DALLAS, TX. Bridgestone Commercial Solutions (BCS)rolled out two new truck tire offerings at the Great American Truck Show this week – one for its Firestone brand as well as a new Bandag retread option – and hinted at a complete overhaul of its Dayton tire lineup due to be revealed in January next year.
The new Firestone FS561 is designed as an on-highway all-position radial tire recommended for steering applications in regional and pickup and delivery (P&D) use.
Designed to reduce susceptibility to stone retention and drilling, common occurrences in high-scrub applications, the FS561 (seen at right) also features a more rugged casing with sidewall protector ribs for resistance to cuts, snags and abrasions from curbing and impacts.
Matt Loos, director of truck & bus marketing or BCS, added in a statement that the FS561 also features a tough tread cap compound and solid shoulder ribs that help resist maneuvering scrub leading to increased tread life by at least 15%.
Stone “ejector” platforms in the center grooves of the tire help reduce susceptibility to stone retention and drilling, protecting the belts and enhancing casing durability, Loos added, with a new sidewall design helping reduce overall ire weight to improve fuel economy without sacrificing durability.
The Firestone FS561 295/75R22.5 and 11R22.5 are now available in the U.S. and Canada, with more sizes available later this year.
Matt Schnedler, retread product marketing manager for BCS, highlighted the introduction of the Bandag B799 retread product to Fleet Owner; a retread design that aims to complement the Bridgestone M799. The new Bandag retread design offers solid traction and a deep tread depth that promotes long wear life for mild on/off-highway, regional haul and P&D applications, he explained.
“The B799 meets the needs of fleets that operate in mixed service environments where they need on-road performance, as well as off-road capability where traction and durability are important,” Schnedler (seen at left) said.
“It’s a good all-around compound that aims to provide good traction and long life, while making it simpler for customers to ‘match up’ new tire casings with the optimal retread pattern," he added. "It’s all about hitting the easy button.”
Other features of the Bandag B799 include: Deep 28/32 for longer tread wear; open shoulder design for improved traction; and stone ejector technology to help prevent trapped stones from damaging the casing, preserving retreadability of the tire.
The Bandag B799 is available in four tread sizes in the U.S. and Canada – 210mm through 240mm – so as to accommodate nearly any casing size used for mild mixed service, regional haul and P&D applications.
Finally, Robert Hamby, BCS’s product manager, told Fleet Owner that the company’s Dayton truck tire line is undergoing a complete revision with eight brand new tread patterns replacing the existing four patterns by January 2015, though a limited release of some of the new Dayton tires will occur in the fourth quarter this year.
Hamby noted that three of the new Dayton tire forms will be EPA SmartWay compliant and that the revamped tire line will be aimed at a mix of over-the-road and off-highway customers that seek a solid “value solution” for their truck tire needs.
