General Grabber APT is an on-road all-terrain tire that is built for light-duty all-terrain and light winter conditions. This unique tire met most users’ needs and it’s developed for CUVs, SUVs, and light trucks. Grabber APT is the last member of General’s Grabber Family. Let’s dig into it and see if it’s what you need!
| General Grabber APT | |
|---|---|
| Best for | Cozy driving, light-duty off-road driving, deep snow traction |
| Pros | Long-lasting rubber, Smooth driving |
| Cons | Heavy inner structure, lack of self-cleaning capability, average powder snow traction |
| Vehicle | SUV, 1-2 ton, 3/4 ton pickup trucks |
| Available Sizes | 16”, 17”, 18”, 20”, 22” (Check if it fits your vehicle) |
| Made In | US, Mexico, Czech Republic (22”) |
| Labels | 3PMSF |
| Warranty | 60,000 miles |
As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, General Grabber APT isn’t a well-optimized tire. Even though it’s built for a smooth highway driving, its heavy inner structure causes balance issues and increases the MPG. Though, I like its loose-ground traction capability. Moreover, it’s a great tire if you see packed snow instead of slush and powder snow. So, if you’re living in severe winter conditions and want an aggressive appearance and deep snow traction at the same time General Grabber APT is your tire.
All-Terrain Tires Cheat Sheet
Finding the ideal all-terrain tire among the plethora of options available can be overwhelming. But don’t worry, my team and I have taken on this challenge head-on. Besides our hands-on experiences with these tires, we also analyze thousands of customer reviews and test reports.
Please note that: Light-Duty is 1500 series, Medium-Duty is 2500 series and Heavy-Duty is 3500 series. If you do towing or hauling, I recommend considering at least Medium-Duty tires.
Mobile users can scroll the table to the left to see the whole data.
Table of Contents
Dry Traction
Unlike winter and wet traction, Dry traction needs different requirements.
Most all-terrain tires don’t have any issues with dry traction due to their tons of biting edges. These edges (the frame of lugs and sipes) help tires to hold their ground in slippery conditions.
However, sometimes, starting with this amount of edges could cause a bit of delay in dry conditions. Regarding General Grabber APT, things are a bit different.
Unlike most all-terrain tires, the amount of notches for this tire is lower. Besides that its rubber is slightly softer than other all-terrain tires on the market.
This well-balanced compound & sipe density provides sporty driving on dry surfaces.
General Grabber APT provides sporty dry traction. I strongly recommend it for aggressive drivers.
Handling
If you’re changing from all-season tires, handling is the most important feature you should pay attention to.
All-Terrain tires are traction-focused tires. Hence, their highway features are behind the all-season tires.
Since these tires have less rubber on the road, they’re less responsive than all-season tires in the market.
In that case, balancing the void area, compound stiffness, and sidewall stiffness is crucial.
So, there are two metrics out here that you should definitely pay attention to.
Let’s analye them one by one.
Steering Response
Steering responsive is basically the time between your steering input and your tire’s action.
So, all-terrain tires are wide and heavy tires. For this reason, of course, their steering response is slower than all-season tires.
In a word, it doesn’t make sense to compare this with all-season tires. Hence, this analysis will cover only all-terrain tires.
General Grabber APT design is a combination of Nitto Ridge Grappler and Continental Terrain Contact AT. Both tires are known for their responsiveness.
So, how generally achieve quick steering response with these tires?
Simple, unlike most all-terrain tires, General Grabber APT has 3 sections. Two shoulders and one center section.
General Grabber APT’s shoulders are wide and robust. Hence, it has more rubber on the surface. Moreover, the center section of the General Grabber APT consists of interlocking blocks. These blocks work as one while wheeling and decrease the center section void area as much as they can. As a result, General Grabber APT can touch the ground from all angles and become one of the most responsive and highway-oriented tires in the market.
General Grabber APT offers a quick steering response.
Cornering Stability
Unlike steering response, cornering stability is related to the inner structure.
In that case, General Grabber APT’s DuraGen™Technology gets into the game.
Here are my outputs about this technology,
- The technology even makes the p-metric sizes a bit heavy
- It’s great for cornering stability and durability
- I’m not sure but it might cause balance issues on LT sizes
As a result, General Grabber APT provides great cornering stability. Yet, I still recommend observing the vibration level of these tires at least for the first 45 days of the trial for pickup owners. You may need replacements for some of them. No worries, the warranty will cover it.
