TowRig.com - Diesel Discussion and Tow Tech

ok, so on my road trip from SoCal to PA i stoped in... i dont remember where cus i stoped a lot with my lil 35 gallon tank..
anyway, i was at a tire shop for big rigs pricing out Dyna Beads. i saw a micheline super single sitting there.
i had never see such a tire for the drive axles of a truck. i do a bit of research and find they have been around for a while. after i saw that tire sitting there i saw a few on the way to PA and have seen a BUNCH here in PA...
in a sense it makes sense to me a bit... till you get a flat i can see it as a cool thing to have. more traction, less weight. i would see more drag from the tires though because you have one that is say... 25% (just for a number, no mather ar anything involved) larger than the dualls.
anywho... the guy behind the counter says to me "thats the future of truck tires that is going to change the industry" i asked why, his answer was "because its that good."
im here asking you guys... whats the deal? the state DOT departments fight against them as they stress the road more... makes sense a bit... the OTR guys clam to have better traction for drive and brake situations and better mileage that reduces poloutants when starting from a stop... kinda makes sense...
what do you guys think and anyone using them?
Grant

Well I've never used them but I'll tell you what I've heard. Buddy of mine use to drive trucks and now works at a Kenworth shop. He said the tread width is the same as duels (or close enough no to matter, so I'm not sure if there is any more traction) and the big advantage is they are lighter. You've got two less sidewalls and two less sides of the rim. So they say you get better milage, but I've never seen any concrete data on that. But I wonder what differance that ammount of weight would matter when you're talkin 80K lbs. He said he wouldn't want to run them for the same reason you said, if you have a flat you are stuck. You won't be able to ease on to the next place to get a tire.

I did ask a driver how he liked them when I was unloading a flat bed of shingles and he said he loved them and they were the only way to go. He had them on the tractor and the trailer. But I got the impression he was the type that would bite on any good sales pitch.

I'm not sure they are any better for the trade off, just another way to do things. I've never seen any proof that you get better milage just that they say you do. I think they look kinda odd and we don't see them much around here. But I did just think that they might be good for trucks that see dirt alot since mud wouldn't want to get up between the tires so they might get better traction in that situation.

Well, there's my long winded two cents.

nice till you get a flat, once that happens you are sitting till the tire truck shows up.......

There is an article about them in the latest diesel progress magazine that seemed pretty informative and gave the good and the bad. The magazine is free and you can get it in print or digital.

http://www.dieselprogress.com/dp/index.asp

sitting isnt fun or good for the wallet

I have heard that you can run on them for 50 miles before the side walls will fail

All the guys I've talked to that have them say they work fine, but they make the ride terrible. Beyond that, I don't know much else.

yeah you'd think the side wall would have to be stiff as all hell to keep that much tire flat to the road

The super singles would look cool on a 1-ton dually!:cool:

Super singles would look real good on this 95!:pimp: :cool:...
...in my driveway!

that IH would look great with my choice of flat bed and my 32 foot goose... ;-)

Super singles on all 4 corners, dual 6" stax, making about 500hp, pulling a toy hauler 5th wheel/RV combo, making a big statement at Pismo Dunes!

where is that truck at, I could use it.

where is that truck at, I could use it.
It's in Fontana. It's listed on Truck Trader online:
http://adcache.trucktraderonline.com/4/8/2/86247782.htm
waytogo waytogo :cool: :cool: :pimp: :pimp:
It's a little on the spendy side.

When I go to the truck rodeo in quebec the serious race trucks have super singles. Locally you never see super singles on the tractors. Very popular on trailers. Trucks that haul ore with the belt style dump all run them, bunch of the b-trains that haul wood run em.

Super singles on all 4 corners, dual 6" stax, making about 500hp, pulling a toy hauler 5th wheel/RV combo, making a big statement at Pismo Dunes!6"? no make that 10" cannons.waytogo

Hi guys, I'm new so :> be nice. I have an F550 4x4 dually 2002, and I'm looking at going with 22.5's and doing the super singles on the back. I have found the wheels I'd like to use, there Alcoa hub piloted floater wheels. Mounted on them now are 315/80R/22.5. Yes way to big. So what I need to find a low profile tire I can run on the back so I can still haul dirt when needed. And then find a steer tire that will work. Any help on this this will make my day.


Thanks guys
John Patten

well I have owned a set of supersingles. I loved the ride compared to the the duals, mileage went up about 4 tenths when I switched over. never had to worry about flats stranding me due to having a trial runflat insert. the supersingles handled better in inclement weather, ran more miles per tire than duals, and had four less tires to worry about. so supersingles get my vote for a worthwhile tire setwaytogo

Ok now can any class 8 22.5 work, I found 4 float wheels that look great, but they have a deep off set. I think there 9" wheels. I'd like to run wide tire in the rear to make up for the duallys but not so wide for the front. And I have month to do in, so I think I have time????? I'm thinking 255/70/22.5 for the front, and not to sure for rear yet.

