Keeping Up Appearances
Wheels need proper maintenance to look and perform their best – and new wheel-end technology provides a finished package. Bright, shiny wheels make a great impression. A good wheel needs to be behind that shine. Finding the best wheels and properly maintaining them offers paybacks in reliability and performance. Step one in the process is
Where Will All the Street Tires Go?
Having the ability to interchange used and retreaded tires of the same size on different axles is a luxury most tire managers have enjoyed for decades. Although new tires are almost always selected to be axle-specific, the differences relate to tread pattern design and tread depth. Long wear and resistance to irregular wear are properties
Choosing the Right Retread Partner
Tires consistently rank as the greatest expense for a fleet after labor and fuel costs, so it is important for fleets to get the most out of these assets. One way to extend tire life is to use retreads and many fleets work with retreaders to achieve the longest tire life. What does a fleet
If You Have To Choose, You’re Not On Retreads
When it comes to saving money and helping the environment it is a good idea to remember that the new black is green. By using retreads you can do the planet a favor while actually improving your company’s bottom line. A win-win. The retreads being produced today by top quality retreaders can actually outperform many
Changes & Challenges: The Role of Wholesalers/ Distributors
Politics notwithstanding, change is the mantra these days. It is preached throughout the tire industry, and prominent on the platform is the vital link in the distribution chain: the distributor/wholesaler. In the late 1960s and 1970s, brands and brand loyalty were kings. Most successful tire businesses in the U.S. were neatly aligned with the North
Continued Growth: Ag Tire Market Still Strong Despite Economic Downturn
In 2007, U.S. farmers saw record crop prices and hefty profits. The nation’s growing demand for ethanol boosted the price of corn, while the reduced supply of other crops, like wheat and soybeans, fetched higher than average prices, as well. That strong income resulted in farmers putting their money back into their business through land,
Fast Flat Repair: Product Launched at SEMA Promises TPMS Compatibility
One can get overwhelmed visiting Las Vegas, not to mention hitting the SEMA and AAPEX shows. If a company has a new product or service, it’s hard to attract anyone’s attention, especially a potential customer or the media. The 2008 edition was no exception. However, there was one new product that caught the eye of
Changing Ideals: Why There May Never Be a Perfect Tire
When I was working in public relations for a major tire company back in the early 1970s, an older scientist with an impeccable track record told me it was sad that he now had to spend his days working on the radial ply tire. When I asked why, he said, “Because we were just beginning
Looking Ahead: SEMA Show Trends Point to Vehicle Customization Future
Last month, we ended the article with the prediction of a growing number of color and designs that allow for several years of production. Well, we hit it on the head. I haven’t seen that many color variations at the SEMA Show since the Tuner revolution of the early 1990s. Take a look at this
Is It in the Stars?
Will truck tires always remain round and black, essentially their present form? It would seem unlikely that our current tubeless radials would follow, for example, some farm tires that are being replaced by reinforced rubber belts or the lowly wheelbarrow tires where solid urethane flat-proof tires are replacing their pneumatic predecessors. Increased traction, reduced soil
Knowledge Is Power
I want to create a scenario about three guys who decided to open a trucking company. Each of them had a truck and each was responsible for the tires on his own truck. Their names are Paul Abelson, Al Cohn and Asa Sharp, names that might be familiar to you if you read trucking magazines.
Times (and Tires) Are Changing
Not many years ago, industry veterans would have characterized our industry as conservative, resistant to change and in some cases, downright stubborn to accept new ideas. Today a number of changes are being forced on fleets, some by regulations and others by an intensely competitive transportation market. Let’s take a look at how some trends