Dealers who stock specialty tires know that not every person who walks into the showroom needs tires for specialty trailers, skid steer loaders, industrial equipment, lawn and garden vehicles, and golf carts.
Yet when individual consumers and commercial customers need a specialty tire, quality is important, even in a tight economy. We asked manufacturers about the specialty tires they are introducing in 2013. Their answers show a focus on tires with more powerful traction, greater comfort and longer service life.
Alliance Tire Group
The Alliance Tire Group is introducing several new products this year. The Galaxy Trac Star skid steer tire has a non-directional tread design for optimum traction forward or backward, according to the company. The small-block pattern is ideal for reduced wear on hard surfaces. A generous radius and careful alignment of the shoulder blocks protect turf and soft surfaces from damage. Deep, solid blocks ensure a comfortable ride and a long service life. The Galaxy Trac Star will be available by fall 2013 in sizes 10-16.5 and 12-16.5.
After four years in redevelopment, Alliance is bringing the Galaxy King of Coal underground mining tire back to the market. The company says an innovative tread pattern combines deep, aggressive blocks and mud breakers to maximize traction in slick, underground mines. By minimizing slippage and spinning, the King of Coal addresses the leading cause of mining tire wear. The massive tread blocks are more than twice as deep as many of the popular competitors in the category, the company says, beefing up traction and ensuring a longer service life. Puncture protection and reinforced super bumper protectors on the sidewalls minimize downtime and maximize performance. The Galaxy King of Coal is available in sizes 8.25-15, 32x15-15, 35x15-15, 35x15-16, 38x16-15, 14.00-20, 44x18.50-20 and 50x20-20 to fit many underground mining trucks and graders.
American Omni Trading Co.
New from American Omni Trading is a commercial lawn and garden tire produced by Deestone Ltd. and sold under the Deestone brand. The tire is available now in sizes from 16x6.50-8 to 24x12.00-12, according to Chris Brackin of American Omni Trading. “This is the tire that professional users need when they need a long lasting, higher performing product. The tire comes with a strong compound and a deep tread profile that gives it great traction,” he says.
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Carlisle Transportation Products
Later this year, Carlisle will release an updated version of its Ultra Guard LVT line of skid steer tires, which are designed for severe duty applications on hard surfaces such as concrete, rock and demolition areas. The company’s Ultra Guard and the Ultra Guard LVT lines are both designed for the longest service life in the most severe applications, but the Ultra Guard LVT has a low void tread pattern to provide maximum net ground contact on hard surfaces. The company says field tests show the Ultra Guard LVT’s superior service life and the importance of selecting a tire best suited for the intended application. In tests involving parking lot resurfacing applications with heavy use on asphalt and concrete, the Ultra Guard LVT tire with a tread depth of 44/32 inches provided about 1,200 hours of service life compared to 400-600 hours for its premium level Guard Dog tire with a tread depth of 28/32 inches and 250 hours for its entry level Trac-Chief tire with a tread depth of 23/32 inches.
East Bay Tire Co.
East Bay Tire Co. made two additions to its skid steer tire line of Dawg Pound products in late 2012. The first was a 33x15.5-16.5 under the Bad Dawg name, which is known for its super thick sidewall and large rim guard, the company says. The second addition was a 33x15.5-16.5 to the Ruff Dawg product line, designed for hard surfaces and known to have the highest lug-to-void ratio with an extra deep non-directional tread design, according to the company.
Kenda USA
Kenda USA is in the final stages of testing a fill to replace the tubes of pneumatic tires called the Kenda Ultra Light. The company says the product helps meet the demand for specialty tires that provide a more comfortable ride, especially in the lawn and garden market. The Kenda Ultra Light is expected to launch in the second quarter of 2013.
Greenball Corp.
Greenball Corp. is bringing several products to market in 2013. The new Tow-Master Summer Solution is a specialty trailer tire designed for performance and reliability in extreme heat conditions. The company says improved construction and a specially formulated rubber compound increases the durability of its flagship tire. Greenball added a belt-edge package for increased dependability, dual steel belts to provide tire reinforcement, double polyester body plies for strength and durability, a re-engineered inner liner for improved air retention, and a nylon chafer to protect the bead area while mounting/demounting.
An all-purpose tire, Greenball’s Kanati Mongrel has a moderately aggressive tread pattern for negotiating a variety of terrain. The tire’s DOT-approved radial construction makes it safe and suitable for paved surfaces, the company says. The Kanati Mongrel is available in all five sizes through select dealers and retailers. New sizes are 28x10R14, 28x10R15, 30x10R14 and 30x10R15.
Greenball will add a new size, 205/30-14 to its Greensaver Plus/GT line up. Greensaver Plus/GT golf cart tires have an extra strong casing with advanced compounds that help resist wear. Though engineered for excellent traction, the company says the Greensaver Plus/GT offers a smooth and comfortable ride. This line is DOT-approved for street use. ■
For more on specialty tires, see:
No skidding: Construction recovery lifts sales of high-quality skid steer tires
