I’m after advice on what tyres you lads on bulk tipper work use on both unit and trailer. I’ve only been in business since November so a lot of the tyres I inherited are now coming up for replacing. I can’t say I’m shocked by the tyre wear I’m experiencing as it is hard work, but I’m not getting as much out of a tyre as expected.
I put a Barum super single on my trailer after a puncture in February and that has already been cut and is now ready to come off after 50000km. It started its life on the back n/s axle and was moved to front n/s about 6 weeks ago. At only 50000km tyre life I am going to have to replace each tyre on the trailer (apart from middles), 3 times a year! As an owner driver I ain’t one for screwing it round on a sixpence and always try to do a 3point turn where possible do is this just the sort of life expectancy on a bulker?
I’m seriously thinking about upgrading everything up to Michelin as I go along. Ok this will be a hell of a lot more cost effective if, as expected, they provide a much longer tyre life. For an owner operator it is a big financial commitment bearing in mind a GT Radial s/s is £260+ vat and a Michelin remix is almost double that. However if a Michelin really does have a far superior tyre life it makes sense.
So I would appreciate the help/advice of those in the know when it comes to tyres and in particular running them on a bulk tipper!
On the trailer I’ve always used Bridgestone M748. They’re dear (the last one I put on was £385+VAT) but they are lasting a lot longer than that one of yours! I have a pair on the first axle now that went on just under 12mo ago and they still have plenty of life in them and on the back axle I reckon to get about 9 months out of them. The middle axle tends to get tyres from one of the other axles moved on to it when they’re getting down. I don’t usually recut them as by the time the original tread is down they are usually looking pretty worn out anyway with lots of little cuts in them and the last thing I want is a blowout.
As for the unit, I’ve always put Bridgestone R297 steers on which I seem to get about 12mo out of. On the drive axle I previously had a set of Bridgestone M729s which I got about 140,000km out of but when it came to replacing them the price scared me so I’ve tried a set of Michelin Remixes this time round. They’ve been on 6 months now and so far it looks like they’re wearing very well. On the lift axle I put old recut tyres that I have taken off one of the other two axles.
To be fair a mate of mine swears by Bridgestone tyres as he got a new Fruehauf trailer with (I think) 748’s on and he went 14 months without needing a new one in it. No one could believe it but we use the same tyre fitter and he assures me this was correct. He also got 140000km out of a new set of Bridgestone drives which is quite impressive on this game. I know £350-400 is a big layout, especially when you’re buying say two at a time but if there’s a long term saving its a change I’m willing to make. I take it they were second life remixes you got Paul?
When I get a minute I’ll have a look at Dads’ unit but don’t use Toyos on a rigid these wear in no time and have no resistance to punctures (in my experience).
Bridgestones on Dads’ trailer; We must’ve got a good deal or need to spend the tax money.
The Foden I drove had Continentals on the front and didn’t show much wear in the time I had them.
My Cats’ got Bridgestones but at £3000 per tyre…
on the trailers at my work we use double coins, on the units its firestones for the drives and bridgestones on the front and double coins on the mid lift
My unit has Michelins all round but they are 315s on the steers and drive and 17.5 on little axle and its showing 105000 kms according to the tyre fitter they still have 8mm near enough across them all.As for trailers i drop and swap 2 trailers a day and the ones fitted with Bridgestones seem to be standing up very well.
Trailer rear axle, best so far, ‘chunky’ GT876, lasted 8 months.
Trailer front axle, most budget tyres do just over 12 months.
Middles last forever just as long as you turn them on the rim when the shoulder is well-worn.
Steer axle. Best I have done with Bridgestone R249’s is 130,000km, however a pair of Continentals were taken off at 120,000km
for MOT due to cuts would have certainly done another 50,000km and were by far the better to drive on.
Michelins currently fitted are on a par with the Contis.
Drive axle. Bridgestone R749’s did 180,000km and gave 8.34mpg during this time. Replacement Michelins were poor by
comparison, I struggled to achieve 8mpg on even the eastiest day, it was like driving through treacle! These were
removed after 6 weeks and replaced with another set of R749’s which after 90,000km look like at least equalling their
predecessors.
R749’s do not have quite as much off-road grip as the more usually seen R729’s, but I have not so far had to fit my
towing-eye, even during the 2010-2011 winter!
Hopefully these figures will be useful Matthew, I’m pleased to see that you are doing okay.
xfmatt:
To be fair a mate of mine swears by Bridgestone tyres as he got a new Fruehauf trailer with (I think) 748’s on and he went 14 months without needing a new one in it. No one could believe it but we use the same tyre fitter and he assures me this was correct.
I like them and I think I’ll keep buying them. They seem to get to the point where they’re out of tread without being badly cut up whereas some GT tyres I also have on the trailer have loads of tread left but I’m going to have to take them off soon because they’re full of nasty cuts.