Wet Performance
Similar to handling, wet performance has two different metrics.
- Wet Traction: Important for starting, stopping, and accelerating
- Hydroplaning Resistance: Ensures that you don’t lose control of your vehicle in a downpour
Both are related to different features. Let’s dig into them!
Wet Traction
Wet traction is related to compound stiffness and the sipe ratio.
So, General Grabber APT is a compact all-terrain tire. Hence, it has more rubber to touch the ground. It’s a huge advantage. Especially, if you wanna decrease the sipe amount on the shoulders.
General Graber APT has a 540 AB UTQG rating which means that its compound is slightly fluffier than the average. Why? Because General wants fewer sipes and they have enough rubber on the ground for decent traction.
I’m not going to say it’s gonna be best-wet tire, though, I like the idea behind it. Keeping the wet performance at the optimum level for a better MPG.
General Grabber APT offers decent wet traction.
Hydroplaning Resistance
While going through the puddles, if you put on the brakes, you may feel the floating feeling. This feeling is called hydroplaning resistance and it’s vital.
Due to their wide patterns, all-terrain tires tend to hydroplane more than all-season tires.
In this case, there are two features that are highly important. Open shoulder blocks and circumferential grooves.
General Grabber APT is great in both cases. Maybe that’s the reason people love to drive it on squishy regions.
Due to its two wide circumferential grooves and open shoulder blocks, General Grabber APT throws the water out with ease. Hence, it provides decent hydroplaning resistance.
Winter Traction
Winter traction of all-terrain tires can be tricky.
Because of their nature, all-terrain tires have stiffer compounds than other tire categories.
Since winter traction requires slippery surface traction, the fluffy compound and blocky pattern work best.
In this case, the real issue is light-snow, deep-snow, and ice traction should be separated because all of them need different features to provide decent traction.
Before starting to analyze them separately, I would like to state that General Grabber APT is branded with 3PMSF which means its compound can still work properly in the below 7 Celcius degrees (at or below 40º F).
Light Snow Traction
Light snow traction is similar to wet traction.
Unlike most people think, it’s more important and vital than deep snow traction.
The reason behind this is simple, on the surface of the roads, there is dust and dirt. You may not see them with the naked eye but this dirt and dust become a slight mud when combine with the light and relatively warmer snow.
In this case, General Grabber APT is neither great nor poor tire. Its fluffy compound provides enough grip for light snow. However, its sipe density is slightly behind for a non-questionable light-snow performance.
So, depending on where you live, this tire can be a great fit for you. Yet, I still recommend putting the below items into consideration.
- If you face slush so often, I recommend the warm these tires up before expecting a trustworthy traction
- If you mostly drive on plowed roads, these dude is a great option
In summary, General Grabber APT provides decent light-snow traction in occasional conditions. Yet, it’s still behind the tires like Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S or Falken Wildpeak AT Trail.
Deep Snow Traction
Deep snow traction is what I expect more from this tire.
Compare to other tires in the same category, General Grabber APT has a higher tread depth.
In fact, this is the reason dealers call this one a winter-oriented tire.
Due to its soft compound, blocky center section, and deep tread, General Grabber APT provides great traction on deep snow.
Ice Traction
Normally, with these features ( fluffy compound and compact pattern), achieving trustworthy ice traction is easy.
The issue out here isn’t traction. Handling.
If you face ice occasionally, General Grabber APT is your tire. However, its tread depth is too much for decent handling on the ice. I strongly recommend taking it easy with these ones. It can take you out of unexpected situations but you may probably lose handling with time.
Note: This is not a dedicated winter tire as the dealers market it.
Riding Quality
Riding quality is basically the rebounding absorption capability of the tire.
It’s related to compound stiffness, inner structure, and pattern design.
So, I’ve already talked about how its design is softer than the dedicated off-road tires. Besides that, its compound is fluffy which is another great advantage.
But the most important feature is ComfortBalance™ Technology.
This technology adds extra absorption later to the inner structure. This layer works perfectly regarding road force absorption. However, it decreases the heat resistance of the tire. That’s the reason that most p-metric sizes have a B heat resistance instead of A.
