Shall I put supersingle tires on my truck?

[tracer]

Anyone has experience with supersingle tires? Please post any feedback! I'm finally ready to change rusty STEEL rims on the truck and I'm due for new tires, so I've been looking around .... Surprisingly, getting 4 brand new Alcoa 14" rims and 4 Michelin XOne XDA Energy tires costs pretty much the same as getting 8 regular rims and 8 regular tires. Supersingles seem to be better on fuel, truck stability/lane change, and - most importantly - they shave off about 600 LBS from the weight of the truck. What do you guys think?

.................................................. ....................

"A 3,000-mile, real-world road test compared the MICHELIN® X One® XDA® Energy tire, together with the MICHELIN® XZA® 3 tire and the MICHELIN® X One® XTA® tire, to the Bridgestone® R287, M720 and R195F tires and the Goodyear® G395TM LHSTM Fuel MaxTM, G305TM LHDTM Fuel MaxTM and G316TM LHTTM Fuel MaxTM tires. The test was supervised by an independent third party for testing protocol and integrity.
The results?

The MICHELIN® X One® XDA® Energy tire can help save 7% on fuel versus the most fuel-efficient tires Bridgestone and Goodyear have to offer. Fuel savings the leading competitors can’t match. It’s just one more way the right tire changes everything.™
The results (1) by the numbers:
The Michelin® MPG Advantage

7.2% over Bridgestone®
8.3% over Goodyear®

Michelin®
MPG – 6.88
Steer – MICHELIN® XZA®3 275/80R22.5
Drive – The new MICHELIN® X One® XDA® Energy 445/50R22.5
Trailer – MICHELIN® X One® XTA® 445/50R22.5

Bridgestone®

MPG – 6.42
Steer – Bridgestone® R287 295/75R22.5
Drive – Bridgestone® M720 295/75R22.5
Trailer – Bridgestone® R195F 295/75R22.5

Goodyear®

MPG – 6.35
Steer – Goodyear® G395TM LHSTM Fuel MaxTM 295/75R22.5
Drive – Goodyear® G305TM LHDTM Fuel MaxTM 295/75R22.5
Trailer – Goodyear® G316TM LHTTM Fuel MaxTM 295/75R22.5"

[skrissel]

Tracer,

I have run Michelin X-one's for almost 3 years. I recently put them on my second truck and have a set waiting on on third truck when the duals wear out. I highly recommend them. They have performed very well. Michelins says they are getting 12-15k miles per 1/32nd of an inch, so they will last a long time!

A few pointers for saving some $. Get in contact with your local Michelin rep. Michelin will typically purchase one wheel for a customer that is converting from duals. I don't think they are as fuel efficient, but you should price out the custom mold retreads. They cost about 40% the price of a virgin.

Does Landstar offer discounts on Michelins? I'm part of CR Englands tire discount program that the offer to all approved carriers. They have some really good prices!

I know you like technology, so I would consider installing a TPMS system on your tractor. Check it out at:

PressurePro Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems

Good Luck!

-scott

[classictruckman]

Guys that I've talked to say that they're not very good in slippery conditions.

[tracer]

Guys that I've talked to say that they're not very good in slippery conditions.

Well, Michelin disagrees
INTRODUCING THE ALL NEW MICHELIN®
X ONE® XDN®2 Tire

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow, nor dark of night . . .

An exceptional drive tire that helps provide outstanding traction anywhere, all the time and in any condition. With a bold, open-shoulder construction, Matrix™ siping technology and optimized rubber compounding, the MICHELIN® X One® XDN®2 tire is our premier all-weather drive tire. It's the only tire with over 3,000 biting edges for that all-weather grip that you can feel in every turn without compromise to fuel efficiency and long tread life.

Uncompromised Traction

• Three dimensional Matrix™ Siping technology
• Open shoulder tread design

Longer Wear

• Improved compounding
• Extra-wide tread area

Reduced Irregular Tread Wear & Damage

• Channel with SipeSaver technology
• SipeSaver channel relieves stress and prevents tearing
• Matrix™ Siping reduces

[skrissel]

Guys that I've talked to say that they're not very good in slippery conditions.

In my experience they have been equal to, or better than duals on snow pulling a wagon. They are slightly scary bobtaling in the rain..............

[Steel Horse Cowboy]

Tracer, why do you want to save 600lbs??? You know the money to be made is in the LIGHTER loads. Less fuel and wear-n-tear on the truck. With prices well above $4 a gallon, i wouldn't pull anything over 30K lbs for less than $3 a mile..... 600lbs isn't much either.

I won't run super-singles just due to the fact that once it goes flat, you are stuck on the side of the road waiting for a repair truck and an extra $$$ charge for the roadside call.

[Malaki86]

I've talked to drivers that run the singles. They said they're great as long as the road isn't a bit wet. Once it gets wet, all bets are off.

[tracer]

Tracer, why do you want to save 600lbs??? You know the money to be made is in the LIGHTER loads. Less fuel and wear-n-tear on the truck. With prices well above $4 a gallon, i wouldn't pull anything over 30K lbs for less than $3 a mile..... 600lbs isn't much either.

I won't run super-singles just due to the fact that once it goes flat, you are stuck on the side of the road waiting for a repair truck and an extra $$$ charge for the roadside call.

I hate heavy loads myself. But 600 LBS is 600 LBS. It means you pull less weight down the road. But I agree with the repair angle - I often deliver to construction sites and places with rough pavement ... Even though I can't remember a single flat on my current truck Yokohamas. All flats - at least in my case - happen on the trailer wheels. I did cut the drive tire once and it had to be replaced because you could see the cord, but it didn't go flat.

