Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
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30 commercial carrier journal | april 2017 Tread design, depth play key roles in longevity BY JASON CANNON T ire selection often is focused on brand name and application, but the tread pattern can have just as much impact on the tire's lifecycle. "e more rubber you have making contact to the road, typically the better the tire is going to perform, and you'll get longer wear out of it that way," said Gary Schroeder, director of global truck and bus for Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. "ere's a lot of engineering that goes into a tire – not just the construction, but the compounding, especially the tread com- pounding with rolling resistance." Bill Walmsley, product category manager for Michelin Americas Truck Tires, says tire compounds, casing design and tread sculpture work synergistically toward achieving performance gains. "Not only are tires selected by posi- tion to maximize performance of the vehicle, but compounding, casing and tire architecture contribute significant- ly to wear and fuel and weight savings," Walmsley says. Consider the application A tire's tread pattern, compounding and other construction elements are determined by the routes and equip- ment that fleets run, says Brian Buck- ham, Goodyear's general manager of product marketing. "Fuel economy and long wear are on- going concerns for many long-haul fleets, so long-haul tire tread patterns tend to be stiffer in order to promote the fuel efficiency," Buckham says. Tire tread patterns for regional-haul carriers are similar to long haul in that they place a high emphasis on tread mile- age and irregular wear, says Greg Kidd, sales engineer for Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations. "Regional trucks also are concerned with fuel economy, but it is not as great of a need as it is with the linehaul ap- plication due to increased stop and go," Kidd says. In vocations such as mixed service where miles to removal and traction are more important, tread patterns will be deeper and more open for enhanced on- and off-road grip. "e first step is to determine what your goals are for your tire program," Walmsley says. For over-the-road oper- ations, a common goal is to maximize fuel savings, while more localized oper- ations may focus on lowering cost per mile, he says. Other goals may be to maximize the tire's overall life an asset, which takes into account the casing's retreadability. "Once you have an idea of your overall goals, it makes selecting the right tire a smoother process," Walmsley says. Know your positions Wheel positions also will dictate tread patterns. Since trailer tires are free-roll- ing and subject to less scrub from turn- ing, they tend to have shallow rib-like designs. "Steer tires tend to be more rib-like in order to promote longer miles to removal and resistance to irregular wear," Buckham says. "Drive tire tread designs tend to be deeper and more open to provide more traction." e tread's rubber compounding and design can enhance performance in specific applications when designed together, Buckham says. "Limitations in a tire's tread pat- tern can be made up for in its tread compound, and vice versa," he says. "If a tire's tread compound cannot deliver required wet stopping distance perfor- mance, its tread pattern can be opti- mized to improve the way that water is evacuated from the tread area." Abuse from misuse Tread patterns can have a significant impact on tire life, and selecting a tire with the wrong tread pattern for its application can lead to a wide variety of problems. "Misapplications can result in reduced performance and premature wear," Buckham says. Equipment also plays a role in de- termining the tire. If a truck is a 6x4 application, the tire selection may be different than a 4x2 or 6x2 appli- cation due to the amount of torque being applied. "Tire manufacturers may use different tread depths, compounds and tire de- sign features depending on the targeted applications," Walmsley says. "Tire manufacturers normally indicate on their website which tires are best suited for the various applications." in focus: TIRE TREADS Drive tire tread designs tend to be deeper and more open to provide more traction.