QUINCY, Ill — Titan International has added 30- and 32-ply versions to the Goodyear Logger Lug line to help address the higher torque and load capacity requirements on today's heavier machines.
"Forestry equipment is 25- to 30-percent larger than a decade ago and attachments are getting bigger, too," said Johni Francis, global OTR product manager for Titan.
"The problem is that the tires are expected to carry the weight of the bigger machine but end up enduring greater punishment," he said. "Fitting machines with standard lower-ply tires runs the risk of sidewall separation, cracking and increased wear — costing loggers the productivity that's crucial to their success."
Titan said it partnered with Alexandria, La.-based tire dealer Despino's Tire Service and their forestry customers to test the higher-ply tires on their forestry equipment. The 30- and 32-ply Goodyear Logger Lugs quickly proved themselves in the field and made a huge difference for the loggers, Titan claimed.
"Prior to making the switch, many of my customers were running 26-ply tires and having problems with sidewall separation and cracking. They were getting about 500 hours out of them and replacing the tires about every 10 weeks," Despino's Tire owner Randy Despino said.
"We started out testing the new higher-ply Logger Lugs with six customers, and all six have been running them for nearly a year and well over 2,400 hours without a single problem. These tires are truly the best option on the market and are saving my customers money and reducing their downtime."
The new higher-ply ratings are available in the Goodyear Logger Lug 30.5L-32 and 35.5L-32 sizes.
For more information, visit titan-intl.com/forestry.