| Author | Message | ||
| Craig Campbell (Craig_4104012)
Registered Member Username: Craig_4104012 Post Number: 1 Registered: 2-2009 Posted From: 72.61.183.53 Rating: N/A |
Hello, new bus owner here and i have been reading the board for a while and i have not had much to add to all of the conversations, that ended this afternoon when i saw a 10 wheel 18 wheeler. well i was working over near norfolk terminals and i saw several trailers and road tractors wit single traction and trailer tires. i asked one of the drivers what was the reasoning and he said it looks better most of all but they make him more money. he went on to elaborate that they weigh less and that saves him fuel. i went ahead and googled these tires and came up with the following link <href>http://www.arc.unr.edu/Workshops/Wide-Base_Tires/Wide_Base_Summary-v9-ATA-whitepaper.pdf</href> looks good on paper and based upon what the driver told me so i put it to the wisdom of our community; do you believe this is a good idea? i am in need of new tires for my traction drive and i was looking into getting some aluminum wheels anyhow in an effort to get into more restrictive campgrounds (shiny means new at first glance right?) so if i shell out the money up front and go this route i may save some fuel but i now have two different sets of wheels. i was kind of thinking of this as a bad thing because i could not use my spare in the rear but really nothing changed, i would still use the spare but now i would be rolling with a greater load on the single 11 x 22.5? well i am now just letting my fingers type all of my thoughts and this post is turning into a rambling display of ADHD. so enough from me what does the board think? | ||
| Mark Renner (Boomer)
Registered Member Username: Boomer Post Number: 159 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 206.58.200.38  Rating: N/A |
Craig, there is no way that a motorhomer will ever accrue enough miles to make super singles even remotely cost effective. Long haul truckers often stack up 200,000 miles and more per year, where as an RV most generally averages around 10k. To an even greater degree, the capability to retread or trade in a serviceable casing is what delivers a low tire cost per mile. This is assuming that high milage is put on the tire in a short amount of time. Just the opposite of the service conditions in the RV environment. A local charter bus company here in Portland thought it would be cool to run singles so they could boast of being a "green" company. Now they have stacks and stacks of run out singles with no market for the casings. The small amount of fuel savings could never pay back the cost of 'em, and we are not concerned with saving weight. Bottom line: motorhomes are not a cost effective use for super singles. Have you priced the tires and wheels yet? Good luck. | ||
| Craig Campbell (Craig_4104012)
Registered Member Username: Craig_4104012 Post Number: 3 Registered: 2-2009 Posted From: 68.246.232.141 Rating: N/A |
now that is what i was looking for a real world answer. nope i have not even googled tire and wheel prices. kind of afraid of what i might find | ||
| Austin Scott Davis (Zimtok)
Registered Member Username: Zimtok Post Number: 318 Registered: 9-2006 Posted From: 216.37.73.226 Rating: N/A |
Aside from what has been said already.... My concern with a single tire instead of duel is for a blowout. With duel you can limp down the road to the next service area or even change the tire yourself if you carry a spare. With a single tire you are stuck where it blows and the likelihood of you carrying a large single spare is remote. Is there more concern for hydroplaning? I know that with wider tires on my GTO it has a tendency to hydroplane easier. I do think it would look cool. Sort of like having wide slicks on the back of a hot rod. And you might not get stuck as easy if you need to go off road at the next bus rally.... . | ||
| David Lower (Dave_l)
Registered Member Username: Dave_l Post Number: 136 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 67.58.201.132  Rating: N/A |
Craig I also am looking for tires and I asked at the local tire shop about the super singles on the drives, For my use he recomended Michelin X-One XDN 2 it is a 445/55R22.5 and requires a 14x22.5 rim. the tire installed is $1200 each and after he phoned his suppliers he could not locate that rim size in a stud piloted rim. If I stayed with duals he gave me two recomendations first was Michelin XZE2 11R22.5 instaled at $547.00 each. And BFGoodrich ST230 11R22.5 instaled at $425.00 each. both of which are made by Michelin. Being that I have stud piloted rims I will stick with duals. Just a little info for you. Dave L You are rite there Peter they would look cool! (Message edited by Dave_L on April 30, 2009) | ||
| Bruce Henderson (Oonrahnjay)
Registered Member Username: Oonrahnjay Post Number: 399 Registered: 8-2004 Posted From: 70.60.107.86  Rating: N/A |
Austin Scott Davis said "My concern with a single tire instead of duel is for a blowout. With duel you can limp down the road to the next service area" The first one of these that I ever saw, I had picked up some VW parts at Impex near Baltimore. I came out of the parking lot to find the street blocked by a truck trying to back into the loading dock of a place down the street. It had a flat "super single" and the driver was stuck. He directed traffic to go through the parking lot and back to the street to get around him. | ||
| Peter E (Sdibaja)
Registered Member Username: Sdibaja Post Number: 284 Registered: 5-2002 Posted From: 201.171.212.10  Rating: N/A |
