Commercial truck tire comparison

The U.S. is a very complicated, competitive market compared to other markets in the world. There’s a lot of competition, which ultimately is good for the fleet because they’re presented with multiple options. And now the company that makes a perfect blend of tire ingredients and pays most attention to the quality of the tire wins the price. The tire sizing we are going to discuss are: low pro 22.5, 11r 22.5, 285/75R24.5 and 11r24.5. the winner is:


TIER 1 QUALITY

Michelin commercial tires — Michelin North America Inc.’s flagship brand, according to the magazine, the company offers perfect mix of traction, handling, low rolling resistance for good fuel economy and long tread life. In many cases tread wear is class-leading, and Michelin has tread wear warranties on all the commercial tire models and aplications. The only reason that hold back a lot of potential buyers is that it is usually pricey. Their best models are:

MICHELIN X LINE ENERGY Z - steer tire
 MICHELIN X LINE ENERGY Z – best steer tire for long haul semi-truck, you definitely get the smoothest ride possible, great bump absorbent feeling and best tire life (based on our customers experience an average is 150K-200K mi.). It is the one only directional steer tire on the market that gives you extra duty tire durability for first 50% of tire life.
Michelin X Line Energy D - drive tire
Michelin X Line Energy D – it is probably a perfect match for fleets running most miles in North part of US, great road contact, especially in extreme winter conditions, but because of it’s wideness and safety Michelin gives over the road the engineers sacrificed a little in fuel efficiency, the average mileage our customers been getting out of them is 350k-400K.
Michelin X Line Energy T – Trailer Tire
Michelin X Line Energy T – 10% improved rolling resistance vs. MICHELIN® XT-1® tires due to next-generation Advanced Technology Compound. Improved fuel economy.

  Bridgestone commercial tires– overall they have one of the best line of tires. Their long lasting battle with Michelin over product reliability, quality, and customer satisfaction. You can’t go wrong buying a Bridgestone tire. The casings are also great. You should be able to cap a casing multiple times.

Bridgestone R284 Ecopia - steer tire
Bridgestone R284 Ecopia – landed second among all steers and features a unique tread pattern design, performance, and extreme durability. Tire life averages around 130K-160K mi.
Bridgestone M710 - drive tire
Bridgestone M710 Ecopia is an ultra-fuel-efficient drive radial designed for tandem-axle applications in long-haul and regional service. 26/32nds tread depth.  Average miles driven are 260K-320K mi..
Bridgestone M726 ELA - drive tire
The M726 ELA – famous well known old school drive with 32/32nds – deepest available. It took Bridgestone a lot of efforts, years of experiments and testing to make it their deep tread durable and at the same time long lasting. It’s rubber compound is perfect for any weather condition weather it is snow, mud, ice, wet or hot – Bridgestone M726ELA takes it all. Average life known 350K-400K mi. depending on driving conditions.
Bridgestone R197 - trailer tire
The R197 is one of the best trailer tire on the market.

  Pirelli commercial tires – the brand name with 140 years of a history, is the 5th largest tire manufacturer in the world and # 1 brand in auto and moto sport that implemented innovative technologies in their commercial truck tires. The best selling commercial truck tire in Europe with the highest speed index  rating of 81 mph VS average of 75 mph for most of the brands on the market.

Pirelli H89 plus - Long haul steer tire
Pirelli H89 plus  – long haul steer application. Tire with one of the best balancing stats and runout (highest spot) point. Impressive stone trapping technology prevents easy tire damage. Wide footprint provides stability, handling and Load H rating confidence in heavy duty perfomance. Tires are ranging around 125K-165K of life.
Pirelli H89 Drive plus - Drive tire
Pirelli H89 Drive plus – fuel efficiency and high mileage in a perfect combination with smooth and qiuet ride. Quality rubber compund gives ride confidence in any road conditions weather it’s wet, icy or snowy. The one of a kind tread design proven to last close 330K with option for retreading after.
Pirelli H89 trailer- trailer application
H89 trailer – strong performance on any trailer type due to its strong walls and tread rib rubber composite that can perform even with faulty trailers. Excellent casing durability ensures great retreadability.

