Accuride, a supplier of commercial vehicle wheels that is based in Livonia, Michigan, has restructured its portfolio and will present it at the IAA 2022 in Hanover, Germany, according to a company press release.
Accuride’s 22.5 x 11.75 steel wheels
Accuride has introduced a new range of 22.5 x 11.75 steel wheels for trailers and trucks. This technical innovation saves up to four kilograms of weight per wheel compared to previous wheel types; on a typical tractor-trailer combination, the weight is reduced by up to 32 kg, according to the press release. The lightweight wheels make it aim to save fuel without compromising on performance and service life. The weight savings are made possible by a combination of a stress-optimized rim contour, the full use of high-strength low-alloy steels, and a revised wheel design.
Weight optimization meets sustainability
Accuride will present a 32 kg truck wheel size 22.5 x 9 based on HSLA steel. By using simulation tools as well as the use of higher-strength steel, the wheel geometry has been optimized and the wheel weight reduced by 2.5 kg. This results in a weight reduction of 15 kg on a standard semitrailer tractor. The wheel is available immediately in series production, according to the press release.
Accuride is offering this wheel in conventional steel or, alternatively, in steel with a reduced carbon footprint. The version with reduced carbon footprint uses "bluemint pure," a flat steel from thyssenkrupp Steel. By using bluemint pure, two-thirds of the greenhouse gas emissions can be saved in the production of the wheels compared with conventional steel. Compared with aluminum wheels, this figure is as high as 90%, Accuride said.
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The climate-friendly effect is achieved by using HBI, already reduced sponge iron. Less coal is thus needed for the reduction process in the blast furnace. Looking at the total CO2 footprint over the complete life cycle of the product (1.2 million km), CO2 emissions can be reduced by over 10%. This puts a bluemint pure 32 kg wheel in a better position than significantly lighter aluminum forged wheels of comparable size.
New wheel-tire concept 24.5 x 9 -325/90R24.5 (tubeless technology)
Also new in Accuride's range is the 24.5 x 9 wheel in combination with the 325/90R24.5 (TL) tire dimension, which will replace the 24 x 8.5 (one-piece) and 24 x 8.5 (multi-piece) products in the future. The current one-piece 24 x 8.5 wheels are only partially compatible with the tire pressure sensors (TPMS) that will be required in the future. The 24 x 8.5 multipiece wheels are significantly heavier and, in the case of tubetype tires, require considerably more components (ring system, tube and bead band).
The new 24.5 x 9 ALV wheel size for Europe and the Middle East achieves a significant weight reduction of up to 43.5 kg per wheel. Other advantages over the previous 24-inch wheels include full compatibility with standard tire pressure sensors and simple and safe tire mounting. In addition, the new wheel-tire system features a higher load capacity of nominally 5,000 kg.
In cooperation with the tire manufacturer Prometeon, a new tire of the Pirelli brand in the dimension 325/90R24.5 (TL) was developed for this wheel to replace the tire dimensions 12.00 R24 and 325/95 R24, according to the press release.
