I’m looking for some feedback on the Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac. I’m currently running the Goodyear Wrangler AT and I’m looking for something a little more aggressive. I’ve read the “no lift tires size” thread but haven’t seen specific feedback on performance, or road noise increases with alternatives. Note, the Defender is my daily driver and will continue to see the trails here in and around WV.

Thanks Much for the help..JW

 

ive looked into these tires. a good option but ive heard from many places (forums, friends, tire guy at the store) talk about nitto ridge grapplers as being the best multi-purpose tire (wet, snow, dirt, mud and highways). the treadlife is great and you’ll appreciate the lesser noise when using it as your daily.

i was debating between the two but went with the nittos (symmetrical shoulder nubs) facing out.

 

Keep in mind the Nitto ridge grapplers are NOT M+S and severe snow rated, the duratracs have the 3 peak winter tire rating and M+S rating. I was strongly considering the nittos until I noticed this, they should not be as good in the snow. Even if they actually are just as good and it's just a certification thing, if you run into a roadblock where they require snow tires they won't let you through with the nitto's. IMHO the duratracs are the best option for looks/all season weather on paper. I haven't actually experienced them yet, but they are what i'm planning on putting on my defender when it arrives.

 

I have Nitto's on my LR4 and can confirm that whilst they're ok on deep, fresh snow, they are NOT good on the snow/must that's on ploughed roads, or snow that other vehicles have driven over, etc. No comparison to any non-3 peak rated tyres and normal M+S rated tyres. That said, I like the look of Nittos on the LR4 and they're good on the road at cruising speeds, not too loud, etc.

 

Thanks for confirming! the Nitto's are a really nice looking tire, if winter performance isn't a concern they are a great option.

 

I don't believe the Wrangler Duratrac sizes that were specifically manufactured for the Defender (255/70R18, 255/65R19 and 255/60R20) are 3-peak winter rated, they are M+S rated however. The Ridge Grapplers I had on my LR4 - LT285/60R18 - were virtually indestructible, very grabby off-road, quiet on the road (surprisingly WAY quieter than the "tamer" Nitto Terra Grapplers G2, although they got noisier over time - it would help if you rotate them regularly), super comfy and very competent just about anywhere but thick mud, ice and packed snow, of which we have very little thankfully here in Southern California, unless we really go looking for it. I would highly recommend them for anything but harsh winters, and if they made a size that fits the 19" rims of the Defender I would pick them 100 times over any Goodforoneyear. Alas, nothing so far, but if we all keep pestering Nitto via their contact form, maybe... https://www.nittotire.com/contact-us/

If Nitto made us an LT265/65R19 E-load Ridge Grappler, I would be a happy man and would stop lusting after 18" rims and tires I can't have on my P400 unless I lobotomize the rear brakes.

 

True that not all duratracs are 3-peak winter rated, good catch. The ones I was looking at (275/55R20) just happened to be 3-peak rated, so I assumed they all were. This size is confirmed to fit stock without any rub, it's basically the same diameter as stock, just a touch wider. I just looked it up and the 255/60R20 is not 3-peak, but is still going to perform better in winter than the nitto's. If snow isn't a factor then the nitto's are a great tire, but why the hate for the goodyears? Reviews I've read all seem positive.

You are probably better off getting 20" rims if you have the P400, opens up a lot more tire choices and avoids messing with the rear brakes. Nitto isn't going to make a 19", it's not a common enough rim size.

 

I fitted the Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac’s. They’re Manufacturer Approved, even though I’ve had BFG’s on my last 4 Defender’s, but I have to admit, they’ve surpassed my expectations 🙏🏼👌🏼 was really surprised.....but I think an element of that is how good the soundproofing is on the car, there’s probably a 5% increase in road noise. JLR should have no problems with warranty, as they were fitting them originally as the Off Road Option. And I’ve just checked, and took a picture of the LR approval stamp on them 🙏🏼

 

Thanks to all for the great inputs thus far. I should have mentioned I have a P400 HSE with 20” wheels, M+S rating is important due to where I live in WV.

I have considered jumping to a 265/60/20 as it seems to open more options but am hesitant to go bigger than the OEM recommended size. Would a slightly bigger size change the driving dynamics enough to notice? I’ll check out the Nittos understanding there will be some trade offs.

I wonder why LR went away from the Duratracs as the off road tire? Seems those look better and perform better than the Wrangler ATs? My gut says due to no M+S rating?

The hunt continues...

 

​​​​​​They look better and perform better, but are overkill for 99% of owners, who will never take the vehicle anywhere near the off-road capabilities of either tire and will stay firmly on pavement and perhaps drive down a dirt road or on a beach one day, and call it off-roading. The Wrangler Adventures excel for that, they are nearly as good as an all-season tire on pavement, while holding their own on all but more challenging off-road terrains. They are M+S rated, whisper quiet, comfortable, better handling, use less gas...

And, the speed rating of the Duratracs kind of sucks honestly (Q - 99 mph max), which may also expose LR to liability when they advertise the car as reaching speeds of 119 mph, while fitting factory tires completely unsuitable for such speed. My guess is that is the main reason why they won't install the Duratracs at the factory in Slovakia, not even as an extra cost option, and the dealer charges an arm and a leg for them if you really, really must have them. They want to make sure you understand they aren't tires you buy just because they look cool, they are specialized tools that will affect the ride and performance of the car.