Hey Bill, What do you think of those Terra Grapplers?
They are so far superior to the OEM Pirelli Scorpions that it's hard to make any honest comparison sound reasonable, but I'll try.
Grip - With the Traction Control (TC) on, I could easily break the Scorpions loose on dry pavement while straight and level, causing the TC to pull power off the primary drive wheel. This was made even easier in wet weather conditions. God forbid you attempt a full power take off in a curve. With the Terra Grapplers, breaking the tires free just isn't possible, even running the Performance Script on my new SuperChips programmer. I can bark them pretty impressively, but not slip them enough to engage the TC.
Road Noise - Because of the considerably more aggressive tread pattern, the Terra Grapplers are slightly louder than the OEM Scorpions, but I do mean
slightly. Windows closed you can just make out the smallest bit of hum. Windows open and you'll never hear them at all over the normal wind noise.
Feel and Feedback - At 34 psi (cold) the Terra Grapplers simply provide an amazing amount of confidence back to the driver. You can feel them grip, you can hear them growl when you really start to push them and they let go very predictably and gently, both front and rear, depending on how you push them past their break point. At 36 psi (cold) they start to feel a little bit bouncy to me in an empty FX4 SCrew (I've been playing with tire pressure hunting for the perfect balance between grip and mileage). I never had similar confidence or feel in the OEM Scorpions.
Price - The Terra Grapplers are quite a bit more expensive than the OEM Scorpions. I was able to find them for a bit over $300 each all over the internet and closer to $350 each in local shops. I got lucky and bought mine during a Buy 3 Get 1 Free promotion and that helped with the costs considerably.
Durability - Not yet able to make an honest comparison. I got 30k miles out of my OEM Scorpions before I upgraded to the Terra Grapplers, and in all honesty, they probably had another 5k worth of life in them. I've only got about 5k on the Terra Grapplers thus far, so it will be some time before I can make an honest durability comparison. I recognize that the Grapplers don't come with any sort of mileage guarantee and in all honesty, if I can get 30k miles out of them, I will be thrilled given all of the other advantages.
Looks - The OEM Scorpions didn't look all that bad, though they always left me wondering why someone would want to install street tires on an off road truck package. The Terra Grapplers look considerably more aggressive, both in tread pattern and sidewall visuals, assuming you like the all black profile. In fact, the Grapplers give you a choice of two different lettering fill options in that they can be mounted with either side out, each featuring a slightly different lettering scheme.
Over All - To be honest, I have to ask myself how long it took Ford to fire the guy that approved putting Pirelli Scorpions on an F-150 FX4 (off road) package. Then I have to ask myself why I waited even 30k miles before upgrading. I read all the hype on these tires, I've tried to be mindful of the pro's and con's associated with them based on other owners reviews and opinions, but I have to admit that so far, I've seen only positive gains and no detractors. I will, of course, continue to build my opinion over the next 30k miles and let you know how they hold up over time.
With all due respect...
Bill