you guys are missing the point! those wide tires look Soooo CooooL! and speaking of looking cool... now is the time to get those continental kits back in vogue... | ||
| joe padberg (Joemc7ab)
Registered Member Username: Joemc7ab Post Number: 347 Registered: 6-2004 Posted From: 66.38.159.33 Rating: N/A |
We took a holiday in europe last summer, and the typical transport has a single axle long wheelbase tractor pulling a triaxle trailer all equipped with super singles. I saw at least one with steerable trailer axles. Don't know if they all do. Did not see any buses with singles, and I saw lots of buses. Joe. | ||
| Laryn Christley (Barn_owl)
Registered Member Username: Barn_owl Post Number: 615 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 153.2.247.34  Rating: N/A |
Scroll down and watch rapid airloss in a coach: http://www.michelintruck.com/michelintruck/toolbox/videos-demos.jsp#XOneRapidAircoach (Message edited by barn_owl on April 30, 2009) | ||
| marvin pack (Gomer)
Registered Member Username: Gomer Post Number: 441 Registered: 3-2007 Posted From: 71.55.197.237  Rating: N/A |
Hey Barn Owl; I noticed that they used a coach with a tag axle, that explains the control issue with the driver,however what would happen with a single axle like yours and mine??? That is why I think that I would wear a helment too!!! gomer | ||
| Moe Hollow (Moehollow)
Registered Member Username: Moehollow Post Number: 89 Registered: 12-2007 Posted From: 71.102.27.164 Rating: N/A |
Also, they blow out both duals. That would seem to be a highly unlikely event. | ||
| joe padberg (Joemc7ab)
Registered Member Username: Joemc7ab Post Number: 348 Registered: 6-2004 Posted From: 66.38.159.33 Rating: N/A |
Just checking to see if my new laptop actually works | ||
| joe padberg (Joemc7ab)
Registered Member Username: Joemc7ab Post Number: 349 Registered: 6-2004 Posted From: 66.38.159.33 Rating: N/A |
wonders never cease!!! Joe. | ||
| Craig Campbell (Craig_4104012)
Registered Member Username: Craig_4104012 Post Number: 10 Registered: 2-2009 Posted From: 72.60.152.143 Rating: N/A |
Rather than starting a new thread i will just ask it here, if the board thinks i should move it out i will. Why do truckers hit there tires with a small bat when they are doing a trip inspection? | ||
| David Lower (Dave_l)
Registered Member Username: Dave_l Post Number: 139 Registered: 11-2007 Posted From: 67.58.201.132 Rating: N/A |
They hit them to see if there are any flat or low tires. If it makes a low sounding or dull thud it could mean that tire is flat or has less air in it than the rest. so they all should sound some what the same. Dave L | ||
| Mike Eades (Mike4905)
Registered Member Username: Mike4905 Post Number: 187 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 97.106.122.149 Rating: N/A |
Craig I use 105 lb cross fire's on my 4905. Work great. | ||
| Keith Wood (Ft6)
Registered Member Username: Ft6 Post Number: 107 Registered: 8-2008 Posted From: 75.208.237.83 Rating: N/A |
The hit the tires because they are too lazy to get out the air gauge and actually CHECK their pressure. This only works if you have a tire that is pretty much flat. One tire outfit used to go to the trucking shows with 12 tires on a custom trailer, and offer a free set of tires to any driver who could thump them and tell which were underfilled and overfilled, and by how much. Some of the tires were as much as 30 lbs underinflated, but they NEVER had to make good on the promise! The absolute best "quick check" for dual tires is the Cats Eye. All you have to do is look at the indicator -- if either tire is low, you can tell at a glance. | ||
| Keith Wood (Ft6)
Registered Member Username: Ft6 Post Number: 108 Registered: 8-2008 Posted From: 75.208.237.83 Rating: N/A |
Craig, Supersingles are a GREAT idea for long-haul semis. For RVs, they are a really really BAD idea. Right now, you can use any tire in any position to get home. One spare will fit anywhere, and if you have a tag axle, you are even better off (I don't carry a spare in the rack, if I need one I'll pull one of my tags). Using standard tires also means that you can get a tire ANYWHERE, from any shop that does trucks or coaches, anytime. Supersingles are only stocked by the largest shops, and not even all of them. Anyone can ORDER a Supersingle for you, but that can take a couple of days if you are out in the middle of nowhere. | ||
| David Guglielmetti (Daveg)
Registered Member Username: Daveg Post Number: 35 Registered: 2-2009 Posted From: 64.163.110.102  Rating: N/A |
I'm in the heavy duty trucking industry, and everything said here except the lazy driver I agree with. Stick with the same tire all the way around. As has been stated, I don't think the wheel mfg (Alcoa and Firestone/Accuride) are making the 14" wide wheel in anything other than hub pilot design. | ||
| FAST FRED (Fast_fred)
Registered Member Username: Fast_fred Post Number: 762 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 208.100.193.198 Rating: N/A |
The Peoples Republik Of California is demanding super singles on ALL new trucks in some of their air nonsense bills. They claim a 4% fuel savings due to not flexing 2 sidewalls per side. Weather they will work or not (see Ethanol and MTBE in gas) is of course not the question . FF | ||
| Tom Christman (Tchristman)
Registered Member Username: Tchristman Post Number: 79 Registered: 1-2006 Posted From: 66.218.33.156 Rating: N/A |
The only buses that should run the super singles are Crown, Gillig and 4501 Super Scenicruiser that all have tandem axles. Others should not. Good Luck, TomC |