Insa Dakars vs Cooper STT????

[Chalky.]

Hi guys!
Been looking online for a direct comparison with these specific tyres.

I have some general at2's on atm, but despite what people claim they are totally shiit off road or on muddy (ish) lanes. I'll be keeping them for long distance road trips though.

Basically I want a set of either Dakars or STT's in 235 85 16, and I wondered if anyone could advise me as to which is better purely off road, wet grass fields, forestry tracks, green lanes and maybe the odd trial!!

Many thanks!!

 

[Turboman]

Hi guys!
Been looking online for a direct comparison with these specific tyres.

I have some general at2's on atm, but despite what people claim they are totally shiit off road or on muddy (ish) lanes. I'll be keeping them for long distance road trips though.

Basically I want a set of either Dakars or STT's in 235 85 16, and I wondered if anyone could advise me as to which is better purely off road, wet grass fields, forestry tracks, green lanes and maybe the odd trial!!

Many thanks!!

Not had STTs, but I do have Dakars, among others.

They are a mud tyre, so I would expect better off road performance than ATs of whatever make, mine are fine round the farm. They are a remould mud tyre, though, so dont expect the same road grip as premium ATs. Doubt if you will get a problem if you take it easy, though, and they are fine for the laning, etc.

 

[Chalky.]

Cheers mate, I did have a set of 265's on a lifted rrc, but hardly used them! I wasn't really comparing them to at's, just meaning that that was why I wanted a set of muds! Considering they're re-moulds they seem to be a bit dearer than the coopers.....but I do love the look of them!

 

[Turboman]

Cheers mate, I did have a set of 265's on a lifted rrc, but hardly used them! I wasn't really comparing them to at's, just meaning that that was why I wanted a set of muds! Considering they're re-moulds they seem to be a bit dearer than the coopers.....but I do love the look of them!

As I just posted in another tyre fred, going narrower rather than wider might help your issues in the mud!

I dont think you will get a problem with Dakars. OK mud tyre, not too aggresive, so you dont get a lot of howl. Sort of usage you describe they are great, I probably wouldnt choose for a long road trip.

Cant remember how much mine cost, it was about four years ago. Shop around, should be some deals to be had, with the recession and the downturn in commodity prices!

 

[Chalky.]

Tidy! That's pretty much what I thought! I only have the at'2's in 265 because thats what came with it! 235 85 seems ideal width and height to me!

 

[LandyMan]

i got a set of insa turbo traction tracks

 

[Chalky.]

Good

 

[Cavey_P38]

Dunno about the dakars,
however i have insa turbo special trax on my 90 in the winter, they are a brill off road tyre rarely have to go to low, let alone diff lock when knocking around the farm etc. But they howl on the road at 55/60 you would think a plane is about to land on the roof.
Have AT2 on my work vehicle an L200 ok on road only marginally more noise had big mileage out of them heading towards 40K on them.but not great off road have struggled a couple of times in only moderate conditions even in diff lock low when the 90 wouldnt have even taken it out of high.

Depends on how much road use, how many miles and what speed you are doing, what your expectations are off road. the quest for a good all round tyre goes on.

Good luck with your selection

 

[Turboman]

Dunno about the dakars,
however i have insa turbo special trax on my 90 in the winter, they are a brill off road tyre rarely have to go to low, let alone diff lock when knocking around the farm etc. But they howl on the road at 55/60 you would think a plane is about to land on the roof.
Have AT2 on my work vehicle an L200 ok on road only marginally more noise had big mileage out of them heading towards 40K on them.but not great off road have struggled a couple of times in only moderate conditions even in diff lock low when the 90 wouldnt have even taken it out of high.

Depends on how much road use, how many miles and what speed you are doing, what your expectations are off road. the quest for a good all round tyre goes on.

Good luck with your selection

Special tracks are a more aggressive version, and as you say, bit more road noise due to the nobblier tread. Dakars make a mild whine at those kind of speeds.
For me, Special track are more of a competition tyre.

Not quite sure about the rest of your post. Myself I never use high range off road. Goes into low at the top of the lane, back into high when back on the tarmac. Driving in high on very bad ground will put a lot of wear on your trans.

 

[Chalky.]

I'm the same with low box, I like seeing how slowly I can do son of the more technical parts of lanes anyway!

Well, I know it sort of goes against what you've just prescribed, but I phoned up my local tyre guy and asked a price for the dakars, and then also the stt's.
The Cooper's (which aren't remoulds obviously) were only a couple of quid dearer than the dakars per tyre, so I've opted for 4 STT's!! Cant wait, they're coming in end of March!!

Cheers for the reply's, as always much appreciated!

 

[Cavey_P38]

Take your point re low however living on a farm would spend all day in Low, so tend to just plod about in high and let the tyres do the work. do pre select low if it looks fairly boggy or am towing.

Good luck re the STT let me know how you get on with them as the AT2 on my L200 are knackered, ok getting thin on the edges so am in the market

 

[Turboman]

Take your point re low however living on a farm would spend all day in Low, so tend to just plod about in high and let the tyres do the work. do pre select low if it looks fairly boggy or am towing.

Good luck re the STT let me know how you get on with them as the AT2 on my L200 are knackered, ok getting thin on the edges so am in the market

I do live on a farm, and work it, and have done for thirty years!

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/livestock-arable-veg-and-farm-kit.294851/

And I do spend all day in low range! Never use 5L either.

Do be careful of your trans, though. To get the idea of what it is suffering, try riding a mountain bike through deep mud in 20th gear. Very hard on the legs!

 

[Cavey_P38]

Apologies, re the farm are you arable or livestock or a mix

always am careful of it and if in doubt stick it in low,
We are a mix, 140 pedigree blondes and then 1000 acres arable and grass. ( hay and straw contractor as well ) most of our arable has margins which are all grass, so are preety good can get a bit cut up in shooting season with inferior vehicles being driven on them.

Apologies appear to have slid off topic onto a tangent

 

[Chalky.]

Good luck re the STT let me know how you get on with them as the AT2 on my L200 are knackered, ok getting thin on the edges so am in the market

Yeah will do matey! And thanks

 

[Turboman]

Apologies, re the farm are you arable or livestock or a mix

always am careful of it and if in doubt stick it in low,
We are a mix, 140 pedigree blondes and then 1000 acres arable and grass. ( hay and straw contractor as well ) most of our arable has margins which are all grass, so are preety good can get a bit cut up in shooting season with inferior vehicles being driven on them.

Apologies appear to have slid off topic onto a tangent

Just livestock, a small pedigree herd, and we grow our own forage. I used to do a lot of contracting work as well, often on big arable units. And a lot of forestry and arboriculture work before that.
Do you show the blondes? And are they wild as hell? I have seen some bruises from them in the past, not mine!
I expect the state of the ground is an issue with that at the moment, soft as a pudding here!

I wouldnt apologise, mission creep is very common on LZ, and often interesting, as in this case. I had no idea you were such a serious operator in farming, for example!
And the fred has given OP lots of options to consider, and he is actually experienced anyway,IIRC, not a noob in a panic over some serious breakdown.

 

[Chalky.]

Well worked the morning, then got a phone call from the tyre guy and the stt's had come in early!!

When I got down there they turned out to be the Cooper Discoverer STT PRO's, for the same price!! Fitted and balanced on a set of freestyle alloys and my god they look amazing!! Went up the farm track which is in horrific condition ( we have access over it) muddy and washes out and up we went at tickover low, before with the worn at2's I had to difflock it!!

I'm so chuffed, Christmas came early!!