General Grabber X3 Review
With lots of show and the go to back it up, the General Grabber X3 is one seriously capable (and good looking) mud terrain tire for your truck or SUV.
PROS
- True mud-terrain capability
- Off-road durability
- Cool red lettering
CONS
- A touch loud
- Red lettering can come off
A go-to brand for plenty of truck and Jeep owners, the Grabber X3 is the brand’s most extreme mud-terrain tire and consistently gets rave reviews from experts and owners alike.
The Grabber X3 comes with the sort of tread pattern you’d expect on a true mud-terrain tire, with four rows of lugs with lots of void space between them to make sure the tire can dig in deep and then spew out loose terrain. And that’s not just limited to mud (as the name suggests) but sand, gravel and loose dirt too.
The treads themselves come with a unique siping pattern to help grip, and even provide some grip in snow. Mud-terrain tires are often mentioned when it comes to powering through snow, although we’d still recommend a softer compound (a true winter rated tire) that can continue to operate when the mercury drops.
As for the tire’s makeup, it uses a 3-ply construction and the brand’s DuraGen Technology for the tire compound, giving added durability, protecting the tire itself from punctures. The tread blocks that run down the sidewall, combined with the 3-ply construction allow the tire to survive cuts and slashes against the sidewall from sharp rocks. It also makes the Grabber X3 more durable in the long term and can withstand the added stress of being aired up and down repeatedly.
That tread compound technology also means that when you are driving on-road, it’s better designed to operate there. Small cuts and chips on a tire tread can make for uneven wear over time (leading to premature tire wear) and also limit the tire’s contact patch. Just remember, your truck is only touching the ground with four small spaces at the bottom of each tire, about the size of your hand. So making sure every bit of that tread is working at it’s max, is critical.
The unique sidewall design serves a dual purpose of allowing for some additional grip in loose ground (you can easily see the alternating design to add more edges), while also adding an extra thick layer of protection against being cut by larger, sharp stones.
As for every-day drivability, General did go to great lengths to design a mud terrain tire that isn’t too loud on-road. The tread pattern helps minimize noise, although it could be quieter.
And while it’s completely superficial, one of our favorite features of the Grabber X3 is the bold red lettering on the sidewall. Just be careful how you take care of your tires though. While the lettering is protected from most scrapes out on the trail, it can be worn off by aggressive cleaning or pressure washers.
General Grabber X3 Price
Pricing for the General Grabber start at roughly $170 a tire for some 15-inch sizes and tops out around $550 per tire for the largest 20-inch size.
General Grabber X3 Warranty
Like most MT tires, the Grabber X3 is not covered by any type of mileage warranty for treadwear. It does, however, get General’s 45 day satisfaction guarantee, where it can be returned within the first 45 days if you’re not completely satisfied.
Also, like all General tires, its covered by a limited warranty on materials and workmanship that will cover the tire’s replacement for the first year or first 2/32nds of an inch of treadwear. After that period, all General tires are covered by a pro-rated replacement cost that lasts until 6 years or the final 2/32nds of tread depth.
Who Makes General Grabber?
General tire is a division of Continental Tire, one of the world’s leading tire manufacturers. The tires themselves are manufactured at one of Continentals plants, depending on the specific tire and what market it is sold in.
What Vehicles Do These Tires Fit on?
