Super Singles safe practices?

Typically you drive w/wide based tires the same as duals...following the same safe driving practices that you already do....Now like any type of tire...no 2 are the same--so imho--catagorizing ALL wide based is a little unfair...many of the large companies that have gone to them have done it strickly for fuel mileage--and are running basically what would be considered an ALL POSITION type of tire--and this type of tire has been problematic--in terms of foul weather traction--weather they are single or dual--so the type/tread pattern you are using is just as important.
I have been driving a 10 wheeler--for 4 years now--a little over 600k to date...w/few issues---Now having said that--we run the Michelein XDA--drives that have a much more aggressive tread pattern---more of typically drive tire--where the trl tires are more of a standard trailer pattern--but much deeper tread--not just a few straight lines-- w/imho good water channeling....
They took a lil gettin used to--which I firmly believe was 50/50---50% different handling and 50% in my head--Now I have no issues at all--but I will share a couple of things I have learned that seemed to help--at least in my case--
The biggest is air pressure---especially on drives--and again not sure if it will help if your company is running the plain all positions--(which I do NOT like)I do not know if air pressure adjustments will help,,,but I have found--that lower than recommended air pressure dive me better traction w/out altering tire life...Manufacturer specs call for 110 lbs per tire--this is fine again inho--for hi way only driving and dry---its strickly for lower rolling reistance...I have found thta doing ltl in and out of town--dirt lots etc--and combined w/approx 3500 hi way miles a week,,,,I do better at 102/103 lbs in normal weather.....and in heavy rain lots of ponding over time(not just the afternoon tstorm youre gonna run out of--I drop to 97/98---and for all day/nite driving in the snow--I go down to 90psi
Now Im not saying Im right--or telling you to go against some kinda of co policy etc....Just saying that after just shy of 4 years and goin into my 5th winter on them and lots of experimenting---this has worked really well for me and about 10 of our other guys who have been experimenting along with me....

 

He gave good , straight to the face advice , don't use the cruise in wet conditions , some folks do that to make a point , and many times the one that should be getting the point doesn't have the experience to see that....

You mentioned it your self , that you know better , well , if that's the case , consider yourself extremely fortunate , first that you didn't get anyone killed or injured ( including yourself ) , blaming the tire tread depth on a bad / lazy / or in-experienced choice is just sour grapes.....adjust that attitude , learn to listen , even from folks that put it to you straight , and you'll find that folks , even seasoned veterans will be happy to answer your questions...you have to be ready to receive help , before you can get it.....just saying.....Good Luck....

 

Best advice o far right here ^^^^^^^^^........Outdoorsman....take heed , this guy knows his stuff....

 

I don't know what type of tread it is, but guessing it's general... the grooves look basic and not aggressive... and don't have a way to channel water out / away. Pressure is 120 lbs. I'll keep that in mind if / when I have problems in the snow.

 

Don't let the as you put it--no way to channel water out of way---most tires today are whats know as closed shoulder--meaning no sideways water movement--and they work well---what Im talkin about on drives--is more than a straight line tread pattern---and on the wagon a very deep groove...

 

I didn't take his comment about using cruise control to have anything to do with wet conditions, but just a smart ### remark about (never) using cruise at all, period.

If you read my OP you'd see that I'm aware that cruise control isn't supposed to be used when the roads are wet. But as I also stated, I never had a problem when running with duals. And as you stated... I was extremely lucky!

I'm still not sure the tires won't be a problem, even if I do everything right... and understandably, I'm more than a little shaken by what happened.

I'm always ready, willing and able to learn from - and appreciate - good advice, especially from experienced drivers... but I have absolutely no use or tolerance for smart ### drivers who think they know it all, and can offer nothing more than ridicule / sarcasm - without any useful or valid information.

 

These are the drives we run--actually XDN--this is the more agressive pattern I was mentioning--now you'll notice there is an open shoulder--but understand--that shoulder closes(its designed to)w/in the first 50k as the tire wears...

These are the drives I see on many of the company type trucks I see on the drive--notice the tread difference--and this is the tire touted for all the much higher fuel mileages etc
Point being just like any tire duals--passenger etc--tread pattern and compound---is really where your tractio--or lack of is determined....
and I just copied and pasted these from michelins web site...
michelintruck.com--you can check it out for yourself

 

Yeah, the grooves are a wavy pattern.

 

Yep...we have the latter type.

 

No one can be totally sure of anything in a driving situation , way too many variables to be considered , all a driver can do is rely on common sense , awareness of the time , temps , weather conditions , the weight , the length , the height , the weight disbursement of the load ,and how its secured , not to mention the condition of his tires , or his level of experience....like I said many variables...you can do everything possible to avoid an accident , and still fail , I drove over 4 million accident free miles before retiring in 2011 , was it because I'm such a really great driver , partially maybe , but more so , because I used all of my training , all of the advice given to me , along with a very humble attitude , plus and the most important thing ( I know for a fact ) the grace of God , along with a great deal of his blessings , some might call that fate , or luck , I dont.

You should be , not for just right now , but for every single , solitary , rotation of the wheels on the road beneath you , for as long as you're driving ..anything , truck /car/ bus /etc.....never get complacent , never think you know it all , because that is impossible , you'll never see the exact same scenario play out twice , expect the UN-expected , be patient , be forgiving , be extra , extra vigilant , be always pro-active instead of having to one time be forced to be re-active , and possibly injure or kill an innocent person...