I watched the tech at Discount Tire perform the tire/wheel match where it computer indicates the best position on the wheel for the tire. Two of them (right front and left rear) were in the optimal position and required very little weight to make it balance. The other two (left front and right rear) were rotated on the wheel to the optimal position and balanced. Before the rotation on the wheel, they were having trouble making it balance. The two that were rotated required a little more weight than the two that didn't.

Again at slow speeds, less than 70, I don't notice it. At high speeds I can feel it and I believe it is all 4 tires.

The stiffness of these tires causing my truck to ride very rough and make things rattle even at 40 miles an hour is my biggest concern. The truck is no longer smooth and easy ride. Very rough ride now.

-gascan

 

Just wanted to say, I bought a set of Cooper tires a couple years back, I had not quite 12,000 miles on them and all 4 separated within 150 of each other. I would not buy another set of Cooper tires for my car or my truck. Good luck.

 

It's about time to replace my original michelin ltx at2 with 53k miles of mostly towing a 14k lb fiver. I looked long and hard for oem sized tires and very few exist that are worth buying, so I settled my mind on the ltx at's again. Great tire, great mileage for me.

THEN TODAY I FOUND ON TIRE RACK AND MICHELIN.COM THAT THEY ARE NOW MAKING THE LTX M/S2's IN THE 275 65 20 E RATED!!! It's about time! About the same price and 70k mile warranty with possibly better road traction and behaviors. For those of us that never off road, these are the best tire money can buy. Finally!

Thought others might want to know.

 

I have run them previously, and got over 80k miles out of them. Agree that if you don't do any off-road (or even light off-road, the photo in my sig had them fitted, and I went all thru Baja in Mexico off-road with them, no punctures and no traction issues in sand, just aired them down some) they are the best tires you can get.

 

So how are things working out with the coopers? Making any headway? I'm looking at coopers myself. I'm trying to find a mid price alternative.

 

On my 02 F350 I ran toyo open country ATs. At 65,000 I had to change them and my tire man at Discount tires in Bristol ct could not get them in because of the sunomi. He is a Cooper dealer, and threw on 4 Cooper AT3s that just came out. Nice looking tires but felt alot of roll in the curves. When towing my small trailer (4,500lbs) almost lost it. Went back and Tony got hold of a set of Toyo tires and have never changed. I have them on my 6.7 and love them. The Cooper are good on our Jeep Wrangler. I don't know if was the weight of the 7.3 was the problem. Coopers are good tires.

 

Doug,

Not so well... Discount Tire got the tires balanced, but these tires are just not a good fit for me. The Cooper Discoverer AT/3 is a very rugged and stiff tire. I have no doubt that it is one of the toughest AT tires on the market but it's highway ride performance is just way to stiff for me. I have adjusted my Rancho XL9000 shocks to be softer and lowered by air pressures in the tires as much as I can and the ride is just rough compared to the stock Continental's that came from the factory. I just got back from a run up to Dallas again yesterday and I really didn't enjoy the ride compared to my old tires. (IH-35 is very rough in some places and the Coopers don't damp the bumps at all...)

I went over to Discount Tire this morning and explained my predicament. Chris (the manager at Discount Tire at the corner of Burnet / Braker here in Austin) was extremely helpful and sympathetic. They are allowing me to return the Coopers for full credit and are ordering me a set of Michelin LTX AT2's. He believes the Michelin LTX AT2 will provide more of the highway ride I want and still give me the off-road I need occasionally. Definitely a price difference in the tires but at this point, I don't have much choice.

Discount Tire should have the Michelins ready for install on Wednesday or Thursday of next week. I'll let you know how it goes...

Regards,
gascan

 

When you get them, see if they can do a Road Force Balance. It's a special balance that simulates the weight of the truck on the tire during the balance.

Road Force Balance dealer locator link..
Hunter GSP9700 Wheel vibration Control System solves wheel vibration and tire pull problems that balancers and aligners can't fix

 

Thanks Bill. I'll ask.

 

My oem michelins are now at 27k miles. I figure I might see 30k to 32k on them. They ride nice and quiet. Other then the low mileage I'd do them again. I think I'm looking for something a bit more aggressive. I usually pull the 14k 5th wheel out to the desert and I'm getting a bit worried about getting stuck.

 

Gascan,

This is the exact same problem I am having with the coopers I bought. I however can not get them to warranty the tires because I origionally bought them for my F150. I put less than 5000 miles on them when I bought the diesel. I had the dealer swap the Cooper tires to the new truck. They have been bouncing like a sob ever since. They are out of round and according to my local tire store with a road force balance they take twice the normal weight to roll smooth. His suggestion was to put about 800lbs in the bed to put weight on the tires. Im looking now for some other options. Debating on a small lift and bigger wheels and tires.

Now as far as my 2 other cars. All I run is Cooper tires and have had amazing reaults from them. Cant complain a bit there.

Just wanted you to know your not the only one with the problem.

 

My wife's van has Cooper CS4's and they are great tires. Quiet, smooth ride and have very little wear after one year. I am still a fan of Cooper Tires - just not the Discoverer AT/3. If was spending 80% of my time on dirt and off-road, then maybe.

-Gascan

 

CS4's on my buick...rated for 140 mph..I ran the discovery stt's which are a much different tire I guess. I miss them.

Running the BFG's right now which are worthless for anything other than the hwy.

 

Which BFG's are you running?

 

BFG's that came with the truck. All terrain or rugged terrain I believe. Will look tomorrow to make sure though.