Mother Nature is a fickle mistress but sometimes her random weather patterns really help a fellow out. That was the case on the first day of spring when she left 6 inches of snow on the ground. I was able to get some tire testing done in the snow with our General Grabber ATX.
Grabber ATX in the Snow
It usually takes a few months before I get to write a snow review. Tires usually show up in February or March and here in Maryland, there won’t be any snow until December or the next January. This year the weather was particularly kind and dropped enough snow to give us some worthwhile testing conditions.
Grabber ATX Dry Traction and Road Noise
Have you ever read the meme where it says “Let’s have a conversation on the way home.” and the picture is a set of aggressive mud terrain tires? These are the exact opposite of that. Comfortable ride, never harsh over bumps, and quiet. Even quieter than the stock all-terrain tires that came on the JL.
Dry weather traction is excellent. No squealing, sliding, or other handling quirks. The tread is solid and doesn’t wiggle around under load. Typically that is a trait found in more aggressive mud terrain tires but there have been some budget all-terrains over the years that have had a wandering feeling even in good weather.
No surprises when braking either. Steady, smooth, and controlled. All of that leads me to the next bit.
General Tire Quality
This is the second set of General Tires that I have tested. (Grabber X3) Both sets have been exceptional quality tires and there are subtle things you notice right away when you look them over.
They can stand on their own without leaning or rolling from an inherent imbalance. Most poor quality tires fall over or start rolling. That’s because they have extra weight somewhere along the circumference that causes them to be unstable.
The General Tires are perfectly stable and this is further proved when I got them balanced. 10 total tires and not a single one took more than 2.75 ounces of weight. When you are dealing with 35 and 37-inch tires that is not a regular occurrence. Many of the other tires I have tested have taken up to 16 ounces of weight! I even had one set that was unable to be balanced.
Grabber ATX Wet Weather
Wet weather and larger tires can be an odd mix. The width of the tire can lead to hydroplaning, the open blocky tread doesn’t give a very large contact patch to overcome the reduction in grip and it can be like skating on ice.
The Grabber ATX has none of those negatives. Plenty of micro-siping, excellent tread design, large pathways for the standing water to escape through all work to keep the tire in contact with the road surface. Except for the very slickest pieces of pavement the traction provided is as good as a dry day. You can get the tires to spin with a bunch of right foot application, but it’s only because you wanted to.
Benchmark
At this stage, the General Grabber ATX, and General Grabber X3 are the benchmarks that all other tire reviews will compete against. Both tires are that much better than the average, that it will be a tall order to match, much less beat their performance.
So I am purchasing a Ram 3500 DRW and looking for good all terrain tires. I am looking at the General ATX and BF Goodrich TA/02 which I had on my last Ram 3500. In your opinion which is the best tire and best for all around use.
Both are great tires. I personally prefer the new ATX for overall performance.
@wiliamconnor
Hi, I’m purchasing a tire mainly in icy conditions. I’ll be driving through Golden, to Lake Louise and Jasper. What tire would you recommend more for icy conditions, the AT2 or the ATX?
Thanks.
Ryan: The ATX is a stud ready tire. Makes it ideal for icy conditions. Even if you don’t use studs the ATX is my preferred choice. Newer tread tech.
How would you compare the ATX to BFG KO2 when it comes to 1. Road noise and 2. Snow performance?
I am currently running the KO2’s in 225/65-17 on my VW T5 Multivan (😉). I think they have performed great, but I’m considering the ATX in 235/65-17. The standardized European label shows 2 dB less noise on the ATX. (3 dB reduction is theoretically equivalent to half the noise)
Without writing an entire book I prefer the ATX for both noise and snow over the KO2. The bigger difference is after several thousand miles the KO2 got noisier and the ATX has not changed. Both are good in the snow but the ATX is stud ready and is more predictable with how it reacts when driving.
After the General ATX is out for awhile it will most definitely gain popularity over the new KO2. For some reason BFG changed the rubber compound and this will cost them a ton of long time customers.
I am totally amazed at my new ATX 35X12.5’s on my Jeep!!!!
I’ve got a Sierra 1500 that I use to tow a travel trailer and boat occasionally. Spend about 95% of the time on the road. I’m looking to replace my tires with either the General Grabber ATX’s or Continental TerrainContact A/T. I want a more aggressive look with low noise and without giving up gas mileage. I see you’ve reviewed them both. Any thoughts? They seem to be comparable in wet and snow conditions.
The Continental tires are a heavier duty tire made for towing and large trucks. I would give a slight edge in the snow to the ATX tires. The Continental really awesome on the highway and super smooth ride. The ATX is more aggressive looking.
It’s really a toss-up as to what you want more. The ATX is more aggressive, the Continental is a little bit better as far as noise and as a guess returns a little better fuel mileage.
What are your thoughts on the ATX vs APT!!??? Is the ATX just as good as the APT in everyday driving then better in an off road manner??
