Highway ribs on drive axles?

I think there is a big trend starting right now to run the all position on the drives for better fuel purposes.

 

I just put 10 yoko's on my tractor.

 

I see many guys running all position tires now-a-days. But, I'm from the old school and run lug tires. To be honest I just don't like the thought of getting stuck in a little mud, snow, or whatever else just because I was worried about .1-.2 mpg. Plus every couple of weeks I'm delivering to some small amish grocery store or a out in the woods farmer.

 

I think it has a lot to do with where you run and what type of trucking you do. I run the north east all winter long in lots of snow grossing 107,000K. I get terrible fuel milage any way so the deeper and more aggressive the lugs the better. I think if all you did was run from Florida to So. Cali. at 80k or less it would be something to consider. However if you are going to see any amount of winter weather you should have some lug. A lug center with a closed shoulder give a nice happy medium. Most trucks come from the factory with this kind of tire for that reason. I drove a truck for one of the major carriers years ago with steer tire all the way around and it was the most helpless thing I ever drove in the snow and ice.
No matter what type of tire you run you will give up something. Usually the more aggressive the tire the more traction but worse fuel economy and shorter tire life. You need to figure out your driving conditions to figure out what tire is best for you. Steer tires all the way around? Not unless all you do is run I10 all the time. Heavy drive lugs? Not unless you in low traction a lot. I would go with something middle of the road.
You could put on tires that save fuel but the first time your stuck in the show and cant make a pick up or delivery and lose the work or you have to call a wrecker to get you out all the money you saver on fuel you just lost.

 

I just started switching over my Michelin lugs to XZE's... I have four on right now and will put the other on in a few weeks. The trailer will have 8 of the same. I'll put my lugs back on in November...

The FLD I owned came with 8 all position tires on the drives... when I switched to B-Stone 726's I lost an even 1/2 mile per gallon...

 

I run a lug center and a closed shoulder on my trucks. My personal truck has 185,000 on them and there still about 40%. I ran a set of all positions on one of my trucks and saw no diffrence in mpg or tire milege and to tell the truth no big diffrence in traction in the snow,ice or mud.

 

I'm the same way, I got stuck twice this winter (managed to get myself out) on gravel WITH lug tires. Even if you saved .1 or .2 mpg with the highway tread that savings would go right to the wrecker when they came to pull you out. Not to mention the time you'd lose.

 

Well you can get stuck with any thing but you will never catch me with a steer rib tire on my drives hear in the north east in the winter. However if all I did was OTR with no snow or ice i would run them then.