FINDLAY, Ohio — American Tire Distributors Inc.'s Hercules Tires business has rounded out its Strong Guard premium truck tire line with a SmartWay-verified trailer tire it said is optimized for both regional and long-haul trailer positions.
The Hercules Strong Guard HTL is available in seven sizes, each with 14/32nds-inch tread depth, Hercules said, and featuring a five-rib design enhanced with stone ejectors that guard the belt package and casing from premature damage and a silica-based tread compound that delivers a balance of long wear and reduced rolling resistance.
Available in 14- and 16-ply constructions, the tire is built with Hercules' proprietary "EcoFT" technology, which addresses both compounding and tire construction.
The HTL complements the existing Strong Guard HRA and the Strong Guard HRD all-position medium truck tires. All are sourced from an unidentified manufacturer in China.
Hercules launched the Strong Guard line a year ago as premium complement to the brand's existing Hercules- and Iron Man-branded products.
"The Strong Guard series offers a unique blend of enhanced tread compounds, proprietary designs and advanced technologies" Marshall Gillespie, manager, commercial and specialty products, said.
"We are continuously working to identify opportunities to meet our customers' needs and the addition of the new Strong Guard HTL is an excellent example of keeping with our brand promise to deliver great performance at an unmatched value."
Hercules backs the Strong Guard line with a seven-year limited protection policy — including free tire replacement during the first 50 percent of usable tread life under the workmanship and materials coverage — and a casing allowance for up to three retreads.
Hercules' other medium truck tire lines are the Hercules H-series (12 fitments), Ironman I-series (15 fitments)and Dynatrac (nine fitments) brands.