Top 100: Rubber Stretches Tire Life

Sept. 28, 2010

New tread pattern, rubber compound, and 8 percent more rubber in the tread and shoulders of Michelin's XTS radial tire is expected to stretch the life of these tires for mid-sized scrapers 20 percent, compared to the XRB they replaced. The open, nondirectional tread and large ground-contact area improve traction. Staggered tread blocks of the XTS minimize vibration, which should improve operator comfort. The smallest XTS (29.5 R29) lists for $4,231, and the largest (37.25 R35) lists for $7,484.