Grieves me no end when a tyre’s got plenty of good tread left but a dodgy cut down to the cords. Generally, I’II toy with shoving some black mastic in but then panic I’II get pulled and the mastic will be half hanging off so I change the tyre.
To the OP, what pressure are you putting in? Barum aren’t the best tyre in the world but that doesn’t seem enough life.
Recutting is ok if you can do it yourself but if you get a tyre co to do it their cost badly eats into the extra life you’re giving it.
Own Account Driver:
Grieves me no end when a tyre’s got plenty of good tread left but a dodgy cut down to the cords. Generally, I’II toy with shoving some black mastic in but then panic I’II get pulled and the mastic will be half hanging off so I change the tyre.
To the OP, what pressure are you putting in? Barum aren’t the best tyre in the world but that doesn’t seem enough life.
Recutting is ok if you can do it yourself but if you get a tyre co to do it their cost badly eats into the extra life you’re giving it.
They’re all roughly about 120 psi do I can’t see that being a major factor. In going to get bridgestones next and see how they fare.
xfmatt:
’
So I would appreciate the help/advice of those in the know when it comes to tyres and in particular running them on a bulk tipper!
Hi Matt I think the the first thing to point out is the work that you do irrespective of if you were trunking coal or doing grain I would expect km for km the work to be harder than a curtainsider - I run two Volvo on walking floor work - both are identical units pulling identical trailers on the same work and routes.
One unit is shod with Michelin and consistently does 7% more mpg the other unit that was acquired with bridge stones on the steer and had dunlops on the drive these have been changed for Barnum’s with no negative effects what so ever I like Barnum’s for cost and the fact that in every respect they are a continental at remould price.
Personally on bulk I wouldn’t risk Michelins I would look bridgestones but not dismiss Barum which I have on a couple of low loaders and have been fine
Just remembered, we use a lot of Hankooks. If you do a lot of quarry work these are worth considering as stone chippings don’t cling to the treads as much.
xfmatt:
’
So I would appreciate the help/advice of those in the know when it comes to tyres and in particular running them on a bulk tipper!
Hi Matt I think the the first thing to point out is the work that you do irrespective of if you were trunking coal or doing grain I would expect km for km the work to be harder than a curtainsider - I run two Volvo on walking floor work - both are identical units pulling identical trailers on the same work and routes.
One unit is shod with Michelin and consistently does 7% more mpg the other unit that was acquired with bridge stones on the steer and had dunlops on the drive these have been changed for Barnum’s with no negative effects what so ever I like Barnum’s for cost and the fact that in every respect they are a continental at remould price.
Personally on bulk I wouldn’t risk Michelins I would look bridgestones but not dismiss Barum which I have on a couple of low loaders and have been fine
I really haven’t been impressed with the barums though, 50000k’s is not acceptable to me even though I know it’s hard work.
id say 50000kms is not that bad on a tipper on rear axle,barums arnt bad at all for the price,we have had some kormerans but they were a bit soft didint do anywhere near 50000kms on rear axle,hankook th10 is the best for us at the moment,reasonably priced and last 9 to 10 months,had sum GT s, i swear u could watch them wear down.
Pound for pound whatever you put on bulker will be better than a Michelin , Barums cost me 25-30% less than a Michelin (and yes I do buy them both) and I guarantee a Michelin won’t last me 25% more. The reason I fit Michelin if I can is that my tractors do all 150k some do 250k as they are double shifted and fuel is my biggest cost.
There are loads of reasons for you not getting good mileage and none of these are brand related
The tyre choice decision is a difficult one, purchase price is always the least important factor though, even if (too) many buy tyres based on this alone. Tyre life and reliabilty is important and so is rolling resistance, as nextdrop stated a 7% mpg improvement is possible and that’s a very conservative figure as I’m assuming the other tractor unit he refers to is not running on crap tyres either.
There are a load of complicated formulas, but the end result is that as long as you do over 50,000miles a year and fuel is over 3quid a gallon, rolling resistance trumps tyre life every time, obviously this assumes a trouble free life from the tyre, on a bulker this may not be the case, so it pays to do your homework, see what the trailer manufacturers fit as standard, what the larger operators run on their fleets and why. Your tyre shop should be able to help you out if they value your custom
I’ve made a purchase. Ended up getting 2 Bridgestone M748’s for £325 each plus vat. I’m happy enough at that price as i was expecting them to be about £360 plus. They will both be going on rear axle and we shall see how they perform.
Also bought a Firestone 315/70 for front steer on unit. The tyre firm seemed to rate then fairly highly on the steer and they are made by Bridgestone anyway. That was £285 plus vat whereas the equivalent Bridgestone with almost identical tread was £335 plus vat.
Hope it’s a good pay day at the end of the month! Lol
