Bridgestone Medium and Light Truck Tire Data Book - Sullivan Tire ...

General Technical Information
2010 Bridgestone Medium and Light Truck Tire Data Book
Technical Bulletins Load/Inflation General Technical Light Truck Medium Truck
WIDE BASE
181 lb per TIRE
LOW PROFILE
250 lb per PAIR
Wide base tires
can allow weight
savings to be
converted into
revenue-producing
payload and may be
more fuel-efficient
than ordinary dual
assemblies.
If the tires they replace were not fuel-efficient, wide
base tires may also contribute to fuel economy.
Tire Contributions to the Fuel Bill
Of the fuel used in moving the vehicle, about ¼ to 1⁄3 of
it is used to overcome rolling resistance. So if rolling
resistance decreases by 10 percent the result is about
(¼ x 10% =) 2.5% to (1⁄3 x 10% =) 3% decrease in fuel
consumption.
Rolling resistance in the tire
The tread contributes about 35-50 percent of the tire’s
overall rolling resistance, while the casing contributes
about 50 to 65 percent.
35-50%
Tread
Compound
50-65%
Casing
Wear effect on rolling resistance
Cap
Base
Since the contribution of the tread is large, as the
tread wears away, rolling resistance decreases.
As they approach wear-out, many tires become very
similar in rolling resistance, even if they started out
quite different.
That’s one reason the BBTS TLCC program uses
true average rolling resistance – not new-tire rolling
resistance – to calculate tire fuel consumption.
Tread design
new
30% worn = 2% savings
50% worn = 4.5% savings
80% worn = 6.5% savings
Tread design also affects rolling resistance. In general,
rib-type designs are more fuel-efficient than block- or
lug-types. And, a tire with a shallower tread tends to
be more fuel-efficient.
With drive tires, designs incorporating continuous
shoulder ribs are so resistant to irregular wear
that designers can use very fuel-efficient tread
compounds.
Computer analysis, like that of the BBTS TLCC
program, can help you decide which tires deliver the
best fuel efficiency.
Fuel economy with retreads
If only the tread is modified to produce fuel
economy, the fuel efficiency of the tire may end
when it is retreaded, unless it’s retreaded with a fuelefficient
tread.
Fortunately, there are a number of fuel-efficient
retread materials available offering fuel economy
comparable to that of the best new tires, but at a
fraction of their cost.
In addition, many BBTS casings are specially
constructed for fuel efficiency, and when retreaded
– especially when capped with a fuel-efficient tread –
may offer superior fuel economy.
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