BRIDGESTONE | SUPER SINGLE TYRES
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO SHIFT TO SUPER SINGLE TYRES? Recently, we bought new vehicles with OE size 385/65R22.5 on the steering axle. As part of our company safety policy, we use front tyres until almost mid-wear stage. In order to get the most benefit from
those OE tyres, we decided to replace our existing 315/80R22.5 on three axles trailers (dual tyres) with 385/65R22.5 and kept using them until normal removal stage which happened with no problem. On the contrary, performance was much better than 315/80R22.5 dual tyres. This was the thing which encouraged us replace all dual tyres on three-axle trailers to this new super single size 385/65R22.5. Normally we have two spare tyres in our
semitrailers, so we don’t face any difficulty keeping one tyre from each size. We use
the same pattern on all axles – rib pattern which is the best for our application and operating conditions.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? The initial tyre price of one super single is cheaper than the price of two dual tyres – even when you factor in the cost of buying new rims. There is also no need to purchase extension valves, representing another saving. On top of this, our records proved that super singles also have a longer life than the dual tyres and they also have much better grip while cornering due to the wider footprint of the tyre connecting with the road surface. Through close checking we have realized that the Super Single has better characteristics in terms of overall cost per kilometer, irregular wear resistance, safer and cooler running.
Of course, the load capacity of two dual
tyres is higher than one super single tyre but in our case, the maximum load per axle is 8,000kg which is below the load capacity of two super single tyres on one axle. Our main business is carrying fuel, so for our tankers the load is very much fixed, which means the tyres will not be overladen. However, our tankers move to and from Kenya where the maximum permissible load per axle is 8 tons. The 385/65R225 load capacity is 4.5 tons per tyre so we are comfortably within the limits of the tyres.
CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US MORE ABOUT THE COOLER RUNNING OF THE 385/65R225? Basically, dual fitment tyres have a high running temperature, especially the inner tyre due to heat generated by the braking system accompanied with heat from the outer tyre that can’t escape and is deflected off the sidewall. This typically leads to more deterioration in the rubber’s characteristics and that pushes drivers to make more frequent stops to cool the tyres. Super singles don’t suffer from this as uniform heat dissipation is more efficient due to the absence of two adjacent tyres.
16 JUNE 2011 real QUESTIONS real ANSWERS
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