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SmartWay Verification for Two Mold Cure Drive Retreads

AcuTread Alliance Group Gets SmartWay Verification for
Two Mold Cure Drive Retreads

Our 445/50 STT1 13/32nd Trailer/Drive Tread and our SAT 17/32nd Trailer/Drive Tread are now verified under the provisions of the Federal EPA SmartWay verification program.

Here is a bit of news from TRIB regarding our FIRST SmartWay Verification for two Mold Cure Drive Retreads:

TRIB (Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau)
April 11th, 2017

“The precision manufacturing process and operational advantages of mold cure retreading are now available in a SmartWay verified trailer / drive retread,” said technical director of the AcuTread Alliance group, Bob Majewski. “AcuTread remanufactured retreads are produced under strict processing guidelines by authorized AcuTread  Licensees.”

Jon Langerak, President / CEO, said he is “proud and excited with the advancements and growth we are having in our industry with these remanufactured products.”

Factors that Influence Tire Wear

Air Pressure

• 15% under inflation in a tire equals approximately an 8% decrease in expected tread mileage
• 10 psi under inflation can cause tire wear out to be 20% faster than normal
• Tires can lose 3 psi per month just due to air migration
• Tires can run up to 5 degrees hotter for every psi the tire is under inflated due to excessive flexing
• Matching tire air pressures is critical in dual assemblies. A mismatch of 5 psi can change the tire circumference, and over 100,000 miles would be equivalent to dragging the under inflated tire 246 miles.

Tread Size

• For every size that a tread width is undersized from the recommended width, mileage is reduced by 10%.

Tread Depths

• Across axles and between tandem axles, tread depths need to be within 4/32″.

Wheel Position/Matching Duals, Twin Screw Tractors

• Should be less than 1/4″ difference in diameter (less than 3/4″ difference in circumference).
• Left front steer tire wears faster than the right tire

Alignment

• Toe alignment greatly affects tire wear since a setting just 1/16 of an inch off will make the tires want to travel sideways about 150 feet every mile. Toe-in is when the tires are pointed towards each other; toe-out is when the tires are pointed away from each other.
• Camber is the tire’s tilt inward (negative) or outward (positive) when viewed from the front and has significant impact on handling and shoulder wear.
• Caster is the angle of steering axis tilt when viewed from the side and while it does not affect wear, it does affect the vehicle’s handling and tendency to track straight down the road.
• Mis-aligned drive and/or trailer axles will cause “dog-legging” and pulling of the vehicle, resulting in steer tire irregular/rapid wear.
• As the vehicle is pulled to the side by the mis-aligned axles, the driver over-steers to compensate, resulting in toe-out-on-turns. The effect is that the inside wheel /tire turns more sharply than the outside when turning the steering wheel away from center.
• The 1/8″ rule – drive and trailer axles should have less than 1/8″ variance parallel to each other and perpendicular to the frame/chassis.

Engine Torque, the more torque; the less tread life

• Many diesel engines typically develop 1,200 to 1,300 foot-pounds of peak torque at 1,300 rpm.
• “Big Bore” diesel engines with upwards of 900 cubic inches of displacement in an in-line 6-cylinder can generate upwards of 2,000 foot-pounds of torque, this increases stress, deflection, and deformation of the tire, resulting in reduced tread life. When a fleet purchases new vehicles, check the torque rating of the new truck vs. the old trucks currently in the fleet, and make a note on any tire mileage records.

Surface Types Affect Tread Wear

• Smooth Asphalt – 100%
• Coarse Asphalt – 10% reduction compared to smooth asphalt
• Concrete – 30% reduction compared to smooth asphalt
• Very Coarse Asphalt – 50-60% reduction compared to smooth asphalt
• Crushed Stone – 60-80% reduction compared to smooth asphalt

Working Application

• “Tough” applications have a large impact on tire wear when compared to over the road applications. Examples of such applications are: high scrub applications, Inter-city, diminishing loads, heavy loads, waste haul, construction, mining, logging, and other sever service related.

Recommendations to Optimize Tire Wear

• Create a tire management policy
• Conduct regular fleet inspections to ensure compliance to your tire policy standards
• Establish and maintain a strict air pressure maintenance program
• Check for signs of axles being out of alignment and align as needed
• Conduct driver training and implement responsibilities requirements for drivers
• Balance free-rolling axle tires
• Match tires for size, pressure and design-type
• Make sure all tires have “flow-through” valve caps
• Implement a mounted tire program
• Work with a quality retreader to develop a retread program for your tires
• Track tire performance frequently and make decisions based on data and facts

Source: Tire Retread and Repair Information Bureau | www.retread.org

AcuTread FED Gets SmartWay Verification

AcuTread Alliance Group reports its FED 20/32nd Drive Tread is now verified under the provisions of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SmartWay program. SmartWay verification is pending for AcuTread low-profile wide-base drive and trailer retreads.

“The precision manufacturing process and operational advantages of mold cure retreading are now available in a SmartWay-verified drive retread,” says Bob Majewski , tchnical director. “AcuTread remanufactured retreads are produced under strict processing guidelines by authorized AcuTread licensees.”

AcuTread Alliance Group manufactures and distributes tires from locations in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia as well as through a network of dealer associates.

AcuTread SAT high-scrub trailer design introduced by Sumerel Tire

Sumerel Tire is the first AcuTread manufacturer to introduce the SAT trailer tread for Regional Trailer and Spread Axle use. Bob Majewski, President of Sumerel Tire, said, “This all-position tread was designed for exceptional wear, traction, rock rejection and high scrub applications. This is accomplished by its tapered tread grooves, increased tread volume and rounded shoulders. All AcuTread tires provide matched uniformity while in a dual wheel application for even wear and our appearance is second to none. We have built the line to handle all the diameter differences we are seeing with the Chinese casings in today’s market.” The SAT tread design will be available in LPR22.5, 11R22.5, LPR24.5, and 11R24.5 tire sizes.