughter’s 22 Acadia. In addition, three ply sidewalls whenever possible.
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
There is a reason good AT makers put so much beef into the shoulders regardless of how many plies the sidewalls have …
If anyone is interested in what the OP is looking for - it’s not an F like they tried to sell me …
If anyone is interested in what the OP is looking for - it’s not an F like they tried to sell me …
(Purely conversational, long day, enjoying tiretalk with friends).
Accurate. I’m interested in knowing how these do - having owned predecessors of both, I found that Bridgestones wore consistently and evenly while the one and only set of coopers started cupping by 20k. These were the cooper RTX which looked wildly (may be identical) similar to these new ones. The RTX was a line sold exclusively through NTB. They were magnificent when new - they felt like good, lush, soft rubber that just gripped and clawed, and were fabulously predictable in cold and wet. They had a noise profile similar to the G015 - white noise. They towed like a commercial tire should - brick house.
At 20k however, rain performance was halfway gone, starting to act like a tired Goodyear. And in spite of regular rotations, the cupping was pronounced. I ditched them at 30k tracking down noise issues. The issues ended up not being the tire, it was a bad axle bearing, but rain use was about average by then. The cupped spots were 3/4 or more worn by then anyway, all four. Good bushings, newer bilstein shocks..
Not that I’ve had a Bridgestone make it much farther than that for wet traction either - aside from their integrity series which was a wonderful tire so of course they cancelled it - but IF the wet traction holds, the BS *might* make it a little further. I would love to be wrong there, because the first two years with the coopers was superb. (Coopers also issue a bunchhhh of recalls. For some odd reason my mother tracks tire recalls and sends them to me).
Frankly, that continental has been the best AT I’ve owned for some dirt prowess with on road manners and wet traction. Unfortunately, both sets got weird around 30k, creating non-symmetrical steering response just off-center. (Alignments good, rotation good). The brand is known for a little more runout than techs like to see - it’s like they aren’t as precise in their mfr than the others when it comes to the larger sizes. Unfortunately for your use, their AT is still a lightweight (literally) and I’d be concerned about sidewall vulnerability against all that limestone - crack them open like an M&M.
My parents used to run tires down to the chords. I drive too often at high speeds, in weather, to tolerate that at all. They would tell me simply to slow down, but I’ll retort that traffic doesn’t do well with that - I’d rather blend in (and still do slow down, always holding someone up who needs to get around). I don’t think everyone else can be safe in those conditions either, but if I’m going to participate, I would like to be. I drove by 3 accidents in 2 miles a month ago due to weather, and actively swerved to avoid a 4th. Tires = Good!
So - if those coopers hold up over time, I’ll be Very interested. I want to like them.
Missed some responses here, good info. Unfortunately the Cooper R &T are not available in the size I need.
Yes. You have to order the large, quiet all terrain tires off of the secret menu that very few of us know about. The secret menu also included mud tires that do great on packed snow and ice, snow tires that wear like iron, and DOT drag radials that handle like a slot car in the rain!!!
JHZR2
Staff member
I find the hum of BFG AT tires to be soothing.
Lot of modern All terrains are quiet. I've been a fan of Cooper AT3s. They are quiet grip will, no complaints. I've done off-roading with them and they did better on rock than Patagonia MTs.
I would buy them again for sure! But looks like they are getting older so I may want to see what else is out there but been very happy with em.
I would buy them again for sure! But looks like they are getting older so I may want to see what else is out there but been very happy with em.
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
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Do you realize that the speed rating on a 33x12.5x20 is going to be pretty low.
Here's one that might work in that size.
https://www.nittotire.com/light-truck-tires/recon-grappler-all-terrain-light-truck-tire/
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I'm going to go with a 305/55R20 most likely. Same height but slightly more narrow. Not sure if that affects speed rating.
Nitto has several tires in that size. Nitto is a subsidiary of Toyo.
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I like the earlier idea of getting ahold of some stock rims to open more opportunities and ride quality, I see them all the time on marketplace for fairly cheap and like the clean look. The lift will maybe allow slightly larger tires, discount tire has a menu that’ll let you know on their website. May have to remove the mud flaps if you have them for larger tires. Just make sure they’re your model, XD or non XD; they look identical but there are differences in the stud size.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Will see.
We do 4-6,000 miles road trips, but also visit national parks, some areas where cool stuff can be accessed only off-road. When I was last year at Grand Canyon, I wanted to drive down, but the warning on the brochure was: "be sure your tires are resistant to punctures, as that is the most common issue." Well, I was with VW Atlas that had 255/50 R20 Pirelli Scorpion A/S tires wit 5" sidewall. So we did not go.
So, I need something that won't tire me for 5000mls, but still be capable of off roading. Now that I have Sequoia, I can go to some roads that I could not access with VW Atlas (eventually I switched Atlas to Defender's 265/60 R18). That is why I am still inclined to go Michelin Defender in LT load range to get that cut and puncture resistance, but also have good road manners. I was looking Continental AT, but in LT load range they are 57lbs for 275/65 R18 while Michelin is 50lbs.
