Yokohama brought many of the tires in its commercial lineup to the Technology & Maintenance Council's 2023 annual meeting in Orlando. It featured its newest products on the expo floor:

• 716U: An ultra-wide-base tire designed for the waste industry

• 114R: A standard trailer tire designed for spread-axle trailers

• 121T: An all-season regional trailer tire

114R Tire for Spread-Axle Trailers

Tom Clauer, Yokohama’s senior manager of commercial product planning, told reporters that the 114R is designed for fleets and owner-operators looking to maximize tire life in regional haul and spread-axle operations.

It uses rounded shoulder ribs specifically designed to resist curb damage scrubbing — especially in spread-axle applications. The high-scrub compound is formulated to resist tread cutting and chipping when pivoting or dragging in turns without negatively affecting fuel efficiency.

Yokohama has optimized the tread depth (16/32 on the four major tire sizes, 14/32 on the 255 and 275 70 series) for maximum fuel efficiency and long-lasting service. Additionally, the sturdy rib design provides flawless tracking and improved fuel efficiency while minimizing tread wear, the company says.

The 114R also features funnel-shaped step grooves, which prevent stones and other debris from reaching the bottom of the grooves where casing damage can occur.

“This tire was designed with a tread pattern and compound to combat the scaling associated with pivoting,” said Clauer.

The SmartWay-verified tire will be available March 1 in the U.S. in six sizes: 11R22.5, 295/75R22.5, 285/75R24.5, 11R24.5, 255/70R22.5 and 275/70R22.5.

716U Ultra-Wide Single

The 716U ultra-wide-base single was designed specifically for waste, recycling, and on/off-road severe service operations where maximizing payload capacity really counts.

Replacing eight standard 315 80R 22.5 tires with four 716Us saves about 700 pounds, said Clauer, adding, “But we see a lot of dump trucks and material haulers using these tires as well.”

“Our ultra-wide-base casing is one of the most ret readable casings in the industry, bar none,” he said. “We make no sacrifices with these casings. Our tires are a little bit heavier than anybody else's out there because we protect them. This tire has four steel belts, along with the zero degree belt. So, actually five steel belts if you count that one. It’s well built.”

The 716U is available in size 445/55R22.5.

All-Season Regional 121T

Also on display was the 121T all-season regional trailer tire introduced last year. It’s specifically designed for trailer use only.

The 121T is severe snow service-rated in all weather conditions and is offered in sizes 215/75R17.5, 235/75R17.5 and 245/75R17.5.