Firestone Transforce HT3 vs General Grabber HD tires

Firestone was established in 1900, and since then, this US-based tire giant has excelled in all forms of tire manufacturing, offering high-quality tires for use on passenger cars, pickup trucks, farm applications, OTRs, and commercial vehicles. It is now a subsidiary of the second-largest tire maker in the world, Bridgestone. Firestone has won many accolades in prestigious motorsports championships like Formula One and the Indianapolis 500. The variety of tires offered by the manufacturer includes all-season, all-weather, all-terrain, winter, UHP summer, UHP all-season, mud-terrain, rugged-terrain, and performance tires.

General was founded in 1915 and has its headquarters in Akron, Ohio. It is owned by Continental AG and makes high-quality tires for use on passenger cars, light trucks, commercial vehicles, and industrial equipment. The brand’s portfolio includes all-season, all-terrain, winter, all-weather, highway, UHP all-season, UHP summer, mud-terrain, and performance types of tires.

Coming from these brands, the Firestone Transforce HT3 and the General Grabber HD are the two reliable all-season tires suitable for use on fully-loaded light trucks to offer reliable everyday drives and let you haul your equipment to the job site or take the boat to the lakeside. They both are suitable for use in dry, wet, and light snow conditions. While the Firestone Transforce HT3 is specifically made for use on light trucks, the utility of Grabber HD extends further to light trucks and SUVs.

As both tire brands incorporate advanced features and technologies to deliver superior performance, it could be difficult for tire buyers to choose the better option as per their driving needs. So, in this Transforce HT3 vs Grabber HD tires comparison, let’s analyze the traction, handling, and longevity of these tires based on their SimpleScore. Additionally, we will also take a look at the warranty, price, and other details of these tires.

Firestone Transforce HT3 tires

The Firestone Transforce HT3 was launched in October 2024. This dependable all-season tire is optimized and engineered to offer solid year-round traction, improved wet handling, long-lasting tread life, and increased durability. Whether you need a tire for everyday driving or want to accomplish demanding jobs, the Transforce HT3 is a great choice. Loaded with advanced features, it offers promising performance.

Overall, the Transforce HT3 is rated an 8.3 SimpleScore, thanks to superior handling, strong traction, and long-lasting tread life.

Get Firestone Transforce HT3 tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

General Grabber HD tires

The General Grabber HD is another competitive all-season tire that’s suitable for use on light trucks, SUVs, government vehicles, and commercial fleet vehicles. It offers strong traction and grip in dry, wet, and light snow conditions and is optimized for long-lasting tread life, increased durability, and dependable stability and handling. The presence of technologies like Duragen makes this tire worth considering for heavy-duty tasks.

Overall, the Grabber HD earns a 7.8 SimpleScore, thanks to its sharper handling response, increased traction, and longer tread life.

Get General Grabber HD tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Firestone Transforce HT3 vs General Grabber HD tires on traction

Now, let’s talk about the traction details of both tires and find out which one is better when it comes to staying glued to the road year-round.

Starting with the Transforce HT3, the tire secures an 8.3 SimpleScore in traction, ensuring solid year-round traction and grip in dry, wet, and light snow conditions. Its optimized tread pattern improves water evacuation, reducing the chances of hydroplaning and offering increased grip in wet weather. The advanced all-season rubber compound also enhances the tire’s ability to maintain surefootedness in varying weather conditions. Additionally, there are zigzag sipes across the footprint for solid grip on snow.

On the other hand, the Grabber HD earns an 8.2 SimpleScore in traction, giving good competition to its rival. The tread pattern is engineered to offer grip and traction on- and off the work site (in slightly rough conditions). Likewise, there are four grooves for improved water channeling and hydroplaning resistance. The sipes across the tread additionally boost the tire’s ability to hold the surface in wet and light snowy conditions.

While both tires are great on the traction front, the Transforce HT3 wins by a small margin of 0.1.

