Tomi Tauriainen is responsible for Maakasi Oy's blasted stone hauling vehicles in the Orivesi mining site in Finland. The company has been testing Nokian R-Truck tires and equivalent Noktop treads for three years.
Tauriainen has noticed a clear improvement especially with the grip: "We drive about 9 kilometers downhill when we descend 1205 meters below ground level. The empty truck may have been slipping in the past, but the Nokian R-Truck holds."
The ground can be rocky and sharp on the construction site. Besides grip, the wear, puncture and cut resistance are the most essential properties of a tire (according to Tauriainen). “Overall, with these features, Nokian Tyres defeats its competitors.”
Tauriainen recommends the tire for dump trucks for mining, tunneling and crushing sites – but also for road transport: "In some cases, 30 kilometers on-road driving may be too much for mining tires – which might not have been even approved for on-road driving. The Nokian R-Truck, on the other hand, is also suitable for the road."
Machine
Volvo FMX & Mercedes Benz Actros
Tires
Nokian R-Truck, Noktop 86
Location
Orivesi, Finland
Company
Maakasi Ltd, Oulu, Finland