Operating hours are on the up and tyre related breakdowns are becoming scarcer at Hills Quarry Products, and Michelin says its premium XHA and XADN tyres are the culprits behind this positive turn of events. The Hills Group division switched to Michelin products following a trial period and now uses the two types of tyre on the Volvo A25D dump trucks and Volvo L120E and L150F loading shovels in nine-strong quarry fleet.
The next generation of all-terrain tyre in the Bridgestone Dueler family has been launched in North America, replacing a tyre line Bridgestone describes as having "set the standard for toughness, durability and quiet comfort." The Dueler A/T Revo 2 was first introduced to the market in July 2009 and is now available in 27 sizes from 15 through to 20-inch rim diameters.
Michelin has a wide variety of products suitable for the UK winter season, including fitments for smaller city and high performance passenger cars, 4x4s and small vans. The company stresses the importance to the UK market of offering performance in cold, damp conditions as well as in snow or ice.
Toyo has launched its first entry-level US market high performance tyre. Called the Extensa HP, the new tyre is the second product in Toyo’s new for 2009 Extensa line. The company releasing the new range in twenty sizes it says covers popular performance coupes and saloons and offers "value-priced options for original equipment replacement and plus sizing."
According to a recent poll of 1,000 commercial van driving customers, Swinton Insurance has revealed that 25 per cent of the segment never checked the condition or tread of their tyres, while 42 per cent did not know the correct legal tread depth.
In the US Michelin is to supply Harley-Davidson with the new Michelin Scorcher 31 tyre, Michelin’s first original equipment fitment for Harley-Davidson. Available exclusively as original equipment on four 2010 Harley-Davidson Dyna models, the all-new tyre was unveiled today at the Harley-Davidson summer dealer meeting in Denver. The new tyre carries both companies’ trademarks on its sidewalls and the signature Harley-Davidson logo carved into the shoulder.
“Michelin has specifically engineered this innovative and durable tyre to meet the high expectations of Harley-Davidson owners,” said Gary Midkiff, vice president of Michelin North America’s two wheel division. “Michelin is excited to build upon our successful relationship with Harley-Davidson as we launch this historic first original equipment fitment.”
Sava has announced the launch of three upgraded tyre ranges designed to offer enhanced performance and value for long and regional haul trucks, trailers and coaches. The Slovenia based Goodyear Dunlop subsidiary reports that its Avant A3plus steer tyre and Orjak O3plus drive tyre have benefited from new construction and tread compounds, giving the tyres significantly improved mileage, durability and stability compared with their predecessors. The new carcass construction is shared in the Cargo C3plus trailer tyre and features a revised belt package lay-up that delivers reduced heat build up and improved durability.
When Ford decided they needed a tyre to back up its Fusion S model’s claims of best-in-class fuel efficiency from its six-speed transmission and 2.5-litre engine, it decided the best way to go for that positive reinforcement was Goodyear’s new Assurance Fuel Max, as original equipment for the 2010 iteration. The tyre, which claims fuel-efficient properties through a compound designed to yield less rolling resistance, will be sized P205/60R16. The 2010 Fusion S is in production and has begun arriving at US dealerships.
The Assurance Fuel Max features, alongside its energy-saving compound, wet and dry tread zones to enhance all-season traction. The wet tread zone features dual “aquachannel” grooves to help evacuate water when driving on wet roads. The dry tread zone helps enhance handling and grip in the dry. The tyre is also available on the replacement market.
This season, two new tyres are being added to the Bridgestone Blizzak line: the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1 and LM-60, each suited for vehicles ranging from light trucks and SUVs to sports cars and sedans. The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1 will be available in 46 R-speed-rated sizes ranging from 15 inches to 22 inches and 75-45 series. Replacing the DM-Z3, the DM-V1 is designed to disperse surface water and improve grip. A directional tread pattern and 3-D sipes enhance dry performance and continuous lug design and center tread grooves increase traction in the snow and ice, according to Bridgestone.
