Over the past few years, manufacturers of equipment, loaders, articulated trucks, graders, etc. have been offering equipment with low-profile tires.
So, what does that mean?
Earthmover tires typically belong to the 80 series. For example, a 23.5R25 tire is 23.5″wide and the sidewall is 80% of its width, or 19″. Earthmover low-profile tires generally belong to the 65 series. So, the sidewall is 65% of the width. This means that for a tire of similar diameter, its width will be greater.
Advantages:
- Increased flotation: Low-profile tires are wider. Therefore, to support the same load, the tires have a larger contact area to increase the flotation.
- Comfort: The pressure to support the same load may be reduced. Because the air chambers are larger, the pressure can be lower for the same amount of air and this provides better comfort for the operator.
- Increased traction is a benefit that results from more contact area and less air pressure.
Here are a few things to consider:
- As low-profile tires are wider, you will not be able to replace them with a tire of the same diameter from the 80 series since the wheels are too wide. This is a long-term decision.
- There are fewer choices of treads and models for low-profile tires. Indeed, manufacturers only offer a limited number of tread designs. So, if you want to use your equipment for other purposes, the tires you need might not exist and, in this case, retreading would be an excellent alternative.
- As the choice of treads is limited, supply will be affected in case of shortage of tires, and you will run out of options if the inventories decline. This is an important point to consider before purchasing equipment, but we will be there to retread or repair your tires whenever you need it.
References :
- Titan adds 7 Low Sidewall designs to OTR line | Equipment World
- Resources-OTR-65-series-FT.pdf (fountaintire.com)
Have a good summer!
The LanOTR team