04-19-2014, 11:20 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Cobra Make, Engine:
Posts: 105
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MT and Cooper Tire Comparison
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monster
I have 15"'s
I had MT S/R's on my car (rear) and really liked them but I only got about 13K miles out of them. So I decided to go with more of a "street" tire. I was going to go with the MT S/T then I found out Mickey Thompson is owned by Cooper. The Cooper "Cobra" radial appeared to be the exact same tire as the MT S/T (tread is identical) and they were about $50 less so I went with the Coopers.
I'm not happy with my choice, the Coopers feel "soft" in the sidewall and I can feel my car moving side to side (wondering) while driving. Now I am wondering if the case from MT S/T may be stiffer than the Cooper Cobra and the two models just share tread design. I don't have any way of telling, I just know my car felt better with the MT S/R's.
I don't know that I want to make a $450 experiment to find out if the MT S/T has a stiffer side wall than the Cooper. If it does it might be a good option for those who do mostly street driving and need a 15" tire.
hope this helps some,
mike
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One way you may be able to confirm your suspicion that the tires are the same, with only a different label, is to compare the Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG) of the two. These are the Treadwear (number), Traction (letter), and Temperature (letter) ratings on the sidewall. While these may not tell you anything specific about the sidewall stiffness, if they are identical on the two tires, and made by the same manufacturer, then chances are, they are indeed the same tire.
Some other comparators that you should be able to find on the tires or on website information (Tire Rack, Discount Tire, or mfg.) are where they are made, the maximum load, maximum pressure, and the number of plies in the tread and sidewall. This may also give you an indication of sidewall stiffness. I haven’t researched this to say for sure, but I would think if a tire is rated for a heavier load, and of course if a sidewall has more plies, it should be stiffer.
But again, if ALL of these parameters of these two tires are identical, and they are made by the same manufacturer, it may indeed confirm your suspicions…..and be cheaper than a $450 experiment. And as further confirmation, before spending the money with the uncertainty, call or email Cooper and MT and ask them if they are all the same company, and if the tires you are interested in are the same tire. Again, cheaper than a $450 experiment.
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If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different rumble. Let him step to the sidepipes which he hears, however measured or far away. - H.D. Thoreau...if he had owned a Cobra
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