Grappler

To help with rescue operations, a Tuffy Security drawer was added in the back and a Warn Multi Mount 9.5 TI winch was bolted to the top. The Multi Mount allows the Warn winch to be moved and mounted in a variety of positions, wherever there's a receiver hitch. Fire extinguishers, a first aid kit, a multitude of straps, chains, and sundry, and other rescue equipment reside in or on the Tuffy box. Blaine Johnson helped with the installation of the Code 3 emergency lights and the strobes in the marker lights.

We put the Grappler through its paces during our photo shoot and can report it works very well. The Mud Grappler tires made some noise on the pavement, but they didn't shake a bit at higher speeds -- even with no balance weights attached! Off-road, the Mud Grapplers showed surprising versatility in the sand dunes and on slickrock. The Currie suspension has been around for a while now and is a proven product. Using it on the lengthened Unlimited was an eye-opener, though. The Jeep was very stable, no matter what attitude we got it into. Having the front and rear adjustable Anti-Rock antisway bars were a boon, too. We could dial-in the suspension right to where we wanted it. Walker Evans coilovers and shocks offered great adjustability, too, and it made a surprising difference when adjusting them even one click.

During the shoot, one of the other vehicles rolled and the Grappler came to the rescue and righted it again (we might mention here that if it has four wheels, Clifton can roll it). If there are any negatives that need to be mentioned, it's the lengthened body of the Unlimited behind the rear wheelwells. We smashed down pretty hard back there when coming off of steep drops. In our opinion, Jeep should have left that part of the Wrangler unchanged from the regular YJ with its minimum overhang in back.

Nitto Tires has a superb vehicle it can show off and showcase its tires in the tough off-road environment. The Curries have a Jeep they can take pretty much anywhere and not only give their products exposure, but can help others in need in places there isn't much help. The Grappler off-road rescue Wrangler will get you home.