Are Cooper Tires Quiet Or Noisy? (Solved)

Asides Goodyear, hardly any other American tire brand is as well-known as Cooper.

Cooper’s product lineup ranges from performance tires to winter tires to all-season tires.

The brand offers plenty of value for the money, but how quiet are they?

Are Cooper tires quiet or noisy?

Cooper tires do not make that much noise under use, but they are not the quietest. While Cooper does not have advanced noise-reduction technology like its rivals, its tires offer some measure of quiet performance.

Are Cooper Tires Quieter Than Other Brands?

As we said earlier, Cooper does not have a signature noise-reduction technology like its competitors.

For example, Continental has its ContiSilent technology; Michelin, Acoustic Technology; Pirelli, Pirelli Noise Cancelation System (PNCS).

Despite this, we found little noise-related complaints about Cooper tires. Thus, it is safe to say the average Cooper tire can definitely hold its own in terms of quietness.

Would we pick Cooper tires over a discount tire brand, if the noise were a deciding factor?

Let’s explain.

Picking Cooper Tires:

Cooper tires come with various sound-dampening structures designed to keep road noise at a minimum.

An example of such features is Cooper’s ingenious optimized tread pitch that helps eliminate road noise.

There’s also the polyester cord body designed to limit tire noise and enhance ride quality. Such technologies explain why Cooper tires are present on a number of “Quietest Tires” rankings.

The tranquility of Cooper tires is even more impressive, as they cost less compared to many premium tire brands.

This means you can get silent tires without breaking the bank.

How Are Cooper Tires Tested for Noise?

Noise is a big deal for many tire manufacturers, especially as noise emissions laws become stricter.

Tire companies use rigorous in-house testing methods to determine the noise level of their tires before production.

These methods are similar to those used in tire tests conducted by government agencies.

1. External Noise Test

The first of these tests involves the test driver “coasting” past sound-measurement devices to determine its noise level.

This test takes place in a square 20m x 20m zone with sound-measuring devices placed in the central part.

The procedure goes like this:

• The driver enters the outer edge of the test area at a specific speed, say 50 mph.
• As he reaches the test zone, he goes into neutral, and switches off the engine, and coasts past the sound devices.
• The pass-by noise, i.e., noise from the moving vehicle is picked up by the measuring devices and analyzed. Depending on preferences, the results can be in black sound waves or decibels.
• The test driver repeats the maneuver but enters the test area at different speeds this time.

Another of these tests involves the vehicle “driving” past the sound-measurement devices.

Unlike the coast-by method, the driver does not go through the test area with the engine off. Rather, he enters with the vehicle in second gear and accelerates through the area.

Finally, there is the cruise-by method, which involves the driver moving through the test area at a fixed speed. So, the driver enters the test area at a particular speed and maintains that speed while going past the measurement devices.

This is helpful in determining tire noise at different speed ranges.

2. Internal Noise Test

The aforementioned procedures are only suitable for testing external tire noise.

External tire noise is that which is audible to people outside the vehicle. To test for internal noise, manufacturers follow a different set of procedures.

First, internal tire noise refers to tire noise transmitted to the vehicle’s cabin and is audible to occupants.

Below is a typical procedure for measuring internal noise level:

• Engineers fit the tires on a stationary car and place a test dummy in the vehicle.
• This dummy will have microphones in both ears connected to computer-controlled analyzers.
• The car is accelerated, while the mics record the noise generated as the car speeds up. Computers connected to the microphones analyze the level of the microphone-recorded noise.

This test determines the number of internal noise riders will experience when the car moves at certain speeds.

What Cooper Tires Are the Quietest?

The following are some of the quietest tires from Cooper:

Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring

The CS5 range replaced the wildly popular CS4 model within Cooper’s pool of tires.

Ever since its introduction, the CS5 Ultra Touring tire has received praise for its first-rate traction on both wet and dry roads, and its stellar tread life. It also got excellent reviews for its smooth and comfortable ride quality.

The CS5’s formidable performance is due to several advanced features. This includes its silica-based tread compound, which improves grip on wet roads and dry roads.

The tire also features 3D micro-grooves that help boost handling and cornering ability.

Steering on this tire is highly responsive and consistent, too, thanks to Cooper’s StabilEdge tire technology.

Moreover, you need not worry about the tires failing without warning; the Wear Square feature shows the remaining tread life.

The Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring tire also comes with an asymmetrical tread pattern.

