Super Singles

I wouldn't put a set of super singles on a truck period. I'm an old retired trucker but I ain't gonna set on the side of the highway with a flat and wait for a service truck. My next door neighbor drives for an outfit with super singles and he cusses them right and left. Last time he had a flat it took 4+ hours to get a service truck to him. I know what they say,"saves on fuel,saves on weight,less expensive, blah blah blah. Just remember where these so called "savings" amounts are coming from! I asked him the other day if his fuel mileage was any better with them quote" Hell NO. The service manager told him any savings was being spent replacing them". Guess it just depends on whose advice you listen to.

 

They work well if used in the right application. They're lighter (only slighty than LP22.5's) and roll easier. But they don't last as long as duals, are more expensive, harder to find OTR, and the obvious fact you can't easily limp with a flat. (if the flat is on an air ride trailer you can chain the axle up and drive, but like I said it's not easy).

If the application they're used in can actually benefit from the added payload then they're worth it. We have them on 2 tractors and 2 grain hoppers but they always load to max weight, and sometimes loaded while sitting on scales to get as much as possible. But to take an average truck and swap duals for singles most will never see any benefit.

 

I disagree. I've driven trucks with wide base drive tires for the past four years and I can tell you they outlast most duals -- mine average nearly 300k. They are only marginally more expensive than a pair of duals. There used to be more of an issue finding them but now it is really a non issue. Michelin even has an 800 number set up where they guarantee a new tire out to your truck in 2 hours or the service call is free.

As far as "limping" a tractor or trailer along with a blown dual tire, no tire manufacturer, tractor manufacturer or trailer manufacturer suggests doing any such thing. Plus lets get real, this is 2010 not the 1960s -- we have cell phones, satellite comms and nifty road service folks to take care of such matters.

I mostly pull heavy reefer loads and I'll compare my fuel figures with almost anyone not pulling some 5,000 pound auto part loads.

Good luck,

Jim

 

I didn't like them in snow !!!!

 

We run them too on tankers and some drives. When we blow them at speed we lose the rim too. I find them slick in the rain and have been stuck on less than an inch of mud.

I can't speak to any savings as I don't enjoy said savings. My carrier is actually moving away from them and ordering new stuff with duals.

 

I'm currently a company driver and my company has a few trucks with them on the drives. I don't like the, slick in the rain and hell in the snow.

 

We have singles on all of our trucks and trailers. They are great.

 

My drives regularly break traction when climbing icy grades. A couple of weeks ago, I had to chain up three times in one day just to pull out of docks due to icy conditions. When bobtailing, they lock up easily when coming to a stop.

I don't like them.