Nomad Grappler Mud Test

[@davep2945]

Good to see someone who is willing to try something different. KO2's are good tires but there is a aura around them based largely on the reality that most people buy them in the LT rating for vehicles that have no need for such a heavy load rated tire. So you put a heavy duty tire on a light duty vehicle and it seems indestructible. Every reputable tire in the same class at the same load rating is just as durable but the KO2 name is so well known. Your combo is absolutely the way to go. Every vehicle has a peak of capability and the Nomad Grapplers will allow your Outback to achieve that peak. In all honesty, most people never do anything serious enough for a tire like the KO2 or a Ridge Grappler to have a real advantage over the Nomads or Wild Peak Trails or BGF Trail Terrains.It's like using a sledgehammer to drive finishing nails. Sure, it'll do it but it has no advantage over a 16 ounce trim hammer.

[@colemanx5sgt]

I'm sucked into these vehicles right now after semi retiring. I traded cars with one of my daughters and just love this her old Subaru. It's a 03 Forester and I've worked on the body it now has a primer grey paint job (spray can) I've replaced all of the CV axles, brakes, tune up etc... Now I'm looking at struts maybe a 2" lift then new tires to name a few things. Your videos are awesome and are giving me so much advice and information. Many thanks and please keep up the good work newbies like myself are starving for as much info to do it right the first time.

[@MatthewHeiskell]

Thanks! 😄 that’s awesome! Slap a 2” strut top spacer on that thing and delete both sway bars and you can go reallllly far! Also, as an 03’, you might be in the year range that can do the center diff lock switch mod. Do some googling on that. Basically you can add a switch to manually lock their center diff, instead of letting the car do it. Locking the center diff technically changes the car from AWD to 4WD. And locking it before you get into trouble helps a ton! Look it up!

[@ChristopherSeaDawg]

I put the Nomad grapplers on my wife’s Forester and we love them! Great on highway and trails.

[@MatthewHeiskell]

Glad to hear that you like them too! I think that they are the best option for Subarus. I just got a second set for our new forester.

[@vilhelmstein2091]

That front bumper is incredible

[@MatthewHeiskell]

Thank you so much! 😄

[@SteveC-Aus]

Great to see some new KZbin offroad action, keep it coming man!

[@MatthewHeiskell]

Thanks Steve! Will do!

[@BoanergesJim]

I was considering these tires on my Outback Wilderness when it comes time for me to purchase new tires. Thanks for the video!

[@MatthewHeiskell]

I’ve been extremely happy with them in all conditions! Cheers!

[@pf465]

I love what you're doing to the car, looks awesome with the new bumper Mathew, keep it up... don't give up on the CVT... despite people poo poo'ing it.

[@MatthewHeiskell]

Thanks! Will do! Yeah, the CVT is still working well. I think that the key is the transmission cooler mod.

[@nomadicnormans8844]

Good video buddy. I love my Wildpeaks and they havent failed me yet, but you sold me on what I would try next.

[@MatthewHeiskell]

Thanks! I’ve heard that the Wildpeaks are good, both the trail and the AT3W. Which version are you using, and how do you like them? Yeah, you should definitely try the nomad grapplers next.

[@goneoutside1011]

I just got these for my Outback and I’m impressed. I guess anything is better than my all season

[@MatthewHeiskell]

Right on! They are SO much better than the stock street tires! And they perform just as well as my KO2s, despite being lighter and quieter. They are simply a better match for Subarus.

[@victorramsey5575]

I have these on a 2020 Frontier SV Crew Cab. Absolutely phenominal on the beach. Dont even need 4x mode...usually.

[@MatthewHeiskell]

That’s impressive and good to hear! Nitto really knocked it out of the park with this design.

[@MK-yv7ng]

Rig is looking great! Glad to see those Nitto's impress. How's the road noise, mpg, improvement in power going from a heavier wheel/tire to this set up? Love the vids.

[@MatthewHeiskell]

Thanks! Great questions! I absolutely love my new wheel/tire setup! They have the comfort and efficiency of the stock tires, but the off-road capability of my KO2s. I highly recommend the Nomad Grapplers and RPF1s.

[@bmc_rc6212]

Great video on these tires. I'm planning on getting the falken wildpeak at trails but now I'm wondering about the Nitto nomads, what tire would you recommend or are they both about the same? Thanks, Ben

[@MatthewHeiskell]

Thanks! Buceyyyyy hates his Wildpeak AT Trails. I LOVE my Nomad Grapplers.

