Just got some new tires, so far so good on Georgia inland desert conditions during July 2019. Hopefully it rains and we’ll get some clay compaction. Otherwise… Georgia = Gobi.
Here are my 2nd set of Ridge Grapplers at 57K miles:
Another fresh set of 265/75R16 116T for 2023!
Do you get any rubbing and how they been for you so far since install?
Hey Tyler:
No, I haven’t seen any rubbing at all with stock wheels and suspension.
I just changed a leaky tire, inspected and rotated the spare. I haven’t done any super flexy off-road trails, but definitely have done sharp 4wd reverse at full-lock many times in the woods and on steep powerline trails and roads. These tires are louder than stock but not bad or annoying at all; they are not louder than normal music volume. They are good in heavy rain at highway speeds. No wandering, they drive straight.
Mud traction is MUCH better than stock, and they don’t get clogged up like the stock GoodYear A/T tires. Nitto Ridge Grapps reject gravel/stones very well. I got stuck twice with the stock tires: once in slippery topsoil mud in a grassy field, once in loose rock and mud on a steep power line. I have driven those same spots in similar conditions and there was no slippage at all.
I have almost 10K on the tires, including a good bit of gravel driving (at least 60 miles per month) and 4wd (at least 20 miles per month). They are looking good and wearing evenly. The only issue thus far is I had to plug a leak where a nail penetrated right where the tread meets the sidewall.
My brother also recently put Ridge Grapplers on his new Wrangler… he really liked the looks, and wanted something more aggressive than the stock tires.
Those Ridge Grapplers look AWESOME on the stock Off-Road wheels! I’m picking up an Off-Road soon and started getting overwhelmed with all the wheel/tire options out there. All in all I think that looks like a great combo, and maybe a nice place to start in terms of tire upgrades. Would love to hear your thoughts on the Ridge Grapplers now! Would you buy them again?
I will definitely buy again. I have over 30k on them now and they are holding up much better than the stock Goodyears, which were done at 30k. I think I will let them go to about 50K before replacement. I live on a steep gravel road so tires wear out much faster than normal. These tires perform well off-road, in mud, and at low pressure. Much more aggressive and capable than most M/S rated. I have not seen snow for years, so nothing to report in winter use. The only trouble I have had is a couple of nail/screw punctures that caused slow leaks.
The rubber compound on the Nittos is softer than the Falken Wildpeaks, for example. Better grip, but the rubber may wear down quicker, in my opinion. Nittos do not have a 55K tread wear warranty like the Falkens. But… no worries because both sets I have run are getting over 55K with plenty of tread remaining.
I have been buying the 265/75r16 116T, with no rubbing problems at all, even twisty and uneven trails. The 123/120Q Ridge Grapplers have slightly taller lugs but are much heavier and stiffer than the 116’s, due to thicker sidewalls with more casing plies. If you are not pulling a trailer, doing extreme offroad, or carrying a very heavy load and full armor… the 123 “E load range” tires are overkill for a Taco (IMO).
I have been getting over 50K miles out of Nitto Ridge Grapplers. I’m on my 2nd set, which has over 57K. They are not down to the tread wear indicators or stone ejectors yet, so they are still fine, but not quite as good wet handling with the shallower tread. They will break loose and drift on wet asphalt if you take off from a stop and turn… but IDK if that is going to be much different in 2WD than any other tire. The stock Goodyears were slightly better rain tires due to the deep and wide channels, but they suck in mud. I have had very good luck with the Nittos in mud, Georgia red clay all the time, and a very scary New Mexico road on caleche clay in a monsoon, with 3 adults, 3 dogs and a full camping load… it was like greasy peanut butter mud, with moderately steep descents and climbs with switchbacks. I just kept the revs up in 4 low and it was sketchy but manageable. They do very well off road at 15-20 psi, and on road at 32 psi.
I don’t drive a ton of highway miles except on vacations… I go from Chattanooga to western Arkansas and Albuquerque a few times per year to visit my kids and do some camping and wheeling. Ridge Grapplers do get louder on the highway as they wear down, but not loud like a mud tire. I’d say if you are mainly riding the highway and need better rain/snow performance, then the Toyo AT/III or Falken Wildpeak may be better choices. If you want off road performance, especially when aired down, the Nittos are better, due to the aggressive sidewall lugs… they really work.
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