The Goodyear Highway Hero Award ceremony is one of my favorite events of the year. I’m looking forward to attending this year’s ceremony on March 22 during the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville.

Earlier today, Goodyear announced the finalists for this year’s Highway Hero Award.

Talk about some true heroes! One of our finalists saved a woman’s life by stepping between her and a gun-wielding attacker. Another finalist pulled a motorist out of a burning car minutes before it exploded. Our third finalist came to the aid of an elderly man and woman who had been trapped in a car during a raging snowstorm. And our fourth finalist rescued a motorist whose car had plunged into a pond.

Through the Highway Hero Award, Goodyear has been recognizing truck drivers’ heroic deeds for nearly 30 years.  I can’t wait to find out this year’s winner!

In the meantime, I’m heading to the TMC Show in Tampa. Hope to see you there next week!

Most people associate the words “tire rotation” with passenger vehicles. Truck tires should be rotated, too – particularly in slow wear-rate situations.

Rotation is for more than just car tires.

If you own trailers, it’s generally recommended that you remove steer tires at 6/32nds to 8/32nds and run them on your trailer axles down to 4/32nds to achieve optimal uniform wear prior to retreading. Retreaded steer tires would be moved to the drive axles and run to 4/32nds. At that point, the second retread can be installed on the trailer.

Meanwhile, in line-haul service, you should remove new drive tires at 4/32nds. The first retreads can be re-installed on the drive axle. The second retreads can be used on the trailer.

For tires in mixed-service applications or in situations where stones are stuck in the grooves, continuous inspections for possible tire damage are recommended. In these cases, drive tires should be removed for retreading at 6/32nds. Trailer tires should be retreaded at 3/32nds and 4/32nds.

First retreads can be run as drive or trailer tires, while second retreads should only be used as trailer tires.

Any questions? Send me a message and I’ll be happy to elaborate!

In this blog, I’ve talked about the importance of putting your trucks on a regular alignment schedule. When your rig runs straight down the road, the chances of fast (or irregular) wear are minimized.

Make sure your rig runs straight down the road.

One thing about alignments that we haven’t discussed until now is the role of worn components.

To make the most of an alignment, technicians should check for worn kingpins, bearings and steering components. And before checking axle alignment, tolerances for each component should be in spec. Excessive movement in any component helps lead to fast and/or irregular tire wear.

In addition, techs should check shock absorbers for wear. A worn shock is an open invitation for irregular wear patterns. Air-ride suspensions make it paramount that shocks should be replaced when they wear down. And when an old shock is replaced, make sure the new one will be adequate for the job.

Keep all of the above in mind and you’ll optimize your alignment investment!

I just returned from Goodyear’s annual Dealer Conference, where we unveiled three brand new truck tires that will definitely be of interest to you!

The G619 RST is for tough spread axle applications.

First off is the new Goodyear G619 RST, which has been developed for demanding spread axle trailer applications. Features include a deep, 18/32-inch tread depth to help promote long tread life; a high-scrub compound that helps resist curb damage; a four-belt casing to help provide toughness; and more.

The G619 RST is available in size 295/75R22.5 in Load Range G. Three new sizes will be introduced during the second quarter.

Goodyear commercial tire dealers also got a look at the Dunlop SP348, an all-position steer tire that has been developed for regional fleet, school bus, and pickup and delivery applications.

The SP348 boasts deep tread for more miles to removal; a rugged casing design; enhanced shoulder ribs for scrub resistance and protection against curb impact; and other features. It’s currently available in seven sizes, and two sizes will be added later this year.

Also new is the Goodyear G741 MSD, a new tire for oil field, mining, logging and construction applications. Its features include deep 33/32-inch tread with a wide footprint, an aggressive, self-cleaning tread design; a cut- and chip-resistant tread compound; and more. It will be available this May in size 11R24.5, Load Range H.

 For more about these new tires, drop me a line or contact your local Goodyear commercial tire dealer!

Trade show season is ready to begin, and I’m gearing up to attend a bunch of shows over the next couple of months!

My “road trip” schedule will kick off with the Technology & Maintenance Council’s 2012 Annual Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition (some people simply call it “The TMC Expo”), which will take place Feb. 20-23 in Tampa, Fla.

Several weeks later – March 6-8, to be exact – I will attend the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) Work Truck Show in Indianapolis, Ind. And on March 22-24, I will be at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky.

All three of these shows are super events, offering plenty of opportunities to network with your peers and learn more about your profession. And they’ll give you a chance to interact directly me, so get those questions ready! I look forward to seeing you soon.

When preparing to invest in new tires, make it a point to consider how much money you will spend during a tire’s whole useable life, not just how much the tire costs initially.

Look for tires with premium casings.

Imagine the possibility of getting more service life out of your tires and saving money over the long term by spending a little extra at the beginning. Here are five things to keep in mind when considering that new tire purchase:

1. Buy tires from someone who cares. Find a local tire dealer who is as concerned about keeping you in business as he is about keeping himself in business. Dealers will help keep you up-to-date on new tire developments and can help you develop a complete tire program.

