Magazine for the professional tire industry
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By Ann Neal I n March 2014, Modern Tire Dealer looked at winter passenger tire trends. As the winter tire buying season winds down, it is time to examine the trends and products in the sometimes forgoten winter LT tire segment, which caters to 3/4- and one-ton vehicles. "LT-metric sized tires are designed for use on light trucks and their higher load carrying capabilities," says Anant Gandhi, product manager for the United States and Canada, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC. "LT-metric tires are typically also built with specifc construction features allowing them to be used at higher infation pressures to carry the higher loads that light trucks, such as 3/4-ton and one-ton vehicles, are designed for." Although Bridgestone considers the winter LT tire market to be stable, the company does expect incremental growth due to new legislation in Quebec, according to Gandhi. Te Canadian province has extended its dedicated winter snow tire requirement to light trucks. Quebec had permited LT-size tires for winter use under the law, which took efect in 2008. Beginning in 2014, only tires equipped with studs or that carry a symbol of a snowfake inside a three-peaked mountain qualify as winter tires. Te symbol shows a tire meets or exceeds industry-established snow traction performance requirements. It is also referred to as the severe service emblem, mountain snowfake and 3PMSF (short for three peak mountain snow fake). How winter LT-size tires difer LT-sized winter tires are constructed to carry more weight and run higher infation pres- sures than P-metric winter tires. Te tread compound between the LT-size and P-metric size difers, too. "LT winter tires are designed to remain fexible in cold temperatures," says Steve Bourassa, product manager for Nokian Tyres Inc. "However, they also need to meet the users' expectations for durability and endurance found in other LT all-season tires." Bourassa says the company uses stronger and more durable studs in its LT-size tires versus a P-metric winter studded tire. Nokian's winter LT tires all carry the severe service emblem. Ron Golab, advertising specialist and marketing assistant for Toyo Tire Canada Inc., says LT-sized tires specifcally designed for winter applications basically come with all the latest winter tire technology found in Toyo's passenger line-up. However, the rubber compound in LT and high fotation sizes intended for commercial or heavy of-road use is "tougher" in order to deal with heavy loads and difcult terrain. "Tey are maximized for snow and ice traction, always keeping in mind the job they need to do," says Golab. "All Toyo winter tires come with the winter snowfake designation indicating that they exceed the necessary requirements for a winter tire." Beter for stopping and cornering Bourassa says some consumers and feets looking for tires to help them navigate winter roads will, to their disadvantage, opt for an all-terrain (A/T) tread patern without a severe service emblem, over a dedicated LT-size winter tire design. "Tey ofen refer to the AWD/4WD system, coupled with an A/T tread, as sufcient for the winter period. It is important to remind them that AWD/4WD systems may help them provide traction from a stop, but a dedicated LT-size winter tire will improve Cold? Snow? Ice? No pr Dedicated LT winter tires feature the feature