Volvo Trucks North America recently selected the Bridgestone M860 as its standard position steer tire for the Volvo VHD vocational truck. The new Bridgestone M860 all-position on/off-highway radials are designed to deliver outstanding tread life, durable beads and sidewalls, plus retreadability.
M860 radials are engineered for refuse and other severe-service trucks, and can carry extremely heavy loads, even at sustained 65-mph highway speeds, the tiremaker says. M860 uses a wider tread and a wider casing designed to spread the load over a larger area, distributing footprint pressure for longer tread life. This wider design also means M860 can haul heavy refuse loads, up to 20,000 pounds on steer axles, according to Bridgestone.
M860 is engineered for superior bead durability and tire life. Its 2-ply nylon plus 1 steel chafer helps strengthen the bead area, even under high brake heat and heavy loads. To protect the casing, thick abrasion-resistant sidewall ribs help fight curbing damage; if one set of the protector ribs is worn away, the tire can be flipped for continued protection.
The M860 tire uses a tough tread compound to help resist cuts, chips and tears, promoting outstanding wear for start-stop driving that’s typical for refuse pickup routes and other severe-service hauling. To enhance casing life, stone rejector platforms in the center grooves help prevent trapped stones from pushing into the tread grooves and piercing the belt layer, which can damage belts and expose them to rust. The grooves on the outside of the tread surface are designed with a special angle to combat stone retention that can lead to casing damage and loss of retreadability.
The ultra-durable on/off-highway tire uses four steel belts and an all-steel casing so that it can be retreaded for any axle position. And for added traction, M860 uses computer-designed blocks and notches designed to bite into soft surfaces.
Volvo also recently selected the Bridgestone R287 as the standard position steer tire for the Volvo VN and Volvo VT series of highway trucks. The R287 is a radial tire designed for steering positions in long-haul and regional-haul applications. The R287’s tread design, tread compound and patented Bridgestone Side Groove and Equalizer Rib are designed to work together to combat irregular wear, provide excellent traction and deliver high mileage.
Volvo also offers customers tires from Continental, Michelin and Goodyear, in addition to Bridgestone.
Mack also recently selected the R280 from Bridgestone as the standard tire for its Pinnacle highway model series. The R280 is designed with improved wet traction, plus features to resist irregular wear and facilitate long wear, high traction and retreadability for drive axles.
Mack also offers customers tires from Michelin, Goodyear, Continental, General and Yokohama.
