Cooper vs Michelin

[D-Dogg]

Time for tires on the Dodge Ram 2500 4x4.

For the first 130,000 miles, I've been using Michelin ATX or LTX tires with good results. But, they seem to have jumped 35% in price since the last set, so at the nearly $180-$250 per tire range, I am wondering about Cooper Discoverer ST or STT.

Anyone run Coopers? Opinions?

I don't really need a super aggressive snow, mud, or off-road tire. The Coopers look cool and they are an American owned company.

[Cat385B]

I actually think Cooper tires are better than they were five years ago. My sister is on her second set of the ST on her 96 1500 Ram. Not too noisy, good winter bite. Her last set lasted 45-46,000. She switches them out with some bar to spare, however.

However, I consider Michelin to be one of the top two tire makers period. I'm guessing you will miss the durability and ride of the Michelins. How much? I'm not $ure.

I would go with the ST's. You don't need the STT, highway driving will just burn them up faster.

[munderhill]

Give General Grabber AT2's a hard look. I had a set and were awesome tires!
Can't say anything bad about either of the 2 you mentioned either.

MU

[PA318Guy]

Originally Posted by munderhill

Give General Grabber AT2's a hard look. I had a set and were awesome tires!
Can't say anything bad about either of the 2 you mentioned either.

MU

D-Dogg, had General Grabbers on my Dodge Ramcharger and I agree with munderhill, they were awsome, great in snow, dirt and mud and quiet on the highway.

[D-Dogg]

I had not considered Generals. I was just looking at Coopers because I think they are an all American company.

I guess I need to overcome my two old tire prejudices. We had Generals on a 1973 Pinto, and they would not balance. Of course, that was 37 years ago. Had belts separate on a Firestone in the 1980s and never looked at them since.

Michelins are a no-brainer, just thought I would comparison shop this time around.

[cantspel]

You can't go wrong with the michelins......but the grabber AT2s are a good tire. I would personally take them ahead of the coopers

[SonnyT]

Had a set of Coopers on a Bronco II back in '86. Wasn't real thrilled over them.

[WilliamBos]

I too had this decision, as my LTX were shot. I opted for Toyo Open Country H/T, and do not regret it. Never ran Coopers, but have not heard any negatives on them.

Good luck.

Oh, BTW, the only thing the LTX were good for was the mileage they lasted, other than that, not really worth buying them again. JMHO.

Originally Posted by D-Dogg

Time for tires on the Dodge Ram 2500 4x4.

For the first 130,000 miles, I've been using Michelin ATX or LTX tires with good results. But, they seem to have jumped 35% in price since the last set, so at the nearly $180-$250 per tire range, I am wondering about Cooper Discoverer ST or STT.

Anyone run Coopers? Opinions?

I don't really need a super aggressive snow, mud, or off-road tire. The Coopers look cool and they are an American owned company.

[TAHOE99]

If you're only picking those two, go with the ST's, will get decent mileage and wear. The Generals aren't bad either.

[Don B.]

Originally Posted by D-Dogg

I had not considered Generals. I was just looking at Coopers because I think they are an all American company.

I guess I need to overcome my two old tire prejudices. We had Generals on a 1973 Pinto, and they would not balance. Of course, that was 37 years ago. Had belts separate on a Firestone in the 1980s and never looked at them since.

Michelins are a no-brainer, just thought I would comparison shop this time around.

"had belts seperate on A firestone...." I have seen seperated belts on all brands, in 20 years spent as an alignment guy. I have had some decent firestones, my personal #1 hands down is Michelin all the way; if $$ was no object, just wanting the absolute best; Coopers have come a long way,
Uniroyal and BFG are owned by Michelin.
Bridgestone and Firestone are one company, the only (traditional) ones I avoid at any cost is Goodyear; never had a good Goodyear. if what you are saying is true about teh Generals, then they too must have improved their line in the last few years.

Toyo Hankook, and the like I avoid as well; and their "made in China taiwan or Japan heritage.
I was just given a pair of dang near brand new tires for my 83 Dodge 3/4 ton; I had "Widetrack's" on there which were plan just too old for comfort (over 10 years) Widetrack are a 2nd tier brand of firestone. the Dunlops that were on there when I got that truck 2+ years ago (old too) were dry rotted beyond safety, right around the edge of the rim; you could stick a quarter in some of teh cracks! IDK how they were still holding air, I got them off of there as soon as I saw that.
of these 2 near new ones I was given, one was a Firestone Trans Force HT; the other was a Chapparal(?) who the F#@* is Chapparal?? All I needed to see was the "made in Taiwan" to know that even though near new I don't want it on a vehicle of mine! so it has been designated as my spare. I went out and bought a matching "mate" to the Firestone; (made in Canada is perfectly fine)
I then happened across a garage sale that had a pair of near new BFG "Commercial T/A" in my size; a lil more "highway-ey" tread wise than I wanted (I was looking for an "all Terrain" type for the rear esp with winter coming) but for $80/pair and dang near brand new, they are now on my truck too with the Firestones. 235/85R16, load Range E are not cheap, no matter what brand you buy; but for my 28 year old daily driver they are perfect. (my truck was new the year I 1st got my drivers license)

[dirtybernie]

I worked for a store in RI (Bennys) that sold only cooper tires & we sold alot of them. my only problem with coopers is that they would develop dryrot rather quickly. sometimes you could start seeing the cracks in the sidewalls before they were a year old.

mind you, we were right next to the ocean so the salt air could have been a factor, but other brands didnt seem to have this problem.

[Tractor-Holic]

I've got a set of "Benny's" Coopers on my mom's '93 Caravan that were purchased in 2005 ,that have been good tires,no dry rot yet showing,the front ones have about half tread left,the rears still look new..probably have about 25-30K miles on them..van has original shocks and has never had an alignment,still feels tight and doesn't pull or wander with 86K on it..

Only other Cooper tires I got new years ago,were "Discoverer" tires for my K-5 Blazer--I had some 6 lug 16'5" rims and a local tire shop was clearing out old stock,I got 4 bias belted nylon tires for 100 bucks..they were great for traction,but those nylon cords were **** first thing on a cold morning,you'd swear you had a flat or were driving on square tires the first 10 miles !..but I liked them..my truck rode like a tank no matter what you put on it for tires,radials were only slightly better..

[rscurtis]

The original Michelin's on my 2003 2500 Dodge should go 80-90Kmiles. You shouldn't have to guess what I'll replace them with.

[Markcuda]

DDog, buying tires can be a real pain in the **s
Narrow your choices down as low as you can.
Then do tons of searching on the ones you might want.
I did this on BF Goodrich All Terrain and Cooper Discoverer ATRs
I went with the ATRs for my 4X4 06 Nissan Frontier.
I have been in 14 inches of snow, stooped dead in my tracks and then proceeded, no problems at all in the traction department.
I give them a A+ rating, and believe me, I am a very fussy guy.

[andyb]

If someone else was paying for them, I'd go with the Michelin's. Great tire for sure. I have Coopers on my work truck and my Tahoe, and for the money, couldn't be happier.