Super singles VS duals

Never had a problem with them all winter long this last year. My co-driver always complained about them, I never felt a difference in adverse weather. I think driving habits have more to do with it than anything personally. I always drove nights so ice was my only friend all winter.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRg6qZzUXaM

Kinda ruins the ss lack of traction myth. Have driven on them exclusively for two years. Only had one blowout completely, the others were "driveable" to the next exit. If I owned my own truck, Id run them for sure. Make sure they are properly inflated and you should be fine. Ive driven all lower 48 and 5 provinces of Canada with them.

 

That's a cool video but I have no idea how it made the case for traction. 2 wide base tires moving a 12,000# (just a guess) vehicle on wet pavement and gravel vs.pushing a 20,000# tractor and dragging a 60,000# box up an icy hill? Not even remotely related.

 

Sure, it may not be a great comparison, other than the mercedes engine is probably pushing 1200HP or better, and it's raining, and we all know you get less traction when bobtailing. Having driven Three Sisters in the snow/ice with a loaded box on into SLC, I can safely talk about traction on super singles, or lack of it. Most people who talk about how super singles suck, haver never driven on them. I've been across every pass from Snoqualmie to Grapevine and all the ones in between. Some of it in tag axle trucks too. They work just fine if you drive appropriately.

 

Totally agree that, driven properly, wide tires probably have no traction issues. But I haven't experienced them myself so I'll reserve judgement. But I'm pretty sure that 1200 HP caused some wheel spin at some point.
I've broken traction on bridge deck expansion joints in the rain. Even when fully loaded.

My point was that there is more involved when spinning out than tire design or road conditions. Spinning a tire all the way up a hill does not mean one needs to put chains on or spin out.

 

i found that if you turn the radio down or off you don't spinout so much. lol happy trails

 

That's what we were told. Our trucks were spec'd out for SS on the trailers because NV did not allow them on the power unit at the time. Was some time ago, early 90's. With gasoline companies you had a couple of advantages they liked. The axles were wider which made the truck just a little more stable from roll-overs. They were lighter which allowed the company to haul more gallons. Yes we were that close up to the legal amount. We knew the weight from the temperature of the product and could get within a couple hundred gallons from legal weight. Savings from tire wear was never really checked because most all of our driving was city. I'm sure someone along the line kept track but hauling more gallons was were they made the money. We never had any problems after the trucks came with ABS. You'd think Las Vegas wouldn't be a problem anyway but try driving after the first rain. It's like ice.