What are the advantages and disadvantages of widebase tires and traditional duals?

There are four factors to consider: fuel economy, weight, availability, and tread life. Here's how each stacks up: Fuel economy: Compared to standard compound tires on steel wheels, widebase tires on aluminum rims would probably offer a fuel economy advantage. Compared to tires with "fuel efficient" tread compounds on aluminum rims, the wide base tires may offer little or no measurable advantage. Increased revenue: A vehicle that reaches its weight limit before reaching its cubic capacity limit can benefit from the fact that four wide base tires on aluminum wheels weigh less than eight conventional tires on steel rims. The reduced vehicle weight means more cargo weight can be carried. Most interest in these tires has come from bulk haulers. Mixed-service applications have been the slowest to adapt since durability and retreadability issues are so vital to their operation.