Michelin Americas Truck Tires says its latest X One wide single tire – the XDN2 on-highway drive tire – is the first X One tire in North America to utilize multiple Michelin Durable Technologies (MDT). “This tire takes the traditional compromise between traction, long life and fuel efficiency, and throws it out the window,” says Marc Laferriere, the company’s vice president of marketing. “By utilizing two different Michelin Durable Technologies, the X One XDN2 tire delivers significantly increased tire life and exceptional, uncompromised traction, complementing the significant fuel efficiency gains of a Michelin X One wide single tire.”
Michelin says the X One XDN2 delivers fuel efficiency levels approaching the company’s most fuel-efficient truck tire – the X One XDA. Through MDT, the X One XDN2 is able to reduce the number of flexing sidewalls from four to two, when replacing dual tires, which lowers rolling resistance – 15 percent lower than its dual XDN2 counterpart, according to the company. The wide single tire is made possible by Michelin’s proprietary Infini-Coil Technology – more than a quarter-of-a-mile of steel cord wrapped circumferentially around the X One from sidewall to sidewall, which helps reduce casing growth and stabilize the contact patch, reducing irregular wear.
Michelin says the XDN2 tread pattern incorporates the company’s proprietary Matrix Siping Technology – corrugated grooves in the tread block that provide a zigzag appearance; the wavy grooves lock the tread block as it moves through the contact patch, providing both tread block rigidity and exceptional traction, while resisting tread scrubbing, as is normally the challenge with deep-treaded heavily-siped tires. Also a first for an X One tire is the X One XDN2’s open shoulder tread design for additional traction.
The X One XDN2 will be available in November in a 445/50R22.5 size (equivalent to a 275/80R22.5 size), with a 455/55R22.5 size (equivalent to an 11R22.5 size) becoming available in December. The X One XDN2 will replace Michelin’s X One XDA-HT Plus. Michelin offers X One tires for various applications such as on-highway, off-highway, urban, waste hauling and recreational vehicles.
Michelin also introduced the XDN2 Pre-Mold retread, an all-weather drive optimized to improve traction and mileage. The XDN2 features patented Matrix siping designed to deliver winter and wet traction from more than 1,300 biting edges. Available in 220-, 230- and 240-mm sizes, the retread is engineered with a two-layer compound: a top layer for wear and traction, and a bottom layer to maintain cool internal casing temperatures for longer tread and casing life. Wide, open shoulder grooves are designed to deliver added traction without compromising tread life.
Michelin Americas Truck Tires
www.michelin-us.com
Composite dry van
Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co. will begin production in January of its next generation D-X dry van. The company says the 4000D-X Composite, which will replace the current 4000D-X, combines the best features of composite and sheet-and-post designs – the durability traits of a typical plate trailer, plus added performance such as enhanced payload and improved load securement at a lower tare weight. According to Utility, the 4000D-X Composite uses the same aluminum exterior side skin panels featured on the company’s 3000R refrigerated trailer, providing weight savings without compromising sidewall strength or the 101-inch minimum wearband-to-wearband inside width. The company is using a polyurethane foam core that bonds the interior lining panels to the outside skin panels; Utility says polyurethane allows for a lower-density core than the polyethylene construction found in most plate trailers, offering lower weight.
Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co.
www.utilitytrailer.com
Air, air/electrical hose products
Phillips Industries says it designed its latest air and air/electrical hose products to meet the increasing demands of fleets and owner-operators:
- Pre-made heavy-duty rubber air lines: The company says the air lines, which include swivel-end brass fittings in popular lengths, are Department of Transportation-certified and include a large, ergonomic cushion grip to facilitate easier coupling/uncoupling and hose support.
- Heavy-duty EPDM rubber air brake tubing in 250-foot spools: Ready for “cut-to-length” as needed, the spools help reduce the inventory costs of carrying multiple finished hose lengths. The tubing is made from 4-spiral polyester reinforced rubber designed to resist cracking, kinking and weathering, while providing added abrasion resistance, in temperatures from -40 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Phillips says the tubing is DOT-certified to sustain 900 PSI burst pressure and 225 PSI operating pressure conditions.
- Electrical/air hose assemblies for ABS and non-ABS applications: The abrasion- and kink-resistant hoses are spiral-wrapped to facilitate an organized, clean look, while the large grips are designed for added coupling/uncoupling leverage. The hoses can be ordered with the company’s proprietary Quick-Connect Plug (QCP) designed for faster plug repairs.