This has two advantages:

• It offers multiple tire rotation patterns, which helps prolong tread life.
• It cuts down on road noise and makes for a tranquil ride.

This Cooper tire is suitable for a wide range of vehicles, including sedans, crossovers, coupes, and SUVs. If you desire a silent ride, the Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring tire is a superb choice.

Cooper Discoverer H/T Plus

The Cooper Discoverer H/T Plus is an all-season touring tire that works well with pickup trucks and Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs).

It blends great year-round performance with improved ride quality and offers plenty of value for the money.

Additionally, the tire pairs a non-directional tread pattern and a rounded profile to provide solid traction without sacrificing tread life. It also has transparent grooves and full-depth lateral slots that prevent hydroplaning by bolstering grip on wet road surfaces.

The Cooper Discoverer H/T Plus features Cooper’s innovative computer-optimized tread pattern to keep road noise to a minimum.

This explains why it does not make as much noise as other tires in its class.

Cooper Zeon RS3-G1

The Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 is an all-season tire designed for high-performance cars.

If you want better cornering ability, increased traction, and durability, the Zeon RS3-G1 is perfect for you.

In designing the Zeon RS3-G1 tire, Cooper used a silica-based tread compound, a flatter tread arc, and an asymmetric tread design. These features combine to give the Zeon RS3-G1 tire high levels of road grip and stability at corners.

Some all-season tires are notorious for poor performance in wet road situations. The Zeon RS3-G1 is different and drives well both on wet surfaces and snow-covered roads. This is due to its use of wide circumferential grooves and 3D Micro-Gauge sipes.

High-performance tires are not known for being quiet. However, the Zeon RS3-G1 bucks the trend and offers a tranquil riding experience.

The unique tread pattern and design help reduce road noise and vibration to minimal levels.

Many online reviews have praised the Zeon RS3-G1’s silent quality.

We would recommend this tire for anyone who does a lot of long-distance driving and wants a comfortable ride.

What Cooper Tires Are Noisier?

We found little noise-related complaints about Cooper tires.

We came across a complaint about the Discoverer A/T tires.

The user reported that the noise on the tires had increased significantly after 20,000 miles. He also explained that the tires had about 90% rubber remaining. This means a problem with the tire, not wear-and-tear, was responsible for the noisy performance.

Some Discover A/T3 users have also complained about above-average noise on their tires.

In this case, the aggressive tread pattern may be responsible for the harsh noise.

Typically, tires with bigger tread and aggressive grooves are often noisier compared to other tire types.

Can You Make Cooper Tires Quieter?

Tire noise is a major source of discomfort for passengers and drivers.

Sometimes, replacing your tire may help eliminate the road noise problem. Other times, though, you need not buy a new set of tires just because you want a quieter ride.

You can make your Cooper tires quieter by doing the following:

1. Take Your Tires for Regular Maintenance:

It is necessary that you service your tires if you want smooth and comfortable rides. Maintenance activities such as tire rotations ensure the tires wear out evenly.

Uneven tread wear often causes higher levels of noise on tires. Rotating the tires at intervals will prevent such from happening.

Your wheels also require regular servicing. For example, if the wheels are not properly aligned or out of balance, the noise will increase.

In fact, badly aligned wheels and wheel imbalance are among the most-quoted cause of excessive tire noise.

If you notice abnormal tire noise, we advise checking the alignment and balance in your wheels.

Have a technician balance them or align them as needed.

2. Ensure Your Tires Are Properly Inflated:

Low or excessive air pressure in tires can and often lead to noisy tire performance.

Particularly, under-inflated and over-inflated tires have a tendency to squeal loudly under acceleration.

With a pressure gauge, you can check if your Cooper tires are well-inflated.

We recommend consulting the service manual to know the correct amount of air pressure your tires need.

3. Inspect Wheel Bearings/Suspension Parts:

Bad wheel bearings will cause your Cooper tires to make more noise than usual.

Similarly, worn suspension components will lead to “tire cupping,” which causes increased road noise.

If your Cooper tires are extra-noisy, check for worn bearings and suspension shocks and forks.

Replace any components that need replacement.

Which Tire Brand Is The QUIETEST?

Below is a list of the quietest tire brands on the market:

1. Hankook
2. Goodyear
3. Michelin
4. Continental
5. Pirelli
6. Dunlop
7. Bridgestone
8. Cooper

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