Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/94387
by Tom Jackson, Contributing Editor TECHNOLOGY O Your earthmover tires are a critical component of uptime, cost control, and profi tability. ther than the cost of the machine itself, fuel and tires are the biggest expenses you face in earthmoving and quarry work. While the price of fuel is out of your control, there are a number of tire-related factors you can control that will lower operating costs and increase your uptime. Michelin A new retread option, the Michelin XZY3 Pre- Mold, brings all the technological innovations of the company's new tires to a retread prod- uct with a heavy duty, thick tread and anti- cut/anti-chip properties for the on/off road market. The XZY3 Pre-Mold tread comes in rolls and multiple widths and is applied to casings at Michelin authorized franchis- es. The company also uses two different rubber compounds co-extruded in the XZY3 product. "It uses a cooler running compound by the casing to keep heat off the casing for better performance and longevity," says Tom Brennan, vice president of sales for retreading at Michelin. "Then the tread that goes against the road can be a different compound and be more aggressive or fuel effi cient or offer less rolling resistance, if needed." 31A AGGREGATES MANAGER DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE December 2012 It starts with picking the right tire. And just because all tires are round and black does not mean they're all the same. Today's heavy equipment tires offer a diverse range of technological improve- ments over designs of just a few years ago. Here's a guide to what the major manufacturers are producing. Michelin XZY3 Pre-Mold tread