Wide single tires have always appealed, at least in theory, to fleets hungry to swap weight for payload, since they weigh considerably less than the duals they replace. And wide-single manufacturers’ claims of improved fuel economy also seem reasonable, since the tires’ smaller footprint and half as many sidewalls mean less flexing and less energy wasted on rolling resistance. Also, they eliminate the possibility of mismatched duals, which, having different loaded radii, tend to fight each other with every revolution, consuming tread and fuel.

And, with wide singles, there are fewer tires to mount, dismount, inspect and rotate, which should serve to reduce maintenance cost and downtime.

About the only fly in the créme brulée has been the fear of on-road tire failure. If a wide single blows on a single-drive-axle tractor, a driver’s got obvious problems. And if one fails on a tandem, the operator might be able to limp to the nearest truck stop or garage – depending on how heavily the truck is loaded. But, it’s been unlikely that the facility would stock a replacement.

The AIRCept unit fits around the rim inside a Greatec tire, protected from damage.

As we reported in July, Michelin, with its X-One wide single, has addressed these problems with beefier construction, better availability and standard sizing, allowing a set of duals to be bolted on in place of an X-One in a pinch.

Now comes news that Bridgestone Corp. of Japan, parent company of Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, has developed a self-inflating liner that goes into action when one of its Greatec wide singles experiences a sudden loss of air pressure.

Called AIRCept (for “assistant inner ring interceptor”), the unit fits around the rim inside a Greatec tire, protected by the tire from most kinds of damage. A special valve, developed by Pacific Industrial and Bridgestone, permits inflating the tire and AIRCept unit to different pressures – simultaneously.