General Grabber APT offers a cozy drive.
Road Noise
Road noise is related to the void area ratio of the tire and the size of the lugs.
Regarding the void area, I think General Grabber APT is a great fit. However, the size of its lugs is too big.
Even though the center section is interlocked, the shoulders are robust and have a respectable amount of void area.
Due to its highly blocky shoulders, General Grabber APT is a slightly noisy tire on the highway.
Longevity
The longevity of the tires is tricky. It depends on your vehicle, driving habits, and driving conditions.
In this case, stiff compounds work best but it’s not the only metric you should put into consideration.
Tread depth and sipe density are also playing a big role out here.
Here is how it works,
- As long as the tire has fewer sipes, it tends to wear evenly. So, it provides better tread life. In this case, General Grabber APT has a great design.
- As I’ve mentioned before General Grabber APT has a deep tread. Good feature for longer tread life
- General Grabber APT has a fluffy compound and B-rate heat resistance, these aren’t what I wanna see on long-lasting tires.
Unlike most people think, I don’t believe that this is the greatest tire regarding tread life. For sure it’s above average. Yet, I think that you better use exact fit sizes if you wanna use this tire.
Besides that, you probably see comments like I drive 20,000 miles still there are tons of tread left. Of course, there are. Because the tire has a deep tread. I know these are do-gooder comments but they’re misjudged.
Getting maximum wear life from a tire is related to you as well as your tire,
If you’d like to learn how to get maximum tread life:
Off-Road Performance
As I’ve mentioned before, the design of this tire only fits light-duty off-road.
For this reason, this tire isn’t great on
- Rock Crawling
- Mud Driving
Regarding light-duty applications, let’s analyze them one by one.
Dirt Traction
I think that the dirt is where General Grabber APT shines.
It doesn’t have too many sipes but its fluffy compound and blocky shoulders provide decent traction on dirt.
General Grabber APT is a great tire for dirt.
Gravel Traction
Due to its blocky pattern and deep tread, General Grabber APT’s loose ground traction is great.
Since gravel is the easiest loose ground traction, General Grabber APT doesn’t have any traction-related issues.
However, in my point of view, there are two different metrics that are more important than its traction capability on the gravel.
Stone ejection capability and sidewall durability.
Regarding sidewall durability, it’s one of the best. However, I can’t say the same thing for stone ejection capability.
When I first time sees this tire, I was a bit suspicious about its self-cleaning capability.
Well, I was right (see the above picture).
The soft compound tends to hold stones. It’s not a big deal if you’re okay to clean them up after riding on the gravel. However, if you don’t like this kind of cleaning, it might become a headache for you.
Sand Traction
Due to its less aggressive pattern and deep tread, General Grabber APT can float on the sand. The sand traction may be the best feature of it.
Light Mud Traction
If this tire had a more aggressive pattern, it could be a great mud tire because of its deep tread.
However, the void area ratio in its tread is low. Hence, it can’t provide decent traction in the deep mud.
On the other hand, the issue isn’t traction on the light mud. Self-cleaning again.
Because of its deep tread, it needs time or high-speed driving to clean itself after the mud driving.
Due to its soft rubber, General Grabber APT can provide great light mud traction. However, at the beginning of tread life, self-cleaning could be an issue for you.
Sizes
| 16” | 17” | 18” | 20” | 22” |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LT215/85R16 115/112R E | 235/75R17 109T SL | 255/70R18 113T SL | 275/55R20 117T XL | 285/45R22 114H XL |
| LT225/75R16 115/112R E | 245/65R17 107T SL | 265/60R18 110T SL | 275/60R20 115T SL | |
| 235/70R16 106T SL | LT245/70R17 119/116R E | 265/65R18 114T SL | LT275/65R20 126/123S E | |
| LT235/85R16 120/116R E | 245/70R17 110T SL | LT265/70R18 113/110S C | ||
| LT245/75R16 120/116S E | LT245/75R17 121/118S E | 265/70R18 116T SL | ||
| 245/75R16 111T SL | 255/65R17 110T SL | LT275/65R18 123/120R E Not Rated For Severe Snow | ||
| 255/70R16 111T SL | 255/70R17 112T SL | 275/65R18 116T SL | ||
| 265/70R16 112T SL | 255/75R17 115T SL | P275/70R18 116S SL Not Rated For Severe Snow | ||
| LT265/75R16 123/120R E | 265/65R17 112T SL | LT275/70R18 125/122S E | ||
| 265/75R16 116T SL | LT265/70R17 112/109S C | 275/70R18 116S SL | ||
| 265/70R17 115T SL | ||||
| P285/70R17 117T SL |
Size Selection
Before we dive into selecting the right tire size, it’s essential to understand the tire standards that manufacturers follow.
