Uncharted Waters: Navigating Through Confusing World of TPMS Starts with Awareness
Editor’s Note: This is the first in what will be an ongoing series of articles designed to help you better help navigate the new world of TPMS-equipped vehicles. With your help and input, we will share timely tips, techniques and case studies and serve as a clearinghouse for this vital information. Your personal experiences in
Quick Fix: With Inflation-in-a-Can, ‘Temporary’ is the Operative Word
Even for the most skeptical motorists, inflation-in-a-can is a valid answer to experiencing a flat tire at the wrong time in the wrong place. But there are many caveats that must be followed explicitly when connecting a can of sealant and quite a few psi to the valve stem. Most important is that it’s only
Keep it Contained: Proper Inflation Still the Best Way to Extend Casing Life
All good commercial tire dealers know that proper inflation is the single most important maintenance issue for extended treadlife and long-term casing durability. It is equally well known that tires, even if initially inflated to the optimum pressure, require periodic checks and occasional top-offs to maintain that pressure. Let’s examine why this is true and
Like a Glove: Top Wheel Makers Keep Up With Changing Vehicle Specs
A couple of months ago, we discussed one of the dark secrets of the wheel industry – substituting bolt patterns. Many in our industry have made a good living by practicing this method of selling aftermarket wheels. It is time that we ask – and, yes, demand – better from suppliers that are doing this
Gateway to Inflation Programs
Typically, tire and wheel programs receive lots of attention in most fleet maintenance programs – and for very good reasons. First, the operating expense is considerable; they are second only to fuel in most over-the-road operations. Secondly, en-route failures often trigger a sequence of emergency service requirements that are delaying, expensive and often result in
On the Road – Still: Fuel Prices, Vehicle Cost Not Stalling RV Tire Market Growth
About 8 million U.S. households now own at least one RV. That’s a whopping 58% increase since 1980. Putting it another way, 376,700 units (motorhomes and towables) were shipped in 2005, up 1.8% from 2004 numbers. Even more impressive is the 15% gain in RV ownership from 2001 to 2004. The trend is unmistakable. All
Moving Marvels: Tire Innovations: A Look Back, a Step Forward
From the four full-ply poly bias tires of the early to mid-1960s to the carbon-fiber-enhanced radials complete with Kevlar belts and multiple compound tread designs of the 21st century, we’ve come a long way in a relatively short time. A glance in the rear-view mirror shows that our great industry has been foolish at times
Double Jeopardy: Right Size, Wrong Load Index Can Mean Liability Risk
When you sell a set of non-OE tires, do you set the air pressure the same as it was in the OE tires? Do your sales staff, manager and technicians understand the importance of load index? Can they read a load and inflation table? Can they recite, from memory, the inflation rule – that the
All About the ‘S’s: Small OTR Success Sits Squarely on Service and Supply
Commercial dealers: Are you offering customers the most complete range of tires possible? Do you consider yourself a ‘full-service’ dealer with the ability to recommend tires for every sort of commercial application? If you already offer medium truck and OTR tires, it may be worth your while to consider other segments of the commercial tire
Right Tire, Right Time: Smart Inventory Strategy is Key to Serving Fleets’ Immediate Needs
While the new year is still fresh, the question of how many tire and wheel spares a fleet – large or small – has available on short notice might be a good one to re-examine. The sheer complexity of modern, axle-specific truck tire designs, new vocational niche market tires, increasing use of higher quality retreads,
Fitment Faux Pas: Wheel Misapplications Come Down to Fractions of an Inch
Last month, we discussed a number of topics dealing with the installation of aftermarket wheels and non-OE tires. This month, we’ll begin Part 2 – overall width. You wouldn’t think that the width of a wheel would be a concern, but it can cause problems, as the following cases show. The information here will help
Keeping it Contained…Air That Is
Proper inflation is the most important maintenance issue for extending treadlife and protecting casings. Even if the tire is initially inflated to the optimum pressure, periodic checks and occasional top-offs are needed to maintain pressure. There are two basic air-loss mechanisms responsible for pressure loss over time. All pneumatic tires lose some of their high-pressure