NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Bridgestone Commercial Solutions has launched four new Firestone-branded commercial truck tires today at the Mid-America Truck Show.

The first is the Firestone FS820, designed for steer, drive and trailer positions for on- and off-highway service, which comes in three sizes.

“On- and off-highway use generates conditions where casing damage is a regular occurrence, and small businesses can’t afford to have trucks out of operation,” said Bert Jones, manager of product marketing, TBR, retread and OTR at Bridgestone Commercial Solutions. “We’ve designed the FS820 with stone rejector platforms to protect belts from potential damage and the deep and wide tread provides excellent traction, increased wear life, and improved handling.”

Features of the all-position radial include:

 • A five-rib design to combat stone retention for longer mileage and retreadability;
 • An all-steel casing construction and cap/base compounding to help resist cuts and improve durability and retreadability;
 • Multiple zigzag gripping edges to help promote wet traction;
 • Three sizes: 11R22.5 (16 PR), 11R24.5 (16 PR) – available now; and 315/80R22.5 (20 PR) – available later this year.

Bridgestone has also launched three new Firestone-brand commercial truck tires for regional to long-haul use, which the company says were crafted “as part of the company’s commitment to supporting drivers and small fleet owners with innovative, fuel-saving designs, fuel-efficient tread patterns and other features key to those seeking a lower cost per mile.”

The new tires – FS591, FD691, and FT491 – meet EPA SmartWay and California Air Resources Board (CARB) fuel efficiency requirements without sacrificing removal miles, company officials said.

“Small business owners want a product they can trust to help move their business forward – developing tires to meet that need is our primary focus,” Jones said. “These new Firestone tires are engineered with technological advancements to boost fuel efficiency without sacrificing removal miles. Add in excellent retreadability to extend casing life and it all adds up to a lower cost per mile.”

Each tire features patented NanoPro-Tech polymer technology designed to limit energy loss for improved rolling resistance and optimum fuel efficiency.  Another fuel-saving feature is the sidewall design utilized in each tire, which reduces overall tire weight.

Additional features found in each tire include the following:

• The FS591 Steer Radial combines low rolling resistance tread and energy-saving casing design to optimize fuel efficiency. It also features a wide, deep tread and proprietary shoulder design for greater removal mileage and irregular wear resistance. The ULTI-Rib and Defense Side Groove designs promote smooth wear while a continuous shoulder offers long, even wear and lower rolling resistance.

• The FD691 Drive Radial features a continuous shoulder design and high-rigidity tread pattern to promote long, even wear, helping increase tread life and lower rolling resistance, the company says. Flow-through design evacuates water to increase road grip. The tire’s optimized bead design and proprietary compound found in the sidewall lowers rolling resistance and improves fuel efficiency throughout the lifecycle of the casing, according to officials.

• The FT491 All-Position Radial features ULTI-Rib and Defense Groove designs to combat the initiation and spread of irregular wear. Sidewall protector ribs help protect the casing from curbing damage and abrasion. Plus, wider tread spreads load over a larger area, distributing footprint pressure to promote long, smooth wear. The wider design also takes a full-size drive cap when retreaded for extended life.