Technical Standards & Regulations
In Europe, the tire standardizing organization is called ETRTO. In the United States, it’s The Tire and Rim Association (TRA), while in Japan, it’s the Japanese Automobile Tire Manufacturers Association (JATMA). Although there may be other organizations, they generally align with one of these three.
When it comes to passenger car tires, TRA designates them by placing the letter “P” in front of the size to indicate conformity to the TRA standard. On the other hand, ETRTO and JATMA do not use any letters, which can sometimes be confusing when determining which standard is being used.
For light truck tires, TRA uses the letters “LT” in front of the tire size, while JATMA places the letters “LT” after the size. ETRTO, however, uses the letter “C” after the size to indicate tires of this type.
In the realm of medium truck tires, ETRTO uses the letter “C” after the size to designate tires designed according to their standard. In contrast, TRA and JATMA do not use any letters in this context.
Now, here’s what’s essential: Tires with the same dimensions (size) may have different maximum load capacities depending on the standard being followed. So, it’s crucial to consider the relevant standard when choosing tires.
When it comes to load capacity designations, “SL” (Standard Load) and “XL” (Extra Load) are used for all passenger car tires, regardless of which standard is being followed. In the ETRTO standard, “Reinforced” is also used as an alternative to “XL.”
Load Range, on the other hand, is specific to TRA. ETRTO and JATMA use the term “Load Index.” While TRA references Load Indexes, it’s important to note that the values provided are approximate.
To sum it up, understanding the tire standards and designations is vital as they play a significant role in determining the right tire size and load capacity. By considering the appropriate standards, you can make an informed decision when selecting tires that meet your vehicle’s requirements.
Here are two great articles if you wanna dive deeper:
Load Range vs Load Index: https://www.discounttire.com/learn/load-range-load-index
Tire Sizing System: https://www.discounttire.com/learn/euro-vs-pmetric-tires
How to Select the Right Tire Size Based on Your Requirements?
When it comes to selecting tire sizes for your vehicle, it’s important to keep in mind that most vehicles offer more than one original equipment size. Let’s take the 2019 Ford F-150 Lariat Crew Cab 4WD as an example. You have three different tire size options: 275/55R20 SL, 275/65R18 Load Range C, or 275/65R18 SL.
Note: I use Toyo Open Country AT3 for an example tire. You can use this link to see tire options for your vehicle and then make a comparison between the sizes:
https://www.discounttire.com/fitment/vehicle
If you don’t know your tire size: https://tireterrain.com/find-tires-by-vin-number/
Let’s focus on comparing the 275/65R18 SL and 275/65R18 Load Range C options for a more detailed comparison. Your decision should be based on your priorities. If you prioritize a smooth ride and better handling, the SL option is the way to go. On the other hand, if you value hauling or towing performance and tire longevity, the Load Range C option would be a better fit.
As a tire engineer, my perspective often revolves around load-carrying capacity. Generally, tires with higher load capabilities tend to provide a stiffer ride. However, there’s a bit of an illusion to consider. When you compare the two tires in the same size, the SL-rated tire may initially appear to have a higher load capability. But here’s the catch: P metric tires, like the SL option, need to be derated by a factor of 1.1 when used on a truck. Crunching the numbers reveals that the SL option actually has a lower maximum load capability. Additionally, it boasts a lower tread depth, which translates to better responsiveness.
The same principles I mentioned earlier also apply when comparing XL and E Load range tires. In summary, if your vehicle allows for Passenger Car or LT (Light Truck) tires, going with a passenger option will provide you with better on-road manners. However, if you find yourself venturing off-road frequently, own a working truck, or regularly engage in towing and hauling heavy loads, then LT tires are generally the better choice for your needs.
