Steer Tire Defender™
What is Steer Tire Defender™?
Steer Tire Defender from Ex-Guard® is a new safety-enhancing design for added protection of the steer axle tires on Class 6-8 semi-trucks. Steer Tire Defender – Level 3, the newest and highest level of protection, is available exclusively on the new XM-150B3 grille guard from Ex-Guard.
How It’s Made:
Steer Tire Defender 3.0™ and Front Underrun Mitigation™: Starting with Ex-Guard’s class-leading XG-150G3 guard, Ex-Guard engineers have added an additional lower tube made of 8-gauge high-tensile steel with EVRCoat™ PVC coating and then reinforced it with plate steel gusseting so the guard can withstand major impacts not only from head-on impacts, but from the side as well. It’s the stoutest guard Ex-Guard has ever made.
Why Protecting Steer Tires is Critical:
- If a steer tire is damaged or blown out on a semi-truck, especially at highway speeds—it can cause the driver to lose control, leading to potentially severe accidents. Rollover accidents are much more likely to occur when damage occurs to a steer tire.
- A sudden steer tire failure poses a serious risk not only to the truck driver but also to other motorists. Even if a truck doesn’t rollover – collateral damage from swerving and wheel-offs can create a life-and-death danger to other motorists.
- Damage to steer tires can result in roadside breakdowns, requiring emergency service, towing, or tire replacement. This not only delays delivery schedules but also increases operating costs due to unplanned maintenance and repair expenses.
| Steer Tire Defender Level | Protection Features | Ex-Guard Model Series |
| Steer Tire Defender 1.0™ | Standard to Extreme-Duty Full Bumper Coverage with Side Wings | LT-325, EX-100, XG-125, XG-225 |
| Steer Tire Defender 2.0™ | Extreme-Duty Full Bumper Coverage with Side Wings and Reinforcing Headlamp Coverage | XG-150 |
| Steer Tire Defender 3.0™ | Extreme-Duty Full Bumper Coverage with Side Wings, VISR™ Bar, Reinforcing Headlamp Coverage, and Rear Strength Gusseting. Validated against the UN ECE R93 Front Underrun Benchmark | XM-150 |
Learn more about our other Gen 3 features:
