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Topic: Anyone in our FT Community gone down this route? -- Michelin X One XRV (Read 793 times) previous topic - next topic

Anyone in our FT Community gone down this route? -- Michelin X One XRV

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
1995 U300SE CAT 3176B Build # 4612 ("Marvin")

Re: Anyone in our FT Community gone down this route? -- Michelin X One XRV

Reply #1 –
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
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Mark and Tanya
Milton , Florida
US Navy Veteran (DV)
1999 U270 Special 40' CAI , 2015 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

Re: Anyone in our FT Community gone down this route? -- Michelin X One XRV

Reply #2 –
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.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: Anyone in our FT Community gone down this route? -- Michelin X One XRV

Reply #3 –
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.
Jeff & Patricia
Rescue dog Molly
Previous Foretravel owner

Re: Anyone in our FT Community gone down this route? -- Michelin X One XRV

Reply #4 –
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.
The selected media item is not currently available. Dave Head & Megan Westbrook
Titusville, FL - The Great Outdoors
'98 270 buying this month
Toad is a 2018 F150 XLT

Re: Anyone in our FT Community gone down this route? -- Michelin X One XRV

Reply #5 –
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)
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Gerry & Brenda
CHARLOTTE HARBOR, FL
1994 Grand Villa - # 4466
U300 Unihome - 6V92 Detroit
4 speed Allison - Jake Brake

Re: Anyone in our FT Community gone down this route? -- Michelin X One XRV

Reply #6 –
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.
David and Carolyn Osborn
1995 U320C SE 40' Build 4726 Feb 1995
FMCA 147762
Motorcade 17186

Re: Anyone in our FT Community gone down this route? -- Michelin X One XRV

Reply #7 –
Quote from: D.J. Osborn –
I think it's a good idea--but still somewhat ahead of its time.

They have been out for at least ten years, came out just before I retired.

Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers

Re: Anyone in our FT Community gone down this route? -- Michelin X One XRV

Reply #8 –
Quote from: D.J. Osborn –
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 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!!!
1994 U225
build #4514

Re: Anyone in our FT Community gone down this route? -- Michelin X One XRV

Reply #9 –
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.