I will be 90 % day to day driving on paved county roads then tow a snowmobile trailer in the winter, winters are more of an icy snow mix vs heavy snowfalls in our area but we head north too. Are the ATX better in wet rainy roads than the APT or vis-versa??
I have not owned APT’s but just put new KO2s on our Rubicon as I got all 5 installed for $860 Canadian otd!!!! So want something different on our 2016 Ram 1500. Thanks for your time and opinion
Thanks Michael M
Either tire is an excellent choice. The APT is a better road only tire. It’s OK Off-Road on our Titan. If you only do dirt roads or basic Off-Road the APT is the better tire. Another option is the Continental Terrain Contact. More aggressive than the APT and if you tow a much heavier rated tire. It also performed excellently in the snow.
Getting tires for my jeep. Mostly road but off road on occasion. What do you pick between the two grabbers you reviewed ATX or X3
The ATX was more road friendly but the X3 was just so good overall I would go with the X3. You won’t be disappointed in either.
What would your choice be between the cooper at3 XLT and the atx? And why?
What vehicle? The XLT is suited for a heavier vehicle like a full-size truck versus the ATx which is perfect for a Jeep or lighter vehicle. I prefer the ATx tread pattern for off-road and would consider the ATP from Cooper a more direct competitor.
Great article thanks. I have a 2004 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab 2500HD. Considering the ATX for mostly East Coast road and occasional North Carolina soft beach sand and Maryland / Pennsylvania snow. This tire or other better options. Thanks.
This is an excellent tire. If you tow heavy loads you want to make sure you purchase the proper weight rated tire or go with the Terrain Contact from Continental.
Great article and opened my mind to General tires. I’ve been a loyal Good Year Duratrac buyer, but am needing A/T tires for my 2006 Ford F350. I bought it used and it had Michelin’s LTX AT/2 which have been great, but I’m wondering your recommendation for a 10k lb truck pulling a 4h horse trailer over mountain roads? I’d say 30% of the time I have a trailer of some sort hooked to the truck. I live on a gravel road and like good tread life, snow traction and mileage. I like the Michelin’s, but they are spendy so wondering if there is a comparable or better tire for less money?
Check out the Continental Terrain-Contact tires we reviewed. https://4wheelsandamotor.com/tires/review-continental-terrain-contact-terrain/ My wife and I hauled a Jeep through a snowstorm in Wisconsin. We got a lot of miles out of these with a lot less wear than most tires. With a 10 ply tread and a load range E rating, it’s what you are looking for.
What are your thoughts on a Toyota Land Cruiser Tire for lots of rain and snow in Seattle. Live up a very steep hill and we get deep snow. I had great luck with KO2’s on my expedition but have a different car now.
Honestly, I think the ATX would work for you. It definitely has the best snow traction of the tires I have tested over the years. It has good wet weather grip and doesn’t hydroplane easily. The other recommendation would be something from Nokian Tire. A tire like their Rotiiva AT would work well if you don’t do a lot of off-road driving.
Currently have Mickey Thompson MT/X LT285/70R17s on my 2015 Toyota Tacoma. The road noise during full speed highway driving is terrible. I can barely hear my high quality stereo and have to blare the volume. So, I am looking to replace current tires with a high quality (not concerned about price) AT tire with good off road performance BUT quiet performance during highway driving (70-80 mph). Is the Grabber ATX my right choice? Other recommendations? Again, I am not rich, but I am most certainly willing to pay for a great product.
These are excellent tires that are quiet on-road. They are the best AT tire we have tested.
I have a 2011 RAM 1500 Outdoorsman that came stock with LT 275 70R17 Tires. This is a limited size now and I am considering the Nokian Rotiva AT+ and the General Grabber ATX. I pull a 7,000 lb. Travel Trailer 6 or 7 times in the Summer and do a little Hunting in the Fall – nothing rugged off-road. So, most of my driving is on-road. I just hit 63,000 km on my BFG KO 2’s and they are vibrating , noisy, etc. – will not buy them again. Which would you recommend over the Nokian Rotiva & General Grabber? Thanks!
I can’t speak on the Rotiva AT+. Nokia makes quality tires but they sometimes ride a little rough with a stiff construction. I definitely like the Grabber ATX as an overall tire with good wear characteristics.
I need to get good winter tires for my Ford Raptor. It has very large wheels: 315/70/17. No true winter tires are made for this size ( even Nokkian stopped making them this year). What is a better choice for driving in snow/icy hills : General Grabber ATX or Kumho Road Venture? Called two different tire shops and got tow different opinions.
Or any other suggestions? Thanks!
Do they no longer make the Hakkapeliitta LT3? I really liked the ATX tire and cannot recommend it enough. I don’t have much time with the Kumho tire. Most I have used are good tires and perform well. For this choice though I would go with the ATX.