Hercules refreshes Dynatrac medium truck tire lineup

FINDLAY, Ohio — American Tire Distributors' Hercules Tire subsidiary has refreshed its Dynatrac medium truck tire portfolio, comprising three drive, three steer and three all-position patterns covering cover long-haul, regional and mixed service applications.

One key reason for relaunching the entire Dynatrac portfolio is to position the brand to "also meet the needs of truck service centers" in addition to "providing our independent tire dealers with another option for key applications covering key sizes," according to Jedd Emans, Hercules vice president of marketing.

"Backed by ATD's outstanding service and logistics, truck centers will have fast and easy access to the sizes and styles that truck drivers count on them to provide."

The refreshed product offering coincides with a switch in contract manufacturing partners to Linglong International Tire (Thailand) from Double Coin Holdings.

ATD/Hercules is backing the line in the U.S. with a 72-month limited protection policy on workmanship and materials, as well as free replacement up to 50 percent of useable original tread (if a defect occurs) and a casing allowance for two retreads.

Mr. Emans said the line is characterized by modern designs and advanced materials, although he didn't offer any specifics as to construction or tread designs. Two of the products — the RL280+ long-haul steer (four sizes) and RF 110+ long-haul trailer tires (four sizes) — are SmartWay verified as low rolling-resistance optimized.

The other seven patterns are:

• MA440 mixed service all-position (one size);

• DL380 long-haul closed-shoulder drive (six sizes);

• DT320 on/off-road open-shoulder drive (one size);

• DT340 regional open-shoulder drive (six sizes);

• MA400 mixed-service all-position (one size);

• RA200 regional all-position (15 sizes); and

• RD240 regional deep-tread all-position (two sizes).

Dynatrac is one of three truck tire brands offered by Hercules. The others are Hercules and Ironman. Dynatrac tires have a low tier 3 market position — below the Hercules Strong Guard line and above the Ironman offering, Hercules said.

The tires are produced by Linglong Tire Thailand at its plant in Chonburi, Thailand, according to the tires' DOT plant ID code.

ATD predecessor Heafner Tire Co. trademarked the Dynatrac name in 1994.

It now is described as an associate brand of Hercules Tire, which ATD acquired in 2014.