Cooper Tire launched its proprietary Pro Series in 2018, and now it's created an updated Long Haul Steer 2 tire to help drive down tire costs for fleets. The tire replaces its predecessor, the Cooper Pro Series Long Haul Steer tire, and is available now in size 295/75R22.5 (load range G and H), with additional sizes becoming available in October.

The Cooper Pro Series Long Haul Steer 2 tire features a patent-pending shoulder decoupling rib to provided added toughness on the edge of the tire, which can minimize irregular wear and damage caused by curbing. The decoupling rib "has a unique size and shape that adds to its rigidity, allowing irregular shoulder wear to be minimized, which results in added durability in highway applications," said Gary Schroeder, executive director of Cooper’s global truck and bus tire business, in a press release.

The new tire features Cooper’s Eco (Energy Conservation Optimization) technology, which combines tire design, compounding and construction to provide an ultra-low-rolling-resistance tire that exceeds SmartWay standard requirements by 15%, according to the company. It also offers lower rolling resistance than EPA greenhouse gas standards set for 2027.

The Cooper Pro Series Long Haul Steer 2 tire also provides 18/32 of tread depth and features a wide footprint. This helps distribute weight more efficiently and promotes long and even wear, as well as enhanced traction, company officials said.

The steer tire also features a patented stone ejector design with a stepped groove wall in the tread pattern. This helps prevent stone drilling to ensure the integrity of the casing for multiple retreads.

Helping improve tire maintenance is Cooper’s Wear Square on the tire’s shoulder ribs. This is a visual indicator that shows tread depth through five different evolving image icons. A “square” shape indicates full tread depth, while an “L” shape shows only half the tread remains. An icon also shows when the tire should be pulled for retreading or replacement. Because the Wear Square is placed on both sides of the tire, it also serves as an alignment indicator. If the icons on each side don’t match, the tire technician knows there is an alignment problem or an uneven tire wear issue and can take corrective measures.

The Cooper Pro Series Long Haul Steer 2 tire features four-belt steel design construction and an industry-leading seven-year, two-retread warranty. The tire is also warranted for full replacement value for the first 50% of treadwear.