Goodyear Says Range of New Steer Tire Endurance LHS Is Up 25% Over Previous Model
GRAPEVINE, Texas — Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. said its recently introduced steer tire addresses concerns that fleets expressed with an earlier model designed for the same application.
The Akron, Ohio-based company launched its Endurance LHS in mid-2018 and said during its annual Goodyear Customer Care Conference here Jan. 27-30 that the tire’s design will help it outperform earlier steer tire models, which some in the trucking industry complained suffered from premature wear.
During more than 13 million miles of developmental testing with fleets, the new tire delivered an increase in wear range of up to 25% when compared to the G399A and other steer tire models, according to Goodyear.
“Over 200 fleets are currently running the Endurance LHS with some very, very impressive results,” said Cary Budzinski, the tire maker’s senior director of commercial sales. “This tire is delivering extraordinary mileage, in some cases 175,000 miles, 186,000 miles and, in one fleet test, more than 210,000 miles.”
The new Endurance LHS is intended to replace the G399A.
The company said the tire has several new design features that target not only longer life, but also increased fuel economy. They include a new cap-base and tread combination to help extend mileage before removal as well as lower rolling resistance. The Endurance LHS also has a new sidewall compound to help lower rolling resistance and boost fuel efficiency. The tire’s steel-belt package is designed to improve casing strength, while its “shoulder wedge” was developed to help stabilize the belt package and improve longevity.
Mahesh Kavaturu addresses the media at the 2017 North American Vehicle Show in Atlanta. (John Sommers II for Transport Topics)
“We don’t want our customers to replace tires because of wear-related problems. We want to deliver even wear, so the tires go longer so customers come back and buy more Goodyear tires, develop loyalty,” Goodyear’s director of technology for commercial tires, Mahesh Kavaturu, told Transport Topics. “The 399A had some premature wear issues that caused early removals, nothing extraordinary, but we wanted to take our game to the next level and lead the marketplace. To have a product that wears evenly and delivers long miles.”
Goodyear does not discuss pricing outside of its dealer network, but the Endurance LHS is priced between $575 and $675 on several online tire sites.
The tire is available in sizes 295/75R22.5, 11R22.5, 285/75R24.5 and 11R24.5 — all in load ranges G and H.
“Longhaul fleets are the biggest segment of the North American trucking market,” Kavaturu said. “When it comes to tires, these companies measure every mile. And they want to get as many miles as possible out of their tire investment, without sacrificing other performance benefits like fuel efficiency, even wear and traction.”
The company also said that its current longhaul trailer tire, the G316 LHT, eventually will be replaced by another model in the Endurance lineup. For now, the G316 LHT is its trailer position tire that works in concert with the Endurance LHS and Endurance LHD models.
