The 2026 fleet buyer's guide to trailer weight reduction and fuel economy — load index, SmartWay verification, pricing, and the Hanksugi super single lineup for Class 8 long-haul trailer fleets across the Americas.
385/65R22.5 is the wide-base super single — the single largest fuel-economy upgrade a Class 8 long-haul trailer fleet can make. One 385/65R22.5 super single replaces a pair of standard dual-wheel 275/80R22.5 or 295/75R22.5 tires on trailer positions, eliminating the inner and outer dual, removing the aluminum inner wheel, reducing unsprung weight by approximately 200 lbs per axle, cutting rolling resistance by 4-6% at highway speed, and increasing payload capacity by the weight saved. For a typical long-haul dry van or reefer fleet running 125,000 miles per truck per year, super singles deliver the fastest payback of any trailer tire upgrade — typically recovering their incremental cost within 12-18 months. This page is the complete 2026 buyer's guide — what super singles actually do, which Hanksugi models fit 385/65R22.5, spec data, fuel-economy math, wheel conversion considerations, and how to decide whether super singles make sense for your operation.
Reading the sidewall: 385 is the section width in millimeters — approximately 15.2 inches, making this the widest standard 22.5-rim commercial tire available. 65 is the aspect ratio, meaning the sidewall height is 65% of the section width, or about 250 mm (9.8 inches). That combination of wide section and moderate aspect ratio is what gives a super single the footprint width of two paired duals without the height of a 315/80R22.5 heavy-haul tire. R indicates radial construction. 22.5 is the rim diameter in inches. A 385/65R22.5 mounts on a 22.5 × 14.00 inch wide-base wheel, has an overall diameter of approximately 42.2 inches, and weighs 180-200 lbs per tire — heavy, but you only need one per position instead of two.
The super-single concept was pioneered in Europe in the 1990s and began migrating to North American long-haul trailer fleets in the mid-2000s as fuel prices climbed and payload-weight optimization became a competitive advantage. The single tire eliminates the inner dual plus the inner aluminum wheel (roughly 90 lbs of metal and rubber), saves the aerodynamic drag of the inner dual tire spinning in the airstream, and removes the rolling resistance penalty of the inner tire flexing against the outer tire under load. The net effect at highway speed is 4-6% fuel economy improvement on the trailer position, which on a 125,000-mile-per-year tractor-trailer translates to $1,800-$2,700 per year in fuel savings per trailer — real money for any fleet with more than 20 trailers in service.
Hanksugi offers 385/65R22.5 in two premium super single models engineered for long-haul trailer duty cycles. Direct-to-fleet container pricing starts at $540 per tire and scales with volume. Super singles are priced higher per-tire than standard duals, but because you only buy one super single to replace two duals, per-axle cost is actually competitive — and the fuel savings make the total-cost-of-ownership math extremely favorable.
Wide-base trailer super single with optimized casing construction and low-rolling-resistance compound. Engineered for Class 8 long-haul dry van, reefer, and flatbed trailers running over-the-road.
View HS86 →Wide-base drive and trailer super single with closed-shoulder design for maximum fuel economy and retreadable casing life. Suitable for SmartWay-focused fleets optimizing for CPM reduction.
View HS68 →Every Hanksugi 385/65R22.5 super single is built to the same core dimensional and load specification, with tread pattern and compound varying by model. Here is the specification sheet fleet managers actually need:
| Specification | 385/65R22.5 |
|---|---|
| Section Width | 385 mm (15.2 in) |
| Aspect Ratio | 65% (250 mm sidewall) |
| Construction | Radial, all-steel belt |
| Rim Diameter | 22.5 in |
| Overall Diameter | ~42.2 in (1,072 mm) |
| Recommended Rim | 22.5 × 14.00 in wide-base |
| Ply Rating | 20 (Load Range L) |
| Load Index | 164J/158L |
| Max Load Single | 10,200 lbs (4,625 kg) |
| Max Cold Pressure | 130 psi (900 kPa) |
| Speed Rating | J (62 mph / 100 km/h) |
| Weight (per tire) | 180-200 lbs (82-91 kg) |
| SmartWay Verified | Yes |
| Retreadable | Yes (1-2 caps typical) |
The super single vs dual-wheel decision is purely economic. Compare a typical 53-foot dry van trailer with 8 standard dual-wheel tires (two axles, 4 tires each) versus 4 super singles (two axles, 2 tires each):
| Metric | 4 × 385/65R22.5 Super Single | 8 × 295/75R22.5 Dual |
|---|---|---|
| Tires per Trailer | 4 | 8 |
| Tire Purchase Cost | 4 × $600 = $2,400 | 8 × $340 = $2,720 |
| Assembly Weight | ~800 lbs | ~1,000 lbs |
| Wheel Count | 4 wide-base aluminum | 8 standard aluminum |
| Payload Gain | +200 lbs per trailer | Baseline |
| Rolling Resistance | −4 to −6% | Baseline |
| Annual Fuel Savings | $1,800-$2,700 per trailer | Baseline |
| Maintenance | Half the tire count to inflate/inspect | Standard |
| Single-Tire Failure Risk | Removes axle immediately | Dual partner holds axle temporarily |
The super single math works overwhelmingly in favor of wide-base for long-haul trailer fleets because the annual fuel savings ($1,800-$2,700 per trailer per year) dramatically exceed the incremental tire investment cost. Over a 5-year trailer life, fuel savings alone reach $9,000-$13,500 per trailer — more than 3× the initial super single tire investment. The single point against super singles is the single-tire-failure scenario: when a dual tire fails, its paired partner continues carrying the axle long enough to pull over safely; when a super single fails, the axle drops immediately. Fleets running super singles typically carry spare super singles in the dispatch chain or run tire-pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) to catch pressure drops before they become catastrophic.
