295/75R16 Nitto Terra Grappler: Is there a better option for a 34" tire?

BCB75

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Hey guys. I am looking to trade my wheels and tires out for something different. They stick out way too far, require adapters, and the tires are a bit big.

Anyway, I wanted something taller than a 33, and narrower than 12.5. It seems like all 35s are 12.5 wide, but wouldn't mind stepping down a bit from a 35 anyway. The pictures of 33s on an LJ with 5" of lift just look a bit off to me. I am running the Currie 4" short arm lift and a BL/MML.

I found very few options in between. And even fewer once you eliminate aggressive mud tires, load range E tires, and absurdly overpriced tires (BFG KO2 34x10.5R17).

295/75/16 =~ 33.4x11.6
Nitto Terra Grappler [Load D] - $200 - 57.9lb

285/75/17 =~ 33.8x11.2
Toyo Open Country AT3 [Load C] - $242 - 59lb
Nitto Ridge Grappler [Load C] - $290 - 65.1lb

The Terra Grapplers are the lightest and cheapest. I also think they look good, and I like the look of 16s on an LJ. There are also some cheap options for 16x8 with 4.5" BS on Quadratec and extremeterrain. (And AEV Bridgers if I can find them). I would think those would not rub, and would tuck nicely. Might have to put a washer or two in for the steering though.

Has anyone run this size tires? Has anyone run 285 or 295 wide tires with 4.5" of backspacing? How much poke beyond a stock flare, if anyone knows?
 
I almost went with the Ridge Grappler in 285/75/17 load range C but went with BFG KO2 in 315/70/17 load range C. I find it interesting that the BFG is just a touch lighter than the Ridge Grappler in these sizes. I still wonder if I made the right decision and would have certainly gotten the Ridge Grappler if they had a load range C in something wider.
 
I wouldn’t get too hung up on not running E rated tires. @Irun ran load range E KO2’s on his LJ without issue. @jjvw had load range D or E’s on his TJ and we’ve all seen the type of wheeling he’s doing.

I’m a fan of the Terra Grapplers as a daily driver tire. I had them on my Ranger(285/75/16 load range D) and got 40k miles out of them before selling to get something new. For the money, I think they’re a good choice.
 
Cool, thanks everyone.
Are the E load tires considerably heavier too? Not just rougher riding?
That said, are there any other sizes worth looking at besides 295/75/16 and 285/75/17?
Again, I just really don't like the look of 33s on 5" of lift, and don't want 12.5 wide tires.
And if anyone knows, would the 4.5 BS wheel with a 295 rub? And would having the antirock give me a bit more forgiveness in that equation?
 
I don’t think the AR gives you much more room than the stock sway bar, but you can always adjust the steering stops to solve that issue.
 
I couldn't tell any difference between the two Es and the C I've run that I could attribute to load range.

I've run C, D, and E range and can say the same thing. I couldn't really tell any difference, on or off-road. My current 35x12.50R17 MTZ P3s are "D" rated and I run them on beadlock wheels, down to 8 PSI, with no issues.

Cool, thanks everyone.
Are the E load tires considerably heavier too? Not just rougher riding?
That said, are there any other sizes worth looking at besides 295/75/16 and 285/75/17?
Again, I just really don't like the look of 33s on 5" of lift, and don't want 12.5 wide tires.
And if anyone knows, would the 4.5 BS wheel with a 295 rub? And would having the antirock give me a bit more forgiveness in that equation?

The tire you mentioned, Nitto Terra Grappler 295/75/16, is D rated, pretty light for a 16" tire, and not a bad choice for your area. Most 16s are E rated and heavier. Keeping the tire weight down is very important, because you'll notice heavier tires negatively impacting the overall feel of driving the Jeep. 4.5" of BS may be enough, depending on your lower control arms and rim width.
 
Cool, thanks everyone.
Are the E load tires considerably heavier too? Not just rougher riding?
That said, are there any other sizes worth looking at besides 295/75/16 and 285/75/17?
Again, I just really don't like the look of 33s on 5" of lift, and don't want 12.5 wide tires.
And if anyone knows, would the 4.5 BS wheel with a 295 rub? And would having the antirock give me a bit more forgiveness in that equation?

Normally, I don't like to run 16" tires, but this would be an exception. The 295/75/16 Grappler AT seems like it meets you needs, is affordable, and is 5 lbs lighter than the 17" alternative. The only question I'd have is whether it's a 2 or 3 ply sidewall. My guess is 2, but this might not be an issue for you, depending on use.
 
Are those 255/80/17 dimensionally the same as the 255/85/16? If so, I always thought those looked a bit goofy. It does look like that 17 has more options though. Still all load E. I'm afraid it will look too close to the pictures of 33s I've seen.
 
Nitto does make a trail grappler in 35x11.5R17 if you want to stick with 35's but get something narrower, and are willing to pay for it. I would consider it an option except they cost $350 each which I find absurd.

I've never driven a TJ on anything bigger than 33x10.5 and never had backspacing less than 5.25 so even though I want bigger tires, I keep reading on here about scrub radius and wish there was a 34 or 35 option in load C that was narrow enough to not have to go all the way out to 3.75-4". Wish I could make some sense of all the C vs E and does it make a difference or not since there seems to be some disagreement.
 
freedom, sounds like we're in the same boat, but on the other side. I'm running 35x12.50 tires and 3.5" total backspacing right now. The 6" flares are hideous and don't even cover the whole tread pattern. Luckily they gave me a pass on inspection with them.
 
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Oh, and it looks like my steering setup won't work with 4.5" BS on a 16" wheel. This particular system (synergy) has some mixed reviews here anyway. So I have to add a steering system into my budget I guess.
 
Oh, and it looks like my steering setup won't work with 4.5" BS on a 16" wheel. This particular system (synergy) has some mixed reviews here anyway. So I have to add a steering system into my budget I guess.
How would steering be affected by wheel backspace?
 
I've run C, D, and E range and can say the same thing. I couldn't really tell any difference, on or off-road. My current 35x12.50R17 MTZ P3s are "D" rated and I run them on beadlock wheels, down to 8 PSI, with no issues.

...

Keeping the tire weight down is very important, because you'll notice heavier tires negatively impacting the overall feel of driving the Jeep. 4.5" of BS may be enough, depending on your lower control arms and rim width.

so you would say weight has a larger impact on ride quality than load range?