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
Tire/Wheel Inventory a Place to Find Savings
How many tire and wheel spares should a fleet keep on hand? This difficult question is compounded by the sheer complexity of axle specific tire designs, increased use of higher quality retreads and the introduction of super wide tires. One point to consider is the cost of not having a replacement piece immediately available, or
Off the Radar Screen?: When It Comes to Aircraft Tires, Dealers Might Consider Taking a Flier
A tire is a tire is a tire. Nope. Consider, if you will, a typical P205/75R15 passenger tire. Load carrying capacity is about 1,600 pounds. Recommended air pressure is 35 psi. Maximum speed is around 112 mph. Now consider that tire’s aircraft counterpart. An aircraft tire, in exactly the same size, boasts a load rating
All-Season Debate: Is There Still a Need for Dedicated Winter and Summer Tires?
Thirty years ago, everyone could describe a snow tire – big, knobby, luggy tires with lots of void areas. They weren’t sophisticated, they used the same compounds as regular passenger tires and they were okay for the market at that time. But, they were noisy and wore out quickly in the heat of summer if
Rubber Redux: Scrap-Tire Disposal May Create New Opportunity for Fleet Customers
The trucking industry, in recent years, has been on the receiving end of a barrage of new technology, equipment and operating practices. In fact, one saying keeps cropping up in trucking circles: “The only constant is change itself.” Certainly, the issue of scrap tires and how to dispose of them responsibly has historically been a
Devil’s in the Details: Selling and Installing Aftermarket Wheels Can Be Tricky Business
As many of you know, I’ve been involved with aftermarket wheels and hardcore fitment problems for most of my career. This has exposed me to a lifetime of diagnosing drivability complaints and fitment issues that most people rarely, if ever, experience. Still, there’s always that one time when something unique and out of the ordinary
Old Problem or Golden Opportunity?
Historically, the issue of scrap tires and how to dispose of them responsibly has been a thorny problem for most fleet operators. Fleets of sufficient size (negotiating leverage) often pass this task along to their supplying dealers, but the costs and logistics of handling scrap tires continues to be viewed as a problem. There is
Taking Dead Aim: Preparation is Secret to Birdies in Growing Golf-Course Tire Segment
Most professional golfers will tell you that practice is the key to improving one’s golf swing. “The more often you play, the better you get,” they say. That may be true, but preparation is even more important. If you don’t have the right tools – the right woods and irons and golf balls – you
Staggering Results: Stocking and Selling Innovative Products Can Boost Profits
Over the next few months, you will be reading a great deal about who had the biggest, most expensive or most outrageously modified product or vehicle at the SEMA show. Sure, it all looks good, but how will it help you grow your business? I want to take a different approach and tell you about
Strange But True Tire Tales
Too often, we’re consumed by the Ordinary. We get into our daily routines and never waver. No matter how much you love what you do every day, it’s still refreshing to take a break once in a while from the Everyday. To help you do that, we’ve tracked down some of the most unusual tire