Tires are designed for specific applications and uses. Because tire selection impacts a vehicle's overall performance and operating costs, it is important to select the proper tire. Here is a sampling of what is available.
Doran system monitors tire pressure
The new Doran 360HD Tire Pressure Monitoring System provides the driver “at-a-glance” status updates with a new patent-pending Green Means GOOD indicator. This system monitors up to 36 tires for truck, tractor and trailer applications with wireless tire pressure sensors that are screwed on to the valve stems and transmit a signal to a monitor in the cab. The driver is alerted through multiple alarms types (audible, location, pressure and warning symbol) and a new “Fast Leak” alarm.
Installation can be accomplished in about an hour per truck/trailer. A user-friendly monitor includes digital LCD screen with backlit display and comes equipped with four-way navigational buttons. Spin-welded, heavy-duty truck-tested wireless tire pressure sensors are corrosion-resistant. A patent-pending “sleep” mode ensures that the vehicle stays protected at all times. With this feature, tire pressures are monitored, but potential warnings are withheld until the driver turns the ignition on.
Visit www.doranmfg.com for more details.
Michelin expands X One tire applications
Michelin Americas Truck Tires has expanded its line of wide single tires to include on-/off-road applications. The Michelin X One XZY3 tire is an all-position radial tire designed for weight savings and fuel savings in on-/off-road operations.
This tire offers a long tread life using a special compound with chip and cut resistance needed for an off-road application. With an original tread depth of 23/32", the tire's flat and stable contact patch reduces irregular wear thanks to Michelin Infini-Coil Technology. This technology features a quarter-of-a-mile of steel cable wrapped circumferentially around the casing to eliminate casing growth.
Enhanced protection from stone drilling is provided by variable-pitch groove walls and groove bottom protectors in the center grooves. The X One XZY3 tire provides a reinforced bead package with a wide metallic chafer that leads to great bead durability and resistance to heat. The aggressive shoulder design delivers superior wet and soft soil traction, while Michelin's co-extrusion rubber technology provides cooler on-road operating temperatures at speeds up to 75 mph. The X One XZY3 tire is available in a 445/55R22.5 size.
Access www.michelin-us.com for complete information.
Bridgestone M775 drive tire
Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC (BFNT) is offering fleets in the United States the new Bridgestone M775 on/off-highway drive radial. This drive delivers superior traction and removal mileage while being usable at highway speeds to 65 mph.
The specially designed aggressive block tread and open shoulder design digs into soft surfaces, such as mud and snow, for superior traction. Thirsty angled block sipes enhance wet traction by breaking up pocketed water for a solid grip on wet surfaces. The tread is more than one full inch deep, and tough tread compounds combat lug base cracking.
To enhance casing life, M775 uses stone rejector platforms and computer-designed groove shapes to help prevent trapped stones from pushing into the tread grooves and piercing the belt layer.
The on/off-highway M775 incorporates four steel belts and an all-steel casing so it can be retreaded for any axle position. Split belt construction helps the casing resist cuts and punctures by enveloping debris.
The new M775 is offered in three sizes: 11R22.5, 12R22.5, and 11R24.5 in “H” load ranges for a total load capacity of more than 24,000 lb per axle in dual fitments.
Visit www.BridgestoneTrucktires.com for more details.
Goodyear rolls out new regional tires
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has introduced a new Kelly Armorsteel KRH regional tire for pick-up and delivery and school buses.
Available through Kelly dealers and truckstops, the new rib tire was developed for uniform and long-lasting wear in regional applications. Available in 11R22.5 and 11R 24.5 sizes in an H load rating, the tire has an enhanced belt package for multiple retreads.
Goodyear also has bolstered its regional truck tire product portfolio with two new tires for two very different applications.
The company is introducing the Unisteel G149 RSA RH tire for on-highway regional service and the Unisteel G150 HSA for school bus and city or neighborhood driving.
The tread pattern for the G149 RSA RH is “tuned” for longer wear on urban streets and highway driving, while the G150 HSA uses special compounds for high-scrub applications used on school buses and in local pickup and delivery service. The G150 HSA also features sidewall protector ribs that help resist sidewall damage from the sharp turns and curbs encountered in neighborhood driving.
