SmartWay spec'ing for tires and trailers

SmartWay spec’ing for tires and trailers

The U.S. EPA has evaluated fuel saving benefits of various vehicles, systems and components. The result is a continually updated list of SmartWay Verified Technologies, including tires and aerodynamic devices.

SmartWay, the public/private collaboration between the EPA and motor carriers, works to further its goal of reducing fuel consumption in freight transportation operations, lowering harmful emissions in the process, and helping participating fleets reduce costs.

A key part of achieving those objectives is the SmartWay Technology Program, a testing, verification and designation initiative that identifies equipment, technologies and strategies that have the potential to save fuel and reduce greenhouse gases and other air pollutants from freight transport. The program establishes performance criteria and reviews test data on vehicles, equipment and technologies.

Through grants, cooperative agreements, emissions and fuel economy testing, demonstration projects and technical literature review, EPA has evaluated the fuel saving benefits of various vehicles, systems and components. The result is a continually updated list of SmartWay Verified Technologies, including tires and aerodynamic devices.

TIRES & RETREADS
EPA has determined that certain tire models can reduce NOx emissions and fuel use by 3% or more on Class 8 tractors and trailers in linehaul operations. The following tires and retreads are SmartWay verified:

Bridgestone/Bandag
Bridgestone offers a variety of SmartWay-verified tires. Bandag retread products on the list of verified retreads include the B710 FuelTech, the B197 FuelTech and the B135 FuelTech wide base trailer retread. In addition, Bandag expects its FCR Trailer retread to be added to the SmartWay list.
www.bridgestonetrucktires.com

Continental
Continental’s ContiEcoPlus HD3, a new long-haul highway drive tire, became SmartWay verified in February 2013. The ContiEcoPlus HD3 offers improved rolling resistance, a premium belt package and other features designed to enhance retreadability.
www.continental-truck.com

Double Coin
Double Coin’s OptiGreen Series includes the FR605, FD405, FT105, and two super wide trailer position tires, the FT425 and FT125. Included is a seven-year limited casing warranty on select OptiGreen products.
www.doublecoin-us.com

Goodyear/Dunlop
Eight Goodyear Fuel Max truck tires have received SmartWay verification. Recently, three Goodyear retread tires received SmartWay verification: the G316 AT Fuel Max, G572 LHD Fuel Max and G305 ATS Fuel Max. Three Dunlop tires also are SmartWay Verified Technologies.
www.goodyeartrucktires.com

Hankook
Hankook SmartWay approved products include the AL11 and AL07+ steer tires with new casing and tread technologies designed to enhance fuel efficiency. Also offered are the AH24 all-position regional haul, DL11 and Z35A drive tires and the TL01 trailer tire.
www.hankooktireusa.com

Marangoni Tread North America
Marangoni’s splice-less Ringtread SmartWay verified product is the Energeco trailer RTA-E, 12/32-in., 4 rib model with advanced compounding and tread designed to maximize fuel efficiency. Energeco drive RDA-E 25/32-in. and wide base Ringtreads soon will be verified .
www.marangoni-na.com

Michelin
Michelin SmartWay verified tires and retreads include XZA3+ Evertread, XZA1+, XZA2 Energy and X Coach XZ steer tires; XDA Energy, XDA3, X One XDN2 , X One XDA Energy, X Multi Energy D and X Line Energy D drive tires; and XTA Energy, XT-1, X One XTA and X One XTE trailer tires. Retreads include XDA2 19 and 23, and X One XDA-HT drive, and XT-1 AT and X One XTA Pre-Mold trailer models.
www.michelintruck.com

Yokohama
The SmartWay verified 709ZL drive tire from Yokohama employs the company’s Zenvironment technology, which combines the latest in casing, rubber compounding and tread design. Set to debut in March are the 445/50R22.5 TY517 ultra low profile wide base drive tire and the RY407 wide base trailer tire.
www.yokohamatire.com

To see a complete list of SmartWay verified tires and retreads, click here.

