Pumping it up

According to San Antonio-based Pressure Systems International (PSI), maker of the Meritor Tire Inflation System (MTIS) for trailer tires, development is under way on two additional versions of MTIS-one to inflate tires on tractor drive axles and the other for those on steer axles.

Frank Sonzala, executive vp of PSI, said the drive-axle system will provide automated inflation for both the internal and external tires in a set of duals. He noted that the steer-axle inflation system is currently undergoing severe-duty testing in Alaska.

As for the existing trailer-axle MTIS, which has now been in production for ten years, Sonzala stated that “in most cases” fleet customers report that payback on the system takes less than a year and often is achieved in as little as half that time. He also said that testing by tire makers has attributed as much as a 2% fuel savings to using MTIS.

In addition, Sonzala announced that retrofits are being offered through Kansas City, KS-based Central States Special Products Inc.

For more information on MTIS, go to www.psiatis.com or www.arvinmeritor.com. For more information on Central States, go to www.cstksp.com.