Transforce HT
Looking for inexpensive tires for compact or midsize commercial vehicles? And, probably, you want an affordable price, not to the detriment of quality? We have good news for you - there are such tires, and we will tell you about them in this short review.
General information
Transforce HT tires are a versatile solution for pickups, vans, and vans in compact and midsize sizes. The versatility of tires is due to the possibility of all-season use. In addition, these tires guarantee optimal handling not only on asphalt but also on light off-road surfaces. Another feature of these tires is that they can be fitted to both drive and steering wheels.
Well, a little about the price. When choosing tires for commercial vehicles, practical people prefer high-quality and inexpensive products. Firestone manufactures tires belonging to the budget or mid-price segment, while the quality level of these products is consistently high. Just take a look at the price of these tires and compare them with the prices of tires of the same level from other manufacturers. You will at least be surprised.
Usually, good used tires or brand-new products on the market can be purchased for the price of Transforce HT. But exactly for this price, you will not be able to buy the products of well-known brands with a long history of producing high-quality tires. Firestone, on the other hand, offers high quality at low cost.
This pricing feature is outlined in 1988 when the American tire manufacturer Firestone was acquired by the Japanese concern Bridgestone. The Japanese transferred Firestone to the mid-price segment, while the requirements for the quality of finished products increased significantly.
Benefits to be aware of
- Durability. Transforce HT is a tire for practical people and therefore the manufacturer gives a 90-day warranty on this rubber. That is, if a factory defect is found within 3 months or fails, it can be returned to the dealer. Of course, the durability of the tires also depends on the way they are used. If you do not overload the car over the recommended standards, the tires will last at least 60 thousand miles.
- Excellent driving performance. Thanks to several manufacturing technologies and due to the correct selection of production materials, the tires run great - they accelerate quickly, steer well and brake confidently. This advantage is largely due to the good grip of the tire on the road surface.
- Maintaining a higher speed. The permissible maximum speed is 125 mph. That is, when driving for a long time at such a speed, you can be sure that these tires will not let you down and will not burst at the most unexpected moment. Agree 2125 mph is not very little!
- Low noise level. Despite the good cross-country ability, the tires do not have a pronounced tread. Therefore, the noise when driving is not much louder than when using conventional passenger tires. The silence in the cabin, in turn, is ensured by special technology, due to which noise and vibrations are absorbed and dissipated by the inner layers in the tire structure. The advantage is not unimportant, especially if the car is used for long journeys.
- All-weather operation. Thanks to the manufacturing materials and tread pattern design, the tires in this model range run well on dry and wet roads. Predictably well Transforce HT performs well on loose, melted snow. On the ice side, like most all-season tires, the Transforce HT does not offer excellent handling characteristics. However, snow chains can be used to ride on ice. But these tires drive perfectly even on packed snow and ice.
- Vibration-free Transforce HT is a perfectly balanced tire, which translates into minimal rolling resistance and reduced noise levels. And again, thanks to these tires, you probably won't have to spend money on wheel balancing.
- Fuel economy. The tires are balanced, rolling resistance is minimal and as a result, the motor has to work with less load. This means that the tires save fuel. And the savings, no matter what anyone says, is solid - up to 15% when driving along suburban roads. When driving around the city, this advantage is not so important, since the movement occurs at lower speeds with frequent starts and stops.
So the benefits are more than enough. This begs the predictable question - are there any drawbacks? There is a drawback, and there is only one - this is not the best grip in winter with ice and packed snow. That is, these tires will steer well, but when starting, especially if the car is not loaded, slippage is possible.
However, if you think about it, and not a drawback at all, but a feature of all-weather tires. And in this case, we can once again recommend snow chains that need to be installed on the drive wheels and this is guaranteed to solve the problem.
Constructive features and technologies
Transforce HT is one of the most technologically advanced tires. Technologies are directly related to the selection of production materials and designs. For example, a high-density rubber compound with the addition of abrasive fillers is used to make a tread. Why is this done? On the one hand, the high density of the rubber provides abrasion resistance, on the other hand, the presence of abrasive particles compensates for the lack of friction, which is necessary for the tire to adhere to the road surface.
Fun fact - the Transforce HT tread uses a mixture of over 20 different ingredients!
No less technologically advanced tread pattern. 4 longitudinal grooves run along the central rib. They provide the vehicle with directional stability both when driving in a straight line and when cornering.
There are, along with the longitudinal grooves, the lateral grooves, they are less pronounced and perform 2 functions. Firstly, they provide additional friction and, as a result, grip during starting and when braking. Another function is to divert water from the contact patch of the tire with the road. This function eliminates the possibility of aquaplaning. That is, the transverse grooves, on the one hand, improve the driving performance of the tire and the vehicle as a whole. Moreover, they improve the handling of the vehicle.
At the end of the technology review, we note that the durability of the tire largely depends on the design. In the construction of Transforce HT tires, each layer has a specific task. First of all, the tread is in contact with the road surface.
In addition to the tread, there are many intermediate layers in the tire construction. So, for example, the protector is attached to an elastic and dense substrate. The underlay, in turn, is attached to the tire carcass, reinforced with metal belts. The tire beads are reinforced with solid metal rings. This provides a reinforced bead to the wheel rim. And finally, the inner layer - is latex and provides additional tightness to the tire, which is very important given the fact that the tire is tubeless.
About sizes
Transforce HT tires are available in diameters from 15 "to 16". This is quite enough to equip most of the small and medium-sized commercial vehicles.
Let's sum up
So, is it worth buying Transforce HT tires or looking at other brands? The tires are practical, namely, they demonstrate the best combination of affordable cost and high-quality workmanship. Again, the ride characteristics are excellent. Therefore, we recommend these tires for purchase.