Bridgestone shows off plethora of new tire/service options

Bridgestone shows off plethora of new tire/service options

Bridgestone arrived at this year’s TMC Fall show ready to roll, with plenty of new products developed in the last couple of years on both the tire and service side to show off.

On the tire side, Bridgestone had on display its newest drive tire, the M713. Tim Kelly, national account manager, fleet solutions, says this is Bridgestone’s first tire to feature 3D siping, which goes down through the full depth of the tire.

“It allows the tire, as it comes in and out of its footprint, to [have the 3D interlock] open up, and it gives [the tire] 30% better biting edges than its predecessor,” Kelly says. “We’re seeing great success with this. It has ultra-low rolling resistance – 8% better than the M710 and 15% better wear on the M713.”

Also on display was a prototype of Bridgestone’s new B713 retread, a product designed for line-haul, fuel-efficiency-conscious fleets, which is set to officially launch in the spring of 2022. Kelly says the retread has many of the features found in the M713, including 3D siping and interlocking lugs.

“The performance we’ve seen from the testing we’ve done has been significant,” Kelly says. “We don’t have benchmarks yet, but we’re seeing really good performance.”

Kelly also showed off the company’s newest steer tire, the R213. Featuring directional edge sipes to resist scrub and offer up to 15% longer mileage, Bridgestone says the R213 Ecopia outperforms the previous-generation R284 Ecopia. Additionally, a redesigned tread pattern paired with a compound reduces tire weight, improving rolling resistance and fuel efficiency by 6%, Kelly says. The EPA SmartWay-verified tire is offered in eight variations – with four sizes and two load ranges per size.

“It has directional siping throughout the treads, especially on the shoulder which will help reduce cutting and tearing,” Kelly says. “This really eliminates the irregular wear that can be caused by long mileage vehicles.”

On the service side, Bridgestone displayed its Intellitire TPMS system to attendees. The commercial tire TPMS can be used to proactively identify and address tire pressure issues, and the company says it can also increase technician productivity with digital inspections and electronic reports. As a brand-agnostic platform, it will work for any tire.

Kelly says the TPMS system integrates with Geotab to help with tracking throughout each tire cycle.

“All of that information is sent up through the cloud, and then there are analytics done to prevent or avoid some kind of [tire-related] event,” Kelly says. “There’s a ton of great reporting and alerts that are sent to the driver and the maintenance manager, or whoever is interested in that information.”

Kelly also detailed Bridgestone’s Reach driver productivity platform, an app designed to make preventative maintenance, roadside assistance and other vehicle service requests simpler and more efficient for fleets of all sizes.

“This will hopefully increase efficiency: less downtime for the fleet, more efficiency for the technician. It’s more critical than ever right now. We have several hundred fleets on it at this point,” Kelly says.

Kelly says in the future, Intellitire will be designed to integrate with Reach to send a notification to dispatch a technician wherever a specific truck might need service.

You May Also Like

Carrier Transicold debuts Supra eCool electric truck refrigeration unit series

The company notes that the Supra e9 and e11 units will provide comparable refrigeration performance to its diesel-powered predecessor.

Carrier-transicold-ev-ref-units

Carrier Transicold is rolling out two single-temperature electric truck refrigeration units this year as the foundation of its new Supra eCool series. The company notes that the electric units will cover 14- to 28-foot, Class 5 to 7 straight truck applications and are designed for fleets seeking regulatory compliance or simply more sustainable options. The engineless Supra e9 and e11 units will provide comparable refrigeration performance to Carrier Transicold’s diesel-powered Supra S8 and S10 units, Carrier Transicold stated in a recent press release.

The keys to properly securing unique cargo

With the wide range of cargo types, unique materials and geometric shapes and the significant mass of some loads, there is a lot to consider.

Sythetic-Chain-Lashing-1-1400jpg
Cargo securement tips for International Roadcheck 2023

A brief educational triage to help you refresh your memory on proper cargo securement before International Roadcheck 2023.

cargo-securement-International-Roadcheck
Cummins, Accelera emphasize decarbonization, hydrogen at ACT Expo

The company showcased technologies including electrolyzers to produce hydrogen that can power both a hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine concept truck and a fuel cell electric powertrain.

Cummins-natural-gas
Hyliion unveils Karno electric range extender powertrain at ACT Expo

The Karno technology is a linear motor heat generator that leverages 3D metal-printed components and proprietary flameless oxidation technology to produce clean electricity.

Hyliion-hero-1

Other Posts

How to get the most from electric truck charging incentives right now

These programs can help lower the overall costs of charging stations to make the transition to EVs more feasible and equitable.

Optimizing your electrical system spring maintenance schedule 

The seven-way connection is the most prone area to the onset of corrosion.

electrical-maintenance-1400-copy
Tackling tough terrain: Designing vocational trucks with rock-solid specs

Navistar has played a role in developing solutions that cater to the various demands of the industry’s different segments.

international-OTR-vocational-specs