Just curious about this replacing the rear dual's with one super-wide single. I already read the old threads here.
Anyone here actually made the switch and can comment on the result in feel, wear, cost of changeover, etc. on a Foretravel chassis?
Michael, There has been lots of discussions in the past on super singles. You can search the postings and read more. I personally don't know much about them.
Regards, Mark
I looked into it a while ago and decided notto go that direction. Cost and availability were factors as well as a very small fuel savings. The resonator was the best chassis upgrade for milage that I ound.
The Michelin X-One (super single) has it's roots in Europe - The biggest benefit is weight savings which is important in fleets where they are more likely to weigh out before they cube out on capacity - Flying J was one of the early adopters along with a few other bulk haulers. From what I remember, the fuel savings were not big compared to a dual XZA3.
It's a good product but really best for certain niche markets.
I've spoken to several industry people about them. Last time it was the manager at our local TCI store. They don't tend to be fans
1. Availability is not consistent across the country. You could wait a few days to get a replacement - especially for the RV sizes.
2. A flat means you are DRT (My favorite cop term - "dead right there").
3. A flat usually ruins the rim too.
4. You can get some strange wandering on 'dual rutted' roads.
I agree with Dave; One flat and your dead. You can run on a flat dual, to safety, as long as your not too aggressive. I would add "Flotation", on wet, snow or ice covered roads. :( (If it ain't broke, don't fix it)
I think it's a good idea--but still somewhat ahead of its time. As I drive I see an increasing number of trucks using them, but it's still a relatively small percentage. I suspect in another decade or two their use will be common.
They have been out for at least ten years, came out just before I retired.
Roland
They weren't the Michelin X One XRV, but they were "Super Singles", and I was riding on them way back in the early 1980s. Company I pulled for down in Florida had them on his 102 wide, 53 foot long box trailers. He specialized in hauling export fruit to the Florida ports. Also hauled beer, mulch, and 55 gallon barrels of orange concentrate. We could not leave Florida because we were to long and to wide back then. Guess one could say were were the forerunners of the long, wide, trailers.
I will also tell you that most of us hated those "Super Single" tires. If you dropped one off the shoulder, it took miles to get it back on the highway, with the tractor on the other side of the roadway. Put in a lot of miles on the skinny Florida Rt. 60 between Vero Beach and Tampa. Between that narrow road and those tires, I really grew to hate them. And if you got a flat, you sat and waited, and waited, and waited, and didn't get paid while waiting. So I really grew to hate them! When my tractor wasn't running, I wasn't making money. And I can tell you that the other owner operators didn't like them either. Thought I long left them when I quit that job, but I ran into them just before I retired. The bean counters thought they would be a good idea at the petroleum transport company I retired from. Some tire company, Michelin I think, gave them a deal to try them out. They outfitted a number of tractors drive axles, and the trailers too. Same deal with the drivers. They did not like them, especially in the winter months, as traction is lousy with them. It wasn't so bad with flat tires as this company paid your down time when waiting for a tire replacement. Hazmat does move when you have a flat tire. But sitting on the side of the highway 4 hours away from the closest tires ended up putting a number of drivers into motel rooms. I think the bean counters failed to take that into consideration! And it also means swapping out those wheels too!
No, you will never find those Michelin X One XRV or any other Super Single on my Foretravel!!!
I was thinking about the single wheel tire combination myself on a motorhome. I liked the singles when I drove an eighteen wheeler. Always driver debates on duels and singles, but the singles do save fuel, bottom line. My two cents.