NASHVILLE, TN. A new system from International Marketing Inc. (IMI) is said to promote balance among all tires, regardless of position on the vehicle.
Announced this week at the Technology and Maintenance Council’s annual meeting, the Equal system is part of the company’s new “Operation Extra Mile” program. Operation Extra Mile focuses on extending tread life and longer use of the most fuel-efficient part of commercial tires, in all wheel positions, by reducing uneven wear and vibrations.
According to the company, while most fleets balance steer tires, the number who balance drive tires is much smaller. As a truck goes down the road at 66 mpg, the tire and wheel assembles rotate 563 times per minute. With each rotation of an out of balance assembly, a vibration occurs and the tire develops irregular wear, IMI said.
“Remember when truck alignments were mostly performed on only the front end?” said Robert Fogal, president and CEO of IMI. “Today, total vehicle alignment on all axles has become a standard. The time for total vehicle tire/wheel balancing has come as well. Tire are simply too expensive to continue to ignore and waste.”
Equal is an internal balance compound that is simply dropped into the tire and keeps all tires, regardless of wheel position, in balance for the life of the tread, IMI said. By maintaining a continuous mass balance, Equal reduces vibrations and uneven wear caused by speed, the load, and the road.
Once Equal is in the tire, the bag breaks apart and not only balances, but provides the vibration damping. Vibration damping not only helps to eliminate irregular wear but also reduces fore and aft cab movement caused by drive tire imbalance.
