Cooper expanded its Discoverer SRX tire line with 30 more sizes to cover a broader application range. Designed to provide dependable all-season highway traction, superior handling, and a quiet, comfortable ride, the tiremaker said, the Discoverer SRX was initially introduced in six sizes in October 2014.

“We’ve introduced 30 more sizes with more to follow in line with the growth of the SUV/CUV market,” said Bruce Sanborn, Cooper product segment manager, at the company’s proving ground in Pearsall, Texas.

The Discoverer SRX will replace the entire Discoverer CTS product line. Currently, Cooper offers sizes to replace all but four CTS sizes, with the remainder hitting the market in January 2016.

With the added sizes, the SRX line now covers SUVs, CUVs and some light trucks with S, T and H speed ratings. The tiremaker will introduce V-rated SRXs in January 2016. Design- ed for highway use, the tire will only come in P-metric sizing, unlike the Cooper Discoverer HT3, which is a highway light truck tire.

The Discoverer SRX is designed with a silica-based tread compound, Stabiledge technology and 3-D Micro-Gauge siping to deliver more road surface grip for increased traction in various weather conditions, according to the tiremaker.

It also features Cooper’s Wear Square, a visual indicator that allows drivers to quickly assess the remaining tread life of the tire and alignment of the vehicle. As the tire wears, the Wear Square wears away until the tread reaches 2/32nds. At that point, the square is no more and an exclamation mark appears, alerting the driver to change his or her tires.

The Discoverer SRX carries a 65,000-mile treadwear warranty and a 45-day road test guarantee.

All 36 sizes are available to dealers at press time. The SRX is produced at Cooper’s Texarkana, Texas, and Findlay, Ohio, plants.

Replacing a Pole Position

The Off-Road Championship (TORC) series drivers and teams sponsored by Cooper have used – and even achieved pole status – with Cooper’s Discoverer STT tire. So when the tiremaker introduced the STT Pro to media, the question was, “Why mess with something that’s not broken?”

The tiremaker believes it has improved the STT’s performance, off- ering drivers much more in terms of performance. The high void light truck tire boasts “exceptional traction and performance in some of the harshest terrains on Earth,” the company said. Harsh terrain includes mud, which the STT Pro handles better than its predecessor.

The mud-slinging Discoverer STT Pro’s aggressive off-road tread pattern contains mud release dimples along the shoulder tread block walls that help prevent mud from sticking and aiding in self cleaning.

The tire also features a full three-ply carcass construction in the tread and sidewall. The third ply overlays the two normal radial plies at a “unique optimal angle to maximize carcass protection in extreme off-road conditions,” the tiremaker stated.

In addition to these features, the STT Pro features side-biter cleats for increased traction and grip in muddy or soft terrains and in rock crawling situations. Anti-stone retention features in the tread design help resist stone drilling and impact damage. Variable depth siping helps reduce cutting and chipping at the ends of the sipes by minimizing stress concentrations, the company stated.

Currently, Cooper is offering the STT Pro in 41 sizes for dealers to order. First shipments should hit retailers in mid-June, a Cooper representative said. STT Pro is available in Q and R speed ratings, load range C, D and E, and wheel diameters 15 through 22 inches. The tire’s overall diameter runs up to 37 inches, and its width up to 13.5 inches.