Hercules launches Strong Guard trailer tire

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — The Strong Guard lineup just got a little stronger with the release of its newest product line.

American Tire Distributors (ATD) Inc.'s Hercules Tire and Rubber Co. has released Strong Guard ST, calling it a premium, high-speed radial specialty trailer tire.

The new product, which replaces the Hercules Power ST2 in the Hercules lineup, is now available in the U.S. to Hercules dealers as well as all ATD customers, according to Marshall Gillespie, ATD's director of commercial merchandising, proprietary brands. It is expected to be available in Canada either late this year or in early 2023.

Gillespie told Tire Business that the COVID-19 pandemic was a "big part" of the company's thinking to revamp and rename a tire designed to fit the most popular specialty trailers such as fifth-wheel RVs, toy haulers, boat, horse and utility trailers.

"Once COVID restrictions started to relax, we saw all those people venture outside their homes and take that fifth wheel, their boats, their toys, with them," Gillespie said. "We wanted to keep evolving these Hercules tires we had, these legacy products into new Strong Guard products and we thought it was the perfect time to do so."

The Strong Guard ST will be available in seven 13- to 16-inch sizes, with an increased speed rating of N (87 mph). One of its most notable attributes is the Coolcourse technology, a temperature control system that Hercules says reduces heat generation to enhance performance at high speeds, extending tire life.

Gillespie said heat adversely affects trailer tires of every brand in the market.

"So we really wanted to focus on how to solve the heat generation problem," Gillespie said. "We did that through innovative tread features that include the decoupling grooves on the side paired with notches on the shoulder that help keep the tire cool in service."

Other attributes of the Strong Guard ST include:

• Optimized footprint, which leads to even pressure distribution for longer tread life and even wear under heavy loads;
• Strong rib design, which includes four circumferential grooves coupled with a strong center rib, allowing for efficient water channeling and straight-line tracking;
• Curb guard, which provides extra sidewall protection; and
• Enhanced construction, with high tensile steel belts reinforced with two nylon cap plies that provide durability and dependability. The cap plies go circumferential around the tire, Gillespie said, keeping steel belts tightwhile reducing friction at high speed.
• In addition, the tires are backed by the Hercules Performance Promise, 60-month (an increase from 36 months previously) limited protection policy. Should the tires become unserviceable due to defects in workmanship and material during the first 2/32" of original usable tread, Hercules offers free replacement.

The release of the Strong Guard ST marks the fourth Hercules tire released in 2022 — and third commercial product. It follows the release of the TIS UT1, the first Hercules UTV tire; the Ag-Trac RT 45 radial R-1W, Hercules' first ag product, for four-wheel- and mechanical front-wheel-drive tractors; and the Strong Guard H-MA tire, a mixed-service, all-position commercial tire.

This tire is the first in its segment to bear the Strong Guard name.

Gillespie says the company wants consumers to associate the brand with value, quality and "the premium Hercules product name, so that when dealers see that, they know it this is Strong Guard product, it carries all those values with it, and they can provide that to their consumers."

Before the year ends, Gillespie said Hercules will bolster the Strong Guard medium truck core lineup with the launch of another medium truck Strong Guard product.

Hercules is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, and Gillespie said it "continues to build on its strategy of providing its customer base in the U.S. and Canada with a steady stream of new products, enabling them to be a true a one-stop shop for passenger light truck and commercial tire needs."

And with ATD's pending purchase of Monro Inc's Tires Now distribution business, Gillespie said even more dealers will have access to the Hercules line of products.

"Since ATD purchased Hercules in 2014, they've supported the growth of the brand and turned it into strong nationwide brand for dealers," Gillespie said. "It's been fantastic to have the support of ATD behind us.

" It really makes a difference ... knowing we have 113 distribution centers and can hit over 80,000 customers in the nation. It's great to know we have that backing, and consumers can find our tires anyplace."