Radial Versus Bias
When it comes to traction, radials provide more of it than bias tires. They also provide better flotation, ride, wear over a lifetime, and comfort, lists Enyart. Grading is more accurate. Bias tires run on higher air pressure, making the machine bounce, diminishing accuracy and operator comfort. “Radials have less slip, which affects productivity.” Bias tires spin, causing the operator to lose time and be less productive. It also increases tread wear.
An L-3 radial is spec’ed the most, says DePriest. “It’s standard on wheel loaders for road and building applications. An L-3 bias is cost-efficient, but has more bounce. “The radial has more support; less bounce under load. If you’re not using a machine on roads, you may not care, but if the bias sits for a long time, it gets a lump when cold.”
Radial Versus Bias When it comes to traction, radials provide more of it than bias tires. They also provide better flotation, ride, wear over a lifetime, and comfort, lists Enyart. Grading is more accurate. Bias tires run on higher air pressure, making the machine bounce, diminishing accuracy and operator comfort. “Radials have less slip, which affects productivity.” Bias tires spin, causing the operator to lose time and be less productive. It also increases tread wear. An L-3 radial is spec’ed the most, says DePriest. “It’s standard on wheel loaders for road and building applications. An L-3 bias is cost-efficient, but has more bounce. “The radial has more support; less bounce under load. If you’re not using a machine on roads, you may not care, but if the bias sits for a long time, it gets a lump when cold.” [text_ad] Hyundai carries five brands of tires, allowing the customer to choose. But, says DePriest, the cost difference is a factor in the decision. “Radials are expensive.” The price difference between bias and radials is not as big now, says Enyart, explaining that while the upfront cost remains higher, the long-term operating cost is lower. “People want [radials] so they’ve become cheaper to produce,” explains Murphy, who adds that “some manufacturers don’t even make bias anymore. Bias tires are for a specific need. Why buy high-end radials?” He lists some of the benefits of radial tires:- They run much cooler, enabling them to run more hours
- They are more forgiving when they run over obstacles
- They provide better traction
- They provide better fuel economy
- The contribute to increased vehicle steadiness
- They exhibit superior cut resistance
Hyundai carries five brands of tires, allowing the customer to choose. But, says DePriest, the cost difference is a factor in the decision. “Radials are expensive.”
The price difference between bias and radials is not as big now, says Enyart, explaining that while the upfront cost remains higher, the long-term operating cost is lower.
“People want [radials] so they’ve become cheaper to produce,” explains Murphy, who adds that “some manufacturers don’t even make bias anymore. Bias tires are for a specific need. Why buy high-end radials?”
He lists some of the benefits of radial tires:
- They run much cooler, enabling them to run more hours
- They are more forgiving when they run over obstacles
- They provide better traction
- They provide better fuel economy
- The contribute to increased vehicle steadiness
- They exhibit superior cut resistance
As a rule of thumb, radials provide better traction, cut resistance for tread, heat resistance, flotation, and fuel economy. They generally wear better. Bias tires offer vehicle stability and cut resistance for sidewalls. They are self-cleaning and repairable. They are also typically less expensive.
Types of Tires
Double Coin provides some basic explanations for the different types of tires and their potential uses. An E-1 rib design tire is typically used on free-rolling axles. E-1 tires are used on steering axles of dump vehicles or material handling equipment. Designed with a one-to-one lug-to-void ratio that provides good traction in sand and soft soil materials, E-2 tires are most commonly used on self-loading scrapers. E-3 tires have a two-to-one lug-to-void ratio, providing resistance to rock damage and good traction. They are primarily used on end dumps, bottom dumps, articulated dumps, and scrapers. These tires offer good heat resistance for use in operations where long-haul distances and high speeds are encountered. The shallow rib tread of the E-7 lends itself to equipment that runs in soft, sandy soil. It is also often used on asphalt spreader vehicles.
L tires for OTR loader and dozer applications feature heavy construction that limits them to slow speeds and short haul distances: up to 5 miles per hour for 250 feet. L tires are also used in load and carry applications: up to 15 miles per hour for distances up to 2,000 feet.
L-2 tires provide maximum traction in sand and soft soil conditions, as well as tread-cleaning benefits. The L-3 rock design adds rock resistance to traction for loader operations. The L-4 rock design has a heavy tread mass for more rock resistance and tread life over the L-3. The L-5 rock design is the most popular type of loader tire because of its extremely heavy tread mass for even greater rock resistance and extended tread life in severe rock conditions. For the ultimate in resisting rock damage and penetration, the L-5S solid features massive tread and smooth design to eliminate shoulder lug tearing in severe rock loader applications.
“Solid tires are an increasing trend,” indicates Dembe. Based on end-user input and extensive development that includes benchmark testing and real-world field testing, Camoplast Solideal recently introduced a solid tire for skid-steer loaders: the SKS 793S. Its non-directional tread pattern is great for mixed applications. The reusable wheel translates to a lower cost per hour, while its elongated aperture design reduces cracking and its tread depth increases service life over previous versions.
Alliance also has a new line for skid-steers: the Beefy Baby Solid. Besancon explains that it is best for “very heavy duty applications like recycling, demo and rebuilding in urban areas or harsh environments with a lot of concrete, and rebar, where its solid and deep tread offer more protection.”
Even if a job site is not filled with debris, Valev says “semi-pneumatic tires are an ideal solution because of their deep treads that provide for better traction and longer wear factor than standard pneumatic tires.” Although there are some exceptions, he says, many tires and tracks perform well across a variety of applications.
No matter what the application, downtime is a concern for contractors. McLaren Industries has developed a series of technologies to extend service life. For instance, the NuAir semi-pneumatic tires are designed to provide thousands of hours of service life with no downtime. Rubber tracks feature SpoolRite belting technology, which uses a single, jointless, non-overlapping, continuous steel belt with exclusive lug designs to maximize durability and extend undercarriage life.