ADVANTAGE: Firestone Transforce HT3

Firestone Transforce HT3 vs General Grabber HD tires on handling

In this section, we will find out which of the two tires is better when it comes to overall controllability, influencing attributes like stability, braking performance, lane-changing, cornering, and ride control.

Let’s first talk about the Transforce HT3, rated an impressive 8.6 in handling. With a higher rating, this tire is made to offer sharper steering response and better ride control year-round. Its flat contact patch helps in maintaining increased stability, whereas the three ribs at the center enhance steering response and assure better lane-changing. The cornering performance of this tire is controlled by its solid shoulders that absorb the driving pressures at the edges. Similarly, for improved braking performance, this tire comes with continuous zigzag sipes on the tread blocks.

Contrarily, the Grabber HD also impresses with an 8.4 SimpleScore in handling, giving a good competition to the Transforce HT3. All thanks to the use of Duragen Technology, which allows the tire to maintain its original shape and offer great ability to seamlessly maneuver from one lane to the other. The footprint is flat and wide enough to offer good stability on highways, while the sipes and grooves, along with optimized compound, offer better braking performance and ride control.

On the handling front, both tires are exceptional; however, the Firestone tire gets an advantage of some extra points here.

ADVANTAGE: Firestone Transforce HT3

Firestone Transforce HT3 vs General Grabber HD tires on longevity

When it comes to heavy-duty tasks or long-lasting highway drives, the tires must be good at longevity. This is what we will be comparing in this section, and see which tire is better at controlling wear rate and lasting longer.

The Transforce HT3 scores an 8.0 SimpleScore and offers a decent tread life, backed by its strong inner casing that resists driving pressures for long-lasting use. The use of a wear-resistant rubber compound and an optimized tread pattern provides the tire strength to withstand driving pressures and restrict irregular wear.

Comparatively, the Grabber HD is rated a good 7.9 SimpleScore in longevity. This tire is specially developed to offer a longer tread life, and this is attributed to the use of Duragen Technology, which offers decent treadwear. The sidewall of the tire is also provided with adequate strength to resist damage and eventually offer a longer service life.

When both tires are compared, it is the Transforce HT3 that again wins the race by a small margin, leaving the Grabber HD behind.

ADVANTAGE: Firestone Transforce HD

When to use each

Both the Transforce HT3 and Grabber HD can be used on light trucks to perform demanding tasks as well as everyday driving. However, the Grabber HD also has compatibility with SUVs and commercial, fleet, and government vehicles. They are both all-season tires, which means you can use them in dry, wet, and light winter conditions. Since none of these tires is Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified, they can’t be used in severe winter conditions, in temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

Talking about rim sizes, the Transforce HT3 is available in 16- to 20-inch rim options, whereas the Grabber HD comes in 15- to 18-inch choices.

Which one should you choose?

Based on the overall SimpleScore, the Transforce HT3 is clearly a better option than the Grabber HTS60 (8.3 vs 7.8). However, both tires have their own unique attributes, and therefore, your selection should be based on your driving needs and style.

As far as pricing is concerned, the Transforce HT3 is available at a starting price of at least $158 per tire, while the Grabber HD is offered at a starting price of at least $148 per tire. This means, a set of four Transforce tires will cost you at least $632, while a set of four Grabber HD tires will cost you at least $592.

Looking at the SimpleScore, you should consider the Transforce HT3 if you:

• Drive a vehicle like the Toyota 4Runner or Chevrolet Silverado 3500
• Want a tire that’s better in traction (8.3 vs 8.2)
• Want a tire that’s better in handling (8.6 vs 8.4)
• Want a tire that’s better in longevity (8.0 vs 7.9)
• Are comfortable paying more to buy better tires
• Want tires in the rim size range of 16- to 20-inch

On the other hand, you should consider the Grabber HD if you:

• Drive a vehicle like the Ford F-150 or RAM 3500
• Need a tire that’s more durable and can tackle mild off-road conditions too
• Need a tire that’s more affordable and delivers reliable performance
• Need a tire that’s available in the rim size range of 15- to 18-inch

Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help as our helpful agents are more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.