New Tires to be installed today: Nitto Terra Grapler 285/70/17 Load E

[JasonCzerak]

Discount tire has them for $201/tire. People near Lansing, MI can get them with out shipping costs for that



The 295's went up $20/tire in price. I paid $815 last year installed for the 295/70/17's.



Total cost installed will be $915.



Back to an E range. This weekend, I'll let ya know how they handle.



Anyone know of a place here (minnesota) that I can get my ABS re-calibrated for cheap? It's not much. but I might as well get the numbers tweeked ya know?

 

[CumminsAholic]

How many miles did you get out of your last set? I have a buddy that went thru 2 sets real quick. He's not easy on tires, but still... they didn't last for crap. Now he put on the new goodyear tires... Prograde I believe. We'll see how they last. Also his are a bit bigger, 36's I think. I got a set of pro comp MT's for the winter when they had their buy 3 get 1 free deal. Haven't put them on yet, waiting for it to snow. (I'm not too nice to my tires either, I figure ice will help them last a bit better) It'll be interesting to see how they hold up, I'm thinking not too good, but time will tell. I Figured for $620 installed for a 285 75 16 I'd give em a shot. They'll go on the ramcharger next year.

Corey

 

[JasonCzerak]

not sure exactly. I had to cancel the appointment yesterday. I'll get them installed today and get my millages when I last get tires.

 

[JasonCzerak]

Got the tires

Looks: Not as cool as the 295's. It's admazing what one size down will do for looks. the 295 tire is the best sized tire for the stock rims and suspention IMHO. not to wide, not to tall. just right. to bad they didn't come in an E.



Ride: Got my stiff ride back. only have 3 miles on the new tires but just turned back and forth in the lane things feels better.



Snow: I'm sure these will do better in the snow then the 295, being skinnier.



Performance: Unsure. I'm sure I'll roast these up in 20,000 miles. the 295's last 24 or 27,000 miles in 12 months. mostly in town stuff this past year.



Next level: I'm going to get a set of "summer tires" at the very least on the stock rims. I'm sure I'll go for 20" rims and a set of 305/55/20's tho of some sort for the warm and wet months.



Do the Nitto's again for a 3rd time: who knows yet. we'll see how these do and if I can afford summer tires. I do like the size of a just over 33" tire on this truck that's got a 13" wire foot print.

 

[Diesel Gunner]

I have the 295's on mine and they are just about gone in 24k. They were wonderful when new, traction wise. They rub on the lower control arm just a bit. Overall, I would say that they are pretty good. I am just not impressed with the mileage.



That said, I am going back to a 285 in the Toyo MT. I don't doubt that they will wear any better but I want the traction that this design allows. My TT weighs about 11k when I am on the road and I am sure that that has quite a bit to do with tire wear. The exhaust brake also tends to wear the rears faster, too.



Good luck with yours and enjoy them.

 

[tgordon]

I have been running Yokohoma's and they seem to last about the sam eas everyone elses, the big differance is that they are a softer rubber and on slick surfaces I get a lot more traction than other tires. If one used them for true off-raoding they will start missing chunks out of the lugs very fast. I have an article I saved from a magazine talking about a tire that was developed for mines. They are suppose to be one of the toughest tires available but they don't come in very large sizes.

 

[JDubien]

I just installed the Nittos 285 E's and I'm concerned with the sway/float I get out of them. I took off BFG's to go for a higher load rating. The BFG's definatly didn't sway anything like these do. My first impression is not good at this point. Discount put 65psi in them too. We'll see how they hold up this weekend with my 5th wheel. I'll let you all know next week.

 

[mcsinfl]

I just installed the Nittos 285 E's and I'm concerned with the sway/float I get out of them. I took off BFG's to go for a higher load rating. The BFG's definatly didn't sway anything like these do. My first impression is not good at this point. Discount put 65psi in them too. We'll see how they hold up this weekend with my 5th wheel. I'll let you all know next week.

Mine did the same thing when I put those tires on mine (about 2,500 miles ago). When I would get on the gas, I had to counter the rear end float by steering, same thing happened when I let off the gas and lost torque to rear wheels, would float the other way. Happy to say that the problem's gone away now that I have a few miles on the tires. I was about ready to get rid of the tires, glad I didn't, I'm happy now, better than the rugged trails that were on it OEM.

