Radials Deliver For Landscaper

For landscaping professional Tony Condurso, a tire's value isn't just measured by how much it costs. There are other issues, such as performance and longevity. Condurso Landscape Supply, in Montville, N.J., relies on Michelin radial tires to keep his fleet of four skid steers up and running.

Prior to the radials, he was using bias-ply tires but experienced a lot of flat tires due to the environment his skid steers were working in. The solution for flats was to foam fill the bias-ply tires, but that presented its own set of issues.

"Foam filling is expensive," Condurso says. "Once we committed to filling the tires, we couldn't just throw them away, we had to recap them to get extra life. We also had a problem with the tire pulling away from the rim."

The constant twisting and turning of skid-steer loaders also took its toll on the bias-ply tires. So tire dealer, Bill Stern Jr., from Dave Stern Inc., in Paterson, N.J., recommended the XZSL radial. Price was initially a hurdle for Condurso, but it became more acceptable when he factored in the foam fill and recapping costs on top of the price he was paying for the bias-ply tires. And, after nearly three years on the same set of tires — without any flats — he says, "I've been surprised at how long they've lasted."

Condurso keeps his machines busy all day long, moving green or bulk goods. Whether he's hauling decorative stone, mulch or plants, working in gravel or dirt, the XZSL radial has met the challenge. "The long-term wear of this tire has been great," he says.

Information provided by Michelin.