Chinese tyre firm Techking has announced it is released an 11R22.5 Super DM tyre designed for mixed road service. According to the company, the groove width has been increased and as a result stones will be much more easily pushed out. Furthermore, broader tread and thicker under-groove rubber have been added in order to ensure the “good performance on rough terrain” as well as prolonging mileage.
Ten new products are joining the ContiTread pre-cure retread portfolio. The first of these is the M+S marked LDR 1+ drive axle tread; fives sizes are available –205/75 R 17.5, 215/75 R 17.5, 225/75 R 17.5, 235/75 R 17.5 and 245/70 R 17.5. Continental says these treads are aimed at retreading partners catering to inner-city and regional hauliers operating light and medium-heavy trucks. Two new winter tyre treads have also been released.
R O Williams & Son, a farm contractor near Bristol, is aiming to keep its 2009 John Deere 6930 tractor in operation until early 2014 on its original Michelin MultiBib tyres.
The JD 6930 has clocked up more than 7,300 hours operation since being delivered to R O Williams & Son more than four years ago, with its tyres still only two-thirds worn (based upon the tyres remaining in service until between 10-15mm of tread is remaining).
Magna Tyres Group has received OEM approval from Noell Mobile Systems, part of Terex Port Solutions, for its newest port handling tyre – the 16.00R25 Magna M-Straddle. With this approval, Noell Mobile Systems confirmed that this tyre can be fitted on Terex Noell Straddle Carriers. This acknowledgement means Magna Tyres will supply Terex a significant part of its annual straddle carrier tyre requirements in 2014 and thereafter.
Bridgestone Europe has introduced a new Bandag tread intended for urban applications such as city buses and waste collection vehicles. Called the BDU2, the tread will be available in various widths, allowing for retreading of the most common casing sizes used within this segment.
Toyo’s most recent SUV tyre, the Proxes T1 Sport SUV, is designed to add a quieter ride and improved wet performance over the capabilities of the technology contained in the Proxes S/T. Toyo says the tyre is perfect for fitment to popular vehicles such as the Range Rover, BMW X5, Porsche Cayenne and Mercedes ML and others within this increasingly popular segment.
Nokian Heavy Tyres says it has met user demand with its new Nokian CT BAS tyre for heavy trailers. Noting the challenges posed by construction site use, a surface typically featuring sharp rocks, nails and pieces of steel lying about, it says the CT BAS brings the tyre maker’s top-end puncture resistance technology, first developed for forestry applications, to construction sites. Furthermore, the BAS technology developed by Nokian Heavy Tyres enables the use of higher pressure levels.
The solid tyre portfolio offered by Continental’s Commercial Specialty Tires (CST) business has grown with the addition of three new fitments for forklifts. These are the CS20, SC20 Mileage+ and SC20 Energy+. All three are super elastic tyres that fit on industrial pneumatic tyre rims and each is also available in a non-marking version for industries where a clean environment is critical.
A low rolling resistance tyre has been added to Bridgestone’s BattlaxSC maxi scooter range. The Battlax SC Ecopia is said to reduce rolling resistance by 15 per cent while maintaining the wet and dry handling, stability, wear life and comfort found in the standard Battlax SC. Bridgestone says it was able to reduce rolling resistance – which primarily results from tyre deformation and the loss of energy via heat generation during rotation – by working on three factors that directly affect tyre rolling resistance.
Developed in co-operation with Europe’s leading car manufacturers, the ContiEcoContact 5 “sets new standards in terms of the environment and safety”, according to Continental. As we all know, the continued challenge in tyre design is to reduce rolling resistance and wear whilst, at the same time, ensure that the tyre is still good at wet braking.
Pirelli has held a number of tyre safety classes at the local Burton and South Derbyshire College. The initiative ran as part of the manufacturer’s support of TyreSafe’s Tyre Safety Month this October, and aimed to educate students on the importance of tyre safety and checking tyre pressures.
The Bandag brand is to be the only premium retread brand name used by Bridgestone in Europe. The company has decided to phase out the Bridgestone brand on its retreading products within our region as it considers Bandag to be the “world’s leading retread brand.” Therefore, current Bridgestone-branded pre-cured tread products will gradually be phased out in favour of Bandag-branded products.
In the USA, the Hercules Tire & Rubber company has announced the addition of four new 17-inch sizes to its ultra high performance, W-speed rated Raptis WR1 range. The Raptis WR1 combines sleek, modern aesthetics and exceptional steering response with a silica compound and an asymmetric tread design to deliver high-performance character all year round. The new sizes are:
Maxam Tire has announced a new addition to its industrial tyre range; the MS702 STR (Standard) resilient, solid tyre. The new tyre is designed for forklift truck and industrial applications. According to the company, the intention is for the product to become the reference tyre in its segment.
Bridgestone has been rewarded for its winter tyre investment with some high finishers in some major German magazines’ winter tyre tests. Representing the pinnacle of Bridgestone’s expertise in tread and compound technology, the Blizzak LM-32 performed extremely well in the latest independent tests, earning the label of “highly recommended” from Autozeitung and ends 4th out of 50 tyres in AutoBild.
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