I think these supersingles better suit someone who pulls a van trailer and rarely gets off good pavement. Us skateboad guys should probably stick to regular duals. Even though I saw TMC or another US flatbed company having plenty of supersingles on their tractors.

[YerDaddy]

I'm finally ready to change rusty STEEL rims

Those shiny rims and fat tires sure are attractive. Don't be blinded by the shine, my friend. You want this, you want that; what you need is patience and a solid plan. Sure your truck is not attractive. You picked it so stick with it. It takes years to work to financial freedom when you start this business in hock.
Now you are drowning in debt so bad you had to sell your home, belongings and your four wheeler.

Then you make negative gratuitous assertions about others who are doing much better than you. You post your daily goings on for the world to see. That's your choice but expect some comments from the peanut gallery that don't consist of smoke directed towards your nether regions.

My professional opinion to you is to stick with the duals for previously mentioned reasons.

My qualifications: I was throwing chains while you were still pledging allegiance to Yuri Andropov as a school boy.

Remember: patience and persistence!

600lbs isn't much either.

A fat driver and his fat ol' lady!

[Maniac]

Guys that I've talked to say that they're not very good in slippery conditions.

Well, Michelin disagrees

And what would you expect them to say???

I agree with the others single have no place on the jobsite, most flatbed outfits are NOT using them

Also TMC has been changing back to duals..........Schneider only runs them on tankers, nothing else.

600 pounds = same weight as 75 gallons of fuel

[mgfg]

Those shiny rims and fat tires sure are attractive. Don't be blinded by the shine, my friend. You want this, you want that; what you need is patience and a solid plan. Sure your truck is not attractive. You picked it so stick with it. It takes years to work to financial freedom when you start this business in hock.
Now you are drowning in debt so bad you had to sell your home, belongings and your four wheeler.

Then you make negative gratuitous assertions about others who are doing much better than you. You post your daily goings on for the world to see. That's your choice but expect some comments from the peanut gallery that don't consist of smoke directed towards your nether regions.

My professional opinion to you is to stick with the duals for previously mentioned reasons.

My qualifications: I was throwing chains while you were still pledging allegiance to Yuri Andropov as a school boy.

Remember: patience and persistence!

Extremely well put...but we all know he won't listen to you or anyone else.

[tracer]

...You want this, you want that; what you need is patience and a solid plan....

Administrators, take note - the above comment is a personal attack. The content of the comment has very little to do with the topic discussed in this thread. This poster should be either reminded of the forum rules of conduct or be banned.

[jagerbomber3.0]

Administrators, take note - the above comment is a personal attack. The content of the comment has very little to do with the topic discussed in this thread. This poster should be either reminded of the forum rules of conduct or be banned.

Are you really considering that a personal atatck?????

[LBF]

tone and choice of words, intended or not, is what separates helpful advice or opinion from being nasty.

It's too bad that more drivers don't post interesting thoughts, right or wrong.

We'd all learn more if they did.

[oneliner]

Now you are drowning in debt so bad you had to sell your home, belongings and your four wheeler.

Then you make negative gratuitous assertions about others who are doing much better than you. You post your daily goings on for the world to see. That's your choice but expect some comments from the peanut gallery that don't consist of smoke directed towards your nether regions.

If I were in that situation the first thing to go would be the truck.The last things to go would be my home and vehicle.

In no way would I become "homeless" because of some stupid truck.

[jagerbomber3.0]

IUts also to bad that people choose to introduce their personal and business life to the whole entire world on the internet via blogs and message boards and then cant handle the feed back after they have continuously turned down intelligent smart advice in a lot of cases. You cant open up your whole life to the internet and then expect only rosey red peachy positive comments on everything when you do crazy stuff and then tell us about it.Tracer seems like a good guy and I myself love reading his blogs and threads but he needs to be prepared for criticism.Its the internet. Most of the negative stuff hasnt really been all that bad anyways. Mostly just people that cant wrap their mind around the decisions that he makes sometimes. I hope Tracer continues to post his travels and stories because i enjoy them but he needs to understand this is a public internet forum. Not everyone is going to blow smoke.

[Bigmon]

When you see big carriers using something you have to keep in mind they get better pricing than you do and they may even get things for free as advertising.

[Orangetxguy]

IUts also to bad that people choose to introduce their personal and business life to the whole entire world on the internet via blogs and message boards and then cant handle the feed back after they have continuously turned down intelligent smart advice in a lot of cases. You cant open up your whole life to the internet and then expect only rosey red peachy positive comments on everything when you do crazy stuff and then tell us about it.Tracer seems like a good guy and I myself love reading his blogs and threads but he needs to be prepared for criticism.Its the internet. Most of the negative stuff hasnt really been all that bad anyways. Mostly just people that cant wrap their mind around the decisions that he makes sometimes. I hope Tracer continues to post his travels and stories because i enjoy them but he needs to understand this is a public internet forum. Not everyone is going to blow smoke.

Jag nailed it down pretty well.

As far as putting super singles on the truck.........they have their advantages for sure. But their biggest disadvantage is the sidewalls of the tires themselves. It doesn't matter which brand you buy, the sidewalls are not nearly as robust as the side wall of a 16 ply standard tire, and when your truck is heavily laden, the sidewalls of the super singles cut very easily. Especially while making sharp manuvers in construction areas.

You are not going to find many construction companies...............................or any other company, that will compensate you for a ruined tire. If all you drove on were paved parking lots that are free of sharp objects, you would do just fine with supers. Thay do have a great ride, and cut down on the road noise tremendously.

[xcarsalesman]

Where is Rev.... When you need him!! lol

[jagerbomber3.0]

I think rev would eat this eat up worse than he did Booth.