AKRON—A number of tire manufacturers and marketers recently introduced commercial tires to the marketplace.
The following is a round-up of some of those new offerings.
Bridgestone Commercial Solutions—Bridgestone M854, a wide-base, all-position radial commercial tire for severe on/off highway applications, and Bridgestone R244 all-position steer radial, designed for the demands of dump trucks and concrete mixer truck fleets
The M854 is available in three sizes in the U.S. and Canada—with size 425/65R22.5 available now and sizes 385/65R22.5 and 445/65R22.5 available later in the year.
The new tire was designed to meet the “tough environmental demands of dump trucks, cement mixers, bulk carrier equipment and logging applications.”
The R244 is available in three sizes in the U.S. and Canada, a 425/65R22.5 now and 385/65R22.5 and 445/65R22.5 later this year, Bridgestone said. The R244 is designed with a wide-base ribbed steer pattern for users who spend a higher percentage of their miles in on-highway use, according to Bridgestone.
Continental Tires the Americas L.L.C.—Conti EcoPlus HT3 for long-haul trailer axles, an addition to Conti's Generation 3 tire range for goods transport, developed for maximum efficiency.
The tire features four longitudinal grooves and a reduced void area, pyramid-shaped triangular bars in the base of the tread grooves to stabilize against tread flexing and closed ribs and continuous shoulder for optimal straight line tracking. The tire is designed with Conti's Fuel Saving Edge which relocates the rubber away from belt edges.
The Conti EcoPlus HT3 is available in the North American markets in sizes 11R22.5, 11R24.5, 285/75R24.5 and 295/75R22.5, load range G and in 255/75R22.5 load range H.
c A retreaded version of its HTL1 wide-based single truck tire available through Conti's network of ContiLifeCycle-licensed retreaders. The tire is available in two sizes—445/50R22.5 and 455/55R22.5—for drive or trailer applications, Conti said. They feature a 13/32-inch tread depth and a fuel-efficient rib pattern.
Giti Tire (USA) Ltd.—GT Radial GDM635 on/off highway drive tire, designed to provide mixed service fleets consistent traction, effective protection against stones and long treadwear with a full 32/32nds of tread depth. The tire is available in 11R24.5 size and features a block design optimized to provide consistent traction, four belts for durability and retreadability and a cut/chip tread compound.
It is backed by the company's six-year limited warranty.
Long/Regional Haul Drive tire is designed for outstanding traction, vehicle stability and maximum durability.
Hankook Tire America Corp. — Smart Flex DL12 Long/Regional Haul Drive position, e3 Wide DL07 and e3 Wie TL07 Ultra Wide Base drive and trailer position tires for fleet customers.
The Smart Flex DL12 will be available in six sizes—11R22.5 and 11R24.5 in 14 and 16 ply, 295/75R22.5 and 285/75R24.5—starting in the third quarter. The tire featurues a four-channel full-depth zig-zag groove tread pattern, an optimized carcass structure for ride and handling, an improved bead profile for superior retreadability and a multiple 3-D kerf design for traction.
The e3 Wide DL07 and TL07 drive and trailer position tires incorporate Hankook's Spiral-Coil Technology for improved casing durability, an advanced tread pattern to prevent irregular tread wear and are both verified as SmartWay fuel-economy technology products.
Hercules Tire & Rubber Co.—Hercules H-801, an all-position premium highway tire that has been verified as a SmartWay low rolling-resistance tire. The tire features a five-rib design with micro sipes and wide shoulder ribs with decoupling grooves, a rolling-resistance-optimized tread com-pound and groove technology for minimum stone retention.
The tire carries a 72-month warranty with free replacement up to 50 percent wear. It is available in four sizes: 11R22.5/14 144/142M; 11R22.5/16 146/143M; 295/75R22.5/14 144/142M; and 295/75R22.5/16 146/143M.
The private brander did not say who is manufacturing the tire or its country of origin.
Hercules also recently introduced the Ironman I-Series, a new line of medium truck tires it claimed has one of the best cost-per-mile averages in the industry.
Hercules said its Ironman associate brand offers tire dealers “an appealing balance of quality and economy.” The I-Series line offers more than 30 SKUs, comprising highway, open-shoulder drive, closed-shoulder drive, mixed service and trailer options.