Hanksugi prices 385/65R22.5 direct-to-fleet with DDP delivery to your yard. Fleet conversion pricing includes both tires and wide-base aluminum wheels for complete trailer axle changeout, plus retread program enrollment for extended casing service life.
Request Your 385/65R22.5 QuoteThe EPA SmartWay program has independently verified the fuel economy benefit of wide-base single tires for over 15 years. SmartWay-certified super singles deliver measurable rolling resistance reduction compared to conventional dual-wheel fitments, and the EPA explicitly recommends wide-base singles as one of the highest-impact fuel-saving interventions available to long-haul fleets. Hanksugi's 385/65R22.5 long-haul super single lines are EPA SmartWay-verified and qualify your operation for SmartWay Transport Partnership status — a required filter for many major shippers, retailers, and 3PLs.
SmartWay verification also helps with California's CARB Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas Regulation, which requires SmartWay-verified tires on trailers pulling sleeper-cab tractors in California. Wide-base single trailers specifically qualify for the CARB "advanced trailer technology" credit category, which provides additional compliance flexibility for fleets operating in California. If your fleet crosses California regularly, SmartWay-verified wide-base singles are a strong compliance strategy in addition to being an economic win.
For a typical 53-foot dry van trailer with 4 super singles (replacing 8 dual tires), running 125,000 miles per year at $5.20/gallon diesel and 6.8 MPG baseline:
Across a 100-trailer long-haul fleet running 125,000 miles each, that is $350,000-$425,000 of annual savings compared to conventional dual-wheel fitments. For fleets already pursuing aggressive fuel economy strategies (aerodynamic skirts, aluminum wheels, synthetic drive lubricants), super singles are typically the single largest individual contributor to trailer-side CPM reduction.
Converting a trailer from dual-wheel to super single requires new wheels — you cannot run a 385/65R22.5 super single on a standard 22.5 × 9.00 inch dual wheel. Specific conversion requirements:
385/65R22.5 super singles are OE or approved aftermarket replacement on virtually every modern 53-foot trailer built in North America. Common OE and conversion applications include:
Hanksugi supplies 385/65R22.5 super single tires direct-to-fleet across our active sales territories. Adoption is strongest in mature long-haul markets where fuel economy and weight optimization are measured competitive advantages:
Primary market for 385/65R22.5 super singles. DDP delivery to any US yard. SmartWay Transport Partnership fleets represent the majority of demand. Container pricing starts at $540/tire.
Growing adoption among Canadian long-haul carriers running cross-border and transcontinental lanes. Fuel economy advantage is particularly valued at Canadian diesel price levels.
Emerging market for Mexican long-haul fleets running the NAFTA-corridor routes. Fleet managers exploring super singles for fuel economy and payload gain on weight-sensitive freight.
Limited current adoption in Caribbean markets due to shorter route lengths and less fuel-economy pressure, but gaining interest among larger cross-island and port-haul operators.
Specialized applications only. Panama Canal corridor long-haul carriers running US-built trailers may convert to super singles for specific high-volume, weight-sensitive lanes.
Growing interest in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile for modern long-haul fleets running imported US-spec trailers. Particularly strong for agricultural export lanes where payload weight is a pricing input.
385/65R22.5 is a wide-base single tire — a single commercial truck tire designed to replace a pair of dual wheel tires on trailer positions. One 385/65R22.5 super single takes the place of two 275/80R22.5 or 295/75R22.5 tires, eliminating the inner and outer dual and reducing total assembly weight by approximately 200 lbs per axle. The result is increased payload capacity, reduced rolling resistance, and lower per-mile fuel consumption on Class 8 long-haul trailers.
The standard Hanksugi 385/65R22.5 super single carries a load index of 164J/158L, delivering 10,200 lbs single at 130 psi cold. This matches or exceeds the paired load capacity of two standard 275/80R22.5 or 295/75R22.5 tires (roughly 12,000 lbs total) in a single-tire package, making 385/65R22.5 fully compliant with federal 20,000 lb trailer axle weight limits.
Yes. Hanksugi 385/65R22.5 super singles are EPA SmartWay verified. The fuel economy advantage of wide-base single over dual is well-documented — fleets typically see 4-6% fuel economy improvement on trailer-mounted super singles compared to equivalent dual-wheel fitments, driven by reduced rolling resistance, lower rotational mass, and elimination of the inside-dual tire's aerodynamic drag. SmartWay verification status is required for EPA Transport Partnership compliance.
Hanksugi 385/65R22.5 wide-base super single tires are priced direct-to-fleet at $540-$720 per tire. Super singles are priced higher per-tire than standard duals, but remember you only buy one super single to replace two duals — so per-axle the total spend is actually lower. Combined with the 4-6% fuel savings and weight reduction, super singles deliver faster payback than any other tire-related fleet upgrade for long-haul trailer fleets.
385/65R22.5 super singles require a wide-base wheel (typically 22.5 × 14.00 in) and either a dedicated super-single axle assembly or an aftermarket conversion. Most modern 53-foot dry van and reefer trailers built after 2015 from Wabash, Great Dane, Utility, Hyundai, Stoughton, and Vanguard can be spec'd from the factory with super-single axles, or converted via hub and wheel changeout. Tankers, refrigerated, and dry-van applications all benefit. Super singles are not recommended for vocational or off-road trailer applications because a single tire failure removes the axle entirely without the backup of a dual partner.
Ready to convert your trailer fleet to 385/65R22.5 super singles? Reach out for direct-to-fleet tire + wheel bundling and DDP container delivery.
Contact Hanksugi Fleet Sales