Question for you dually guys (and girls)

[Crunch]

I don't have the DRW, and have no need for one but I've been hearing some commercials and other talk on late night trucking shows that got me wondering. The subject is wide base tires that eliminate the dual wheels currently on the truck. The claims involve reduced weight, less rolling resistance, increase in self-aligning torque and better fuel economy. Are WBTs only available for the semi trucks, or are they also available for heavy duty pickups? Seems like a good idea if the claims are true. The only downside I see other than initial cost is that you would have to haul around a spare WBT in addition to the underbed spare. Without the spare you are dead in the water if you get a flat. But if your truck is paying your bills it might be worth it, provided you can carry the spare.

 

[BGlidewell]

my knee-jerk response, you've got half the sidewall and air envelope so it is never going to fly as anything but a novelty, or a way for people who bought a dually by mistake to get what they really wanted. :-laf

 

[JFlagg]

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...train-except-engine/185742-super-singles.html

Check there, was a short conversation on the pro's and con's of said mod. I think they would look sweet, but in actuality you would lose load handling ability due to half the rear sidewalls to carry the weight. (4 as apposed to 8) I also think just the added hassle of needing two different spare would be enough to scare most people away...

 

[DPKetchum]

Super singles has been around for a while. Its never taken off as of yet. I've seen ONE on the road.

 

[Rams-n-Hogs]

Super signals has been around for a while. Its never taken off as of yet. I've seen ONE on the road.

I've seen a few in the states. That's all they use in Europe. I've never seen dual wheels over there.

 

[JFlagg]

Only time I've seen one is on Trick my Truck on CMT. Never in person...

 

[Crunch]

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...train-except-engine/185742-super-singles.html
Check there, was a short conversation on the pro's and con's of said mod. I think they would look sweet, but in actuality you would lose load handling ability due to half the rear sidewalls to carry the weight. (4 as apposed to 8) I also think just the added hassle of needing two different spare would be enough to scare most people away...

I agree they look would look great on trucks. Their success or failure is going to depend on performance and hassle. Here's a link to a good blurb at the Kenworth site about them:

Kenworth Truck Company

A total weight reduction of 650lbs doesn't seem like much of a gain for payloads when you are regularly handling loads of 60,000lbs-80,000lbs. But a 2%-5% increase in fuel economy due to less rolling resistance sounds real good for a big truck. I'm thinking these tires might be a good investment for some limited applications and geographic regions. Something is going on with tires in the commercial trucking industry, though. This same trucking show has also been broadcasting segments about today's retread tires not being your father's retread tires, and how they save money. One of the "myths" they have been trying to dispel is the notion that alligators on the highways are because of retreads. The new message is that most tread seperations are due to low tire pressures. Another thing they have been broadcasting is a "1 minute maintenence tip" that claims some truckers are buying retreads and running them down 45%, then selling them to dump truckers at $200 a pop with 55% of the tread remaining. The same maintenence tip also stated that tires seem to last longer if they are installed and broken in during the winter months. The show had one caller who said he ran them and loved them, and also said he inflated his tires with nitrogen for better performance, fuel economy and longevity. I still wonder if they have a place in the heavy duty pickup world.

 

[jelag]

We are way behind Europe. And the super singles are gaining here... . I think we'll see them on all big trucks just like the change to radials years ago... once the customer base gets used to them and features they offer...

 

[HighRanger]

I have seen quite a few super singles on big rigs and a slight few on dually trucks. The smaller trucks I have seen them on are generally slammed to the ground on air bags and don't really count in my mind. They are gaining in popularity. In the last month I have made 3 round trips from baltimore to dallas/ft worth, they are def making a move on larger trucks.

 

[Grizzly]

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...train-except-engine/185742-super-singles.html

Check there, was a short conversation on the pro's and con's of said mod. I think they would look sweet, but in actuality you would lose load handling ability due to half the rear sidewalls to carry the weight. (4 as apposed to 8) I also think just the added hassle of needing two different spare would be enough to scare most people away...

Super Singles are nothing new. I had them on my Furd F250 gasser in the mid 70's (worst vehicle I ever had). They did help stability with my 10. 5' Travel Queen cab-over-camper. They were Goodyear and I never had any problem with them. As for a spare, I used my stock 750/16. 5, which I only used long enough to get the Super Single fixed. Super Singles were very popular in the 70's and 80's. Furd also made a SRW F350 back then.

 

[wneubauer]

I see them fairly often. Always wondered how they compared to dual rear wheels on a semi...

 

[Crunch]

I see them fairly often. Always wondered how they compared to dual rear wheels on a semi...

Evidently, it's a mixed bag of plusses and minuses but they seem to have come a long way in the last 20 years or so. They are lower profile, now. Seems like it's going to be application-specific where it makes sense to use them. I didn't notice any of the Ice Road Truckers using them. I was thinking that with the rough ice they drive on that might be one place where they could be used.

 

[MMiller]

I was listening to two truckers talking on the CB the other day. Yah, I know, probably not the best way to get information. :-laf One was pulling a tanker with super singles. He liked them over all, but said that they did not belong on a trailer with a rookie driver in the winter, he said they were alot more squirrley in bad conditions then duals. He also said they wore uneven, the inner half of the tires would wear out before the outers, I suppose from the crown in the road.



10 years ago a trucking company that hauled grain ran them, and the drivers hated them in rain, snow, sleet, basically anything other then dry, flat, road.



I will say on my 3/4 ton pickup, that the 33x12. 5 tires with the same rating handle the trailer better then the stock width tires. The stock width tires would sway more. That being said, I don't believe they would be better then dual wheels.



Michael