Relative Performance of Wide Base and Conventional Truck Tires

The relative performance of single wide base and conventional dual radial tires for heavy trucks are compared in a series of laboratory, closed-course and on-road evaluations. Mechanical tire properties, pavement damage, vehicle stopping distances and propensity for dynamic hydroplaning are addressed.

Comparisons of the footprints and spring rates of wide base and conventional tires are provided. Measurements of pavement deflection, using embedded multidepth deflectometers, indicate the potential increase in pavement damage which could result from extensive use of wide base tires. Wide base tires are shown to increase stopping distances from high speeds, particularly on wet roadways under locked-wheel stopping conditions. Limited data suggest that the wide base tire is not more susceptible to hydroplaning than conventional dual tires.