TRAILER AERODYNAMICS
Regulations that took effect in California at the beginning of 2013 have placed added emphasis on the use of trailer aerodynamic devices. As of the beginning of this year, all 2011 and newer 53-ft. or longer dry and refrigerated van trailers that operate on California highways must comply with the Air Resources Board Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas regulation. With certain exceptions, fleets must ensure their trailers are equipped with EPA SmartWay Verified aerodynamic equipment.air slipper trailer side skirts from fleet engineers

According to EPA, trailer technologies including side skirts and rear fairings used in combination with one another (or, in a few cases, when used alone) have the potential to provide an estimated 5% or greater reduction in fuel use when used in conjunction with an aerodynamic Class 8 long haul tractor in highway operations. EPA has verified the following categories of aerodynamic technologies:

Trailer Gap Reducers (should be used with side skirts) — estimated fuel savings of 1% or greater:
    • Carrier Transicold Gap Fairing
    • FreightWing Gap Reducer
    • Laydon Composites Gap Reducer
    • Nosecone “Nose 3-D” Gap Reducer (consists of top and side units sold as one piece of equipment)

Trailer Boat Tails (should be used with side skirts) — estimated fuel savings of 1% or greater:
    • Aerodynamic Trailer Systems (ATS) dual lobe boat tail
    • AeroVolution inflatable boat tail
    • ATS SmartTail
    • Kodiak Innovations Bumper Bullet
    • Solus Air Conqueror Package SP: 4.9 (WheelCover/AftSkirt/Tail1)
    • Solus Air Conqueror Package SP: 3.6 (WheelCover/AftSkirt/Tail2)
    • Solus Air Conqueror Package SP: 3.4 (WheelCover/AftSkirt/Tail3)
    • Solus Air Conqueror Package SP: 2.4 (WheelCover/AftSkirt)
    • Transtex rear trailer fairing
freight wing's aeroflex composite
Trailer Side Skirts (should be used with a gap reducer or boat tail) — estimated fuel savings of 4% or greater:
    • Carrier Transicold Belly Fairing
    • Fleet Engineers Extended Air Slipper
    • FreightWing belly fairing Trailer Skirts
    • Kodiak Innovations AirPlow    
    • Laydon Composites Trailer Skirts 6 or 7 panel
    • Ridge Corp. GreenWing RAC0002    CONTINUED
    • Silver Eagle mid-length skirt
    • Silver Eagle mini-skirt
    • Solus Air Conqueror Split Skirt SSR I (12-0-6)
    • Solus Air Conqueror Split Skirt SSR II (12-2-6)
    • Solus Air Conqueror Split Skirt SSA I (12-4-6)
    • Solus Air Conqueror Split Skirt SSA II (14-2-6)
    • Transtex Trailer Skirts
    • Utility Trailer Utility Side Skirt 120
green wing side skirts from ridge corp.
Advanced Trailer End Fairing (used with or without other fairings) — estimated fuel savings of 5%:
    • ATDynamics TrailerTail rear trailer fairing
    • ATDynamics TrailerTail Trident
    • ATS Integrated Automated System (WindTamer with SmartTail)
    • Avantechs Inc. VorBlade Wing (with Crosswinds Mitigator subsystem)
    • SmartTruck UT-1
    • SmartTruck UT-6

Advanced Trailer Skirt (used with or without other fairings) — estimated fuel savings of 5%:
    • Aerofficient Aero-slide side fairing system (with rearmost telescoping panel) (model ASFS)
    • Aerofficient Fixed side fairing (with landing gear wrap panel) (model FFGW)
    • Aerofficient Fixed side fairing (with landing gear toe in panel) (model FFTI)
    • Airflow Deflector
    • American Trailer Skirts American Trailer Kit
    • ATDynamics-Transtex Trailer Side Skirts
    • Atlantic Great Dane AeroGuard Side Skirt (AGD400-43)
    • Brean Marketing Inc. ArrowShield
    • Carrier Transicold Aeroflex Fairing
    • FreightWing Aeroflex Trailer Skirt
    • Kodiak Innovations AeroCurtain
    • Laydon Composites Trailer Skirt 8 panelsmartway advanced trailer fairings from aerofficient
    • Laydon Composite Classic 7-Panel Trailer Skirt, product code TRSK700SA
    • Laydon Composites Curve
    • Laydon Composites Hybrid 248 (Intermodal) Trailer Skirt
    • Laydon Composite Hybrid 259 Trailer Skirt, product code TRSK710SA
    • Ridge Corp. GreenWing RAC0003
    • Ridge Corp. GreenWing RAC0012
    • Silver Eagle Aero Saber
    • Solus Air Conqueror Performance Split Skirt SSP I (14-0-6)
    • Solus Air Conqueror Performance Split Skirt SSP II (16-0-6)
    • Solus Air Conqueror Performance Split Skirt SSP III (18-0-6)
    • Strehl Model 715
    • Sweet Bottom Trailer Skirt
    • Transfoil Systems Transfoil
    • Transtex MFS Trailer Side Skirts
    • Utility Trailer Utility Side Skirt 120A
    • Utility Trailer Utility Side Skirt 160
    • Wabash National Advanced Trailer Side Skirt, DuraPlate AeroSkirt — Standard
    • Wabash National Advanced Trailer Side Skirt, DuraPlate AeroSkirt — Angled
    • Windyne Flex-Fairing

