Grabber OA
The construction industry is developing rapidly these days. And on numerous construction sites and quarries, many construction equipment, in particular, dump trucks, are used everywhere. And it is for dump trucks that high-quality tires are needed, which, on the one hand, will withstand a huge load, and on the other hand, will provide good handling on various road surfaces in summer and winter.
Are there such tires? Yes, there are such tires, and among them Grabber OA, and it is about them that we will talk about further.
Requirements for tires for dump trucks
- Resistance to increased loads. The loads are really high and high-quality tires allow you to pick up more bulk cargo per trip, which translates into good cost savings.
- Long service life. Tires for dump trucks, as well as for other special equipment, are not cheap, and therefore it is in the interests of buyers that these tires serve as long as possible.
- Good balancing. The tires should not have even a slight imbalance, otherwise, the wheels of the dump truck will inevitably begin to vibrate. This will result in poor handling and rapid tire wear.
- Equally good handling on the road and off-road. Dump trucks work for the same time on unpaved roads and on asphalt, so a good tire should ride equally well on both types of surfaces.
- Suitable for all-weather operation. Dump trucks are operated all-season, and therefore tires are needed that will provide good handling both in winter and in summer.
We must say that Grabber OA tires fully meet all of the listed requirements. Moreover, these tires are universal, that is, they can be installed on both steering and driving wheels without compromising the driving performance of the car. How did they achieve these benefits?
Recipe for success
General Tire has been making tires since 1915. During this time, the American pneumatic tire manufacturer has developed and patented many different technologies. To this day, the tires of this manufacturer are among the most technologically advanced. In addition to using a variety of technologies, General Tire uses the right manufacturing materials.
About technologies
There are many technologies used in Grabber OA tires, but the most relevant are the following:
- Improved configuration of gripping edges. The gripper edges are positioned at different angles for improved traction.
- SmartGrip technology. The tire in the contact patch is evenly in contact with the road. As a result, due to the larger contact area, the load on the tread is reduced and its service life is increased.
- Reinforcement of sidewalls. For the manufacture of tire sidewalls, a more durable compound is used that is resistant to chips and cuts. Due to special reinforcing inserts, the tire retains its configuration at maximum permissible loads.
- Effective drainage of water. Corner grooves with large voids channel water away from the tread-road patch, preventing the threat of aquaplaning.
- Winter slats. This technology reduces bending and deformation of the tread blocks, which provides additional traction with the surface.
- Wear monitor. This technology is implemented in all General Tire tires. As the color bar of the monitor fades away, it becomes clear that the bus needs to be replaced.
- Monitor tire imbalance. This is roughly the same as the wear monitor only shows how evenly the tire wears out. That is, you can understand whether wheel balancing is needed or not.
- Special tread pattern for articulated haulers. It is thanks to the special tread pattern that maximum grip of the wheel with any surface is provided.
What are these tires made of?
Like all high-tech tires, the Grabber OA is made from several different materials. High-density rubber compounds are used for the tread, which does not wear off so quickly, but at the same time, they are quite elastic. For the intermediate layers in the construction of the tire, rubber compounds with variable density are used. To maintain the shape of the tire and to prevent its deformation, metal strips and wire braid are placed inside the rubber layer.
The wire braid is positioned crosswise and diagonally. Metal strips run radially around the perimeter of the entire central rib. A strong rigid carcass in the tire structure is very important not only to increase the carrying capacity of a dump truck but also to prevent the wheels from deforming. But, of course, a metal cord runs along the entire perimeter of the tire bore, which ensures a snug fit to the rim.
Tread pattern and everything connected with it
The tread pattern is made in the form of 3 radial zigzag grooves. In addition, there are shallower lateral grooves. Despite the fact that the tread of these tires cannot be called pronounced and aggressive, it provides sufficient grip on different surfaces. This tread also has a self-cleaning function, which prevents stones and other debris from lingering in the grooves. As a result, the tire wears out less.
Benefits of using Grabber OA
It probably doesn't make sense to talk about how good these tires are. Immediately, we will tell you what benefits companies can expect when purchasing such tires for their dump trucks. First of all, on such tires, it will be possible to increase the vehicle load by about 10-20%. Just imagine how much more profitable you can make a dump truck's job by replacing conventional tires with Grabber OA.
In addition to the increased carrying capacity, Grabber OA is really durable and works one and a half times longer than conventional truck tires. That is, there is a real opportunity to save money on frequent tire changes. Well, let's not forget that these tires are all-season. General Tire has done a lot of testing on these tires. This was done to ensure that the tires provide optimum ride quality in all seasons.
The tires were tested on different dump trucks in different climatic zones in the United States. Grabber OA tires proved to be the best on the snowy roads of Alaska and on large-scale construction sites in hot Nevada. It was only after seeing the tires perform well at different temperatures that General Tire launched them into production. As a result, with the change of season, it will not be necessary to call specialists from a tire fitting company, all the more, it is no secret to anyone that changing tires on a dump truck is not a cheap service.
So, the advantages are obvious and, first of all, they relate to the economic operation of the truck. But there is also an important advantage - this is the driving performance of these tires. Grabber OA pulls the car equally confidently on the asphalt and on the sand. This is very important when it comes to operating a mining truck. From the dimensions, it can be seen that the Grabber OA can be used not only on American dump trucks but also on European and Chinese-made equipment.
And a few more important characteristics
- Load range - N
- The maximum permissible speed is 70 m/hr.
- Tread depth - 0.9 inches.
- Weight of tires, depending on standard sizes, 120-150 lbs.
Reason for buying these tires
Grabber OA is primarily chosen by those companies that work in construction and value practical purchases. Indeed, compared to other tires for dump trucks, the Grabber OA cannot be called expensive. At the same time, in terms of quality, they are not inferior to products of other brands.