Phillips Industries
www.phillipsind.com
Drop-and-hook tire monitor
Doran says its 360 SmartLink Tire Pressure Monitoring System was designed specifically for truck fleets with drop-and-hook trailers. Wireless sensors are screwed on to the valve stems of the trailer tires, and the tire pressure information is sent to the company’s trailer-mounted SmartLink Receiver/Transmitter that collects and transfers the data to a cab-mounted display unit; the wireless sensors also are programmed to the monitor in the cab. When the truck is hooked to a new trailer, it only requires a simple one-button operation by the driver to drop and add the correct trailer. Audible alerts and visual warnings are designed to provide the specific tire location and pressure level; also, a high temperature warning helps prevent damage caused by excessive heat. A date/time stamp for each pressure alarm (up to 10) is stored within the monitor, and the system can be “locked” to prevent tampering. Doran
www.doranmfg.com
Wireless onboard weighing system
Cleral says its line of wireless onboard weighing systems for trucks, the Sentinel Wireless Edition, allows the driver to monitor weights from anywhere within several hundred feet of the vehicle while loading. The calculator-size handheld monitor is programmed to receive weight data from wireless air sensors fitted to the air suspension and/or wireless mechanical sensors fitted to the axles. Cleral says its weighing system is unique because with a few exceptions, it can be fitted to air, mechanical or combined suspension types. According to the company, the wireless capabilities of the system eliminate the need for running cables from the individual sensors to a monitor mounted in the cab, decreasing installation time and the need for maintenance.
Cleral
www.cleral.com
Redesigned steer tire
Hankook says its AL07 Plus steer tire, which replaces the AL07, has an improved design for 6 percent longer mileage. The new offset decoupling groove is less likely to pick up and hold a rock, while the outside shoulder is now solid, without siping, for better traction and delayed irregular wear, according to the company. While designed as a steer tire, the AL07 Plus, like its predecessor, also can be used as an all-position tire, Hankook says.
Hankook Tire America
www.hankooktireusa.com
Dry van with extended scuff rail
Hyundai Translead says its HT Composite XT Dry Freight Van Trailer has an extended scuff rail to help prevent forklift damage; if a forklift happens to hit the lower inside wall of the trailer, the forklift will hit the extended aluminum bottom rail, not the composite sidewall panels. The rail – which has an interior scuff height of 16 inches – also includes a centrally located external rib to facilitate increased stiffness and scrape resistance. Additionally, the bottom rail and extended scuff both have interior and exterior ribs to help provide protection to the fasteners while adding strength and rigidity. The HT Composite XT – which comes standard with the company’s HT Corrosion Resistance Package for additional corrosion protection – features a 1011/2-inch panel-to-panel interior width.
Hyundai Translead
www.translead.com
Laptop holders
CyberTrucker says its Universal Workstation Laptop Stand – which is designed to fit in any truck, car, pickup, van, SUV or RV – installs with a single existing seat bolt in less than five minutes, and it can be transferred in seconds to any other vehicle, according to the company.
CyberTrucker says it also has redesigned its Trucker’s Workstation Laptop Stand. Made for big rigs, the Workstation now is available in a black powder-coated finish, and the dual cooling fans now are powered from the laptop with a USB connection instead of plugging into a cigarette lighter. Also, a Quick Release Lever is designed to permit easy installation or removal of the cradle in less than three seconds. The company says it also has developed Interlock software that locks out any program on a computer that is not approved for use while a vehicle is in motion, eliminating distractions from the laptop screen.
CyberTrucker
www.cybertrucker.com
Wireless headset
VXI says its next-generation BlueParrott B250 Bluetooth wireless headset has more than 10 hours of available talk time. The B250 has the same noise-canceling technology and over-the-head styling for comfort and stability as previous models, and drivers also can take advantage of up to 66 feet of range, according to the company.
VXI Corp.
www.vxicorp.com
Electric no-idle HVAC unit
Glacier Bay says its ClimaCab, a no-idle HVAC solution for Class 8 sleeper cabs, is a pure electric system that uses zero fuel, requires zero maintenance and has zero emissions. ClimaCab’s high-voltage continuously variable-speed compressors and blowers deliver 8,000 BTUs/hr of air conditioning for more than 12 hours, the company says. The system responds continuously and in real time to external temperature changes, load requirements and battery charge levels, according to the company; it recharges during normal truck operation and is compatible with 135-amp alternators, and a Start Assist feature helps eliminate jumpstarts by recharging fully depleted starter batteries. The unit’s radiant heat transfer application, installed over the bunk, warms the driver directly, offering enhanced comfort while using minimal battery power, Glacier Bay says. The company also offers a fuel-fired ClimaCab heater.
