265/70R17 Coopers ST / BFG AT etc

[White Lightning Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close White Lightning]

Going to upgrade the grandtreks. managed a $100 trade in with 12k on each tyre. Thinking Cooper ST's pr BFG AT's.
Has anyone with first hand experience able to comment on the above tyres ie
Due to increased size, do they affect performance..power,towing, hills etc?
Do they rub guards..stock suspension?
Do they fit on rear door? Hard wheel cover?
Do they muck up alignments and balance making the prado drive like a truck?

Will be fitted to a D4D auto.

[xvprado Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close xvprado]

Gday

I have run a previous 120 on Cooper ATR in stock size
My new D4D is running ST;s in 70 profile

The ATRs were excellent on road and moderately good off road. Overall i was very happy with performance and longevity

The STs are noisier, but not annoyingly so, it is acceptable

On road behaviour is fine with no particular issues

Off road they are a quantum improvement and i am very happy with them

I havent really noticed any affect in vehicle power or performance
They fit with no issues or rubbing, but i do have a lift in the car, so cant comment on standard suspension, but in looking at the wheel arches and available space on stock suspension i wouldnt envisage any problems

The spare wil require the removal of the black plastic bit and some spacers to make sure the tyre doesnt contact the body work

Any hardcover will become useless with the larger tyre, it wont fit

I have no experience with BFGs on a Prado, but based on experience with another vehicle, I have a very poor opinion of them in terms of sidewall strength

hope that helps
Cheers
Glen

[leachy_9 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close leachy_9]

Glen,

Do you have and auto or Manual D4D?
I've got a second set of wheels that I'm going to fit with 265/70/17.
I opted for a second set of wheels to allow me to get more agressive tyres for just off road and also because I'm concerned how the increase in rolling diameter will effect the auto shift points. Which might become annoying for city driving.

Leachy

[xvprado Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close xvprado]

Gday Leachy,
Mines an auto
If I had the larger tyres on the 4 speed auto, I think it would have been absolutely awful, with the gearbox "hunting" to find a happy place
The 5 speed is just as smooth as silk and very happy sitting behind the D4D, it can be as lazy as the motor at low revs, or as responsive as you would like with a bit of stick

[White Lightning Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close White Lightning]

Thanks for the info glen.

Has anyone considered the 245/70r17 cooper ST. same height just a little bit narrower width wise (0.78''), also 10 ply

[robn Member Find all posts View Profile Close robn]

Hi
Ive got cooper st on my Hilux.I find them a bit on the noisy side but nothing two notches on the radio dont fix.Il most likely go the same way with the prado when it arrives.

never had a flat tyre when we go bush,but have had two flats on the black top

Regards Rob

[Matt Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt]

i have been looking at this extensivly (and have a thread you could have referenced not far from the top in this section)

i have decided to go 694's in 275/65's as that is the most i can go legally in QLD.

if the new model comes out and confirmed with 275/65's for the aussie spec one, i will consider going to 265/70's..

[Drew Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Drew]

Thanks for the info glen.

Has anyone considered the 245/70r17 cooper ST. same height just a little bit narrower width wise (0.78''), also 10 ply

That's a very interesting question. I was looking at the specs on these tyres myself recently.

I'd also be interested to hear if anyone is running them.

Drew.

[xvprado Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close xvprado]

I had every intention of running the 245/70's...until I rang Toyota :roll:
They expressed a view that both 265/70 and 245/70 were out of spec and would both cause them to deny warranty if the tyres were a contributing factor

Sometimes you cant win even when you try hard to do the right thing, I explained at length that the rolling diameter was the same, load rating was in spec...even that that the GX ran 225's...they just dont want to know, there way or the highway is the answer you get back

So, in the end, went with 265's to take advantage of the size

[White Lightning Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close White Lightning]

decided to go the 265/70r17 cooper st. will report in due course

in regards to the toyota warranty issue.....Just to be sure, I'm gunna do a wheel swap with a mate who has stock grandtreks. Its only 1 day every 6 odd months that i have to see the service department.

I highly doubt that the service techs will have the mental capacity to even notice the bigger coopers...but i'll still swap just in case.

[Grandeman Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Grandeman]

Dealers make so much money, riding on the back of a strong brand and market share, they don't want to know about anything 'outside the box' of standard specs..

Yes, it is pathetic, but the truth... :cry:

Mate, brace yourself for the bleeding hearts claiming we don't give the poor old dealers a fair go... boo bloody hoo...

[Drew Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Drew]

... boo bloody hoo...

Tee hee. :lol: Welcome back gman. You missed a cracker of a trip up the mountains last weekend. Looks like you've been having fun yourself. Where's the trip report mate? :-)

Drew.

[speedcomm Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close speedcomm]

I notice the comment on the old 4 speed with the bigger diameter tyres, I have the old 4 speed and the 265,70,17s, I didnt notice any changes to shift patterns etc when I changed up in size, certainly doesnt hunt for gears or anything like that, Also have never had any comments from Toyota service, I doubt they would even notice or know the difference !

Just to add my few cents worth, the ST are a tough tyre, I run them on my work truck and they cop a hard time loaded, day in day out in all sorts of rock and rough terrain and have survived admirably with so far not a single flat( 60K)

[xvprado Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close xvprado]

I notice the comment on the old 4 speed with the bigger diameter tyres, I have the old 4 speed and the 265,70,17s, I didnt notice any changes to shift patterns etc when I changed up in size, certainly doesnt hunt for gears or anything like that, Also have never had any comments from Toyota service, I doubt they would even notice or know the difference !

Just to add my few cents worth, the ST are a tough tyre, I run them on my work truck and they cop a hard time loaded, day in day out in all sorts of rock and rough terrain and have survived admirably with so far not a single flat( 60K)

Hi speedcomm,
That was probly my comment regarding the 4 speed. It was just a thought without any sound fact to back it up. The 4 speed in my old Prado had some interesting habits when towing and I always felt it wasnt madly happy under load of towing, the extension to that was that larger tyres wouldnt have helped
At the end of the day, the 4 spped and V6 combo was very good, now the 5 speed and D4D is betterer in my humble opinion 8)
Cheers
Glen

[pshenton Member Find all posts View Profile Close pshenton]

decided to go the 265/70r17 cooper st. will report in due course

in regards to the toyota warranty issue.....Just to be sure, I'm gunna do a wheel swap with a mate who has stock grandtreks. Its only 1 day every 6 odd months that i have to see the service department.

I highly doubt that the service techs will have the mental capacity to even notice the bigger coopers...but i'll still swap just in case.

Let me know how they go when you get them.. I am considering keeping my 275'a off my Patrol when I sell / trade in (which ever comes first). My VX is due for delivery 31/10 so time is running out to decide!! Still got the original Duellers from the Patrol ready to slot back on if need be.