Select patterns are SmartWay verified, Hercules said, and the company is pursuing verification for additional patterns. The I-Series line-up includes:
c I-601, a premium regional, all-position tire for both steer and trailer applications. The tire features anti-slip properties for traction and directional stability, and it is SmartWay verified.
c I-208, a closed-shoulder tire for drive axle applications, with a solid shoulder that Hercules said provides stability and resistance to irregular wear. The tire is SmartWay verified.
c I-460, a trailer tire designed for long- or short-haul applications. Hercules said it includes sipes for better traction and drainage. The tire is SmartWay approved.
c I-109, a regional all-position rib tire for steer and trailer applications. It features a five-rib design for long mileage and shoulder wear resistance on steer-axle use.
c I-370, an open-shoulder drive tire, featuring a deep tread with siped blocks, which Hercules said provides excellent mileage and traction under all weather conditions.
c I-604, an open-shoulder drive tire with specially compounded tread designed for longer life. It features large, aggressive lugs for traction under all conditions and siping for better water traction and decreased heel-to-toe wear.
c I-181, an all-position tire intended primarily for trailer applications. It features a five-rib design for long mileage and shoulder wear resistance during steer axle use. The tire has microsipes that Hercules said work to fight onset of irregular wear and provide better mileage.
c I-301, a highway mixed-service tire, featuring special tread and sidewall compounding designed to resist chips, cuts and tears and protect against scuffing and impact. The tire has three center ribs to ensure good directional stability, even wear and a smooth ride, Hercules said.
Ironman brand medium truck tires include a limited warranty against defects in workmanship or material for five years from the date of purchase and carry a casing warranty for one retreading.
Hercules' Ironman family of tires includes passenger, light truck, medium truck, OTR, agricultural, specialty and industrial lines.
Michelin North America—Mich-elin X Multi Energy Z regional steer tire designed for regional operators needing SmartWay verification and line-haul operators involved in the super-regional seg-ment—such as parcel, dry van LTL, food & beverage, and pickup & delivery.
The SmartWay verified tire is available in three sizes—11R22.5 LRG, 11R22.5 LRH and 275/80R22.5 LRH—and features a dual compound tread consisting of a wear-resistant layer and a durability layer that cools the casing.
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The following tires were verified recently as SmartWay fuel-saving technology components:
Alliance Tire Americas—Aeolus HN277 Ultra premium line-haul steer tire in sizes 11R22.5 (14 and 16 PR); 11R24.5 16 PR; 285/75/R24.5 14 PR; and 295/75R22.5 14 PR. In addition to having four SmartWay-verified tires, every Aeolus tire is now REACH compliant, Aeolus said, which is the European Community Regulation on chemicals and their safe use.
Continental Tire the Americas—HDR2 Eco Plus drive tire, which Conti claims delivers roughly 20-percent less rolling resistance in regional applications than the HDR2. The HDR2 Eco Plus features a 30/32-inch tread depth, an open shoulder design for traction without sacrificing even wear. The tire is available in sizes 11R22.5 and 295/75R22.5.
H.B. plus Bandamatic—Bandamatic TRA12 and BTM18 precure tread rubber lines. H.B. plus Bandamatic, a unit of Mexico's Hules Banda S.A. de C.V., worked in partnership with Mexican synthetic rubber producer Industrias Negromex S.A. de C.V. to develop the compound used in the treads, marketed under the “Smartech” moniker.
Omni United USA—Goodride CR989 Line Haul Steer, CM983 Closed Shoulder Drive, CM980 Open Shoulder Drive, and CR915 Line Haul Trailer tires and RoadLux R116 Line Haul Steer, R216 All Position Rib, R516 Closed Shoulder Drive and R120 Line Haul Trailer tires. A subsidiary of Singapore's Omni United Pte. Ltd., the Traverse City, Mich.-based firm sources the Goodride brand from Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. Ltd. and the RoadLux brand from China's Chaoyang Long March Tyre Co. Ltd.
Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.—A 16-ply version of its M137 high-performance steer radial, available in sizes 295/75R22.5 and 285/75R24.5. The M137 is designed for use on long haul, over-the-highway commercial applications and to deliver more miles per 32nds to operators driving coast-to-coast, the company said.
The 16-ply M137 features an increased load-carrying capacity to handle the higher weight, while still delivering improved wear performance, improved durability and a reduction in road noise.