Tires

I do not think this will cause any tire related problems with your vehicle but I would urge you to consult with the vehicle manufacturer or dealer to see if there might be a concern from their point of view. Sure would look cool!

This is a tough one. First of all, we do not offer tires of this size. In general though, the use of wide base tires has not resulted in a significant difference in traction compared to similar (lug type) radial ply, dual tire that they could replace. At least in the US, bias ply tires have been out of the mainstream for so long, it would be difficult to make a comparison.

The optimum pressure that a tire should be running is dependent upon the load it is carrying. Since the load being carried by a working truck is varying all the time, the optimum pressure is also varying.

Tire manufacturers publish an inflation pressure based on the maximum load the tire can carry. If you are like most fleet owners, your trucks are seldom (if ever) running at the maximum load their tires are capable of running. So, running tires at a pressure slightly under the pressure recommended for the max load should not be a problem.

Most line haul fleets have inflation specifications between 95 psi and 105 psi. Running in this pressure range should result in acceptable tire performance.

From a tire wear standpoint, your operation is slow rate of wear / low scrub. No matter what tires you use, it will be difficult to avoid uneven wear in this situation. Since you do run heavy half the time, you need to maintain 100 - 110 PSI in the tires to carry the load. Unfortunately, when you are running light, pressures in this range are making your irregular wear situation worse as the tires are "over inflated". It is difficult to say what kind of tire life you can expect. The good news is, all the major tire companies are making great strides in extending tire life through improved tread designs, compounds and tire footprint shapes.

The intermodal environment is tough on tires. The tires that most intermodal carriers want to use are made for highway service but the conditions at the railyard or port may be more like an off highway situation. To maximize tire life, in any type of service, maintain the proper inflation pressures, inspect the tires regularly, remove debris that gets into the tires and repair punctures (when feasible) before they result air loss and destroyed tires.