Super singles or Wide base singles

my company has a few truck and trailers outfitted with them...

the scuttle is it really depends on the guy driving as to "IF" you see any savings.

If you are flogging the pony, no amount of fuel-saving devices will be able to compensate.

If you are driving for fuel economy, then yes you will see an improvement that will eventually pay off or equal the investment.

 

No personal experience but research has shown that wear milage vs fuel milage washes away any savings. Also there is the concern for availability on the road should you need to replace one. LP's seem to givev the best all around wear/fuel milage. 22.5 lp's showing the highest return for investment. Of course as stated the driver makes the most difference in fuel milage

 

I have a good friend in VW that switched to super singles on his trailer, he runs end dumps and is kicking himself in the head over it. No difference in millage but the average life span dropped from 220k miles to 150k miles. Remember this is a dump and you wont see near the tire life on a trailer as you would on your drives. As for me im sticking to my duals, im hard headed when it comes to new things since i learned from the old school and rather stick to whats tried and true rather than be a ginue pig.

I saw a central truck with a blow out im amarillo last year, he couldnt go anywhere as it shreaded the tire, if he had duals he would be able to make it to a truck stop on that other tire. So i say NO THANKS.

 

Even the tire manufactors recommend NOT swapping for fuel savings benefit alone.

I've run super singles off and on for about 4 years now. Fuel savings is projected at 2-4% based on usage. 2% is a hefty chunk of change for an O/O trying to trim cost.

The biggest benefit, weight savings. Allowing you to haul heavier freight. Personally, I wouldn't "just" put them on the tractor if I was taking this route. I would have to put them on the trailer too.

On the wear issue. I have 210K on the set on my truck now. Still good tread on them, although they will have to be replaced within the next couple of months for sure.

Flats are a bummer...you are where you are. When you have one. No limping into the closest tire shop. Service call for every flat/blow out you have.

FYI, I haven't had a flat on a super single ....yet. But I tend to keep a closer eye on my tires than the average company driver. I own a tire gauge and an air hose

They do tend to get really squirrely on ice. But what tire doesn't. Rutted roads ride much better IMO. Although others say they don't.

 

We've been running them on our trailers since the early 90's. I agree with danc694u that the S/S's shouldn't be used for fuel savings. My company uses them for two reasons. Weight savings and to lower the center of gravity. With tankers they work great. But I was under the understanding that you had to spec you axles for the singles or maybe it was just us. I know our trailers could not be converted back to duels because the axles were wider.