LLF26
In this review, we will talk about the universal tires that are equally suitable for light and medium-duty commercial vehicles. It's about Linglong Llf26.
What makes these tires special? Actually, and nothing, if you do not take into account the fact that they are practical, inexpensive, reliable, and truly all-season. But first things first.
Requirements for tires for commercial vehicles
Commercial transport is an extensible concept since many types of vehicles fall under this definition. But, in this case, we are talking about medium-duty trucks intended for regional transport, buses, compact delivery vans, and pickups. That is, we are talking about transport that can be operated both on highways and in urban traffic.
What are the requirements for such rubber? Of course, such tires must be durable and reliable so that they do not cause downtime for working vehicles. In addition, these tires must provide dynamic acceleration and short braking distances for the vehicle. And, of course, such tires should provide acceptable handling, regardless of weather conditions. And, as customer reviews show, Linglong Llf26 is just such a tire.
They are all-season, which means that with the change of the season, they will not have to be changed. This is a clear advantage as the vehicle's operation becomes more predictable and practical. And, of course, these tires are maximally adapted for use in city traffic with their forced stops at traffic lights and subsequent acceleration.
Linglong Llf26 Specifications
Model: Llf26
Brand: Linglong
Manufacturer: Shandong Linglong Tire Co., Ltd
Country: China
Price segment: budget
Tire type: universal - for steering and driving wheels
Purpose: for light and medium-duty commercial vehicles
Features of operation: highways and city traffic
Seasonality: all-season / all-weather
Sealing method: tubeless
Tread type: symmetrical non-directional
Design features: radial tires, reinforced with metal belts
Tread height: 20/32
Maximum long-term speed: 95 mph
Maximum wheel load: 4000lb
Maximum load for twin wheels per wheel: 3750lb
Versatility of use
The Linglong Llf26 is a truly versatile tire that will suit a variety of vehicle categories. For example, these tires can be used on tractor steering wheels to provide optimum handling characteristics. On the other hand, the Linglong Llf26 can be mounted on both steering and drive wheels. And this rubber will provide an acceptable grip for loaded vehicles uphill.
All-season operation
Truck owners deliberately choose all-season tires to save on visits to tire shops with the change of season. But, unfortunately, most of the all-season rubber is not something that consistently provides acceptable handling.
Usually, all-season tires do not ride well in summer, winter, or off-season. At the same time, the Linglong Llf26, as well as most of Linglong Tire's products, provides acceptable handling and good handling characteristics on dry and wet surfaces. It's all about a particularly effective tread pattern.
Moreover, due to the complex system of longitudinal and transverse channels of the tread, the car on these tires moves well in the snow. But, as far as bare ice is concerned, unfortunately, Linglong Llf26 are not capable of providing acceptable handling, since they are neither velcro nor studded rubber. On the other hand, bare ice on the carriageway lingers for a short time. But, if there is one, snow chains can be temporarily installed on the drive wheels.
Design features
Like any truck tire manufactured by Linglong Tire, the Llf26 is tubeless rubber reinforced with a densely woven radial carcass and metal belts.
Radial carcass in the manufacture of truck tires has been used for a long time, but this is not at all a disadvantage. On the contrary, the technology is time-tested and provides maximum durability. True, there is a drawback - the weight of a radial tire is higher due to the peculiarities of weaving than in bias tires.
Linglong Tire solves this problem by combining metal and polymer belts. As a result, the tire weight remains within the normal range, while the strength is much higher than usual. Let's not forget about the longitudinally located metal belts, they are completely no coincidence here. First of all, these belts strengthen the tire, eliminating the possibility of deformation under mechanical stress.
However, this is not the main advantage of using this technology. Reinforcement with metal belts ensures uniform pressure of the tread over the entire area of the contact patch of the tire with expensive. This, in turn, has a positive effect on driving performance, but, what is especially important, it makes the tread wear evenly, which means it prolongs the tire's life as a whole.
About protector
The Linglong Llf26 tread is standard for steering tires used on long-haul tractors, but these tires, as already mentioned, are universal and they must not only steer well but also move a car with a multi-ton load. For this, the large longitudinal channels, which make this rubber similar to steering tires, are not completely straight, but zigzag.
In addition, there are lateral grooves here, which are less pronounced than the longitudinal channels but contribute to better grip. The longitudinal channels, among other things, divert water and sleet from the tire-to-road contact patch. This is an important feature when you consider that the Linglong Llf26 is an all-season rubber.
Fuel economy
An important parameter when choosing rubber for a truck is fuel economy. Efficiency is directly related to rolling resistance. If the tire has a pronounced "spiked" tread, rolling resistance increases with fuel consumption. Conversely, if the working surface of the tires is as smooth as possible, the rolling resistance is minimal and fuel is consumed more economically.
Linglong Llf26 tires have minimal rolling resistance, firstly, because the tread has a low height, and secondly because the tire is well balanced. And as already mentioned, the fuel consumption is low. Compared to regular all-season tires, the savings are around 15%. Do you think this is not enough? Considering how much fuel a truck uses on conventional tires, the savings are significant.
Driving comfort
Another advantage of the Linglong Llf26 is its driving comfort. This quality is due to several factors. First, the tires provide a high level of directional stability. When the car is driving in a straight line on this rubber, you do not have to constantly steer so that it does not go to the side.
Thus, the driver does not have to make unnecessary movements and it is convenient.
Secondly, Linglong Llf26 is a quiet rubber. Due to their low tread height and due to their excellent balance, these tires are much less noisy than most all-season trucks. It is clear that in commercial transport the noise level is not the most important thing, but it has a positive effect on comfort.
About the price
Another reason to buy the Linglong Llf26 is its affordable price. As previously mentioned, these tires are presented in the budget price segment. But in terms of quality, these tires are in no way inferior to the tires presented in the mainstream segment. The benefits are obvious - why pay more when there are inexpensive tires with a manufacturer's warranty for 40 thousand miles?