Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/490954
50 | Overdrive | April 2015 SINGLES ROLLING STEADY to ¼-inch in diameter in the tread's repairable area. Buckham says the Du- raSeal gel, being bright yellow, "makes it much easier and faster for a techni- cian to locate and repair a puncture." Walter Weller, vice president of CMA/Double Coin Tire, says that _PQTMUIVaÆMM\[\MTTPQU\PMa[_MIZ by the technology, others have tried it and reverted to duals. "Wide-based tire technology is still evolving," Weller says. "Right now, wide-based tread life is not as good as traditional duals, primarily due to excessive shoulder wear. A related issue is that retreadability is not as good as with duals." If wide-based tires are used on drive and trailer positions while the steer XW[Q\QWVQ[I[\IVLIZLTW_XZWÅTM\QZM· usually a 295/75R22.5 or equivalent ·IVLQN\PMÆMM\Q[XMZKMV\_QLM based, worn steer tires have no use in a \ZIQTMZL]ITXW[Q\QWVQV\PMÆMM\¼[ZM\ZMIL program, Weller says. Also, wide-based tires typi- cally can get no more than one retread, while standard duals can be retreaded twice on average. That can make wide-based tires a higher- cost alternative for some ÆMM\[_Q\PIOOZM[[Q^M retread programs, he says. -ٺWZ\[\WQUXZW^M retreadability of wide- based singles are ongoing and are showing potential to add additional useable lives to the tires, Loos says, especially as volume grows and spurs retread demand. "There just aren't as many used wide-based single tires out there compared to duals," he says. "Those tires currently don't get retreaded at the same level as conventional dual tires." Buckham says wide-based tires are more sensitive than dual tires to interac- tion with the road, so starting with the highest-quality casing is critical. "We VW_WٺMZ\_W_QLMJI[ML=VQ+QZKTM retread products," he says. "Both are designed to match the performance of their new tire counterparts." /WWLaMIZ¼[XI\MV\ML=VQ+QZKTM\ZMIL consists of a continuous ring with a seamless construction that matches the casing's shape, a design intended to minimize tread distortion. "Since there is no cutting or [XTQKQVOL]ZQVO\PM=VQ+QZKTM tread application process, the resulting retread is uniform and balanced," Buckham says. "This helps extend casing life even more while optimizing tire mile- age and maintaining low rolling resistance." Cutting fuel costs For suggestions on other ways to reduce your fuel bill, search "Controlling Fuel Costs" on OverdriveOnline.com. Yokohama Tire Corp.'s TY517 commercial tire was added to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay list. Michelin Americas Truck Tires' wide-based Michelin X One Line Energy D tire and Pre-Mold retread both are designed for the line-haul drive position. General Truck Tires' all-position Grabber OA wide- based tire is available in size 445/65R22.5 for fleets operating in severe-service applications.