Issued: March 2005 Future Truck Program Position Paper: 2004-4 Expectations for Future Tires Developed by the Technology & Maintenance Council’s (TMC) Future Tire Reliability/Productivity Task Force ABSTRACT This TMC Future Truck Position Paper defines the future performance requirements of tires based on fleet/equipment user descriptions of their needs and concerns. This paper covers all aspects of new tires, retreaded tires, tire repairs, and all associated maintenance issues. INTRODUCTION and dry environments—for starting, stopping This TMC Future Truck Position Paper defines and cornering. However traction is improved— future features and expectations for tires and whether it be by compound or tread design, for wheels in terms of product performance, main- example—tire noise must be controlled, resis- tainability, reliability, durability, serviceability, tance to flat spotting must improve, the ten- environmental and educational issues. The dency for hydroplaning must be reduced, and paper’s objective is improving tire and wheel tire-related splash and spray must be mini- value to fleets/equipment users. mized. Future tires should experience less stone retention and, therefore, less stone drill- PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS ing-type casing damage. Tires should also The focus of all tire performance is ultimately feature improved casing retreadability and to improve tire value. It is expected that contin- repairability, as well as improved appearance ued advances in technology will yield longer with respect to ozone or weather checking—a tread life, both in terms of miles per 32nd rate tire’s natural aging condition. of wear and actual removal mileage, even with the greater engine horsepower we see now Future tire performance will require greater and in the future. Future tires are expected to tire uniformity to improve vehicle ride, reduce generate less irregular wear and be more vibration or the need for balancing a tire/wheel tolerant of vehicle misalignment. Future tires assembly. More uniform tire construction should provide better traction—in both wet should reduce driver complaints on pulling, Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) 2200 Mill Road • Alexandria, VA 22314 • Ph: (703) 838-1776 • FAX: (703) 684-4328 [email protected] • http://tmc.truckline.com © 2004, TMC/ATA Future Tires Position Paper (2004)—1 (radial force, ply steer, connicity), and lopping Air pressure maintenance systems are also or wobble, (radial and lateral runout, improper being developed. Electronic tire tags could bead seating). Better uniformity should also consist of miniature pressure sensors that produce casings of identical dimensions en- would allow a driver or technician to read tire hancing dual matching and retreadability us- pressure without touching the tire itself. On- ing mold cure systems. board pressure management systems could not only monitor tire pressure and keep drivers Tires should be more resistant to heat caused alerted, but also could adjust tire pressure by speed, load and varying internal pressure. automatically and continuously—even when They should reach their operating tempera- the vehicle is in use. Such systems could also ture more quickly and maintain it more evenly. be used to optimize the pressure for the load Tires need to be more durable in terms of to develop the largest tire footprint, reducing surviving impacts, road hazards, and punc- possible tire/load induced road damage. On- tures. They must also be better at resisting board pressure monitoring systems can alert damage from mounting procedures and tools. drivers to a leaking tire, record the time of the Tire innerliners should improve retention of notification and confirm what action is taken whatever gaseous inflation medium is used— and when. Better pressure maintenance should i.e., air, nitrogen. Performance should be further reduce the occurrence of tires achieved while maintaining—or improving— running underinflated for the load carried and tire rolling resistance and vehicle fuel economy. subsequently reduce the tire debris currently found on the road. The use of electronic sen- MAINTAINABILITY EXPECTATIONS sors, instant satellite communications, and Tires should be as maintenance free as pos- maintenance software packages should help sible. This could be accomplished by the de- fleets plan tire maintenance and purchases velopment of run-flat truck tires, non-pneu- more accurately. matic tires or even self-contained and dispos- able tire/wheel assemblies. In the shorter term, Future tires will continue to require better and making future tires easier to maintain means drier air to enhance casing life. Nitrogen or making air pressure maintenance easier. This some other alternative inflation medium may could be achieved by the use of flow through/ be developed to easily and inexpensively main- self-sealing valve caps and clearer accessibil- tain tire pressure and enhance casing durabil- ity to the inside tire of the dual