 

[JDubien]

Nitto's are coming off!!! Those have got to be the worst tires for any speed above 50mph I have ever driven on! Fifth wheel fully loaded, no help to them. When driving into a sweeping turn, it felt like the tire were about to come right off the wheels. Add some wind or a semi passes and it felt like my friends 50' boat in the ocean on a bad day. A whole new meaning to "white nuckle driving".



I'm going back to BFG AT's! They are truly awesome. I had the LT285/70R17D's and had 45k miles on them with 9/32 of tread left on them but they only had a load rating of 3195lb but handled great even towing without any of the above side effects. I tow heavy, GCVW over 23k and wanted a higher load rated tire with out changing wheel sizes. Now I will have to buy 18" wheels to get a BFG LT285/65R18E with a load rating of 3640lb.



I'm not sure how everyone else can deal with the Nitto's or maybe I have a bad set but even my passengers noticed the float/ wandering and a sense of unstability that made all of us nervous.

 

[JasonCzerak]

The nitto 285 E's are starting to break in nicly here. tho less traction then the 295, easily shown by rolling into 3rd gear hard on perfectly dry pavement.

 

[CHolman]

I almost got the terra grapplers, but ended up with 235 80 R17's Michilin LTX (MS) I haven't recieved them yet, but I hope to get some pretty good milage out of em'. I know their not going to to look as good as a 285, but I'm hoping to save up for 19. 5's by the next set... I've got 30,000 miles out of my Firestone Trans Force tires, they were pretty good considering I never rotated them and have been pretty hard on em'

 

[JasonCzerak]

Update

I'm starting to like them a bit more now.



Turning: When you turn the wheel at low speeds, truck responds. In comparison to the 295'. feels like it's on mini rails Not quite like driving a vette or M3 response, but better. The over steer/under steer that was required with the 295's is not nearly as much.



Traction. LESS on the dry. Rain, the same (need 4x4 to go fast perior) . snow... . Minnesota, it's December 21's and we had like 8 flakes of snow that melted inside 20 minutes. We'll see on that later. Dirt:. My truck stays clean. sorry on that.



High acceleration traction: with the rear tires at 50psi, at WOT with my little 500hp truck (estimated), You get wheel spin on bumps in the road. I have lost the rear end in a very scary situation I put my self in while on a bridge that had an incline and a slight turn. The turn was to the left, I was WOT in 5th and the rear broke lose. Truck was doing fine up until then. I felt the sensation the truck started to lean to the right.



Tire wall flex: Less. Per the turning section, very little over and under steer is require to keep the truck in a lane, especially at higher speeds with heavy breaking and acceleration. I yet to put this truck in some tight turns as I wish to still get more comfortable with the changes of these tires. And that I don't drive nearly as much as I used to.



Ride: stiffer. I'm about due for some shocks tho. I suppose the traction as high speed could be solved with some good shocks and the tipping sensation could of been kept to a good slide.



Tire pressures: I"m running 60 up front, 50 in the rear. Just like I did with the stock E range tires. I haven't had time to mess with the pressures for comfort or performance yet. The guys at Discount tire wanted me to run 80 in the rear and 50 in the front, retards. Sure, if It was driving outa the store with a 10,000# trailer behind me. even then, I still want 60 in the front, to hold the 4700# front axle weight.



I'm definitely going to consider some non A/T tire for the summer.

 

[AMassaro]

I've had the same Nittos for about 2 months now. I like them alot, especially compared to the PJ Dirtgrips I had on there. Quiet and smooth. I had 60psi all around from Discount, but I've recently changed to 70psi front, 55psi rear. So far, I like the way they ride at these psi's...

 

[pwerwagn]

Im running 305-70-16 nitto terra grapplers. Have like 40,000 on them now and they are getting thin, but still prolly got 10K left in them. I have rotated them one time in the 40K.

I run around 35psi in the rears, and 55 up front. Mine are load range E as well.

The only time I notice wear quickly is with the camper on the truck (11 foot lance, on a short bed) and the boat hooked up. Even with max pressure in them and 120psi in the air bags, the rear tires will wear fairly noticeably in 4 or 500 miles of driving.

having said that, Ive done it tons and tons of times and still have a bunch of miles on it.



Oh, did I mention quite a few 2wd tire smoking passes at the strip as well? :-laf



--Jeff

 

[Jesselee]

your are a bigger size but i just put 245/75/16kumho's at on my truck for the winter,not a bad tire very good ride