The new Michelin XDR3 increases tyre life by a minimum of 10% compared with its predecessor, the Michelin XDR 2.

Mining operations experience difficulties with their vehicles on a daily basis due to the rigid landscape, operational inefficiency and lack of safety within the workplace. The new 40.00 R 57 and 53/80 R 63 Michelin XDR3 tyres, designed for rigid dump trucks (RDTs) operating in surface mines, are meant to improve these factors.

The new Michelin XDR3 is said to respond to the needs of mine operators by incorporating three key innovations, which together increase tyre life by a minimum of 10% compared with its predecessor, the Michelin XDR 2.

Compared with its predecessor, the tyres’ new tread pattern offers multiple benefits. It offers better endurance due to improved heat dissipation capabilities – 8°C cooler in the tread area. A greater volume of tread rubber is in contact with the ground, which improves wear and ensures better load distribution throughout the contact patch due to a lower contact pressure. Interlocking shoulder blocks resist excessive movement during cornering and further reduce tyre wear.

With four innovative rubber compounds – the MB4, MB, MC4, MC – the exclusive new mixing process ensures a more uniform composition of rubber compounds and a greater level of carbon black dispersion that increases wear resistance. Each unique compound offers specific performance characteristics adapted to site conditions and usage, from high wear resistance to high thermal capacity for speed.

The high-strength corrosion isolating steel cables used in the tyre’s casing are 10% stronger than in the previous XDR2 and are encapsulated in rubber to prevent the spread of corrosion within the casing, which extends the life of the tyre.  The 40.00 R 57 Michelin XDR3 is available from September 2016, while the 53/80 R 63 will roll into the market in January 2017.

Equipment Africa: Tyre replacement, especially for the gigantic RDTs operating in challenging mining terrain, accounts for a sizeable amount of operational costs over the lifetime of the machine. A 10% increase in tyre life for each replacement cycle translates into huge savings in the long term.