- Chevrolet Tahoe, Silverado, Suburban, Colorado, Trailblazer, S-10
- Dodge Dakota, Ram
- Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, Ranger
- GMC Sierra, Canyon
- Jeep Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, Liberty, Cherokee, Commander
- Land Rover Discovery
- Nissan Xterra, Pathfinder, Frontier, Titan
- Ram 1500
- Toyota Tacoma, Tundra, Sequoia
General Grabber X3 Sizes
15-inch tires
31X10.50R15LT
33X10.50R15LT
33X12.50R15LT
35X12.50R15LT
16-inch tires
LT265/75R16
LT265/75R16
LT285/75R16
LT315/75R16
17-inch tires
37X12.50R17LT
37X12.50R17LT
LT255/75R17
35X12.50R17LT
35X12.50R17LT
LT265/70R17
LT265/70R17
LT285/70R17
LT295/70R17
LT295/70R17
LT315/70R17
33X12.50R17LT
33X12.50R17LT
18-inch tires
37X12.50R18LT
LT265/70R18
LT275/70R18
LT275/70R18
LT295/70R18
35X12.50R18LT
35X12.50R18LT
LT275/65R18
33X12.50R18LT
33X12.50R18LT
20-inch tires
37X13.50R20LT
37X13.50R20LT
LT275/65R20
LT295/65R20
LT295/65R20
33X12.50R20LT
35X12.50R20LT
35X12.50R20LT
LT295/55R20
LT305/55R20
LT305/55R20
Is the General Grabber X3 Good in Snow?
The Grabber X3’s huge tread lugs and massive amount of void space mean it can churn through snow easily. However, the tread compound is not designed for colder temperatures and will freeze up easily impacting grip long term. It’s also important to note that snow tires work on a different principle than mud tires. Instead of forcing snow away, winter tires are designed to hold onto snow and use it to create traction/friction against snowy surfaces. The Grabber X3 features no real siping on the surface of the tire meaning its ability to grip the road in freezing temperatures or in light snow is limited.
It is not certified for extreme winter use and does not feature the three-peak mountain snowflake logo on its sidewall.
Is the General Grabber X3 Loud?
As a brand, General Tire sits on the high end of the middle tier of tire manufacturers and their tires reflect that. That said, efforts have been made to minimize tread noise, however, these are extreme mud tires and will be noticeably louder than conventional all-terrain tires.
What Ply is the General Grabber X3?
Like almost all mud-terrain tires the General Grabber X3 makes use of a 3-ply sidewall to better protect against sidewall punctures. At the same time, this extra ply allows the tire to be aired down for off-road use and aired back up again, repeatedly, without damaging the tire or impacting overall tire life.
General Grabber X3 vs BFGoodrich KO2
Comparing the General Grabber X3 with the BFGoodrich All Terrain TA KO2 seems strange at first, considering the Grabber X3 is a true mud-terrain tire, while the KO2 is an all-terrain tire. However, when you consider that the BFG is a more extreme AT tire, it starts to make sense.
In terms of tread design, the Grabber X3 makes use of four rows of tread blocks, that have more tread depth and loads more void space between them. This means it offers next-level traction in loose surfaces. The KO2, however, has something along the lines of a more conventional five-row tread block setup, although the interior section of tread is really more of a single area of interlocking blocks, rather than rows. While featuring plenty of void space (for an all-terrain tire) between the blocks for grip in loose surfaces, it just can’t compare to the Grabber X3. The many angles of the BFG’s tread blocks though does offer heightened grip in many directions.
The X3 offers superior grip both on rocks and definitely in mud or loose earth. It also features more aggressive stone ejectors to help self-clean rocks or mud from the contact patch.
For off-road durability, the KO2s are famous for offering some of the most puncture-proof sidewalls in the all-terrain segment. Still, they can’t quite compare to the 3-ply sidewall of the Generals.
Comparing ride quality, it’s really no contest. The Grabber X3s have a stiffer ride, with worse on-road grip and are much, much louder. The BFGs, in comparison, seem like all-seasons on the road.
In terms of tread life, while the KO2s have one of the shortest tread life warranties for an all-terrain tire at 55,000 miles, the Grabber X3s come with none – which is almost always the case with mud-terrain tires.
As for pricing, this is perhaps one of the biggest reasons to compare these two tires. Generally speaking mud-terrain tires cost significantly more than all-terrain tires. It’s also a general rule the the KO2s are some of the most expensive all-terrain tires you can buy. As a result, these tires come within just a few dollars of each other depending on the specific fitment.