I'm looking for an alternative all terrain tire to the Cooper Zeon LTZ's I have had in the past for a 19" LR4 wheel. These tires have been really excellent in all conditions and look great too, but it seems they no longer make them. At least, I haven't been able to find them in stock anywhere.

The best alternative I've found seems to be the Toyo Open Country A/T III, which seems like a good tire too but I've read some reports that it is poor/slippery in the wet. Can anyone comment on these or suggest an alternative?

The size is 255/55R19.

Thanks!

 

I was in the same predicament as you last year and chose the Toyo Open Country A/T III in 255/65/19. These were mounted on the factory rims. One year later, no issues to report. I've completed 3 offroad trips on aggressive trails and one full day driving in the snow. I even drove down a mountain switch back on a sheet of ice this past winter (very slowly! with hill descent on). In all situations, the tires have performed flawlessly (even the ice). I pressure down before offroading to between 15-20 psi. They shine on the highway too! Minimal tire noise on the highway and the wear is consistent across all 4 tires. I always rotate and balance my tires every 7,500, which happens to be when I get my oil changed.

 

That's great to hear! Definitely gives me more confidence in these. Have you used them much in rain? Some of the reports I read about them being very slippery were what gave me cause for concern, but I'm not sure how much of a real issue that is. It's relatively rare I drive in rain, but it only takes one incident after all...

 

I've driven through many rainstorms with the Toyo's since I'm in the Southeast. Once again, no issues other than the areas where large pools of water have accumulated (deep pools of water on highways or routes while driving at speed). Those large water pockets can be an issue so you must slow down, but lets face it, just about any tire will have an issue with those. Normal rain and even heavy downpours haven't been an issue. I attribute that to the weight of our trucks and the full-time 4-wheel drive. For me, the litmus test was that icy mountain switchback. I strayed too far off the beaten path offroading and ended up on the dark side of the mountain in winter with no way to turn around. I had to go down so I just stayed calm and took my time. The tires really proved themselves on that day because that ice was slick.

 

That's very comforting to hear - much appreciated! Inevitably they will behave a bit differently on different vehicles so it's great to hear positive reports from an LR4 owner.

Last question: Do you prefer them over the Coopers would you say?

 

Just to add an update to this post: I switched to the Open Country A/T III's and have been very impressed so far. I really like the look and they were immediately noticeably quieter than the LTZ's I had before. They have been great in all conditions so far.