Why Super Singles? - Dodge Diesel

Stamey · #1 08-18-2009, 10:04 PM

Every now and then I see them on 18 wheelers, or would that be actually 10 wheelers if they are running super singles, but what is the advantage of super singles?
Durability, wear, price, strength, looks, ride?

Kinda wish I could fit a set under my truck.

Thanks,
Chris

Sapps · #2 08-18-2009, 10:16 PM

Advantage = Weight savings
Disadvantage = everything else

Mostly used by tankers, dumps, hoppers where more product hauled equals more $.

Nick02Ram · #3 08-19-2009, 01:43 AM

Like Sapps said...if ya look in the product catalogs they claim they get better mileage, wear better, run cooler,less weight, blah blah blah. I personally haven't been that impressed. We sell, well sold, em to a fleet and after 6 months they pulled em all, virgin tires. They did get some money back from the manufacturer, and they came out to inspect some of em. They were cupping like crazy, which may have been an alignment issue, but they wore out way too quick, even if the truck was tracking wrong. However, as the cupping got so bad, they had to replace em at somethin like 600-700 a peice. We cap em with trailer tread and they are still running those, but phasing them out as well. The thing with that is, a dual wear uneven and ya replace one, 300 bucks, a S.S. wears out and ya replace it- 600 bucks. The other big problem I see is blowouts. When they do blow, they don't usually give much warning, and being as its the only tire on that position, your truck drops to the rim immediatly. This means getting stuck on the side of a busy road, which is damgerous for the driver, as well as me, who has to change it where it sits. If you run duals and have a blowout, you can nurse it to a rest stop, or at least an emergency pull-off. So basically my opinion is overrated.

SpeedyWS6 · #4 08-19-2009, 01:08 PM

They say weight savings and fuel savings. The idea is that any time a set of duals is doing anything but going dead straight the tires are fighting one another. We all know the benefit of less rotational mass.

I know of a fleet of trucks that runs supers on truck and trailer and I have never seen them with bad wear. But I don't personally work on them or any other trucks with supers.

Lil Dog · #5 08-19-2009, 02:00 PM

What would that large tire surface be like in bad weather, like snow, slush?

dj_souvlaki · #6 08-19-2009, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil Dog

What would that large tire surface be like in bad weather, like snow, slush?

my guess would be horrible. the wider the tire the more chance of hydroplaning.

archer39 · #7 08-19-2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil Dog

What would that large tire surface be like in bad weather, like snow, slush?

Our neighboring fire department in our township just purchased a new Tanker and it has the super singles. Last winter after they just got it they slide it off the road while it was raining. They all claim it is very bad in poor weather.

wannadiesel · #8 08-19-2009, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sapps

Advantage = Weight savings
Disadvantage = everything else

Mostly used by tankers, dumps, hoppers where more product hauled equals more $.

Yup. Minimum tare weight is what it's all about.

Stamey · #9 08-19-2009, 06:35 PM

Interesting. Thanks for the info. I'm learning new stuff here.

Chris

1-5-3-6-2-4 · #10 08-19-2009, 08:40 PM

Around here I'm noticing more and more of the new build heavy iron oilfield equipment (wellhead service equipment) with tri axle super singles. I've only seen maybe 2 tractors with super single drives come through our shop in the last year. so they're not that popular around here on trucks anyways.

12valve@heart · #11 08-19-2009, 09:33 PM

I've seen super singles quite a bit on the front of cement mixer trucks.
My guess is that flotation is another advantage thus the use there and on oilfield equipment. Gotta stay on top of that mud.

1-5-3-6-2-4 · #12 08-19-2009, 10:53 PM

the big wide tires on steers, aren't super singles. they're flotation steers like you think. super single replaces any duals. and they're different sizes than the float steers.

and either way dozers have been dragging iron in and out of drilling leases for 1/2 century it doesn't matter whats on them for rubber.

Riflemanusmc · #13 08-19-2009, 11:01 PM

They wear like crap. Inside tread on the tire's wears out fast. They didn't get the offset/inset correct. And it shows....Flex, no one thought that far ahead....

Nick02Ram · #14 08-20-2009, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil Dog

What would that large tire surface be like in bad weather, like snow, slush?

I've had a few guys tell me they have a hard time pulling out of a dock in an inch of snow, even with their interlock in.

2006Mega · #15 08-20-2009, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick02Ram

Like Sapps said...if ya look in the product catalogs they claim they get better mileage, wear better, run cooler,less weight, blah blah blah. I personally haven't been that impressed. We sell, well sold, em to a fleet and after 6 months they pulled em all, virgin tires. They did get some money back from the manufacturer, and they came out to inspect some of em. They were cupping like crazy, which may have been an alignment issue, but they wore out way too quick, even if the truck was tracking wrong. However, as the cupping got so bad, they had to replace em at somethin like 600-700 a peice. We cap em with trailer tread and they are still running those, but phasing them out as well. The thing with that is, a dual wear uneven and ya replace one, 300 bucks, a S.S. wears out and ya replace it- 600 bucks. The other big problem I see is blowouts. When they do blow, they don't usually give much warning, and being as its the only tire on that position, your truck drops to the rim immediatly. This means getting stuck on the side of a busy road, which is damgerous for the driver, as well as me, who has to change it where it sits. If you run duals and have a blowout, you can nurse it to a rest stop, or at least an emergency pull-off. So basically my opinion is overrated.

back when i worked on semis we would send the new freightliners to the alignment shop to get the drives set where they should be. guess they were way off from the factory and were going through drives way to fast.

the supersinges steers also carry more weight, here im michigan you are allowed 18,000 on the steer axle with those wide floatation tires.

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