Bridgestone VSMS2: Review & Rating
A quick visit to your local retailer will give you an idea as to the plethora of tires available today – however, none are as meticulously designed as OTRs. OTR, short for Off-The-Road tires, are special purpose tires that are made to provide more traction on unpaved surfaces such as loose dirt, mud, sand or gravel. Often employed for heavy duty machinery, tires such as the Bridgestone VSMS2 are made to the bear a massive amount of weight and still move forward on rugged terrains.
Bridgestone is the world’s biggest tire manufacturing company.In 2017 alone, Bridgestone produced goods worth 1.8 tons of rubber. The company is a pioneer in the tire industry and one of the leading innovators since its inception. It caters to various niches, ranging from consumer motorbikes to heavy machinery used by construction companies and the likes.
The VSMS2 is specifically made for the rugged and unpaved land of the mining and landfills and features improved durability and resistance that prolongs the life of the tire, saving replacement costs.
Characteristics and Features
The Bridgestone VSMS2 is a product from Bridgestone’s Underground Hard Rock (UGHR) line of tires specially designed for the world of underground mining, landfill,and salvage environment.
The radial tire design, is also known as a radial-ply tire.Ergonomically, the cord plies used are positioned at 90-degree angles from the radial. This reinforces the tire, giving it the required strength and structure, while maintaining a certain amount of elasticity. Over traditional bias-ply tires, radial tires have the advantage of having flexible sidewalls.
Additionally, vehicles installed with the Bridgestone VSMS2 experience less fuel consumption due to the higher traction and lower resistance found in the design. The tire is steel-belted which toughens the fabric and anatomy, resulting in higher endurance which can bear rough terrains and landscapes.
The belts are placed to bolster the rigidity of the tire when it is in contact with the ground. The belts are usually made of steel but can also be made of polyesters or Aramid fibers such as Twaron or Kevlar.
As the Bridgestone VSMS2 was created to operate and persevere in harsh terrains, a heavy duty design is crucial to ensure a longer lifespan.
It is long-lasting, durable and, offers a 30% decrease in the frequency of sidewall cuts through a more vertical shape; improving the tire’s overall lifecycle performance by 5%. The square shoulder design pushes rocks and pebbles aside to prevent any cuts and damages.
The tread pattern on the Bridgestone VSMS2 enables longer wear and protection on the uneven landscape of landfills and mines. The 86 – 132/32nd deep tread design enables tires to be in the run longer, allowing seldom tire replacements, which can be costly. Additionally, the Bridgestone VSMS2 comes equipped with a tread wear indicator that shows the depth of wear on the tire.
OTR tires are equipped to provide excellent grip over uneven surfaces which don’t allow traction. The Bridgestone VSMS2 provides the optimal lug angle which achieves powerful traction for machinery to drive in and out with relative ease. The uniform groove depth embedded into the Bridgestone VSMS2 ensures tires have maximum traction till the end.
Also, small stones and stones that are trapped in tire grooves reduce the traction of the tire or worse, get drilled into the tire. The Bridgestone VSMS2 counters such stones out with the help of small nubs that are embedded in the grooves of the tire.
It also has a wider footprint and offers lesser ground compaction and damage. The tire is made to produce less heat which reduces wear and tear and minimizes maintenance and replacement costs;which makes it one of the best OTR tires.
Sizes Available
The Bridgestone VSMS2 tire was launched in multiple sizes to adapt to various machines and off-the-road vehicles. The available sizes are:
• 17.5R25
• 26.5R25
• 29.5R25
• 29.5R29
Pros
• Durable: The deep tread pattern allows longer wear and tear as well as protection in rugged terrains.
• Long-lasting: Heavy radial-casing design increases the stiffness, and as a result, the lifespan of a tire.
• Tread Wear Indicator: Easy to observe the intensity of wear and tear with the help of a tread wear indicator.
• Cost Effective: Reduces the need to replace and maintain tires time and again
• Embedded Nubs: The small nubs between grooves effectively dispel any small stone that may get stuck.
• Fuel Efficient
• Steel Belted: Tires belted with steel or Aramid polyester are stiffer and more long-lasting.
• Excellent Lug Angle: Increased traction ensures the tire achieves an optimal lug angle to navigate in landfill, mines,etc.
• Improved Design: The square shoulder design prevents against any cuts or damage to the tire through rough rocks and stones.
Conclusion
Bridgestone has a rich legacy of producing quality tires that are equipped with longer life spans and higher endurance abilities. It is safe to say that the Bridgestone VSMS2 is no different.
The use of the radial design in the making of the tire increases the structural rigidity of the tire manifold, while also increasing the width of the footprint. The Bridgestone VSMS2 also produces less heat in the tire which prolongs its life.
The biggest innovation in the Bridgestone VSMS2 comes in the overall structural design that features an excellent side-cut resistance. The improved sidewall shape which leans more towards a vertical shape, reduce the damage to the tires by a significant 30%. Additionally, the square shoulder design pushes objects aside and protects the tire from cuts and damages.
The Bridgestone VSMS2 takes a modern approach to the design of tires;equipped with the elements to navigate through rough terrains and construction sites while remaining durable and reliable, make it a top option for many.