INDIANAPOLIS. If you're looking to save some weight and add durable sparkle to your Sprinter 2500, Ford Transit or GM 3500/4500 van, Alcoa has some new options for you.
The company has expanded its collection of aluminum wheels for medium-duty commercial vehicles, unveiling four new products at the NTEA Work Truck Show Wednesday afternoon, March 2. All will be available for order in North America as of March 15.
Each wheel in Alcoa’s M-Series collection provides the same benefits that Alcoa’s forged aluminum wheels provide for heavy duty (Class 7 and 8) customers, according to Alcoa, but are customized to fit medium duty Class 2-6 applications.
Alcoa’s M-Series wheels with medium-duty applications are designed to improve straight trucks (strip, cutaway, conventional and cab-overs), commercial vans, bucket trucks and heavy duty pickups in a variety of industries, such as towing, beverage, emergency, delivery, food processing, shuttle service, RV, retail/wholesale, utility, refuse and many other industries, the company said.
Alcoa launched its first medium-duty forged aluminum wheel for the Sprinter nearly a decade ago: a 16.5” x 5.5” dually wheel for the Sprinter 3500. As the demand for Sprinter and Transit vans and other medium-duty commercial vehicles increases and vehicles get heavier with many up-fitting options, fleet managers and small business owners are seeking innovative ways to reduce weight and lower operating and maintenance costs, according to Alcoa.
New Sprinter 2500 Wheel: Alcoa designed the 16.5” x 6” wheel specifically for the Sprinter 2500. “Weighing just 21 lbs., the wheel provides the same performance benefits of every Alcoa forged aluminum wheel, including the Sprinter 3500—weight savings, fuel economy, freight efficiency and ease of maintenance,” the company stated.
New Ford Transit Wheel: Alcoa’s first lightweight solutions for the Ford Transit are now available for full size vans. Two new Ford Transit wheels—the Transit 16.5” x 6.5” single and 16.5” x 6” dual wheel configurations—are now each available. The single configuration wheel weighs 21 lbs., while the dual configuration wheel comes in at 18 lbs.
New GM 3500/4500 Wheel: According to the company, demand is growing for GM’s 3500/4500 chassis. Today’s announcement includes the introduction of a 16.5” x 6” Alcoa forged aluminum wheel for the dual chassis used in these vehicles. “This medium-duty wheel weighs just 19 lbs. and provides all of the same benefits of light weight, strength, durability and ease of maintenance as all of Alcoa aluminum wheels in its comprehensive portfolio,” according to the company.
“Our M-Series medium-duty wheels offer significant advantages to fleets and business owners, and we plan to continue prioritizing this industry as we innovate," stated Tim Myers, Alcoa president.