Now, Ascent looks like contender. It is AT tire, wet performance is bit confusing, but does not seem abysmal as BF Goodrich for example or some other tires. It seems just bit handful. It is also light, 48lbs in LT load range.
Another thing I am thinking is just going SL with Noakian Outpost nAT, hoping the Aramid thing is not just marketing. Or Cooper Road and Trail.
Will see. With LT I am bit concerned about mpg and comfort. So, I might pick up a used Michelin LT to try it one summer and see whether I like it.
Will see.
That's not a bad idea at all. I think with the lift already there, I would like a wider tire than stock. I've seen a few with a lift and stock tire size and they look a bit odd to me. As far as clearance, no issues thus far, mudflaps are still in place.
I'll look into what size tires will fit onto the stock rim, thank you for the input.
Back to tires…
Long road trip last weekend, up to Vermont, but in my MB - still in the first two hundred miles on the Nokians on the Tundra.
So, I can compare with the Michelin LT I had on there, but it’s important to note that I went from a P275/55R20 to a P275/60R20 and the diameter is slightly greater, and the sidewall slightly taller, so, some of the observed change in characteristics may be an artifact of size differences.
Ride - Just a bit more of sharp impact transmitted through the Nokian than through the LT but hard bumps seem a bit smoother. I know that sounds self contradictory, but I feel a bit more connected to the road (more feel, more transmitted) while the harsh stuff (sharp edges, potholes) is a bit more filtered. Ride is good overall. Very small difference - but they’re different, not significantly better or worse than the Michelins, which were very good riding tires.
Noise - Quiet, for an AT. Slow speed, no real difference on smooth surfaces. But on rough/gravelly surfaces, a bit of growl. High speed, a bit more drone. Modest difference.
Handling - A small loss in steering precision. Nokians don’t respond as sharply as the Michelins. This is a small change though, and not a big one.
Traction - Too soon to tell. In rain - they clear deep water well, as you would expect. I’ve hit the brakes pretty hard, and the gas pretty hard, and I haven’t seen an appreciable change in traction. I’m optimistic about the snow traction give the tire review channel I linked, but I haven’t experienced it with these, yet. No max effort braking yet, either.
So, overall, I like them. The changes are subtle - which is what I had hoped for. No big negative tradeoffs in going from a highway all season know for a quiet ride to an all terrain tire.
Hope this helps. I’ll update again when I get a road trip or two done on them
Long road trip last weekend, up to Vermont, but in my MB - still in the first two hundred miles on the Nokians on the Tundra.
So, I can compare with the Michelin LT I had on there, but it’s important to note that I went from a P275/55R20 to a P275/60R20 and the diameter is slightly greater, and the sidewall slightly taller, so, some of the observed change in characteristics may be an artifact of size differences.
Ride - Just a bit more of sharp impact transmitted through the Nokian than through the LT but hard bumps seem a bit smoother. I know that sounds self contradictory, but I feel a bit more connected to the road (more feel, more transmitted) while the harsh stuff (sharp edges, potholes) is a bit more filtered. Ride is good overall. Very small difference - but they’re different, not significantly better or worse than the Michelins, which were very good riding tires.
Noise - Quiet, for an AT. Slow speed, no real difference on smooth surfaces. But on rough/gravelly surfaces, a bit of growl. High speed, a bit more drone. Modest difference.
Handling - A small loss in steering precision. Nokians don’t respond as sharply as the Michelins. This is a small change though, and not a big one.
Traction - Too soon to tell. In rain - they clear deep water well, as you would expect. I’ve hit the brakes pretty hard, and the gas pretty hard, and I haven’t seen an appreciable change in traction. I’m optimistic about the snow traction give the tire review channel I linked, but I haven’t experienced it with these, yet. No max effort braking yet, either.
So, overall, I like them. The changes are subtle - which is what I had hoped for. No big negative tradeoffs in going from a highway all season know for a quiet ride to an all terrain tire.
Hope this helps. I’ll update again when I get a road trip or two done on them
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
When I went from 285 to 315 on stock rims - the DT website was giving me the red letter drama - but, the guys at DT say, meh - we do this everyday, LoL …
I will say they took the shape of the old Fun Country rounded tires - so that likely gives about the same footprint, less noise from the aggressive shoulder - and big surprise is better ride …
They are awesome in sand without airing down …
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
So, just to confirm, Michelin’s were LT not P?
How is acceleration, braking? Do these P rated Nokian feel lighter? Mpg?
The Michelins were P as well. Factory tires were Bridgestone Alenza, P275/55R20. Very smooth. Lousy in snow. I ditched them at 9,000 miles because I needed the truck to be halfway decent in snow.
I haven’t pushed the truck hard enough to see a difference in braking or acceleration. I’ve only got 200 miles on the tires - so there may still be some mold release in the rubber. I can try a few max effort braking runs and see.
I haven’t seen a change in MPG - but all of my driving has been mixed, mostly around town, so no road trip (highway) data to compare.
The truck feels a bit taller, more sluggish, less responsive, softer. But it’s only a bit. Quite subtle. And because I went up a size, I can’t tell how much is due to size, and how much is due to tire design.
