General Grabber HD Review

A durable tire ideally suited for use on commercial trucks, the General Grabber HD combines toughness with all-season civility and capability.

PROS

  • Durable
  • Well-priced
  • Good in the wet

CONS

  • Stiffer ride
  • Not great for winter
  • limited sizes

   

Made from General’s Duragen tread compound this tire is designed to hold up under heavy loads and heavy abuse. It’s engineered to resist cutting and chipping while still maintaining grip all year long. We’d still recommend proper winter tires when called for, or there are similar commercial-grade tires that also offer more winter capability, like the Michelin Agilis CrossClimate, however they do cost significantly more.

The tire’s physical shape has also been engineered with a flatter and therefore wider footprint. The outside shoulder treads are at an almost 90 degree angle and also are packed tightly on the inside to give maximum stability. While this can help with handling, it’s primary purpose here is better weight distribution and, as a result, better wear resistance. Those tread blocks will also flex much less under acceleration and braking, helping prolong their life and limit wear as a result of heavy loads and high-torque engines.

There is no tread life warranty on these tires, but we’d expect approximately 50,000 miles based on a survey of owners.

Yet another feature that signals this tire’s commercial design is an added layer of rubber on the sidewall. This is designed to protect the tire’s structure with repeated friction against curbs – as is likely on a vehicle like a commercial delivery van.

Internally these tires make use of dual polyamide reinforcements which help it handle heavy loads without impacting tread life. The result is a slightly stiffer ride, but that’s not unusual with commercial-grade tires. We have noticed from inspecting consumer reviews that there are complaints about ride quality from owners of some smaller crossovers, which really should never be running these tires in the first place.

In addition to these many features, price is a compelling reason to opt for the Generals.

General Grabber HD Price

Pricing for the General Grabber HD ranges from around $100 per tire for a 15-inch fitment to just under $200 per tire for an 18-inch size.

   

General Grabber HD Warranty

General Tire does not back the Grabber HD with a specific mileage warranty. It does, however, come with a 45 day satisfaction guarantee.

The brand’s standard limited warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship with a free replacement on tires within the first 2/32-inch of treadwear or first year of ownership (whichever comes first) and a pro-rated replacement after that time and until six years from the date of purchase.

General Grabber HD Sizes

15-inch sizes
185/60/R15
195/70/R15

16-inch sizes
195/75/R16
215/85/R16
225/75/R16
245/75/R16
235/85/R16
235/65/R16
265/75/R16

17-inch sizes
235/80/R17
245/70/R17
245/75/R17
265/70/R17

18-inch sizes
265/70/R18
275/70/R18
275/65/R18

How long do General Grabber HD tires last?

While it does not come with a tread life warranty from the factory, based on a survey of users, you should expect a set of General Grabber HD tires to last approximately 50,000 miles – even when used regularly for towing. This assumes proper inflation over the life of the tire, as well as regular tire rotation.

Is the General Grabber HD good in snow?

While grip in the wet is above average, the Grabber HD is not great in the snow. Siping on the tread is limited, while the hard compound that’s designed for durability quickly hardens in colder temperatures and loses its grip.

General Grabber HD vs HTS60

The General Grabber HTS60 and Grabber HD can be cross-shopped, although there are some major differences that are use to push you one direction or another.

The HTS60 is a highway terrain tire designed for on-road driving with mild off-road capability when needed. The Grabber HD is built with a slight edge in off-road capability, but more importantly it’s designed to withstand off-road use without wearing prematurely. It’s important to remember that the Grabber HD is a commercial tire and is designed to take abuse.

This is also true when looking at the sidewall. The Grabber HD makes use of added protection on the sidewall to help protect it on the work site or even if its just rubbing up against curbs.

The Grabber HD comes with a particularly durable tread compound and design that’s built to also hold up when used for towing. Plus, the exterior tread blocks that are almost connected to each other work to limit flex under acceleration and braking. Designed for use on large, high-torque HD pickup trucks, it’s designed to handle a big workload.

Handling on the HTS60 is superior, as is winter grip. Wet traction is a wash between the two tires.

The Grabber HD does have a slightly stiffer ride.

Finally, the Grabber HD, as you might expect, comes with a wider selection of LT tires with the Load Range E designation.