Both all-position tires, available in 11R22.5 sizes in G and H load ratings, feature circumferential grooves and lateral blades that help displace water for driving on rain-soaked roads. The Unisteel casing features four full belts to help stiffen and support the tread, further resisting irregular wear. An enhanced belt compound helps tear resistance.
Visit www.goodyear.com for more details.
BFNT extends warranty for truck tires
Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC (BFNT) is introducing an extended warranty for its premium truck tires and casings, increasing the coverage period for seven years and three retreads. The exclusive new limited warranty covers the company's Bridgestone brand premium commercial tires and casing when retreaded with the Bandag process.
If a premium Bridgestone medium commercial truck tire becomes unusable before wearing to 2/32" remaining tread depth within seven years from the date of manufacture, BFNT will credit the owner $130 ($160 in Canada). If a premium Bridgestone casing becomes unusable before three Bandag retreads, the owner will be credited $100 ($125 in Canada).
The exclusive new warranty covers the most popular Bridgestone-brand premium medium commercial truck tires: R287 steer, R280 steer, M726 EL drive, and M720 drive in 11R22.5, 11R24.5, 295/75R22.5, and 285/75R24.5 sizes, in both G and H load ranges. Tires purchased on or after Sept. 1, 2007 are covered.
For more details, visit www.BridgestoneTrucktires.com.
WABCO has first-aid kit for leaking tires
A new first-aid kit for leaking commercial vehicle tires, WABCO Tire Premium Seal offers increased safety and cost savings for truck and bus fleets worldwide.
This product makes the repair process simpler, quicker, and safer than changing a wheel, and it reduces vehicle downtime. Using WABCO Tire Premium Seal, a tire can be temporarily repaired and inflated in about 10 minutes. Puncture holes caused by a nail or a bolt up to 10 mm in diameter can be reliably sealed and the tire reused instantly.
In some cases, use of WABCO Tire Premium Seal can remove the need for spare tires, helping reduce vehicle weight by up to 300 kg. (660 lbs.).
Access www.wabco-auto.com for more information.
DuraSeal adapted for long-haul use
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has adapted its self-sealing commercial tire technology on a broader scale for use on long-haul trucks.
The new Unisteel G316 LHT line-haul trailer tire featuring DuraSeal technology allows semi-trucks to continue operating after a tire is punctured by road debris up to ¼-inch diameter in the repairable tread area, reducing vehicle downtime and service calls.
Already proven in mixed-service applications, the technology uses a gel-like, solvent-free compound built into the inner liner of the tire. It consistently and instantly seals punctures with gel flowing into void areas and around objects less than ¼-inch in diameter.
Goodyear is using DuraSeal in the G316 LHT trailer tire, which also is available in a fuel-efficient version featuring Fuel Max Technology.
The G316 LHT and matching retreads sport a 12/32nd-inch tread for more miles to removal. The tire is manufactured in Goodyear's Danville VA plant.
BFGoodrich redesigns line, adds two tires
BFGoodrich Commercial Truck Tires has introduced the ST244 steer tire and TR144 trailer tire to its line of commercial truck tires. The tires feature a new sidewall design.
Along with the new aesthetics, the ST244 tire features a five-rib, four-groove tread design for superior water evacuation and also provides a decoupling groove that gives the tire an enhanced ability to resist irregular wear. More than 1,900 miniature sipes deliver excellent traction and combine with the decoupling groove in resisting irregular wear in the tread pattern. The ST244 tire's casing possesses an all-steel construction, allowing for retreadability. The ST244 tire is available in 11R22.5, 11R24.5, 275/80R22.5, and 275/80R24.5 sizes.
The TR144 tire showcases see-through grooves designed to improve wet traction and offers a five-rib design to help resist irregular wear on free-rolling axles. Shoulder grooves are engineered to further improve resistance to irregular wear, while the all-steel casing construction provides for retreadability. The TR144 tire comes in 11R22.5, 11R24.5, 275/80R22.5, and 275/80R24.5 sizes.
Access www.michelin-us.com for further information.
Bridgestone L320 radial enhances traction
Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire (BFNT) is introducing the new Bridgestone L320 on/off-highway drive radial tire.
