Sumitomo has just announced the availability of two new tires for commercial trucks. The new ST788 SE is a steer position tire, while the ST948 SE is a drive position tire. Traction News spoke with TBC Commercial’s (Sumitomo’s parent company) Senior Vice President Bill Dashiell recently so we can bring you the scoop on these new commercial truck tires.

What Sumitomo says about the ST788 SE

There are actually two ST788 SE tires listed on the Sumitomo website, the ST788 SE and the ST788+ SE. The company says the ST788 SE is their most advanced steering position tire with S-Tech Design to provide for long haul operations. The tire has “the latest design elements” to provide exceptional mileage with advanced compounding properties. The tire has robust shoulder elements to ensure long, even wear as well as stone ejectors that help to promote case integrity. The ST788 SE Long Haul Steer tire also has a “unique teardrop-shaped decoupling groove to reduce shoulder strain and prevent tearing. Peace of mind and savings for fleet use are delivered by exceptional performance and low rolling resistance.”

truck2 — Left profile view of Sumitomo’s ST788 SE commercial truck tire.

The ST788+ SE is said to “incorporate a collection of features that help it deliver “superior miles to removal, excellent handling for safe operation and dependable retreadability of the Sumitomo casing.” The potential for irregular wear is mitigated by what Sumitomo calls Flat Contact technology, which controls the “shape and pressure distribution of the tire’s footprint.” The tire also has shoulder groves that work with the tire’s wide, flat tread radius to help eliminate irregular wear. Punch wear is protected against by using micro-sipes. Both ST788 tires are built with Smartway Verified Technology.

What Sumitomo says about the ST948 tire

The ST948 SE drive position tire is a long haul commercial truck tire with extra-deep 30/32 skid depth that delivers “long mileage with features designed in the base of the shoulder grooves to resist stone drilling.” The tire has wide tread blocks to help minimize tread squirm, thus lowering rolling resistance and promoting long treadwear that is even throughout the life of the tire. Weight is distributed more evenly and a wider contact patch is achieved by the tire’s wide footprint. The tire’s traction is increased by the use of micro-sipes. This is Sumitomo’s highest mileage and most fuel-efficient commercial truck tire for the drive position.

Caption: Right profile view of the Sumitomo ST948 SE long haul drive tire.

Fleet operating costs are kept low by the use of a unique combination of superior compounding and deep tread design. S-Tech Design advancements maximize the original tread life while also lowering rolling resistance. The company says the ST948 SE is best-suited for long-distance coast-to-coast operations. The ST948 SE is also built with Smartway Verified technology.

Sizing and fitment information

The ST788 SE and ST788+ SE are both steering position tires, so they’ll be installed in the two front wheels of buses, bobcat trucks and tractor-trailer rigs. Both are Load Range H tires with 16 plies. They’re both available in four sizes:

• 11R22.5
• 11R24.5
• 295/75R22.5
• 285/75R24.5

The ST948 SE is a drive position tire made for commercial vehicles such as tractor-trailers, bobcat delivery trucks, and some buses. They are not designed to be used on the front axles. They are also available in four sizes:

• 11R22.5 Load Range H with 16 plies
• 11R24.5 Load Range H with 16 plies
• 295/75R22.5 Load Range G with 14 plies
• 285/75R24.5 Load Range G with 14 plies

Spec sheets

Check out the spec sheets for each tire here:
ST788 SE
ST788+ SE
ST948 SE

Tagged: Sumitomo commercial tires

Everything you need to know about Sumitomo’s new tires