Couple of tips for towing;
- Even though the load index of passenger car tires fits, when it comes to towing, sidewall stability is the issue. Hence, LT tires with Load Range C, D, or E provide better stability.
- Generally, a load index higher than 119 is recommended for towing
- Proper loading is important for even wearing. 60/40 rule should be followed. 60% of the weight should be on the front axle and 40%of weight should be applied rear axle of the trailer. Besides that, try to center load. Start with heavier ones if you gonna stack them up.
To wrap it up, selecting the right tires comes down to choosing the ones that align with your driving preferences and specific requirements.
Spec
| General Grabber APT | |
|---|---|
| Best for | Comfortable driving, light-duty off-road driving, deep snow traction |
| Vehicle | full size SUV, 1-2 tons, 3/4 ton pickup trucks |
| Available Sizes | 16”, 17”, 18”, 20”, 22” |
| Made In | US, Mexico, Czech Republic (22”) |
| Labels | 3PMSF |
| Warranty | 60,000 miles |
| Prices | Check Price Section to See Possible Best Prices |
Price
The tire market has a dynamic price policy. Hence, in my point of view, sharing tire price is pointless.
Though, I’ve analyzed the top 10 brands of most popular tire brands.
Here are the dealers with a reasonable price range,
DiscountTire
- Biggest dealer in the US. Founded in 1960
- 1000 stores in 35 states. You most probably find one on your parallel street
- Free rotation and balancing
- 5% off for DiscountTire cardholders on online purchase
- Highest rated online tire dealer in Consumer Affairs
- Almost all brands are available
- Delivery takes 2-4 days (30% shorter average waiting time when you book online)
- Frequent discounts and promotions
General Grabber APT: https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/general-grabber-apt
TireRack
- Fast and Free shipping
- Usually delivered in 1 day
- Joint venture with DiscountTire(their installers and dealers are on your service)
- Tons of installer options, they also help you to choose the best one
- Mobile installers in many areas, your tires will be replaced while you’re working in the office
- Tire test results and comparisons can be found on the most product page
- 4.6/5 points on Google rate
General Grabber APT: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/general-grabber-apt
SimpleTire
- Free shipping
- Delivered in 2 days
- Verified shops near you(for mount and balance)
- Mobile installation option
- 7 million customers since 2021
- 4.7/5 points on Google rate
- Top-notch customer service, you may even request a price match
General Grabber APT: https://simpletire.com/brands/general-tires/grabber-apt
Amazon
- Fast and free shipping (mostly in a day)
- Get your tires shipped to a selected service center or get them installed at home or work (how does it work?)
- Installation on Mavis Discount Tire (15$ per tire)
- Installing new stem valves supplied by pro
- Balancing your tires
- Road/safety test
- Since Amazon provides wholesale and affordable prices, they don’t offer a road hazard warranty
General Grabber APT: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=general+grabber+apt
While choosing dealers, I especially pay attention to reliability. All of the dealers on this list have 15-20 years of experience in the online tire business. Therefore, I can guarantee a smooth and fast tire buying process.
Conclusion
General Grabber APT is a great loose-ground tire that offers a smooth ride on the highway. Unlike most dealers claim, I think that this tire could be a bit rough for a CUV.
Even though it’s great on packed snow, I think that it needs improvement on slush or powder snow.
General Graber APT is a jack of all trades, master of none.
Even though it’s mainly built for highway driving, the tire is too heavy for decent handling and fuel efficiency.
It’s clear that the balancing is the issue. However, I don’t find it a big issue because of General’s 12 monthly replacement offer. If you face it, don’t waste money and time with rebalancing, just claim the warranty. You’ll get a new one.
| General Grabber APT | |
|---|---|
| Best for | Cozy driving, light-duty off-road driving, deep snow traction |
| Pros | Long-lasting rubber, Smooth driving |
| Cons | Heavy inner structure, lack of self-cleaning capability, average powder snow traction |
| Vehicle | SUV, 1-2 ton, 3/4 ton pickup trucks |
| Available Sizes | 16”, 17”, 18”, 20”, 22” (Check if it fits your vehicle) |
| Made In | US, Mexico, Czech Republic (22”) |
| Labels | 3PMSF |
| Warranty | 60,000 miles |
I hope the article was helpful. If you have any further questions, please leave them in to the below section. Have a safe ride folks!
