Bridgestone Presents New Off-Road Sizes at Bauma

Despite the absence of some international visitors due to European flight restrictions, the Bauma 2010 show in Munich, Germany got underway on April 19. The specialist off-road and mining equipment exhibition has attracted a number of exhibitors from the tyre sector, including Bridgestone Europe, who has introduced a number of new sizes to its off-road ranges at Bauma.

The L3 tread-class VJT radial series for general use on wheeled loaders, first unveiled in 2005, will be completed at the end of 2010 with the addition of two more dimensions: 17.5R25 and 29.5R25. Bridgestone notes that the strengths demonstrated by the VJT are high stability and ride comfort, achieving a big improvement over its predecessor.  Minimal vibration at high speed makes the VJT ideally suited for ‘load and carry’ operations, the manufacturer adds. Its strong, straight sidewalls provide the stability necessary for high productivity, and a shoulder protector minimises damage from cuts and impacts.

Also on display is the VHS crane tyre, which now carries an F speed rating, increasing the tyre’s maximum allowed speed from 70 km/h to 80 km/h. The VHS is available in sizes 385/95R25 and 445/95R25. A further product present at the Bridgestone stand is the VCHS, an all steel radial casing tyre especially designed for container handling equipment. The VCHS range is being extended in 2010 with the addition of 14.00R24 TL and 12.00R24 TT/TL fitments. An additional new product is the VREP for heavy-duty mining operations in size 27.00R49, a tyre especially designed for 100t rigid dump trucks working in rock conditions. Bridgestone notes that the benefits produced from VREP tread design are cool running, reduced irregular wear and low vibration, all leading to an improved total tyre life.

An eye-catching feature at the Bridgestone stand is the world’s largest off-the-road radial tyre: 59/80R63, available for the first time with a new ‘VRF’ pattern. The tyre weighs 5.2 tons and measures 4.02 metres in diameter. Although not used in Europe, this outsize model is designed to fit the huge 380 to 400 ton rigid dump trucks working in coal, copper mines and oil sands, mainly in the Americas.