Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. is adding a new model to its Wrangler lineup of light truck tires, the Pro-Grade, which incorporates new SilentArmor tread rubber compound to improve toughness and tread wear for heavy hauling or towing applications.
“Three-quarter and one-ton pickups generate more torque than full-size, half-ton trucks, and that extra torque can contribute to faster tread wear, especially on vehicles that are frequently loaded or towing,” said Todd Hershberger, Goodyear’s general marketing manager for light-truck and SUV tires. “Our new Pro-Grade tire helps provide a tough tread for those who use their trucks in heavy-dutyHe noted that the tread rubber compound , high-torque applications.”
of this new Wrangler tire model is a more chip- and chunk-resistant tread compound as a result of two high-tensile steel belts and an added layer made with DuPont Kevlar—the same material used to make bulletproof vests. Two layers of Kevlar are added to Load Range E sizes to help absorb road noise and provide a smoother and quieter ride.
Goodyear also borrowed its Durawall rubber compound from its severe off-road Wrangler MT/R model to help reinforce the sidewall of the Pro-Grade to help it resist punctures and cuts, said Hershberger.
The Pro-Grade comes in 14 light-truck sizes, with load ranges D and E and rim diameters ranging from 16-20 inches. Seven more sizes are scheduled to be added in 2007.