2. Find the right tool for the job. Again, here it pays to consult your local commercial tire dealer, who can match the right tire to the right vehicle application.

3. Cheaper is not always better. Someone once told me the two things you should never scrimp on are shoes and mattresses. I would add tires to that list.  Look for tires with premium casings that can be retreaded more frequently, which leads me to my next point…

4. Consider retreading. Retreaders can offer retreaded tires that match the tread designs of new tires while providing like-new performance and appearance. For more info about retreading, consult a Goodyear Authorized Retreader.

5. Take good care of your tires. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of routinely checking your tires’ pressure levels. Also consider getting routine alignments for your trucks. Remember, tires that run straight down the road wear best. It pays to establish a maintenance program for your operation.

Also maintain suspension and steering system components. Worn shocks, bearings and tie rod ends can create faster tire wear.

What points do you consider before buying tires? Feel free to share by clicking on this link!

Driving a truck with even the smallest vibration can be annoying. Many vehicle components can be the source of a vibration.

Run-out can cause vehicle vibration.

If a vibration is coming from the tires, wheels or hubs of a truck, the reason usually is either a high run-out/out-of-round condition or an out-of-balance condition.

What is run-out? Well, there are two varieties of run-out: lateral or radial. Lateral run-out is the side-to-side movement of the tire and wheel assembly as it rotates on the axle. The bigger concern is radial run-out, which is the up-and-down movement of the tire/wheel assembly. 

It’s not too difficult to envision how an out-of-round situation can create a less-than-smooth ride. A perfectly round disk with an axle placed in the center circumference will run smoothly. Place the axle somewhere off the center of the circle and you can imagine the once-per-revolution bump that will result!

How is run-out measured? By using a dial indicator with a specially made show or ski that allows service technicians to spin the tire and document the difference between the high and low points of the rotating assembly.

If a dial indicator is not available, the tire can be spun with a stationary object placed close by. Then the technician can visually observe how much run-out is present.

If you think your truck may have a run-out problem – or if you’re experiencing a vibration problem, in general – talk to your nearest Goodyear commercial tire dealer. This will put you on the right track.

This blog is the third in a three-part series about factors that impact fuel economy.

What are some of the other things that can have a significant effect on fuel economy? Ambient air temperature, weather conditions, road surfaces and terrain, just to name a few.

Treads and fuel economy: what's the connection?

* It’s important to keep tires properly inflated so that their overall performance and load-carrying capacity are not compromised. Fuel economy falls off sharply when tires are underinflated.

* Most of the gains in tire fuel efficiency can be obtained from the tread of the tire, specifically the tread compound, tread design and tread depth. Research shows that the tread contributes to more than half of a tire’s rolling resistance.

* If a rolling resistance improvent is made with the tread only, the improvement diminishes as the tread wears down.

Many fleet managers believe that investment in low rolling resistance tires is money well spent. I certainly agree!

This blog is the second in a three-part series about factors that impact truck fuel economy.

In the first blog in this series, we discussed the impact of speed and aerodynamics on truck fuel consumption. Now let’s take a look at wheel alignment and driving style, two other factors that can affect how much fuel your truck uses. 

Driving style can impact fuel consumption.

If any of the wheels on an 18-wheel tractor/trailer are improperly aligned, the total drag on the vehicle increases. There is greater “scrub” of the tires against the road surface and potentially greater aerodynamic drag when the tractor and trailer are not tracking parallel to the direction of travel.

If your truck is not on an alignment schedule, I urge you to contact your local Goodyear commercal tire dealer right away.

The next variable, driving style, is more “personal.” Aggressive driving can negate many of the gains provided by investment in fuel-efficient tire and engine technology, aerodynamic devices and even synthetic lubricants.

Fortunately, with today’s technology, it’s possible to accurately measure the amount of fuel an engine uses over a period of time. Have you considered setting up a program to reward drivers for fuel efficiency? It might be worth the time and effort!

Stay tuned for more info about fuel economy!

This blog is the first in a three-part series about factors that impact truck fuel economy.

There are a number of factors that contribute to the amount of fuel a truck will use in getting from Point A to Point B. Aerodynamics and speed are two of them.

Rolling resistance increases linearly with speed.

A vehicle’s aerodynamics and traveling speed have an extremely significant effect on how much fuel is consumed.

Tire rolling resistance increases linearly with speed. But the force created by aerodynamic drag increases exponentially with the speed of the truck. So tires become a proportionlly smaller percentage of the truck’s overall drag as speed increases.

Load is another factor that impacts fuel economy. A heavily loaded truck will use more fuel than a lightly loaded truck. Think of the extra fuel your car may use when hauling your family (and luggage) to a vacation spot versus the fuel your car may use when you (without any passengers) drive to work in the morning.

For a truck, a good rule of thumb is that fuel economy will decrease 5% for each 10,000-lb. increase in load.

Stay tuned for the next installment in this series. And if you have any questions, send them my way by clicking here!