Titan Tire Corporation, the subsidiary of Titan International, announced a significant expansion of its OTR product line at CONEXPO-CON/AGG last week, in the form of its new Low Sidewall (LSW) options for light, medium and heavy-duty equipment. LSW features a larger rim diameter and smaller sidewall than standard tyres, which improves equipment stability and performance. “The LSW design is a fundamental shift in the way tyre and wheel assemblies are built…but we feel strongly that this is the way the industry should be moving,” said Johni Francis, OTR Product Manager at Titan Tire. “The trend toward larger buckets and more powerful equipment has necessitated a departure from standard tyre design, and as the only manufacturer of both wheels and tyres, we’re taking the lead on this movement.”

The lower profile and increased wheel size of the LSW design improves stability and reduces recoil and bouncing associated with the larger sidewall of standard tyres. The design results in five primary benefits — increased bucket loads due to less machine-sway and resulting material loss; smoother ride and less bouncing on bumpy terrain; increased lateral stability around curves and hillside conditions; improved handling and improved breakout force. “Our testing has shown time and time again that LSW assemblies outperform standard assemblies, which is why we’ve invested in the development of LSW options for nearly every equipment category,” added Francis.

On larger mining class equipment, available products include the Titan LDR 150, which features an L-4 extra-deep tread and wear-resistant compound for “excellent rock damage resistance and long life in harsh settings.” The LSW 58/80R63 size offers an alternative to the standard 58/80R57 size for large wheel loaders. Titan says it will continue to expand the LSW product lineup throughout 2014, with plans to introduce more LSW options and sizes for wheel loaders and mining haul trucks. Product lines with plans for LSW expansions in 2014 include Titan MXL, Titan STL3, Titan LDR 150, Titan LDR 250, Titan DTH4, Titan DTE4, Titan 007 MFT and Titan CMR 100.