Nokian Introduces ‘Truck F’ Dedicated Winter Steer Tyre

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta truck tyre family is being expanded through the introduction of the Hakkapeliitta Truck F, a truck and bus steer tyre designed for winter conditions. The Truck F extends the range that began with the Truck E drive tyre a year ago and enables users to equip their entire vehicle with tyres from the Hakkapeliitta line-up.

According to Nokian, the development goal its designers applied was to introduce the world’s best winter steer tyre. The manufacturer reports that this multipurpose tyre comes into its own on medium to long-haul usage, and while it is at home on main arterial routes and motorways it can easily cope with winding, narrow roads.

The Hakkapeliitta Truck F is, says Nokian, a purebred winter tyre. The Spiral Sipe System, developed by the Finnish manufacturer, ensures unique grip properties for the front tyre. Thanks to the dense siping and the longitudinal sipes in particular, the new tyre has up to 15 per cent better lateral grip on ice and packed snow than its predecessor. In addition, the tyre’s tread pattern is intended to support the siping and further enhance grip well into its working life. The manufacturer recommends mounting the tyre in autumn to make the most of its cold weather properties, however it adds that when the tyre’s snowflake symbol Winter Safety Indicator (WSI) has been worn off it is still suitable for use in summer conditions.

The tread’s groove bottoms are shaped to resist small rocks from gravel or chippings. Preventing sharp rocks from harming the tyre body in this way extends the tyre’s service life and makes it more suitable for retreading, notes Nokian.

“We wanted to design a front tyre with impeccable winter properties and reliable grip even in extreme conditions,” said product development manager Teppo Siltanen, describing the development work. “Winter weather is increasingly fluctuating, and the rapid changes in temperatures and conditions from dry frost to heavy rainfall require new kinds of adjusting properties from tyres. We wanted to come up with a tyre that responds to future challenges today.”

The Hakkapeliitta Truck F is targeted at Nordic markets plus other Nokian Tyres market areas where the need for truck tyres suitable for demanding winter driving exists. The new tyre goes on sale in autumn 2009, and will be available this year in sizes 315/80 R 22/5 and 385/65 R 22.5. A third size, 315/70 R 22.5, will come onto the market in 2010.