• Ford E350 Tire Replacement Applied Pressure
    After the Nitto Terra Grappler A/T tire was mounted onto the Mickey Thompson Classic II Lock wheel, Jim applied equal pressure around the tire to help seat the Nitto Terra Grappler A/T tire on the wheel.
    Ford E350 Tire Replacement Applied Pressure
    After the Nitto Terra Grappler A/T tire was mounted onto the Mickey Thompson Classic II Lo
  • Ford E350 Tire Replacement Spin Balancer
    After the Nitto Terra Grappler A/T was mounted onto the Mickey Thompson Classic II Lock wheel, it was secured onto the Coats 700 spin balancer.
    Ford E350 Tire Replacement Spin Balancer
    After the Nitto Terra Grappler A/T was mounted onto the Mickey Thompson Classic II Lock wh
  • Ford E350 Tire Replacement Light Spot Designated
    After spinning the tire and wheel combo on the Coats 700, the light spot was designated, then the proper weights were applied to the backside of the wheel. When the tire and wheel combo was spun again, it was spot on.
    Ford E350 Tire Replacement Light Spot Designated
    After spinning the tire and wheel combo on the Coats 700, the light spot was designated, t
  • Ford E350 Tire Replacement Apply Torque
    Jim used a torque wrench to apply the correct torque of 90 lb-ft onto each lug nut of each wheel.
    Ford E350 Tire Replacement Apply Torque
    Jim used a torque wrench to apply the correct torque of 90 lb-ft onto each lug nut of each
  • Ford E350 Tire Replacement Nitto Tire Grappler
    This 3/4 view of the new Nitto Terra Grappler A/T tire exposes its 70 series sidewall and mild tread design.
    Ford E350 Tire Replacement Nitto Tire Grappler
    This 3/4 view of the new Nitto Terra Grappler A/T tire exposes its 70 series sidewall and

One of the major players in Truckin' magazine's project-vehicle team is Big E, a stout Ford E-350 6.0L diesel 2WD cargo van that was transformed into a serious off-road assault vehicle.

After accumulating 34,000-plus miles both on and off-road, all while on a set of Mickey Thompson Baja Claw M/T Radial (33X12.50R17LT) tires, it was time for replacements. Unfortunately the Mickey Thompson Baja Claw M/Ts developed a serious balance problem, causing uneven wear that contributed to a severe front-end shimmy and shake at 67+ mph.

After this experience, we decided to change to a less aggressive tire. A set of Nitto Tire Terra Grappler A/Ts, 305/70R17, 33.98-inch diameter, 12.36-inch wide, which produces 611 revolutions per mile at 65 psi and has a 3,640 load capacity rating. The Terra Grappler A/T tread design is much milder than the Mickey Thompson M/T design.

We took a visit to Top Line Performance in Huntington Beach, California, where Jim Kwolek used the Coats 700 tire machine to dismount the Baja Claw M/Ts from the Mickey Thompson Classic II Lock 17x9-inch aluminum wheels.

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