Michelin Xtra Power L5** 26.5 R25: design and duty-cycle notes for mine loaders
Reviewed by Joe Ashwell

First reported on International Mining – News
30 Second Briefing
Michelin has introduced the MICHELIN Xtra Power L5** 26.5 R25, a new OTR tyre engineered for the latest high-powered mine and quarry wheel loaders operating in extreme loading and mucking conditions. The L5** profile and 26.5 R25 size target severe-duty fronts on large loaders, where sidewall damage, rock cuts and heat build-up typically limit tyre life. Michelin is positioning the design to combine higher robustness and productivity with improved operator comfort, signalling incremental gains in tyre performance for hard-rock loading fleets.
Technical Brief
- Extra-deep tread generally offers higher wearable rubber volume, trading off against increased heat generation risk.
- Robust sidewall construction is aimed at reducing downtime from rock shoulder impacts and pinch cuts.
- Tyre is positioned for front-axle fitment where static and dynamic loads are highest during bucket fill.
- Design focus on comfort implies optimised carcass stiffness to damp vibration over broken rock floors.
- For loading fleets, incremental tyre life gains directly reduce cost per tonne and standby tyre inventory.
Our Take
Product-focused Mining coverage in our database is still dominated by drilling, blasting and processing equipment, so a Michelin OTR launch stands out as part of a smaller subset dealing with tyre performance and availability risk at the pit face.
For wheel loaders running 26.5 R25-class tyres, operators typically weigh L5**-type products against total cost per operating hour rather than purchase price, meaning any gains in cut resistance or heat management can directly influence fleet sizing and standby requirements.
With no commodity or country specified, this Michelin release is likely aimed at global quarrying and mid-size mining fleets, where tyre supply and durability have become critical constraints noted across several of the 755 Mining stories in our coverage.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
Related Articles
Related Industries & Products
Mining
Geotechnical software solutions for mining operations including CMRR analysis, hydrogeological testing, and data management.
Construction
Quality control software for construction companies with material testing, batch tracking, and compliance management.
CMRR-io
Streamline coal mine roof stability assessments with our cloud-based CMRR software featuring automated calculations, multi-scenario analysis, and collaborative workflows.
HYDROGEO-io
Comprehensive hydrogeological testing platform for managing, analysing, and reporting on packer tests, lugeon values, and hydraulic conductivity assessments.
GEODB-io
Centralised geotechnical data management solution for storing, accessing, and analysing all your site investigation and material testing data.