The Nitto Dune Grapplers got their start when the desert-race-truck craze was in full swing. To satisfy this market, Nitto developed its Dune Grappler to provide awesome looks yet still work well on the hard-packed desert surfaces. The result was a stiff-sidewall tire that had a unique appearance, provided excellent traction on dirt roads, and was also quiet enough to go down the freeway without any annoying road noise.
| Matt Gainer used Nitto Dune Grapplers at the dragstrip to record an excellent 11.8-second quarter-mile pass, run the quickest 60-foot time in the trailer tow, and pull more than 300 feet in the sled pull.
As it turns out, these tire attributes also work well on the sled pull track and at the dragstrip. The fact that the tire has reduced siping in the center of the tread face provides a greater contact patch for dry on-road performance, while the high-void ratio (distance between the tread blocks) on the outside means the outer portions of the contact patch are great at digging in and throwing away gravel and dirt. If it sounds like a tire that is good for just about every circumstance, that’s what we thought, too. In fact, we’ve seen both a First Place finish in the sled pull and the quickest 60-foot time at the dragstrip by Diesel Power Challenge competitors using Nitto Dune Grapplers. We can’t think of any better proof of a tire’s all-around performance than that!
| By far the most noticed portion of the tire is the cool, flamed sidewall. If you’ve spent a lot of money on a set of rockin’ wheels—or even if you’re like us and running a stock set of steel wheels—these tires can be the ultimate addition.
1,000-Mile Tire Test
While we can report on the type of performance we’ve seen with these tires, we still wanted to experience them for ourselves, so we tested them out on our ’95 Dodge project truck known as Triple Threat. We went with an E-load-rated LT285/75R16 (roughly 33x11.50) on our Dodge, which meant we could still enjoy the same towing rating as factory if we ever needed the load capacity. When we first got the Dune Grapplers on, they were a little squirmy and all over the road, but that went away after about the first 50 miles. After that, we went on to test them in dirt, rain, and on the dragstrip, and we’re pleased to report that they performed excellent under all conditions. Even in heavy rain, we found the Dune Grapplers to be as good as anything else—possibly because diesel trucks are so heavy compared to normal pickups. We’d still be cautious about hitting standing water at speed (or running in deep mud or snow with them), but for sand, sled pulling, or drag racing, we think they’re the hot ticket. They also have excellent wear characteristics, possibly surviving 50,000 miles or more depending on your burnout-to-mileage ratio.
| We tested Nitto’s Dune Grapplers on our ’95 Dodge and found they are excellent on pavement and in the dirt. If you live somewhere where it snows a lot, however, you’ll probably want to use chains or mount up dedicated snow tires when it gets icy.
Tire Specs
Tire Type: Radial
Tire Size: 285/75R16
Overall Diameter: 32.8 inches
Tread: 3-ply polyester+2-ply steel+2-ply nylon
Sidewall: 3-ply polyester
Tread Depth: 17⁄32 inches
Overall Width: 11.6 inches
Approved Rim Width: 7.5 to 9 inches (ours were tested on an unapproved, 7-inch-wide wheel)
Weight: 58.4 pounds
Maximum Load (Per Tire): 3,750 pounds
Maximum psi: 80
Load Range: E
