Do you like Super Singles or Dually tires better ?

Never ran singles before but being that I’m on constructions sites all day, I have had a few rapid punctures. Having duals let me drive my truck to get tire patched loaded and unloaded. Try that with a super single. Have fun sitting on the road for a while wasting away the day and on top of that, get charged out the butt for service call

 

I thought the opposite were true. I remember reading a Michelin brochure that mentioned trailer axles could be damaged if one doesn’t pull over right away after a blowout. I think the reasoning is that the truck has three axles that help support the weight, while the trailer only relies on two.

I’ve noticed that Prime uses super singles on all their trucks and trailers, except on flatbed trailers. I think they fear the load would shift.

Prime also uses air lines to maintain the tires inflated and for alerts when tires have a leak. Their trucks have a bluetooth device as a valve cap that sends signals to a device in the cab or a smartphone app.

 

I can't see the risk outweighing the reward with super singles. When one fails, especially a dramatic failure, it does a lot of damage to the truck. And you need a new rim at the minimum.

Even if one is damaged fubar, and you're say 125,000 into it, then what? The new one and it's counterpart are gonna wear WHACKED.

And I have photos on here someplace I took of a truck that had them that were wearing just WHACKED.

No thanks.

 

Super singles all the way around, truck and trailer, save 800 pounds. Guarantee it's so they can scale more.

 

I’m not sure that’s true at least for Prime. One of my former students went to work for Prime, and told me Prime loads are much lighter than Stevens. I also had another driver tell me Prime hauls light loads. Maybe someone here knows more about Prime than me.

Prime is larger than Stevens (from Dallas, TX), and Prime appears to be well run. They likely buy super singles for cheap, have the connections for cheap roadside service, and have the technology for low air alerts. Prime may even be getting more discounts for promoting super single brands such as Michelin.

I don’t think Prime cares much about being able to haul heavier loads. They seems to be all about profitability and having/testing the newest technology. They have trailer skirts, tails, all aluminum alloy wheels, wheel covers, tire air systems, APU’s, air suspension load scales, cattle guard bumpers, and of course, the super singles.

 

I will offer this thought.

Me and wife married team fueled up and take 48000 pounds give or take into the box.

Fast forward to today's tractors that cannot scale much more than 45000 in box. I offer that the 800 pounds savings is too little too late.

I never hear anyone say that they made a bunch of money hauling 800 more pounds of stuff. It's always the miles.

 

Guarantee it's so they can scale heavy.

 

I can scale 45,000 with all my gear, six chains, etc., but only with a 1/4 tank of fuel. 800 pounds let me scale and run almost normal fuel. Guarantee it's so they can scale heavy when needed.

 

That was a eyeopener. Thank you. In the past I just fueled up against what I expect to burn prior to a particular scale.

 

They run them for the weight savings, plus they have less rolling resistance than duals so their is the fuel mileage thing, which is one of the main reasons. I ran a shop for years and for my use, no amount of weight savings or fuel savings would make it worth it to me. I have not seen many actually blow out, BUT anytime one gets low while on the highway, it means a new tire, it gets hot and I have never patched one period.
Maybe they have improved, but when they first hit the trucks guys hated them in snow, just like in a pickup, you have more traction with a skinny tire, I do not see that changing. I have pulled trailers with them and they do pull sweet, but what happens when I get a flat 500 miles from a tire shop??