I currently run 255/60R20 Goodyear Wrangler on OEM LR 5 spoke wheels that are 8.5 x 20...stock setup from LR. I'm looking to get a more aggressive looking A/T tire, but the 255 options are very limited. Has anybody moved up to the widely available size of 265/60R20 on our stock 8.5" OEM wheels? Any rubbing or fitment issues. I'm leaning towards the Nitto Terra Grappler G3.

 

265/60R20 will fit. They have a diameter of 32.5." The maximum size tire you can fir on a Defender with air suspension is 32.6." I run 265/60R20 Falken Wildpeak AT3Ws on OEM wheels from an LR4 (different offset, but they still fit). I would recommend going with a 275/55R20, which is an OEM-recommended size for snow tires. There are plenty of options in that size, and they are guaranteed to fit without any issues.

The Terra Grappler G3 has excellent reviews. I am probably going t o go for those once my Wildpeaks are done for.

 

Timing is everything. I was going to start a new thread on this very topic, and tire model until I opened the forum this morning and found someone inquiring about the same tire I am currently researching, the Nitto Terra Grappler G3. My Defender came fitted with 255/60R20’s, Pirelli Scorpion but with under 18k miles the tread is shot and a belt has shifted in one tire making it useless to the point where I have installed the spare. There are few good choices in that size so I am going with the alternative sized 275/55R20. The Pirellis are speed rated at V, 149mph, which means nothing except they are rated at a sustained speed of 149mph, (which I don’t think too many people are planning to do). The Nittos which came out on the top of my list based on all the metrics, noise being important, are rated at load - XL, and speed 117T, 118mph, which again I don’t plan on driving at that speed, especially sustained. My local tire chain informed me that they can’t mount them due to the fact that the T rating is three steps below the V rating, and their protocol will not permit them to do the install, even though I told the manager that based on many Defender owner’s posts and reviews they are perfectly fine. So, I can buy them and go elsewhere for the install, or choose something different, but I love the Nitto Grapplers. Anyone out there have the Nitto Terra Grappler G3’s on their Defender, and what do you think of them?

 

That is complete and utter nonsense, especially considering Defender P300 & P400s are electronically limited to 119 mph (or 130 if you have 22" wheels). Under no circumstances is it even possible to drive a Defender that fast, unless you have a V8 or OCTA on all-seasons. If your tire shop is making a big deal about it, bring that fact up, or just go somewhere else.

 

Thanks, CincyRovers. Totally agree, and I had a discussion with the shop manager telling him all that, but his hands are tied by higher ups. I’ve read of many owners here running the Nittos so I know they will be a good fit and application. All the time spent researching these tires and I came across many tire fitments that don’t make sense, such as big, heavy Tahoes and the like returning results for SL load rated tires, which doesn’t seem to jive with such a large vehicle capable of carrying big payloads of passengers and gear. The only tire that made my top three list that fits his parameters, XL load rating, 117H speed rating (130mph) and meets my preferences of WET/DRY/TREADWEAR/OFF-ROAD/COMFORT is the Cooper Discoverer ROAD+TRAIL AT. So, I guess it will come down to a coin toss of buying my Nittos elsewhere or having them order me the Coopers.

 

I just put the Coopers on my 110 and I'm pretty happy with them. Granted they've only done street driving so far but they are quiet, return pretty much the same mpg, and they look nice and aggressive. I did a ton of research and they seemed like the best option for someone who is not rock crawling but can handle snow and light duty off road.

 

Navarrojiii

Thanks for the response, I was hoping to hear from someone running the Coopers on our Defenders. The majority of my driving is around town or highway, and being in Southern Florida with its flat terrain, I won’t see any true off-road or rock crawling and certainly no snow. Their high ratings as Excellent in every category is a confidence builder, and your comment about them being quiet is a big factor in my book, as some of the chunky tires in this On Road All-Terrain group can produce an annoying drone at highway speeds. The OEM Pirelli Scorpions had a great ride, but the Highway All-season style did not complement the rugged look of the Defender, where the Coopers have a nice enough aggressive tread which will look great on the Defender and add to its appearance.

 

I have the Cooper Discoverer Road + Trail AT tires and love them. Handle well, especially in rain and are quiet. I put about 20K miles on them so far and they are holding up well and still quiet.

On our 2021 Defender I had Falken Wildpeak AT3W's which I also liked. However, on our 2023 I got to hate the Falken Wildpeak AT4W's as they got progressively louder and louder. I tossed them by 25K miles. I did confirm with my trusted tire expert that the AT4W's are made with a much a harder compound than the previous AT3W's for better wear. But I'd never buy them again.

The 2026 Defender I ordered last July is supposed to appear in late February. Will probably trade in our 2025 for it. However, I will make the dealer swap the tires at trade-in. I want the Coopers with 20K miles on the new Defender and they can keep the brand new Goodyears and put them on my trade-in. That's a pretty good endorsement for the Coopers.

 

Your endorsement carries a lot of weight. Like choosing a restaurant. If someone raves about the food, service, ambiance and pricing, then I’m going to pay them a visit. And your first hand experience with the Coopers ride quality and noise levels are important to me. Highway drone is a big negative, making long trips tedious. I understand Falken using a sharper compound to increase tread life, but in any tire I buy I will sacrifice tire longevity for a softer compound which gives a more comfortable ride, quieter road noise, and a stickier grip. Thank you for your personal feedback and response. Much appreciated.

 

Great to hear it looks like you'll go with the coopers. What I will add as well is that with the OEM Goodyear Wrangler adventure all terrains, I thought their rain performance was pretty poor. I haven't encountered rain yet in the Coopers but don't think it will be difficult to be better than the Goodyears. Hopefully we will get some rain at some point this winter in SoCal as it's been a month and I want to test out my new coopers in rain and some snow in the mountains.