assembly. Also, ity. Also, foam or other semi-solid materials valves could be designed with the flow through could be developed so air pressure is not cap concept as a permanent feature and not needed, eliminating penetrations/other road require any separate, removable valve cap. hazards and reducing vehicle down time and Pressure can be more easily maintained if tire repairs. there was only one valve to check and adjust pressure through, such as connecting duals If a gaseous fill is used, improvements should with a pressure equalizer or even replacing be made in valve stems, valve stem grom- duals with single wide-base tire. Pressure mets/seals, and valve cores, to make inflation, maintenance would be faster if shop compres- deflation, inspection and air chamber sealing sors developed greater air volumes more more reliable in all applications and climate quickly, allowing the maintenance of pres- conditions. sures over 100 psi without a time penalty. The adoption of large bore valves for commercial Future tires must be clearly marked and easier trucks would also speed up air pressure main- to mount, especially when considering direc- tenance. tional tread designs. Tires must be easier to © 2004, TMC/ATA Future Tires Position Paper (2004)—2 inspect both on and off the vehicle, and easier signed and constructed with greater unifor- to accurately measure remaining tread depth. mity. Also, basic tire marking, such a size, For example, tire brand, tire size, ply rating, max. load and pressures, DOT, a unique tire DOT numbers, high point marks (HPM), and ID, and other pertinent data, should be de- balance marks must be large and legible. signed and molded to be more easily readable However, accuracy cannot be sacrificed. when mounted on a vehicle. These markings could also be designed to be scanned by RELIABILITY EXPECTATIONS hand-held readers to create electronic tire files Tires of the future need to be more reliable in instead of hand written records. all operations at all times, assuming proper application. Tires should be able to operate at Tire weight should be reduced to facilitate higher sustained speeds, in all climate condi- easier handling, better rolling resistance and tions and must minimize any occurrence of fuel economy characteristics and reduced casing component separation, air pressure Federal Excise Tax to the user. Tires may loss, and be balanced for life to reduce any become repairable from the outside (not re- irregular wear and eliminate vehicle ride dis- quiring a dismount), designed to be self-seal- turbances. Tires must continue to meet and/or ing for punctures, or have a the capability to exceed all future legislative regulations. run without air for short periods of time and mileage before replacement. There should no DURABILITY EXPECTATIONS longer be a need for a “spare” tire. Depending on application, tires should be en- gineered in such a way as to match the ser- Tires should be smaller to facilitate greater vice/maintenance life of the vehicle on which cubic capacity for trucks and trailers. Also, they are mounted. For example, in linehaul these smaller tires should operate at lower service future tires should be able to achieve pressures (less than 100 psi) and should in- a million cumulative miles for original tread corporate the largest possible footprint at the and all subsequent retreads. Fewer tire lowest pressure to reduce the possibility of changes and longer service intervals should road surface damage. improve tire cost per mile. Tires should be more resistant to road hazard failures, and see ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES reduced pressure loss through the tire casing. Future tires must be designed and used with environment quality in mind. Future tires—at SERVICEABILITY EXPECTATIONS the end of their useful lives—should be totally Future tires should be easier to mount and and safely recyclable. Tire construction mate- dismount from a wheel. They should not re- rials should be non-toxic. And, as long as tires quire additional external lubricant and the bead are held before disposal/recycling, the should be of a design that ensures perfect, innerliner should include some material to concentric seating every time. These tires make the tire interior inhospitable to insects should have a standard and more visible rim and other small; undesirable wildlife. centering ring to confirm at a glance the per- fect concentric seating of the tire to the wheel. EDUCATION/ TRAINING EXPECTATIONS Future tire/wheel systems should feature new Future tires should be marked more clearly and more efficient means of training person- and in an industry-standard fashion for match nel. A comprehensive, objective, and recog- mounting to wheels for both original equip- nized program must be made readily avail- ment and replacement markets. This marking able, easy to understand and conducted in a should become unnecessary as tires are de- short period of time. © 2004, TMC/ATA Future Tires Position Paper (2004)—3.