Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/94387
Michelin continued TECHNOLOGY Titan Titan DTH4 Titan's DTH4 line of haul truck tires has a somewhat less aggressive tread than similar E-4 tires, which allows it to run smoother and a little faster than a more aggressive tread design needed for high-traction situations. The DTH4 line was re- cently expanded to include 27R49, 33R51, and 40R57 sizes. Titan has also worked to better integrate the interface between the tire and the wheel, creating what it calls ACT (accelerat- ed change technology) rim designs. One example: ACT 63 wheel assemblies for dual tire assemblies on large quarry and mining trucks have fl anges that enable you to remove the inside tire on dual tire axles without having to remove the outside tire. "On a Cat 797, there are 64 bolts holding the wheel on," says Hawkins. "An ACT wheel can save three of four hours on the inside dual tire change depending on the size of the truck, every time you change tires." Bias tires are still popular on large wheel loaders. That's because their stiff sidewalls, compared to a radial, offer more rigidity and stability when the bucket is high in the air. Titan aims to improve this situation with the heavy equipment equivalent of a thin rim tire — a radial with a low profi le sidewall. The sidewall on the company's prototype LDR 150 tire is reduced by 6 inches by tak- ing the metal rim and increasing it from 57 to 63 inches. The outside diameter of the tire remains the same, plus the operator gets the benefi ts of the radial design with greatly reduced fl ex, says Paul Hawkins, vice president of OTR sales for Titan. The LDR 150 is currently undergo- ing testing and evaluation. Also from Titan, the 007 MTF tire is getting a larger version (46/90) that accommodates the larger load capacities of the Cat 793. "As the trucks have gotten heavier, the tires have had to get a little bigger, and the 46/90 is a slightly larger version so you get a little more load carrying capacity," Hawkins says. 31C AGGREGATES MANAGER DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE December 2012 Titan 007 MTF The Michelin XDR2 tire, designed for rigid dump trucks, offers up to 20 percent more tread for greater wear and durability than its predecessor, says the company. It has 10-percent thicker undertread between the protective plies and tread base to better withstand cuts and impacts, and a 13-percent larger central lug in a non-directional tread design than its predecessor, the XDR. The XDR2 tire also runs cooler thanks to its new optimized sculpture with cooling vents that enable air to circulate through the tread lugs during the fi rst half of the tread life without compromis- ing the tire's ton-mile-per-hour ratings. A new casing geometry, dubbed C2, also reduces heat build up. A new steel ply design helps delay and prevent the spread of corrosion when cuts occur, and improved sidewall and bead design better distributes sidewall stress. These corrosion-isolating cables also delay the spread of corrosion from cuts, says Hugo Morales, marketing mining manager for Michelin Earthmover Tires. Michelin XDR2