Glacier Bay
www.climacab.com
Reversing lights
Target Light says its safety device allows a user to maneuver, reverse and recognize the size of a vehicle and/or trailer by shining a spotlight area on the ground a set distance behind the vehicle or trailer. An additional lens of the side-marker lamps is directed downward to the road surface, indicating a distance of about 12 inches from the back and sides of the vehicle. The driver can see in his rearview mirror exactly where his vehicle is in relation to his reversing boundaries.
Target Light
www.targetlight.com
Protection for suspension, dump body
GSM Innovative Products says both its Ever-Durable Warepad (EWP) for suspensions and its Box Pad, a noise suppressor for dump bodies, are produced from a special-grade high-performance thermal plastic. The EWP can extend the life of the hangers and equalizers in the trailer’s spring suspension, as well as decrease the need for leaf spring replacement while reducing noise and vibration, according to the company. The Box Pad is designed to provide additional protection for the crossmembers of trailer dump bodies while reducing noise, and can be installed in minutes without welding, torching or grinding.
GSM Innovative Products
www.warepad.com
Foaming industrial hand cleaners
Gent-L-Kleen Products has added two products to its line of industrial hand cleaners: Foaming Gent-L-Kleen Waterless Hand Cleaner and Foaming Gent-L-Kleen Hand Soap. Both products are available in a 500mL foaming dispenser bottle yielding more than 400 applications per container.
- The waterless hand cleaner is not a soap, but a foaming hand-cleaning solution designed to remove medium- to heavy-duty soils without the need for a water rinse. The formula removes grease, oil, paints, industrial carbons and more, according to the company; it contains five skin conditioners and is produced using environmentally “green” ingredients, making it biodegradable and petroleum-free.
- The hand soap – described as a premium, general washroom foaming solution – contains nine skin conditioners, including aloe vera, glycerin, jojoba, almond oil, soy oil and wheat germ extract, plus vitamins A, C and E, the company says; it also is made with Earth-friendly products and is biodegradable and petroleum-free.
Gent-L-Kleen
www.gentlkleen.com
Urethane sealer
ChemSpec USA says its Big Sky Performa-Seal is a nonsanding 2K acrylic urethane sealer that applies smoothly and maintains superior color and gloss retention for high-quality finishes. Performa-Seal is designed to allow for increased inter-coat adhesion while providing a uniform ground coat over repairs. All three shades of sealer may be intermixed to provide the painter with a variety of gray shades, according to the company; with three mixable colors, the sealer also features excellent corrosion protection and smooth flow and leveling.
ChemSpec USA
www.chemspecpaint.com
Line of tensioners, pulleys
Everco Heavy Duty says it offers a comprehensive line of tensioners and complementary pulleys that are engineered to meet or exceed original equipment requirements. The company says its tensioners for heavy-duty applications have a proprietary “flat spring” design engineered to handle the high torque and power exerted by today’s diesel engines; the design uses a wave spring and a metal ring with a bonded rubber surface to act as a radial shock absorber for the tensioner arm. The company says its pulleys come with lifetime-lubricated double seal bearings with high-temperature grease to facilitate longer life, while the close dimensional tolerances maintain OE specifications for fit, form and function.
Everco Heavy Duty
www.evercohd.com
Heavy-duty air cleaner
Parker Hannifin Corp.’s Racor Division says its Composite Very Low Restriction (VLR) Heavy Duty Air Cleaner Series offers a four-stage filtration system that is more efficient and less restrictive than a traditional tangential inlet canister alone. The VLR incorporates a dynamic precleaner and additional static precleaning action into a dual-element filter canister, according to the company. The VLR is available with a straight or 90-degree outlet, a primary element only, or with a primary and safety element. They are designed to be mounted horizontally or vertically and rotated in any direction as long as the dust evacuator valve is pointed downward. Features and benefits, according to the company, include high efficiency and dust-holding capacity, durable high-strength polymer composite construction, light weight, rust and corrosion resistance, UV resistance, radial seal filter elements, and intake flow rates from 50 to 700 CFM.
Parker Hannifin Corp.’s Racor Division
www.parker.com