Ok Thanks guys

The supersingles are good for replacing the duals but keep the steer tires close to original if you only stay on pavement, switch to the slightly wider on/off design up front if you travel down dirt 30% of your trips.

I'm another new guy and can't wait for O bar to get his wheels in order.. As his neighbor, I have a lot of hauling projects planned for his truck:D

Hi Larry, you made it. Nice, and I'm still working on the wheels, going from 19.5 to 22.5 with the super singles I think I need to get float wheels for the rear and standard 22.5 wheels for the front, sounds easy lol. And I'm not looking to spend $4,000.oo doing it.

IIRC super singles are a special rim made just for Super single tires...

i could be wrong though.

74 blaz you are correct in that thought.

Ok its Friday and I have everything I need to put my 22.5 wheels on, but missing one thing :< the adapotors aren't in. ???? but I'm hoping this morning (fingers crossed) I heading to FL this Sunday, so not much time and if theres a problem, well who knows. And I'm not doing the super singles :< Tire size was the problem. can't find one that I can have the same side wall as the front, (I have a 4x4) so that was it. So I have 6 255/70R22.5 :> sound look nice all done. I'll past a pic when done. And Larry if you read this stop at the shop around 4 today, I hope to have everything at that point. OK later guys I need run down Mr. UPS :> Later

nice till you get a flat, once that happens you are sitting till the tire truck shows up.......

If you pick up a nail in a super single it isn't any worse than a nail in one of a dual set. Just air the tire up and drive to a tire repair place. Any driver worth his salt has a hose and tire chuck in his rig. waytogo

they have been using super singles for years on concrete trucks and heavy haul trucks, they have just now become popular for drive tires. I think that they are about as useful as an automatic in a kenworth. I'f you can't drive stick-stick to the school buses. just my soapbox.

The company I drive for uses them on the dollies (converter gear) we use for yanking doubles. My back and knees appreciate the lighter weight and the ease of being able to move them into position by hand. Some of the older dollies go about 3000 lbs so rolling resistance can make a bad back worse.

That's all....

Not to burst your bubble about supersingles, but I have run them on powder trucks for years on semi and doubles and trains, the problem I had is when one blowes it takes the finder and light bar on the back off and there is alot of damage to what ever the tire hits as it is alot of weight to them compaired to duals, and also when one blows out your on the wheel and if you drive on it the wheel is gone, where a set of duals if one goes you can limp along to a place of repair or keep rolling. I myself would not have super singles from past experience at least on a big truck anyway. maybe on a one ton it might not be so bad, I don't know, plus I forgot they have a bad habit of hydroplaneing in the rain if you lock up the brakes. Hank:cool:

when i ran otr i had dualls for along time as most trucks have always had them , one week i had some home time and when i came back to my truck , the company had installed supersingles , i'm like what the hell i didnt like the looks of em but i thought "what can ya do? (its there truck.))) anyway i head out on the road , and i paid attion to the way it rode . watched the fuel milage and what not and i noticed a few things
1. the tire side walls were about 2 to 3 inches narrower than the dualls .(on each side )
2. it felt like i was sliding on ice all the time
3. (at the time ) not many truck stops or tire shops carried "supers" or rims for that matter
4.the price per tire and rim combo seamed exspenceive
5. i did end up gettin 8.3 miles to the gallon !!!!!!!!!! as aposed to 5.4
6. man i'ed hate to have a blow out (would it tear off the fender only or would it tear up a tire, rim combo ...fender/mudflap what else could happen like flying debree hittin cars or motorcycle riders
7. having to stop as soon as possible to have a tire guy come out with a tire/rim and replace it on the side of the hiway with other truckers and or cars(not changing lanes and possibly being druck while driving..... ect)
8. buying newchains to fit theese "supers" and what to do with the old chains that i cant use any more ...
the other thing is out "fleet" or trailers some were just tandom and some were tridoms or tri axles if you will .. the tri axles had slightly smaller tires
and my drag chains would not fit (ya gotta love jerry riggn chains with rubber snubbers and hopeing like hell they wouldnt fly off going 25 mph

5. i did end up getting 8.3 miles to the gallon !!!!!!!!!! as aposed to 5.4

you must have had the miracle tires installed, because even the manufacturer will not claim a 55% increase in fuel economy.;)

I work at Freightliner and we get trucks in with them on. They are a lot heavier than a dually. Also we fill them with a special run flat that the company has. Personally I think it's just some new thing, I'll always be a fan of duallys.