Thank you all for posting up your personal experiences on the Nitto Ridge Grapplers. We have had many similar reports.
Here is a review from one of our employees running the Ridge Grapplers:
As some of you know, I have LT285/70-17/C Nitto Ridge Grapplers on my 4Runner. With approximately 1,500 miles on them, I want to provide real world feedback on their performance to date.
I was up north in AZ this past weekend and had a chance to use them in a variety of conditions. Temperatures were between 20-40 degrees all weekend.
On-road/Highway
Despite the aggressive tread design, this tire is quiet! My opinion is they are just slightly more noisy than the Terra Grappler (if that). Very smooth, no vibration or wandering up to 90MPH. I did note that these will flat spot after sitting overnight in cold conditions. Flat spotting disappears after a few miles when the tire warms up.
Snow
I took them down one of the local unplowed forest roads which contained slush, mud, and wet snow (the kind you make snowballs with - not icy). Very confident traction in these conditions - did not need 4WD, including a steep off-camber hill climb.
This is a niche tire for someone looking for an aggressive look without the noise and harsh qualities associated with a Mud Terrain tire.
LR C is perfect for Toyota and Jeep trucks and SUV's.
Nitto Ridge Grappler | Discount Tire Direct