Tire review: Cooper Discoverer ATP
We spent about 5 months with a set of Cooper Discoverer ATP Tires. In this test we mounted a set of tires in what we’ve discovered to be the largest tire size you can run on a 4x4 VS30 Sprinter while still retaining the function of the optional Active Cruise Control many fully optioned newer Sprinter Van have. The tire size tested was 285/70R17 (32.6”).
We went into a full post on what we found with the issues around larger tires might be.
Read our post on what we found out about when we got an Adaptive Cruise error running 285’s
Tire Tread
One of the things that immediately got our attention was the tread design.
Large Blocks - The larger blocks found on most AT (all terrain) tire are present with deep channels you would expect to allow for traction on dirt and sand while allowing for mud to also be expelled from the tread.
Directional Channels - The shape of the channels show a unidirectional design allowing for tires to be mounted on either side of the van. The direction of the tire tread looks like it is designed to also push water out and away from the center.
Sipping - So this was a big attention grabber for us. One of the things we wished the BFG KO2 had was more sipping for better wet and snow performance. And this is what we’re looking forward to experiencing with these tires.
Sidewalls - The edge of the tread as it comes to the edge of the tire shows that the blocks protrude out and alternated with what we’re assuming creates a bit of a scoop or paddle for loose dirt and sand. But coming further down to the actual side of the tire, the design feels dated and not keeping up with the other tire designs out there. The pattern on the side has a bit of a circular saw blade type pattern sort of embossed in the side wall. And that’s it. It comes off a bit pedestrian. Which is great for those looking for a less aggressive looking tire. But not for those like us who love the chunky tread pattern that creeps down from the tire tread and onto the sidewall like a KO2.
In the Wet
This is what we found
Cupping
We have found that nearly all the tires we’ve tested across multiple Sprinters have had some sort of cupping that occurs. This is typical for suspension that use struts with heavier trucks. Check out our post on why this happens and how we’ve seen it across various tires. We started noticing that the tires were beginning to cup
Early signs of cupping
Cupping gets a bit more serious
Compared to a BFG KO2 265/75R16
You can say the KO2 is one of the most prolific AT tires for Sprinter Van builds. Here you can see the size difference between the smaller KO2. The tread blocks are larger, the channels seem to be a bit deeper. Even the width is noticeable with the tire size.