[@ajw9975]

Matthew, I'm considering these for the 1 month I do casual/occasional off-roading in the summer, and for 2 months in the winter (here in Metro Vancouver, BC). Can you comment on these in the winter snow/ice? And can you compare them to dedicated winters? For me its down to either the Nomad Grappler or the Nokian Outpost APT. Thanks.

[@MatthewHeiskell]

I’ve never used a dedicated winter tire, but I’ve used my Nomad Grapplers in the snow and ice and slush and they did really well. I don’t think you need a full winter tire if you have all wheel drive.

[@NothingCoherent]

Any concerns about durability on those light weight wheels? I was thinking of getting some Enkei's for my Crosstrek, but worry they'd get bent or damaged on the trail.

[@MatthewHeiskell]

That's a reasonable concern, but as long as you don't deflate them to 3 PSI and smash them against rocks they should be fine. The tires have a lot of sidewall to cushion impacts, and the wheels are only 7 inches wide so the sidewall sticks out a good bit and keeps the spokes safely recessed.

[@rrsurvival2039]

How big of a tire could I go on my 2020 Subaru Limited? Just bought it yesterday. First time owning a Subaru, and I am really excited about buying it. They have stock 225/55r18. Wondered if I could go up to a 60 series to get a little more ground clearance. And maybe a 235? Also, we live in the country on a pretty harsh dirt road. Will these Nitto tires hold up with decent resistance to rock punctures? Thanks.

[@MatthewHeiskell]

Congratulations! You made a great choice! I’ve hit many sharp rocks with my Nomad Grapplers without issue. I highly recommend them! Okay, Here are your options: if you want to keep the 18” wheels and just upgrade the tires, then you could go all the way up to 245/60R18. These are 0.7” wider and 1.9” taller than stock. This is as big as you can go with or without a lift. And there might be a bit of harmless rubbing against the plastic wheel well liners under rare circumstances. If you got 245/55R18 tires, they would have the same 0.7” extra width, but only 0.9” taller, so they would never rub.

[@austingatewood7454]

Love the Subaru! I have a 2023 wilderness forester curious whats your wheel size and tire ? Do you feel I can fit them on my rig without any issues ?

[@MatthewHeiskell]

Thanks! Nice choice! You can fit up to a 245/65R17 tire, but you need to stick with the factory offset of +45mm or really close to it, like my +48mm offset. I recommend keeping your current wheels and swap the rubber. The size I mentioned is 1.9” taller and 0.7” wider. The tires alone add nearly an inch of extra ground clearance. That, and the extra width add a lot of capability to the vehicle. I have the Nomad Grapplers and I like them much more than the KO2s that I had before.

[@austingatewood7454]

Really appreciate it brotha ! Definitely will take your advice. Stay safe and positive on the trail . #onelove

[@Crashe2009]

Great video as always man! Where are you moving to? If you’re coming out west, Arizona has some great places to off road.

[@MatthewHeiskell]

Thanks! Yeah, where are the spots in Arizona?

[@bruceyyyyy]

What PSI you running here?

[@MatthewHeiskell]

Street pressure, haha, I almost never air down. 32 in the front and 30 in the back.

[@user-ql3ge2us4s]

How are these in icy conditions? I debating whether they are safe enough for a bad winter versus getting a dedicated snow tire.

[@MatthewHeiskell]

Good question! I’ve driven them in the snow a good bit, they did very well. I don’t know about ice though. I think that the only thing that handles ice is a proper winter tire.

[@garydanter4543]

which tread design did you go with mountain or carabiner

[@MatthewHeiskell]

The sidewall designs? I put the mountains on the outside. Both are cool though!

[@eberzen15]

Which one is better falken wild peak or that tire that you have?

[@MatthewHeiskell]

My friend has wildpeaks on his excursion, he says that they are good, but the Nitto Nomad Gapplers are made specifically for small SUVs like Subarus. I highly recommend them.

[@godwhomismike]

I am going to be getting my '24 Crosstrek Limited very soon, and wondering how the Nitto Nomad Grapplers do in the winter (snow/ice). I want the stock Falken Ziex tires removed before I even get it. lol I love Subaru, but have zero love for any of the stock tires my previous four Subarus came with over the past 20 years. Heck, the Bridgestone Potenza RE92 tires my first Subaru came with nearly 20 years ago ('05 Legacy GT Limited) were so bad, I had completely written off Bridgestone brand altogether for nearly a decade before getting their Blizzak tires on my first Crosstrek in '13.

