Tire Brand Decision - GENERAL VS MICHELIN VS COOPER?

New wheels arriving tomorrow….they need some new tread! I’ve been pouring over posts looking for opinions, what are your thougts between these three any why?

100% on-road (of that 10% towing and saltwater boat ramps)…traction on a saltwater boat ramp is important (if one is better in that category). Live in VA Beach so rarely see snow.

Going 275/75/18

General Grabber A/TX
- $1175.68 (DT)
- Lightest/Cheapest (they come in SL)
- 46lbs. (TR) / 45lbs. (DT)
- Some bad reviews

Michelin Defender LTX M/S2
- $1405.99 (DT)
- Best all around reviews
- Carried everywhere
- Less weight than Coopers
- 52lbs. (TR) / 55lbs. (DT)
- Look like “pawpaw” tires

Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT
- $1418.71 (DT) ($75 rebate)
- All reviews have been positive
- Look good
- Heavier than Michelin by a hair
- 56lbs. (TR) / 54lbs. (DT)


** Edit Toyo is off the list, Michelin is added.

 

Cooper, I have run that xlt on my 2016 tundra and they were excellent. I now run the cooper at3 4s on this tundra and they are excellent

I like the made in USA and good warranty with severe snow rating, good in wet conditions for an AT as well

what about staying with a lighter p rated tire? That’s what I have and they are great and still a full 33” tire , only weigh 6 lbs more than stock

 

what size you running?

 

on this truck I have 275/60/20 p rated AT3 4s, 65k warranty

 

those look great! Too bad they don’t have the 4s in 275/70/18…or I would get them.

 

Ya, just be aware if you go to load E , there are trade offs. Worse mpg and ride is way rougher, etc

good luck in your choice

 

I had the General ATX, AT2s at the time in load range c, they were great but they destroyed my rocker panels with all the gravel they picked up.

They did okay in snow, terrible in mud (along with all the others), mud terrain feel on the highway, but a great price!

For what it's worth, check out the Michelin ms2 Defender. It does great in snow, equally as lousy in mud (as the grabbers) and absolutely great on the highway, very quiet smooth ride. And they last forever. Everyone carries them if you get a bad flat in the middle of nowhere. They are lame to look at, and they are relatively expensive.. my two complaints.

The Cooper's are my next pick, but you'll have to order them wherever you go.

 

General grabber APT

 

I considered the same tires you listed a few years back and went with the Cooper XLT’s. Never had issues launching a 23 foot North River at the boat ramp with them. They’re excellent in rain and quiet on the road. Lost about 1 mpg.

 

I’ve had all three. All are good tires. I currently have the Toyo and have been very impressed with them. Hard to go wrong with any of the three options.

FWIW I’m having a hard time figuring out how the General got bad reviews. The only thing I didn’t like was their mud performance and anyone can tell by looking at them them won’t do great there. Snow/ice performance and highway noise were great.

 

My experience with the Coopers echos those above. I ran two sets - 275/70r18 XLT’s and 275/65r18 LT’s. Exact same tread and carcass, different sidewall (the XLT’s were much better looking). Both were quiet on the highway, offered great wet weather traction down to about 6/32’s, and felt good to drive on.

The smaller set rode rougher (didn’t bother me too badly, but my truck is never empty) but the larger tire was smoother and more comfortably. They do exceptionally well towing, but mind your pressures when unloaded if you want a better ride. The XLT’s also made it to the mileage warranty, which is odd for any tire that I run. I run a different AT now but the Coopers were very good tires.

I briefly had the Toyos on my truck. The honestly rode smoother than the coopers but didn’t handle as well. And they had a strange buzz starting about 35/40MPH that drove me crazy. So I swapped them for the second set of Coopers.

I’m also surprised to hear that they are the heaviest tire of the three. Virtually every other size I looked at comparing those three tires - the generals were the heaviest and the Toys and Coopers were within a kind of each other.

 

Was mostly concerned about wear on the Grabbers. I’ve seen one bad review on youtube and one member here, both had “bad tires”….but I’ve spoken with two other people that loved them.

I like Generals because I can get them in load range SL (only 45 lbs.)

 

Thank you, I also do not need or want to go E, but almost every tire in 275/70/18 are E.

 

Had not even considered those…but they are only 40lbs at load range SL. Why do you suggest those - have you ran them?

 

Coopers

 

Thx….another vote for Coooers. Are you running them now? If so, what size?

 

Among those three, Generals have the best traction in loose terrain, like deep snow. Coopers perhaps would give a better wet traction.

 

you running either of them? Looking for experienced input. Generals were my first pic but I ran into a few negatives where Cooper seem all positive.

 

The bad reviews were two people (one on this forum) who both got “a bad set”….they apparently had some bad wear and/or spotty wear.

 

General Grabber A/TX on my Tundra. Vredestein Pinza AT on Volvo, which has similar concepts to those Coopers. I had BFG KO2 and Yoko Geolander G015 (P.O.S.).

Btw, if you stay within 33", you may look at Vredestein. Dutch folks make some great tires. This is my third set of various Vredesteins for on-road vehicles and they never disappoint.

 

I’ve got the cooper AT3 4S in 275/65-18. They’ve been great in snow, rain, sand, and now dirt out here in VA (forestry roads, rocky trails). Have not really tried any “real” mud. Semi muddy roads and short patches of muddy potholes they’ve been fine. They’re quiet but develop flat spots if it sits, they smooth out pretty quickly though. They don’t last as long as I’d like but I don’t let my tires get worn too bad before replacing. When I was young if a tire wasn’t slick it was still good.
My buddy had the general grabbers on his Tacoma and was pretty happy with them other than wearing fast.

 

Had them in the past, great tire for most pavement use. Probably the best wet traction as they seem to have the most sipes. Good looking sidewalls. Currently running Goodyear duratracs.

 

I'd look at the new Falken AT4, all of these are middle of the road older designs and compounds except the Toyo which is about 3 years old. Also consider going 285/70/18 load range C comes in at 34 inches and is not too pricy. best site for competitive comparisons is tirerack.com

 

Fathers Tundra has had General AT and ATX for the last 6-8 years. Theyve been good, not great in mud as they get clogged quick but good everywhere else. I think the Toyos are rated better, but the lighter weight will help with mileage. Wet boat ramps is a tough metric to judge, siping in the tires would probably give you the biggest edge

 

Currently have about 14k on a set, they have been great in snow and wet conditions, haven't been in much mud with them but I would guess they kinda suck in that.

Have not had issues pulling our 24ft tritoon out of boat ramps. Now the ramps we use are not super steep but the wet traction. Was no problem.

 

I enjoyed my p-rated cooper ruggedtreks on my old taco, maybe another option if theyre made in the size you are looking at.

 

I’ve gone that route….285/70/18.

Toyo is the lightest (at load E) at 56.

Falken AT4’s are 69 at load range C!

Trying to stay around 55 or less to match OEM weights.

 

Thanks! I’m still leaning towards to Generals due to being so light weight and they are ~ 3-400$ cheaper. Cooper coming in at a close second.

 

Did you stay with a stock wheel? The BFD wheel I have is only 23 lbs. and I think the stock wheel is ~ 30 lbs. If I can stay at approximately the same combined weight (tire/wheel) of OEM (70 lbs.) I’m hoping I will not see a MPG hit or it will be very small.

BFD wheel (23), Cooper (54) = 77….close.

 

The Generals come in SL so that is what makes them lighter…Toyo are 50is, Coopers are 53/54.