Designed in response to unique road conditions in the US and Canada, the Blizzak LM-60 incorporates continuous lugs and zigzag sipes to improve snow and ice traction. Circumferential grooves channel water out of the tyre’s footprint area to resist hydroplaning and a directional tread pattern and 3-D sipes enhance dry performance of the LM-60, Bridgestone said. Available in 34 H-speed rated sizes from 17 inches to 20 inches in the 60-35 series, the LM-60 consolidates existing Blizzak tyres into one H-rated tire line. This consolidation includes the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-18, LM-22, and the LM-25. (Tire Review/Akron)
The Corvette has been ‘king of the hill’ in the American performance car word for more than half a century, and the latest incarnation of the fibreglass bodied Chevrolet comes with a range of engine options delivering up to 638hp. A car so well endowed in the motor department obviously needs a tyre up to the job, and Michelin now has a product for the entire model range. The manufacturer has announced that its Pilot Sport PS2 ZP (zero pressure), already supplied for the Corvette C5, C6, and ZR1 models, will as of August 1 become available on the Corvette C6 Z06. The addition of tyre sizes for the C6 Z06, says Michelin, completes the transformation of its UHP portfolio that began in December 2007 with Michelin’s very first original equipment fitment for the Corvette ZR1.
In August 2009, Michelin will introduce the market’s first 295/60R22.5-size multi-purpose tyre – the Michelin X MultiWay XD for truck drive axles. With the new tyre, comments Michelin, drivers of large-capacity commercial vehicles in Europe will be able to travel safely on all types of road and in all weather conditions.
The tyres that equip large-capacity and car-carrier trucks are confronted with a range of challenges, the French tyre major notes. They must be able to travel thousands of kilometres on motorways in summer and winter, access loading areas on national and smaller roads, and sometimes make city deliveries on traffic-congested streets. At the same time, trucking companies need to be able to carry heavier loads, reduce delivery times and optimise costs, while maintaining superior safety performance.
With more than 2 million extra caravan holidays predicted in the UK this year, TyreSafe is reminding caravanners to make sure all of their tyres are safe for travel before taking to the road. Caravans left standing throughout the year can develop flatspots or suffer from exposure to UV rays which may lead to handling issues or premature failure. Additionally, tyre pressures should be checked not only on the caravan, but also on the towing vehicle and adjusted accordingly to take account of the extra load.
VisitBritain is predicting a 20 per cent rise in British holidays this summer. Earlier this year The Caravan Club reported advance bookings up by 40 per cent on 2008, and the National Caravan Council predicts that nearly 14 million holidays will be taken in 2009 in touring caravans, motor caravans and caravan holiday homes.
A HiQ franchisee raised more than £2000 for Breast Cancer Care at the Goodwood Festival of Speed recently. Richard Whittemore, who runs 10 HiQ centres in the south of England under his Elite Garages Group company, helped to generate £2,075 at the event, while checking hundreds of motorists’ tyres in an attempt to eliminate illegal tyre usage.
Richard took a team of fast fitters around the festival to check hundreds of tread depths and in return, visitors donated money to Breast Cancer Care – HiQ’s chosen charity for 2009. The initiative took place at Goodwood after a recent survey claimed that more than 3 million UK motorists are currently driving on illegal tyres.
Pirelli has announced its range of winter tyres designed for the 4×4/SUV and van segments. The Scorpion Ice & Snow is designed to work particularly well at low temperatures and is produced in aspect ratios 35 to 75 Series, wheel diameter codes 15 to 21 and speed codes T, H and V. The Chrono Winter, meanwhile, is available for vans in aspect ratios 60 to 75 Series, wheel diameter codes 14 and 16 and speed codes R, S and T. Both tyres are emblazoned with the “Snowflake” symbol in the North American market, which is embossed on the sidewall of winter tyres that indicates their specialisation for snow.
Overcapacity in Michelin’s North American retreading operations led the company to close its truck tread pressing plant in Querétaro, Mexico on July 7. Production from the Michelin Retread Technologies (MRT) plant, which employs approximately 80 people, will be relocated to the company’s retreading facility in the United States. Michelin states that the decision to stop production of this particular product line has no impact on the continuing operations of its passenger car and light truck tyre plant in Querétaro.
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