After 20 years of casting with our previous foundry we were faced with their sudden closure last September. We were tasked with finding a new US foundry, and going overseas was not even considered an option.
Category: Tire/Wheel
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GRAPPLER BUYER’S GUIDE: HOW TO PICK THE BEST TIRE FOR YOUR TRUK OR SUV
When it comes to the light truck and SUV tire market, Nitto Tire has every category covered. No matter if you’re a hardcore off-roader, weekend ’wheeler or dedicated pavement pounder, there’s a Grappler for you. To give you some better direction on which of Nitto’s Grapplers is the best fit for your vehicle, we’ve put together a buyer’s guide highlighting each member of the cutting-edge tire family. (more…)
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Go Strong! Yokohama Tire Launches the All-new, Ultra-tough GEOLANDAR M/T G003™ Mud-Terrain Tire
Available in 37 sizes, the ruggedly eye-catching M/T is built to dominate, thanks to its proprietary technology, which delivers superior strength, performance and traction
SANTA ANA, CA. – (May 18, 2017) – Tough just got a lot tougher with Yokohama Tire Corporation’s all-new GEOLANDAR M/T G003™ mud-terrain tire.
Designed for hardcore off-roaders, outdoor enthusiasts and pick-up truck/SUV owners, the M/T is the latest member of Yokohama’s rugged GEOLANDAR® line of durable, light truck tires and is initially available in 37 sizes, ranging from 15- to 20-inch rim diameters. New features on the M/T, which goes on sale in the U.S. July 1, include aggressive sidewall styling, GEO-SHIELD™ technology and a special triple-polymer compound. (more…)
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Tested: Cooper Discoverer STT Pro
Cooper Discoverer STT Pro 285-75-16 The Cooper Discoverer STT Pro has taken the offroad market by storm since it’s release in 2015. The new aggressive tread pattern, sidewall protection and the latest in rubber technology has produced a tire that works great for both off-road and on-road situations. I needed new tires on my baby (a 1986 BJ74 Land Cruiser), and opted to give these a shot…and I haven’t been disappointed.
First, the technical stuff…my biggest complaint on tires is the sidewalls. Cooper addressed this in the Discoverer STT Pro, by combining their Armor-Tek3 sidewall technology with thick shoulder Side Biters to offer protection against sharp rocks and sticks. Normally, this would also mean a stiffer ride as well, even aired down…Cooper managed this with their Flex Groove, which breaks the line between the sidewall and the main tread blocks, allowing the sidewalls to effectively flex and improve the ride. Traction was addressed in their new tread design…large blocks, large voids, a little siping thrown in, and the latest in silica rubber compounds created a tire that works well at a variety of air pressures, effectively wraps around obstacles, and does all this with excellent highway manners and minimal noise.
The tires on my test mule are 285-75-16’s and are wrapped around some 16×8 MT Classic II’s. The rig itself is a 1986 JDM right-hand-drive mid-wheelbase (100″) 4 cylinder turbo diesel Land Cruiser, running factory solid axles on a 2.5″ OME leaf spring suspension and around 200.000 kilometers on the odometer…simply put, about as bad as it can get for on-road handling.
My BJ74 may be a princess when it comes to the sheet metal, but the bumpers, sliders and tires are fair game… I made a recent trip to Las Vegas, about 200 miles roundtrip. The little turbo diesel struggles to hit 75mph, but it will do it…the Cooper STT Pro’s track straight and true at 32psi. Construction zones, uneven roads and shoulders: no issue. Cracks and grooves in the pavement: no issue. The occasional swerve for trashed semi-tires in the road: no issue. I’m not going to say I can’t hear the tires, since they ARE an open lug pattern….but there is none of that obnoxious drone, none of that pulsing tire noise. They are smooth, and they are acceptably quiet around town and at highway speeds.
Cooper Discoverer STT Pro’s down to 14 psi in the rocks – the sidewalls squatted nicely and helped create a great footprint for the Moab slickrock. Offroad, I do air down the STT Pro’s a bit more than I normally would….Cooper is known for amazing treadwear (we can’t seem to wear out the Discoverer AT/3’s on our GX470) but compromises a bit with a harder rubber compound. I ran between 10 and 15psi and the STT Pro’s were effectively point and shoot. The slickrock of Moab and Sand Hollow were no match, even when I would deliberately stuff the sidewalls into the rocks. (I will note that I installed them laces out, and the white lettering is getting rough…)
The radio towers 2000′ above Toquerville UT. Snow in our corner of Utah is rare, but fortunately easy to visit. The Cooper Discoverer STT Pro’s made short work of most of the climb up, but finally ran out of traction. 25psi was a bit much, and dropping to 12psi turned a slick snowy/muddy climb into an easy drive…to this amazing photo spot.
Getting this shot was almost painful… It may not look like the STT Pro’s cleaned well in mud, but this clay slop was no match for their aggressive tread. Slow starts, slippery climbs and gooey ruts were no problem…they simply found traction and continued forward motion with minimal tire spin. Notice how clean the fenders and bumper remain….idle speed was all that was needed.
Final poser shot on Toquerville Falls In summary, I’m more than pleased with the overall performance of the Cooper Discoverer STT Pro. On-road and off-road, they have excelled and I’m looking forward to many years of service life!
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Introducing The Nitto Ridge Grappler
The Nitto Ridge Grappler represents the next generation light truck tire that offers mud and all-terrain performance.
When it comes to tire companies, none listen to its customers better than Nitto. As a staple in the off-road and Light Truck tire market, Nitto is constantly expanding its product lines to better suit the enthusiasts who use its products every day. When off-road driver’s expressed the need for a no-compromise mud-terrain radial that could balance the dirt and street with confidence, Nitto delivered with the Trail Grappler. As demand grew for a more versatile all-terrain, Nitto answered with the Terra Grappler G2. -
American Force Wheels now offering custom engraved wheels
MIAMI, Fla. – American Force Wheels is now offering custom engraved wheels, allowing customers to further capture their personality and showcase their own style. Ranging from tribal patterns to polka dots, engravings are essentially limited only by customer’s imagination. The Engraved Series will be offered in 4, 5, 6 and 8 lug. This new engraving process allows American Force Wheels to further separate itself from other wheel companies by putting more control in the hands of the buyer, a philosophy the company doesn’t take lightly, as evidenced by the company’s continued commitment to customer satisfaction and new product development. (more…)
