Hauliers slam tyre wear
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by Charles Young • Michelin's XZEI range of truck tyres can wear unevenly, preventing an extra life on the steer axle, say some operators—despite Michelin's claims that they can be re-cut once and then remoulded.
John Budd of Garwind bought four new Leyland Dais in June 1996, all fitted with XZEls. After 170,000km (106,00(1 miles) the tyres on the steer axles produced the wear pattern shown in the photographs (right and below).
"We took the trucks back to Daf which said there was no problem with the suspension or tracking," Budd reports. "The problems showed on both our
continental and UK operations—
although the drive axles were fine. Michelin said we had had a good life out of them and offered us a 25% reduction on a new set. We can buy them for less than that anyway."
Bob Maddison XZE1 (above): of Maddison
haulage had the suspension and steering checked with laser alignment after XZEls devel oped bald patches on the steer axles of his Leyland Daf 2800s.
After a month, he claims, the tyres had perished.
Southern Transport Services' workshop foreman John Warren found the same problem with new FH12s bought in January 1997. "I won't use Michelin even on the drive axle now," says Warren.
Michelin says the tyres give up to 20% more mileage than its
previous model and it is this extra mileage that causes the wear pattern.
"We're victims of our own success," says a spokesman. "They may not look too great but they still work fine. In extreme cases they may have to be remoulded without a re-cut. In the case of Budd and Maddison our rep said they could be recut and fitted to the drive axle, but we're still delivering value for money.
"Our latest model, the XZE2, wears more evenly as well as having better lateral grip in the wet," the spokesman adds.
Some XZEls are still on sale although the tyre has now been superseded by the XZE2.