Michelin, Yokohama Ready to Roll

Michelin’s two newest tires are designed with high mileage in mind. A long-haul steer tire, the XZA3 has a 19/32nds tread depth with a directional design to combat the onset of irregular wear. Michelin says the result is a 20-per-cent improvement in tire service life versus its predecessor. The XZA3 is available in six sizes: low-profile 22.5 and 11R22.5 both in LRG and LRH, and low-profile 24.5 and 11R24.5 in LRG only.

Michelin calls its XDA Energy tire a fuel-efficient drive tire for long-haul operations, beating the XDA2 by approximately 2.5 per cent (due to a new compound, the company says). It’s available as a low-pro 22.5 LRG. Its tread design is identical to the XDA2 and can be mixed with these tires.

Michelin’s new eTire System uses sensors mounted inside the tire to record air pressure readings, wheel position, and other information you can retrieve to help you track maintenance and inventories.

A handheld or drive-by RFID reader picks up data from the sensor, which is then imported into software to help you analyze it. The eTire System can read the operating temperature inside a tire and provide a corrected “cold-equivalent pressure” reading instead of the expanded pressure that occurs after a tire is hot. The in-tire sensors can be attached to any brand of truck tire, allowing fleets to track tires regardless of make. They are designed to last the life of a tire, including several retreading cycles. The software, called BIB TRACK, is Internet-based and can account for retread costs by exchanging information with BIB TREAD, Michelin’s retread management software.

Yokohama’s RY587 long-haul trailer tire has grooves that control the occurrence of shoulder step-down wear, and optimized 13/32-inch tread depth provides protection from scuffing and irregular wear. Stone-ejector ribs and a belt-edge cushion and belt-edge cover sheet help prevent premature casing damage. The tire also features enhanced wet traction with extra deep sides to enhance wet grip and maintain sharp edge effect. A distinctive five-rib design evacuates water from under the tread, reduces hydroplaning, and increases wet traction.