Author: acutread

Low Rolling Resistance Tires: Choosing a Fuel Efficient Retread

Low rolling resistance (LRR) tires are becoming increasingly popular due to their potential to improve fuel efficiency. Low rolling resistance commercial truck tires come in both new and retread models. As you consider your choices, you should know what LRR tires are, their benefits, and how they can be identified. Read on to learn more!

What Does “Low Rolling Resistance Tires” Mean?

Rolling resistance refers to any forces that work against the forward movement of your vehicle, and therefore the energy that your vehicle needs to provide to overcome that resistance and maintain constant forward motion along the road. While the number is lower for passenger vehicles, heavy trucks use up to 30-33% of their fuel just to overcome rolling resistance! 

Low rolling resistance tires refer to the specific type of tire designed to counter these forces. Since they require less energy than a standard tire to get and keep them rolling, they generate less heat and require less fuel. 

Low rolling resistance technology is found in two types: new tires and retreads. New LRR tires can be used in any tractor trailer position: steer, drive, and trailer; retreaded LRR tires can be used in drive and trailer positions only. Truck operators should ensure that they are using their tires on the intended axle position and that their tires are properly inflated for best results with fuel efficiency and low rolling resistance. View our low rolling resistance models that meet the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s standards for size, performance, and testing.

How to Identify Low Rolling Resistance Tires

As their name indicates, LRR tires have a few key identifiers that work together to combat rolling resistance, resulting in a more fuel-efficient tire. These unique properties are characteristic of low rolling resistance tires and distinguish them from standard models:

1. Tread compounds

Low rolling resistance tires and retreads are manufactured from unique rubber compounds to form a stiffer, more energy-efficient tread. This efficiency is achieved because a harder tread allows the tire to stay cooler, meaning less energy is lost in the form of heat. 

Learn about the proprietary rubber compounds used in our remanufactured tires. 

2. Tread Design

The tread makeup of low rolling resistance tires plays a role in their efficiency and distinguishes them from standard tires. Low rolling resistance tires are designed with a continuous tread design and reduced tread depth, rather than an individually blocked design. The benefit of this “connected” design is that it can seamlessly and harmoniously roll along the road as one unit, giving a streamlined performance and requiring less energy to propel your vehicle as a whole.

Learn more about our SmartWay Verified Low Rolling Resistance Tire Models on EPA.gov. 

3. Tire Sidewalls

The sidewall construction of a tire can also be optimized for low rolling resistance capability. Energy loss comes into play when your tires are in motion and undergo deformation—the “flexing” or “squishing” of the tire as it meets the surface of the road. The less deformation a tire undergoes while in motion, the less energy will be required to propel the tire: this is where sidewall construction comes in. A stiffer sidewall construction promotes less deflection to achieve a more fuel-efficient tire. 

Do Low Rolling Resistance Tires Work?

Tires and fuel economy make up a large portion of fleet costs: According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “approximately one-quarter of fuel efficiency” in class 8 trucks “comes from the rolling resistance of the tire, making the opportunity for cost-effective energy savings substantial.”

Significant advancements have been made in both tire manufacturing and retreading to design tires that maximize in fuel efficiency but don’t cost you in performance. 

Switching to Wide Base Tires

Another increasingly common option to improve fuel efficiency and reduce rolling resistance is to replace traditional duals with wide-base tires. Wide-base tires achieve a lower rolling resistance compared to dual tires by reducing vehicle weight, rolling resistance, and therefore strain on the engine. Wide-base tires have a slight advantage over duals by being slightly less wide, further improving fuel efficiency (by an estimate of 1-2%). Wide based tires also have the advantage of lower cost compared to purchasing two duals and potentially less maintenance. 

Explore wide-base tire options for greater fuel efficiency.

What is the Benefit of Low Rolling Resistance Tires?

LRR tires provide many benefits when used in the proper axle position, including:

1. Reduced energy loss. 
2. Estimate of 5-7% savings in fuel economy. 
3. Better emissions. 
4. A smoother ride. 
5. Better traction.

SmartWay Verification for Two Mold Cure Drive Retreads

AcuTread Alliance Group Gets SmartWay Verification for
Two Mold Cure Drive Retreads

Our 445/50 STT1 13/32nd Trailer/Drive Tread and our SAT 17/32nd Trailer/Drive Tread are now verified under the provisions of the Federal EPA SmartWay verification program.

Here is a bit of news from TRIB regarding our FIRST SmartWay Verification for two Mold Cure Drive Retreads:

TRIB (Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau)
April 11th, 2017

“The precision manufacturing process and operational advantages of mold cure retreading are now available in a SmartWay verified trailer / drive retread,” said technical director of the AcuTread Alliance group, Bob Majewski. “AcuTread remanufactured retreads are produced under strict processing guidelines by authorized AcuTread  Licensees.”

Jon Langerak, President / CEO, said he is “proud and excited with the advancements and growth we are having in our industry with these remanufactured products.”

Factors that Influence Tire Wear

Air Pressure

• 15% under inflation in a tire equals approximately an 8% decrease in expected tread mileage
• 10 psi under inflation can cause tire wear out to be 20% faster than normal
• Tires can lose 3 psi per month just due to air migration
• Tires can run up to 5 degrees hotter for every psi the tire is under inflated due to excessive flexing
• Matching tire air pressures is critical in dual assemblies. A mismatch of 5 psi can change the tire circumference, and over 100,000 miles would be equivalent to dragging the under inflated tire 246 miles.

Tread Size

• For every size that a tread width is undersized from the recommended width, mileage is reduced by 10%.

Tread Depths

• Across axles and between tandem axles, tread depths need to be within 4/32″.

Wheel Position/Matching Duals, Twin Screw Tractors

• Should be less than 1/4″ difference in diameter (less than 3/4″ difference in circumference).
• Left front steer tire wears faster than the right tire

Alignment

• Toe alignment greatly affects tire wear since a setting just 1/16 of an inch off will make the tires want to travel sideways about 150 feet every mile. Toe-in is when the tires are pointed towards each other; toe-out is when the tires are pointed away from each other.
• Camber is the tire’s tilt inward (negative) or outward (positive) when viewed from the front and has significant impact on handling and shoulder wear.
• Caster is the angle of steering axis tilt when viewed from the side and while it does not affect wear, it does affect the vehicle’s handling and tendency to track straight down the road.
• Mis-aligned drive and/or trailer axles will cause “dog-legging” and pulling of the vehicle, resulting in steer tire irregular/rapid wear.
• As the vehicle is pulled to the side by the mis-aligned axles, the driver over-steers to compensate, resulting in toe-out-on-turns. The effect is that the inside wheel /tire turns more sharply than the outside when turning the steering wheel away from center.
• The 1/8″ rule – drive and trailer axles should have less than 1/8″ variance parallel to each other and perpendicular to the frame/chassis.

Engine Torque, the more torque; the less tread life

• Many diesel engines typically develop 1,200 to 1,300 foot-pounds of peak torque at 1,300 rpm.
• “Big Bore” diesel engines with upwards of 900 cubic inches of displacement in an in-line 6-cylinder can generate upwards of 2,000 foot-pounds of torque, this increases stress, deflection, and deformation of the tire, resulting in reduced tread life. When a fleet purchases new vehicles, check the torque rating of the new truck vs. the old trucks currently in the fleet, and make a note on any tire mileage records.

Surface Types Affect Tread Wear

• Smooth Asphalt – 100%
• Coarse Asphalt – 10% reduction compared to smooth asphalt
• Concrete – 30% reduction compared to smooth asphalt
• Very Coarse Asphalt – 50-60% reduction compared to smooth asphalt
• Crushed Stone – 60-80% reduction compared to smooth asphalt

Working Application

• “Tough” applications have a large impact on tire wear when compared to over the road applications. Examples of such applications are: high scrub applications, Inter-city, diminishing loads, heavy loads, waste haul, construction, mining, logging, and other sever service related.

Recommendations to Optimize Tire Wear

• Create a tire management policy
• Conduct regular fleet inspections to ensure compliance to your tire policy standards
• Establish and maintain a strict air pressure maintenance program
• Check for signs of axles being out of alignment and align as needed
• Conduct driver training and implement responsibilities requirements for drivers
• Balance free-rolling axle tires
• Match tires for size, pressure and design-type
• Make sure all tires have “flow-through” valve caps
• Implement a mounted tire program
• Work with a quality retreader to develop a retread program for your tires
• Track tire performance frequently and make decisions based on data and facts

Source: Tire Retread and Repair Information Bureau | www.retread.org

AcuTread FED Gets SmartWay Verification

AcuTread Alliance Group reports its FED 20/32nd Drive Tread is now verified under the provisions of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SmartWay program. SmartWay verification is pending for AcuTread low-profile wide-base drive and trailer retreads.

“The precision manufacturing process and operational advantages of mold cure retreading are now available in a SmartWay-verified drive retread,” says Bob Majewski , tchnical director. “AcuTread remanufactured retreads are produced under strict processing guidelines by authorized AcuTread licensees.”

AcuTread Alliance Group manufactures and distributes tires from locations in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia as well as through a network of dealer associates.

AcuTread SAT high-scrub trailer design introduced by Sumerel Tire

Sumerel Tire is the first AcuTread manufacturer to introduce the SAT trailer tread for Regional Trailer and Spread Axle use. Bob Majewski, President of Sumerel Tire, said, “This all-position tread was designed for exceptional wear, traction, rock rejection and high scrub applications. This is accomplished by its tapered tread grooves, increased tread volume and rounded shoulders. All AcuTread tires provide matched uniformity while in a dual wheel application for even wear and our appearance is second to none. We have built the line to handle all the diameter differences we are seeing with the Chinese casings in today’s market.” The SAT tread design will be available in LPR22.5, 11R22.5, LPR24.5, and 11R24.5 tire sizes.