World’s Largest Front-End Loader
And Mining Tire Make Their Debut In Wyoming Mine
GILLETTE, Wyo. (Dec. 12,
2002) - LeTourneau, Inc. and Bridgestone/Firestone
Off Road Tire Company (BFOR) recently announced the official debut
of the L-2350, the world’s largest front-end loader, equipped
with the world's largest loader tires, the Firestone 70/70-57.
The mammoth loader and tires were commissioned
at the Triton North Rochelle Mine in Gillette, Wyo., on Nov. 22. One
key feature that the L-2350 offers Triton North Rochelle is greater flexibility
in moving from one location in the pit to another. For example, the L-2350
can move to a new location in 20 minutes compared to a traditional track
shovel which may take as long as 12 hours for the same move.
The LeTourneau L-2350 is designed to
center-load haul trucks with capacities of up to 400 tons and provides
an operating payload of 160,000 pounds, a 24-foot dump clearance and
an 11.5-foot reach.
The Firestone 70/70-57 Super Rock Grip
Deep Tread tire towers almost 13-feet tall and weighs nearly eight tons.
A four-person crew assembles each tire in approximately 17 hours with
an additional 24 hours in cure time. The 70/70-57 was designed in cooperation
with LeTourneau to specifically meet the requirements of the LeTourneau
L-2350.
“We’re excited to see the
Firestone 70/70-57 put to work on the LeTourneau loader,” said
Manny Cicero, president of BFOR. “This gigantic, history-making
machine demanded a tire that could measure up to its stature and capabilities.
At Bridgestone/Firestone, we were confident we could create an enormous
tire to support and enhance the LeTourneau’s performance.”
Bridgestone/Firestone
Off Road Tire Co. is an operating company of Bridgestone/ Firestone
North American
Tire, LLC, and is solely dedicated to the marketing and sales of earthmoving,
mining, construction and industrial tires. As an original equipment and
replacement tire supplier, the company offers the industry’s most
comprehensive selection of radial and bias off-the-road products, has
sales and distribution outlets through more than 1,500 independent and
company owned commercial outlets and is a pioneer of proprietary software
TreadStat Tire and Rim Management System.
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