 Continental — consistently offers high-scoring tires. Handling and impressive stopping grip on dry and wet roads, winter and summer conditions are typical of this brand. The Continental brand is known for it’s wide footprint no matter if it’s steer, drive or trailer position that provides a superior traction and ultra-high stability, it is also known for it’s even tread wear throughout the life of a tire. Their best models are:

Continental Hs3 - Steering tire
HS3 Eco Plus or Hybrid– long haul or regional steering tire – it can it all. Their rubber is capable of hitting an interstate as well as some gravel roads without risk of a blowout, uneven wear or damages. The tire is super resistant to curbs, bumps and all other external factors you may face on the road but no matter what – your back is covered by Continental. Average miles driven are 120K-150K mi.
Continental - HDL2 - drive tire
HDL2 – one of the best drive tires because it features a long life, great fuel economy, and perfect road traction in every weather condition you may hit out there. Even though tire does not have such a deep tread as BS M726ELA, which also benefits your fleet in fuel economy, surprisingly to all known to last around 280K-340K mi.
Continental HT3 EcoPlus- trailer tire
HT3 EcoPlus – long-lasting Van/Reefer/Flatbed trailer tire. Strongest tire model on the market, super resistant to uneven wear even if there is some minor suspension or alignment issues – it is not a problem for Continental trailer tires. As a bonus, they are attractively priced comparing to Bridgestone or Michelin. Longest trailer life 180K-220K.

TIER 2 QUALITY

Firestone — Bridgestone America’s goal is to make Firestone the number one tier-two brand in commercial truck brands. All three tires feature Bridgestone’s NanoPro-Tech polymer technology that “limits energy loss for improved rolling resistance and optimum fuel efficiency”. The FS591, FD691 tires features a wide, deep tread pattern to promote long, even wear, helping increase tread life and lower rolling resistance.

 BF Goodrich — is a perfect mix of the tier one warranty program and quality of a tire with Michelin developers backing up this brand and tier two tire cost. It is rated in one line with Firestone and Yokohama. It is perfectly designed to take you where you need to get to.

Toyo — is also jumped in the top ten tire manufacturers and is been getting more and more positive customer feedback. Toyo commercial tires combine top tier product performance, application versatility, and a competitive acquisition point for a lower cost per mile, making it a leading value alternative brand. Peace of mind and maximum profitability – standard with every purchase. You can’t go wrong with that brand and max performance models are M177, M647, M157.

 Goodyear commercial tires— Not every model is a hit, but definitely there are some good one’s out there. If you choose to go that way your best bet would be G399A, G5050D semi tires. The company hit some challenges in recent years with the acquisition of Kelly Tire Co. and manufactory of the low end Tier 2 line called Marathon which is similar to Kelly in quality and reliability.

 Yokohama tires — have characteristically impressed everybody with their sporty attitude to the marketing war. Ranking sixth in the list is a result of the entire team work improving every possible little thing they can from marketing war with competitors to quality of the product and duration of life. Building a plant in Mississippi allowed the Yokohama Tire Co to improve logistics in the US. Company retread compatibility and warranty program gives their customer a confidence in choosing Yokohama brand for their fleet needs and save some money with them. Best known models are: RY617 steer, RY517 and 703ZL with deeper tread 32/32nds for your drive.

 General Tire —is completing our list of commercial fleets best buys. They stepped up to offer US market a line of products for customers who want a balance of both affordability and performance to suit their needs. The AMERISTEEL D460 long haul/regional drive tire offers flexible, long lasting performance and reliability.

TIER 3 QUALITY

 Double Coinbrand — ranked in top ten commercial tire based on the customer reviews and #5 selling commercial tire in the USA, landed right after Michelin, Bridgestone, Continental and Goodyear. Their warranty program, aggressive marketing politics and efficient tread design developed for every type of equipment: van, reefer, flatbed, step deck, dump truck, semi drive and steer position tires. Aggressive pricing is also a big plus to your budget. Their most popular models are;

  • RLB400 – drive tire that features same tread design as Bridgestone M726ELA but on 30/32’s deep. Unlike some other Chinese tire brands Double Coin known for it’s even tread wear throughout the entire life of the tire (approximately 240K-275K mi.), and also great rubber compound which gives a smooth ride and impressive stopping power along with road contact.
  • TR100,  RT606+ – van/reefer and flatbed trailer tires known for its long lasting life and unique tread designs that can easily compete with top trailer tires in both: reliability and durability. But no other tire can beat Double Coin aggressive pricing.

Uniroyal – 

Kelly tires – 

 Sailun commercial tires –