One of the most important purchases any enthusiast will make is tires and wheels-it's almost a necessity. No matter if you slam your ride to the pavement or lift it to the sky, tires and wheels will come into play. Not only does a new set of wheels and tires affect the look of the vehicle, but the combo plays an important part on how well the truck drives and handles. We have a lot of experience putting lowered tires through their paces and have sent many a tire to the bald pile, but now it's time to focus our attention on the lifted genre.
Some time ago, Nitto took the sport-truck market by storm with its NT404 Extreme Force line of tires and has now set its sights on the off-road market, bringing some of that sport-truck market thinking and technology as well. Rather than just develop an all-terrain tire for the traditional 15- and 16-inch applications, Nitto designed the Terra Grappler for larger-diameter applications, currently as big as 24 inches-that's right, all-terrains for 24s. Like the NT404 Extremes, Nitto's new Terra Grappler is specifically designed for light truck and SUV applications. And since the Terra Grapplers are also available in load range D and E ratings, they're an excellent choice for the 8-lug, 3/4- and 1-ton truck owner who's seeking a set of all-terrain tires with load-carrying capabilities.
The Terra Grappler's unique...
The Terra Grappler's unique tread pattern features several design elements that contribute to excellent on- and off-road handling, while still being extremely quiet. The tread design is nice and aggressive-looking, yet they don't hum when driven down the road.
The heart of the new Terra Grappler is Nitto's unique tread design, which provides all-season performance on the road with all-terrain traction on dirt. Staggered shoulder lugs ensure solid traction in deep sand, loose gravel, and even in the mud. Tread-block coupling joints between the tread-block elements reduce excessive flex for better on-road traction and handling. Other design elements, such as coupling joints, high-density siping, and a balanced void ratio also aid in on-road handling characteristics, while enhancing traction off road.
We strapped a set of 355/65R18s to our in-house Titan project and hit the road to find out just how these suckers would react in the real world. On road, the Terra Grapplers are remarkably quiet. We didn't notice any hum or noise coming from these suckers at any speed. Turning the steering wheel from side to side, the tires offer solid handling and good road manners, even in wet conditions.
On dirt, the Terra Grapplers come alive, offering positive traction under a variety of conditions, including sand, silt, and gravel, even at street pressures. For the true off-pavement test, we aired down and hit the rocks. The Terra Grappler's wraparound tread design not only looks cool but provides an extra measure of traction and sidewall protection on the rocks. Even with a load range D tire, the Terra Grapplers managed to form well around big rocks.
Making a tire and wheel purchase for your truck should be dependent on how you drive it and where you take it. If you're in the market for a great all-around tire that offers excellent road manners with off-road performance, check into Nitto's Terra Grappler.
Quick Facts And Features:
Balanced void ratio for excellent off-road traction and on-road behavior / coupling joints between tread-block elements reduce excessive flex for better traction and steering / staggered shoulder lugs ensure traction in deep sand, loose gravel, and mud / uniquely angled circumferential grooves for water evacuation / two full-width steel belts ensure optimum contact patch both on and off road / mud and snow (M&S) rated for all-season performance / high-density siping optimized to resist hydroplaning and provide snow traction
Available Sizes: 33x12.50R15 / 35x12.50R15 / 265/75R16 / 265/75R16 / 285/75R16 / 295/75R16 / 305/70R16 / 315/75R16 / 325/70R16 / 365/65R16 / 265/70R17 / 295/70R17 / 255/55R18 / 285/60R18 / 325/65R18 / 325/60R18 / 355/65R18 / 305/55R20 / 305/50R20 / 325/60R20 / 355/60R20 / 325/50R22 / 315/50R24
The off-road performance,...
The off-road performance, even at street pressures, was excellent, as the Terra Grappler clawed its way through dirt, silt, sand, and over curbs during our test period.
The distinctive wraparound...
The distinctive wraparound tread pattern not only looks good but provides extra grip at lower pressure, should you air down.
Talk about leaving your mark,...
Talk about leaving your mark, these tires have a large contact patch to provide the most traction possible without being drag-racing slicks.