An aggressive block tread and open shoulders dig into soft surfaces, such as mud and snow, for superior traction. To fight irregular wear, stabilizing tie bars link adjoining tread blocks. As the tire wears and becomes shallower, the tie bars become part of the tread pattern. This creates additional edges to “bite” into soft surfaces, enhancing soft-surface traction.
The L320 uses a 31/32" tread depth and tough tread compound that resists cuts, chips, and tearing. This compound also fights heat build-up so the tire can be used at sustained speeds to 65 mph. The L320 drive incorporates four steel belts and an all-steel casing for retreadability.
The new L320 is available in 11R22.5 and 11R24.5 sizes, both in “G” and “H” load ratings, and 12R22.5 in “H” load rating. For more information, visit BridgestoneTrucktires.com.
Greatec tires earn SmartWay certification
Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC (BFNT) announced its Greatec wide-base drive and wide-base trailer radials have been added to the Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay-certified list of commercial tires. Tires that earn EPA SmartWay certification must achieve at least three percent better fuel economy than the average new tire.
Greatec drive radials have a 26/32" tread depth and a pattern that resembles the Bridgestone brand M726 EL drive radials. The tread incorporates solid shoulder ribs to combat side forces that can lead to irregular wear and a stiff, staggered tread block design to resist “heel-and-toe” wear.
Greatec trailer radials have a 14/32" tread depth and a pattern similar to the R195F trailer radial. They also feature Bridgestone's patented Equalizer Rib and Defense Groove features for even wear and longer mileage. Tough sidewall ribs fight curbing damage to protect the casing.
Both radials are built using Bridgestone's patented Waved Belt design, which balances stiffness and resiliency to provide a strong, stable casing.
Greatec's newest technology increases bead durability. Its T.I.P. (Turn-In Ply) design removes the ply end from harm's way, wrapping it around the bead bundle.
Visit www.BridgestoneTrucktires.com for full details.
Goodyear joins EPA SmartWay partnership
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co announced it has joined the Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay Transport Partnership, which previously approved using the company's Fuel Max linehaul tires on SmartWay tractors and trailers. SmartWay is a collaboration between the trucking industry and the EPA to increase energy efficiency and significantly reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and air pollution.
The fuel-efficient line-haul tires deliver up to 4% improved truck fuel economy, and when used with other SmartWay-qualified components, each 18-wheel tractor and trailer used in long-haul can produce savings of up to 4,000 gallons per year, or more than $11,000 annually, according to Goodyear and EPA officials. Goodyear tires featuring Fuel Max Technology include the Unisteel G395LHS steer tire, Unisteel G305 LHD drive tire, and Unisteel G316 LHT trail tire in standard (11R22.5) and low-profile (295/75R22.5 and 285/75R24.5) sizes.
While company officials are citing up to a 4% hike in fuel economy with the new tires, actual Society of Automotive Engineers lab test results showed an 8% improvement in fuel economy compared with standard Goodyear over-the-road tires. The difference reflects adjustments for real-world variations, including vehicle speed, idling time, varying road grades, and different driving styles.
Toyo's steer radial built for the long haul
Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. introduces the M137 high-performance steer radial for longhaul, over-the-highway applications. This product of the e-balance design technology for commercial truck tires focuses on a stiffer belt package, stiffer bead construction, and optimization through simulation technology. Benefits include improved tire life, endurance, irregular wear resistance, and fuel consumption.
A new tread design provides even contact pressure distribution across the tread surface, resulting in smooth wear and extended tire life. An innovative casing profile minimizes growth of the tread and maintains a more uniform and flatter tread radius throughout services also improving the tire life.
The M137 also has excellent profile retention as a result of e-balance, which reduces strain at the belt and ply turn-up edges. During operation, special cap and base tread compounds reduce heat at the belt edge and excessive heat build-up inside the tire structure.
Its 15/32"-deep five-rib design is coupled with deep sipes and four straight, multi-pitched grooves for enhanced water drainage and wet traction in challenging weather conditions. Vehicle safety is also improved while tire noise is reduced with the aid of T-Mode computer tire simulation technology.
The M137 is available in two sizes, 295/75R22.5 and 285/75R24.5. Access www.toyo.com for full details.
