Can advancements in vehicles make tires better?

Reprinted from Real Answers
Can advancements
in vehicles make
tires better?
Volume 13, Issue 3
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Our thanks to Smyrna Ready Mix, located
outside Nashville, Tenn., for pausing a
few moments for our photographer.
Can advancements
in vehicles make
tires better
The latest-generation front-discharge
cement mixers are remarkable machines.
They literally put the operators in the
driver’s seat, allowing them to go farther
and deeper into the jobsite and pour
concrete with precision.
These innovations wouldn’t be quite as
remarkable without next-generation
Bridgestone L315 on/off-highway tires
to move these monstrous machines.
Let’s see how they do it.
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What’s the most important feature
of the new L315 tires?
Because a front-discharge mixer has greater access into
construction sites, soft-surface traction is important. The
L315 uses an ultra-deep lug tread that is extremely aggressive.
One look at that tread and you know it was built for tough,
messy off-highway work. The thick, knobby lugs create dozens
of biting edges so the tires can claw through the mud to reach
dryer, more solid ground. The open shoulder design improves
mud traction further by releasing mud from the tread surface.
The wide base design also promotes traction.
How is it different from other
wide base designs?
In the past several years, you’ve heard a lot about wide base singles
like Bridgestone’s Greatec. These on-highway tires are built to
replace dual assemblies in the drive and trailer positions. This
conversion reduces a vehicle’s weight, which fleets can use to
haul more revenue-producing freight.
Wide base tires have been used in on/off-highway applications
for a long time. While the L315 is a drive-position tire, concrete
firms tend to mount this tire in the steer position on their
front-discharge cement mixers because the front axles are driven.
How does wide base make a difference?
The weight of the machine is distributed over a larger footprint.
Front-discharge cement mixers are three- to seven-axle trucks that
can weigh anywhere from 27,000 to 36,000 pounds. That’s why
you need a powerhouse at the steer axle.
The L315 carries an “L” load range rating – that’s a tremendous amount of weight – up to 12,300 lb on each tire @ 120 psi.
Fleets in the construction business, especially those working
in “mud season,” need a good, wide base tire. It’s the same idea
as wearing snowshoes to prevent sinking into the snow. But in
the L315 case, it’s typically mud.
©2009, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations , LLC • Real Answers, Volume 13, Issue 3
When you hear a tire described as “a high void tread,”
it means the tire digs into the mud exceptionally well.
Take a look at this L315 tread. You’ll see
more black on the tread surface.
These empty areas create
higher void and more
biting edges.
Cap/base construction gives L315 good wear on the highway.
The top compound is engineered for superior traction and wear while
the base compound insulates the casing for outstanding retreadability.
What about durability?
L315 has a heavy-duty casing for longer tire life and
superior retreadability.
The belts use a thicker, stronger cord for durability.
And the enhanced chafer design adds two nylon chafers
to further shield the casing. This added protection reinforces
the bead area – an important factor, as extremely heavy loads
generate high heat.
Concrete firms will tell you they have a very small
window to deliver concrete, usually less than two hours.
Crews need to prep the area. And then they wait. And if a
mixer breaks down en route, everybody waits. Tire durability
is critical. Depending on the “mix” and weather conditions,
it only takes a matter of hours before it begins to harden
inside the drum. And that’s when the real trouble begins.
What improves tire durability off
the highway?
Take a close look at L315’s grooves and you’ll see they are
super wide. Take an even closer look and you’ll see the
lug blocks are built at an angle.
It’s what Bridgestone engineers call “better groove geometry”
and it means sharp stones can easily slide out of the groove,
reducing the possibility for stone drilling.
The L315 uses super-tough tread compounds to resist cuts,
chips and chunks for longer tire life. This tread compound is really
important when the cement mixers are working on wet ground.
What makes it good for that?
Pouring concrete is a wet job. The trucks must be hosed off when
entering or leaving the yards. And water trucks are used to keep dust
down in the yard, as well as the construction area. Whenever you see
wet rocks, watch out! Wet rocks can slice tires like a sharp knife.
How is a wet rock different?
It’s lubricated. That’s why you see people using a wet blade to cut
through materials with a single slice. The tough tread compound
can stand up to most of the abuse encountered in a construction site.
Speaking of dangerous obstacles in a jobsite, the L315 uses
tough protector ribs on both sidewalls to protect the sidewall
and improve tire life. If one side wears out, flip the tire over for
continued protection.
Can L315 be used on any other vehicles
besides front-discharge cement mixers?
The L315 is a popular choice on heavy-duty dumps and
construction vehicles that carry heavy loads, up to 20,000 lb
on steer axles. The L315 is also seeing a lot of service in oil fields.
In what size is it offered?
L315 is available in 445/65R22.5.
Steel filaments that make up this
on/off-highway tire’s belt cords
have a tighter “wind” to allow it
to absorb shocks.
Nearly three-quarters of all
concrete is ready-mix, which is manufactured to the
customers’ specifications – or recipe – at a central plant.
In 1909, horse-drawn mixers used paddles turned by
the cart’s wheels to blend the concrete while driving to
the jobsite. In 1916, Stephen Stepanian of Columbus,
Ohio, developed a self-discharging motorized transit
mixer that was the predecessor of the modern readymixed concrete truck.