Cooper Tire Launches Two WORK Series Tires for Local and Vocational Trucks

Cooper Tire has announced that it has added two new tires to its WORK Series line of tires in 19.5-inch sizes (225/70R and 245/70R) for Class 4-6 trucks and vans. The WORK Series All-Steel Drive (ASD) tire is described as an open shoulder steel-belted drive tire. The WORK Series All Steel All Position (ASA) tire is an all-position, steel-belted tire sporting a less aggressive tread pattern. Both these tires will be commercially available from June 2020 and are due to be unveiled shortly at the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Transportation Technology Exhibition.

The new tires are meant to cater to the growing demand for tires that can be used in vehicles for last mile delivery as in the case of smaller vehicles used by online retailers like Amazon. Such vehicles need 19.5-inch size tires.

Commenting on the launch of the two new tires, Gary Schroeder, Executive Director of Cooper’s Global Truck and Bus Tire Business said that more vans and delivery trucks are on the move in final mile deliveries, with such operations growing at an exponential pace. He said that such customers need highly-engineered tires that can last for long miles to removal, while at the same time demonstrating excellent ride characteristics. He said that the new Cooper WORK Series ASD and ASA tires can tolerate punishment from constant curbing as they come with an extra strip of rubber on the sidewall called a curb bar which helps to preserve the integrity of the sidewall. The tires can also be used for vocational trucks like utility vehicles, bucket trucks, and ambulances.

The tires can be used in EMT and ambulance vehicles in size 225/70R, as they have an N-speed rating, which is the highest in the industry. Both tires were conceptualized with the idea of low cost of ownership.
“We’re out to provide excellent performance, long-tire life, and retreadability, balanced with a very competitive price to give our customers the value they’re looking for,” said Schroeder.
He went on to add that the two tires have rolling resistance numbers that can help customers make significant savings in terms of fuel over the life of the tires.”

The WORK Series ASD tire is an all steel-belt tire that features 18/32nds of tread depth in a four rib, open-shoulder design. It is designed to be a very responsive tire and has shoulder tie bars for stability. Generally, drive tires react slowly to turns in the road and are less maneuverable. But Cooper used advanced engineering and thorough testing to develop a tire that delivers crisp handling and a greater level of connection to the road to give drivers a greater level of confidence. Special compounding allows the tire to withstand damage and tread loss from scrubbing, curbing, and rapid starts and stops. Chevron grooves provide biting edges for excellent traction to further enhance the performance, while the tire’s 3D zig-zag siping interlocks provide exceptional wet weather grip. The Cooper WORK Series ASD tire is Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified attesting to the fact that it has been verified to provide outstanding all-weather performance. The tire is also retreadable, thanks to the highly engineered steel belt package.

The WORK Series ASA tire features 17/32nds of tread depth in a five-rib pattern and is designed for the steer position. The tire can also be used as a drive tire for those running in operations where there is no need for extra traction. Like the ASD tire, the Cooper Work Series ASA tire is notable for its special scrub resistant compounding and all steel casing construction for long life. A special curb bar and stone ejectors offer impressive resistance to hazards commonly found in urban deliveries, while irregular wear is kept to minimal levels with aisle sipes located near the edge of the tire. The tire also sports Cooper’s unique Wear Square treadwear indicators. These are squares on the tire’s shoulder ribs that give motorists an idea about the tread wear through five different evolving image icons. While a “square” points to full tread depth, an “L” shape shows half the tread is left. Another icon indicates when the tire should be pulled for replacement or retreading due to the remaining tread depth.

The Wear Square treadwear indicators are placed on both sides of the tire, so they can also point to any alignment issues. If the icons don’t match, the tire technician can understand there is an alignment problem or uneven tire issue and can take corrective measures.