[@MatthewHeiskell]

I got to test my Nomad Grapplers in the Ohio winter weather. I though that they did extremely well. Much better than the stock tires and the KO2 tires, but I’ve never tried a specialized winter tire. I don’t know how bad your winters are, but the Nomad Grapplers are great for Ohio winters!

[@godwhomismike]

@@MatthewHeiskell Thank you. I'm in Northeast PA, so our winters are probably not too far off.

[@garyperrine3619]

What happens to warranties and extended warranty. I have 2021 SUBARU FORESTER TOURING with 7000 and bought it 13 months ago new

[@MatthewHeiskell]

If you want to be 100% sure that Subaru will honor their warranty, then you should to get the tires in the normal/stock size. I have larger and wider tires, Subaru would likely use that as an excuse to deny a warranty claim for a related component that failed. But I’ve been running oversized tires for 3 years and all the suspension, steering, and transmission, and CVs have been perfect.

[@garyperrine3619]

@@MatthewHeiskell thanks much

[@CRVgarage]

Can I switch to 235/65r17 Nomads without any suspension lift or offset??

[@MatthewHeiskell]

What year and vehicle are you driving? On a 2019+ Forester you can actually go even larger than that without rubbing. My 245/65R17 tires fit with or without a lift. My offset is +45mm. That is super close to the stock offset of +48mm

[@CRVgarage]

@@MatthewHeiskell sorry, my ride is a 21 Forester.

[@MatthewHeiskell]

Nice! Yeah, you can easily fit 235/65R17 but you can also go a little bigger and do 245/65R17 like me! More ground clearance and traction

[@CRVgarage]

@@MatthewHeiskell ty so much.

[@NothingCoherent]

Second question: do you notice any improvement with ascending and climbing now, with the lighter weight setup? Or is climbing around in those ruts similar? I've always thought that it's possible for KO2s to worsen our offroad performance, in a weird sort of paradox, because they are so heavy. I know I really miss having low range when I compare my Subaru to my pickup. I wonder if heavy tires would magnify that problem, but I have no baseline to compare since I'm still on stock.

[@MatthewHeiskell]

Great questions! I can't notice a difference when it comes to climbing, but in theory, all that nose weight from the heavier black steel bumper was helping me climb. As the car's nose is elevated, while climbing a hill, weight is moved from the front wheels to the back wheels. So the heavier bumper kept the car closer to a 50/50 weight distribution while climbing. The new aluminum bumper is about half the weight, saving 50 pounds. The car is still nose heavy, but it handles better on the street now. Yeah, the extra weight of the KO2s does not really help, haha. I think the problem is that they are really designed for heavier trucks. Mine had "LT" in the size . . . meaning Light Truck. The KO2s were SUPER durable, but they were simply not a good match for my little Subaru. My new tires do not have the "LT" even though they are the same exact size. They are a better match for my Subaru's weight so the sidewalls flex and conform and grip the terrain better. I can't believe that I ran those KO2s for 2.5 years, haha, oh well, you live and learn.

[@NothingCoherent]

@@MatthewHeiskell Appreciate you taking the time to answer. Really helps me navigate building my car. Love your channel, keep it up!

[@ojbarberena7090]

How is the CVT holding up?

[@MatthewHeiskell]

The CVT is alive and well! I think that the transmission cooler mod is the key to its survival. The engine on the other hand . . . it spontaneously failed at 35,000 miles . . . sudden rod knock while accelerating. Subaru could not determine why it failed, but they replaced the engine.

[@SteveC-Aus]

@@MatthewHeiskell my bet would be the intake, leave the new engine stock, don't mess around with intakes and catch cans.

[@MatthewHeiskell]

@@SteveC-Aus I got rid of the oil catch can, but I'm sticking with the intake. I've never had a lean-code on it. They said that the problem was oil starvation but they don't know what caused it. Also, it had plenty of oil in it when it failed. You can see some more about it in my Instagram reel, just click the link, you don't need an account to view it: instagram.com/reel/CbyCFu3FCMC/

[@umrdyldo4872]

@@MatthewHeiskell when I had mine on it was hella lean. +10-13 fuel trim. Which is below the code threshold but really unsafe. Check your fuel trims. Especially at mid throttle

[@MatthewHeiskell]

@@umrdyldo4872 You're talking about the intake, right? How did you read the fuel trims?

[@blackgreyhound]

You should try them off road.

[@MatthewHeiskell]

That’s a great idea, will do!