QUINCY, Ill.—Titan International Inc. is adding the Titan HK 458, a crossover wheel-loader tire designed for the "most extreme loader applications that require aggressive traction and excellent self-cleaning" to its off-road tire portfolio.
The E-4/L-4 dual-rated bias tire combines the tread design of a forestry tire, a wheel loader tire and an ATV tire, Titan said.
This design is suited for muddy and challenging construction sites as well as agricultural applications, the company said.
"In listening to customer feedback, we recognized there was an opportunity in this market niche for an improved crossover tire that would meet their flotation needs without the hassle of changing out the wheel," said Matt Miller, tire technology manager at Titan.
"For the HK 458, we gleaned designed elements from our tried-and-true forestry and construction bias tires while incorporating our latest design and manufacturing technology. We also developed a bead design that improves the resistance indexing in high torque applications but still fits the standard OTR wheel."
The HK 458 is initially available in two sizes, 20.5-25 and 23.5-25. The hybrid tire fits a range of mid-sized wheel loaders from every OEM, Titan said.
"When you look at most traditional loader tires, they're simply not meant to run in messy and mud-caked ag applications like feedlots," said Agricultural Product Manager Scott Sloan.
"A traditional loader will easily get mud trapped in the small voids between the lugs and instantly lose traction. With the HK 458, you get aggressive traction and excellent self-cleaning to maintain that traction all day long."