Aerofficient
Aerofficient offers multiple SmartWay verified products engineered for fuel savings. SmartWay Advanced trailer fairings from the company include a line of hinged side fairings, a refrigerated trailer optimized fairing, slider systems and non-hinged fairings.
www.aerofficient.com
atdynamics offers two smartway approved advanced trailer end fairings, the standard trailertail and the shorter, three-sided trailertail trident.
ATDynamics
ATDynamics offers two SmartWay approved Advanced Trailer End Fairings, the standard TrailerTail and the shorter, three-sided TrailerTail Trident. Both products are compatible with swing door equipped dry van, refrigerated, drop-frame and curtainside trailers.
www.atdynamics.com

Fleet Engineers
Air Slipper trailer side skirts from Fleet Engineers now feature a flexible lower extrusion to prevent damage from obstacles. Designed with 16 gauge, ribbed aluminum, the skirts fit most trailers by clamping to crossmembers, eliminating the need to drill holes in the frame. Included are zinc support hardware and stainless steel attachment hardware.
www.fleetengineers.com

Freight Wing
Freight Wing offers SmartWay verified side skirts, which have been SAE/TMC fuel economy tested. The AeroFlex Composite, which is designed to maintain its flat panel shape, joins Freight Wing’s AeroFlex DMP, constructed of heavy-duty Dense Matrix Polyethylene.
www.freightwing.com
transtex models include the c160, flex skirt and maximum flex skirt.
Laydon Composites
Two of the seven SmartWay approved aerodynamic devices for trailers offered by Laydon include the Trailerskirt TS225 center-mounted and TS248 two-sided models. Both products use the company’s patent pending flexible mono strut, which allows the panels to bend inward and outward. The TS225 comes with black or white thermo set panels from Crane Composite and the TS248 has Crane ArmorTuff panels.
www.laydoncomp.com

Ridge Corp.
Green Wing side skirts from Ridge Corp. feature a heavy-duty hem, which improves impact protection and reduces fairing weight by 15%. The side skirts also are designed with a Ground Clearance Arc, which allows a trailer to travel over obstacles such as railroad tracks and sunken docks without incurring skirt damage.
www.ridgecorp.com

Transtex Composite
Transtex trailer skirts include the C160 made of a glass-reinforced thermoset composite material. The Flex Skirt model’s glass-reinforced thermoplastic composite has a glossy finish and a higher puncture rating. The matte finish Maximum Flex Skirt model also features high impact resistance, as well as glass-reinforced cross-weaved thermoplastic panels that provide for maximum inward flexibility.
www.transtexcomposite.com


Alcoa Wheels: Current and future innovations
Alcoa states that it invented the first forged aluminum wheel in 1948, and its position within the market as a key supplier continues to be as a market segment leader. The company’s innovative spirit is one of the reasons why it leads the marketplace. Knowing that overall lifetime operating savings is the primary goal of its customers, Alcoa reminds that it has launched numerous products over the past 10 years to contribute to this savings, including Dura-Bright, LvL ONE, Wheel Torque Solutions and its most recent advancement—new Wide Base wheels.

Alcoa’s 14-in. wide base aluminum wheels are not only the lightest on the market, weighing just 58 lbs. per wheel, but they also offer enhanced image, as well as solutions to achieving sustainability goals. Simply switching single steel 22.5.in wheels and tires to 14.in. wide base Alcoa aluminum wheels and tires reduces the weight of an 18-wheeler by nearly 1,400 lbs. The upgrade takes advantage of this significant weight reduction coupled with the increased savings from lower resistance wide base tires to further improve fuel efficiency. Alcoa wheels’ strength, durability and low weight deliver environmental advantages to complement their financial benefits. With larger payloads due to the weight savings, trips are reduced, and, since Alcoa wheels are infinitely recyclable, they’ll never see a landfill.

Alcoa said it is hard at work at bringing new innovations to further increase fuel efficiency, payload, enhanced appearance and ease of maintenance. New products will soon be on the market. Alcoa’s number one priority is to design, engineer and manufacture unique wheel products, finish options and other advancements that its customers prefer. Alcoa is proud and excited about advancing future innovations and looks forward to continuing to serve its loyal customers and lead the market.

 

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