Grabbers ordered

General Grabber AT appears to be a relatively popular tyre model, not just for Jimnys. I've also seen them a lot on Toyota 4Runners, Nissan Terranos II, etc.

However, does anyone know if Grabber AT is an "all-season" tyre or strictly a summer tyre? How does it perform when the temperatures are below 7 C, and on snow?

I am also considering a new set of tyres for my Jimny. My old ones are Goodyear Wrangler AT/SA 205/70/R15 and I can't find enough praising words for them. Goodyear markets them as all-season tyres, and believe me they are not lying.
Now I am considering to upgrade the size to 205/75/R15, and I am thinking to go for either the same Wranglers or for Grabber AT (depending on price).


I am also thinking whether it would be necessary to replace my 5th spare tyre if I purchase 4 new 205/75/R15 tyres? The spare tyre is still the original one (205/70/R15), 9 years old. Would the radius difference of 10 mm be significant enough to hurt the transmission and the drivetrain if I happen use that smaller spare tyre for a few dozen miles before I get to a tyre service station?

Hi, i had the wranglers on my last jimny and have just fitted the grabber at on my current one and imo they are just as good, if not better on wet roads. Shouldn't be a problem using the smaller spare for a short while as most space saver wheels supplied with modern cars are a smaller diameter than the real wheels. If in doubt fit the smaller wheel to the front and use 2wd until tyre is fixed and refitted

Good idea Wombat, I never thought about putting the slightly smaller spare on the front :blush:

Bosanek. I wish I could comment on the winter driving capabilities of these Grabbers, but I can't.

What I do know is I should have changed the old tyres ages ago. We have speed bumps on the industrial estate where I work and driving over them was awful, now it's like having had new suspension fitted. I never realised what difference a new set of tyres would be like compared to an old age hardened set. Even the jarring from normal bad road surfaces and repairs has gone.

So I've had a similar experience to BGBrit and the disappearing noise! Whoever renewed the suspension on my Jimny overnight... Thanks... Great site this :laugh:

I'm still well chuffed

wombat,
that is definitely logical reasoning. I especially like the idea of mounting the smaller spare wheel on the front axle. That should evade any transmission wind up on solid ground because rear-axle 2WD would be used, and if the spare wheel happens to be installed in the middle of off-roading, than the smaller size of one wheel should not be dangerous as long as the ground is slippery or uneven. As soon as the car reaches solid ground, just make sure to revert back to rear-axle 2WD. That theory sounds "sound".


So, the question of Grabber AT's winter suitability remains to be answered.

Does anyone know what is the tread depth on new Grabber AT tyres in size 205/75/R15? As far as I can remember, Goodyear Wrangler AT/SA in size 205/70/R15 had 10 mm of tread depth when new.

Just been out and measured, about 10mm

Thank you very much for your promptness

I also went out and did some measurements.

My Goodyear Wrangler AT/SA 205/70/R15 tyres have 6 mm of tread depth.

I measured how much clearance I have between my front wheels and front bumper, and also between the front wheels and the front mudflaps behind them. Clearance around rear wheels is not an issue, especially as those wheels do not turn. My Jimny was made in 2006, and therefore has a 2nd generation front bumper (the one with the lowest approach angle). I have factory mudflaps.

My front bumper is like this:
www.motorstown.com/images/suzuki-jimny-1.5-ddis-comfort-01.jpg

I realized that the clearance in front and behind the front wheels is the smallest NOT when the wheels are at full turn, but when the front wheels are approx 1 full steering wheel turn from the "straight" position, either to the left or to the right.

I attached four photographs. The first two show the smallest clearance between the front wheel and the front bumper (at one full steering wheel turn from the straight position). The second two show the smallest clearance between the front wheel and the front mudflap (at one full steering wheel turn from the straight position).

In the 2nd and 4th photograph, I used a plastic item which is 18 mm thick at its thickest (top most) end, for easier comparison.


Conclusion:

The smallest clearance in front of front wheel is about 20 mm. The smallest clearance behind a front wheel is about 15 mm (because of the screw head - see in the photo!).
In theory, having a new 205/75/R15 tyre with 10 mm of tread should decrease the clearance by 14 mm, making it a very tight fit indeed!

Now I am not certain if a 205/75/R15 tyre would be a wise purchase for a Jimny which has mudflaps and a 2nd generation front bumper.

Does anyone have a Jimny with mudflaps, or a 2nd gen front bumper, and 205/75/R15 tyres? Could you please check the clearances in front and behind your front wheels by the same method as mine (one full steering wheel turn to the left and right from the straight position)?