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Label Grades Confirm Goodyear Marathon Long Haul Tires as the Dream Team
30/05/2012 Just-introduced EU Tire Label grades prove Goodyear Marathon LHS II + steer tires, LHD II + drive tires and LHT II trailer tires to be the truck tire ‘Dream Team’.
Fitting Goodyear Marathon tires to a typical five-axle 40 tonne truck could equip the vehicle with a fuel-saving combination of six ‘A’ grade tires, two ‘B’ grade tires and four ‘C’ grade tires, depending on tire size1. These tires also score highly with regard to wet grip, which means short stopping distances in slippery conditions, and they have low noise emissions as well.
“The Goodyear Marathon Long Haul tire range offers outstanding fuel economy2 and now, thanks to the new European Tire Labeling regulation, truck operators can see for themselves which tires are best for fuel economy. They also need to bear in mind tire life, in particular with respect to mileage - even if this information is not included on the label”, said Boris Stevanovic, Marketing Director Truck Tires, Goodyear Dunlop EMEA. “The combination of the Goodyear Marathon LHS II +, LHD II + and LHT II really is a ‘Dream Team’, offering truck operators great fuel economy along with very good wet grip and low noise.”
The Goodyear Marathon LHT II trailer tire is not only the highest rated Goodyear truck tire in Fuel Efficiency, boasting ‘A’ grade in two sizes , but also classes as a ‘C’ grade with regard to wet grip in four sizes and has low noise levels. This is extremely significant as there are six tires on most semitrailers, which account for 50% of the total rolling resistance of the truck and trailer combination. The LHT II’s ‘C’ wet grip grading means shorter stopping on wet roads than lower grade tires. Noise is particularly low on the LHT II with two sizes rating a single bar and noise levels of 70 dBA3.
The recently-introduced Goodyear Marathon LHS II + and LHD II + steer and drive tires were tested by TÜV Süd Automotive1 and the results showed that both tires outperformed their test competitors in terms of rolling resistance1. In terms of label grades, three LHS II + sizes4 impressively score both ‘B’ in fuel economy and in wet braking with between 70 and 71 dBA (one or two bars) for noise ratings. In the LHD II + range, three sizes5 rate both ‘C’ in fuel economy and wet braking, giving noise levels of between 73 and 75 dBA (two or three bars) – extremely good results because these are M+S tires that provide excellent traction in all conditions.
Tire labeling becomes a legal requirement in the EU countries from November 1, 2012. From that date all truck tire buyers must be made aware of the label information thus allowing them to make comparisons and choose the tires that best suit their operations. Goodyear is convinced that this will make operators more aware of the significance of tires to the overall fuel economy of trucks that will not only save the industry money but will also help reduce harmful CO2 emissions.
1The Association of the German Rubber Industry describes tires with C/C and higher as very good and tires with A/C – A/A and C/A – A/A as extraordinary tires of very high quality.
2The data was measured by TÜV Süd in August 2011 (test number 76246887-1) and September 2011 (76246886-1). Tires tested - Goodyear Marathon LHS II + / LHD II + / LHT II were respectively compared with the steer / drive / trailer tires of three main competitors. Tire sizes 315/70R22.5 (steer and drive) and 385/65R22.5 trailer. In rolling resistance, the Marathon LHS II + steer tire was between 3% and 19% better than the competition and the Marathon LHD II + was in one case equal to the competition and in the other cases up to 16% better. The Marathon LHT II trailer tire was between 12% and 28% better than the competitors.
3LHT II sizes scoring A in Fuel Efficiency are: 385/55R22.5 and 435/50R19.5. Sizes 385/65R22.5 and 275/70R22.5 scores respectively B and C. All four sizes score C in Wet Grip, Exterior noise level is one sound wave (70 dBA) for two sizes and two sound waves (71 and 72 dBA) for two sizes.
4Sizes: 295/80R22.5 HL, 315/70R22.5 HL and 315/80R22.5 HL
5Sizes: 295/80R22.5, 315/60R22.5, 315/70R22.5
