Bridgestone
Following Michelin’s X-One tire introduced last fall, another tire manufacturer has introduced a wide-based, flat-tread tire designed to replace a dual pair on a drive or trailer position.
Bridgestone unveiled its new Greatec tire, available as a 435/45R22.5 rib or 495/45R22.5 drive tire with intermediate 445/50R22.5 rib and block pattern.
The single tire is the same outer diameter as a conventional low-profile 22.5-inch tire commonly used in a dual pair; it fits on a 14-inch rim for the smaller sizes and a 17-inch rim for the 495 with special wheels by Alcoa. The tire sizes and the physical dimension across the flat tread face mean the new Bridgstones comply with the most restrictive load-per-inch width limitations in North America, intended to rule out the tall, smaller footprint super-singles accused of rutting pavement.
The benefits, according to Bridgestone, include less weight, lower tire cost overall, and 2% to 5% better fuel economy due to lower rolling resistance.
Greatec tires use a waved-belt casing architecture designed to maintain the tire shape and the flat footprint against the road surface, and a “turn-in ply” in the shoulder to eliminate stress in this critical area of the tire.
Bridgestone says it is not quite at the same point in rolling out the new tires as Michelin. The company is currently testing market response, but it has the required tire sizes ready to go. Bridgestone also has a less restrictive distribution policy: Michelin is supplying only Freightliner vehicles and all trailer makers with its X-One, where Bridgestone will supply to all truck OEMs as well as all trailer manufacturers.