Tire balancing options for the trucking industry have expanded with two new offerings from International Marketing Inc. (IMI). The company that ushered in new tire balancing more than 15 years ago with its inside-the-tire option, Equal, is putting the same self-adjusting, dynamic balancing concept to use outside the tire with the launch of XACTBalance 180s and XACTBalance Truck.
The products provide an alternative to standard fixed weights and deliver a smoother ride, the company said.
The company said research shows that Equal is still the best route to vibration reduction and extended tread life because it works literally where the rubber meets the road.
“For customers that spin balance their wheels, XACTBalance Truck wheel weights deliver superior performance over regular weights, the company said. For those who can’t put Equal in the tire and don’t use a spin balancer, XACTBalance 180s use the same self-adjusting balance technology and lasts the life of the wheel.
Though they vary in size and capability, both new products consist of free-moving steel particles housed within a flexible thermoplastic cartridge, which is fixed to the wheel with an adhesive backing. The particles inside the cartridge move and adjust to changing conditions as the tire rotates, targeting the exact location of the imbalance and correcting it, the company said. The result is less vibration and a more precise, longer-lasting balance.
XACTBalance Truck is compatible with traditional tire balancing equipment
It is an adhesive wheel weight that consists of twin thermoplastic chambers of steel particles that provide the balancing power needed for larger heavy-duty truck wheels. It uses industry-standard adhesive and can be installed using traditional tire balancing equipment, the company said. Having dynamic capabilities at the site of the imbalance allows XACTBalance Truck to adjust for changes in speed, load and direction, giving the tire more miles between balances.
XACTBalance 180s are made with the owner-operator in mind. They consist of two sections of long thermoplastic cartridges designed to cover the interior diameter of each wheel, creating 360 degrees of protection from vibration. This approach provides a new option for situations that prohibit the use of Equal or a spin balancer. Since the weight covers the entire wheel and can target imbalance at any point, it effectively reduces vibrations for the life of the wheel and multiple sets of tires, the company said.
The technology behind both products is backed by scientific and real-world results, the company said. In December 2005, a team of mechanical engineers from Penn State University subjected the passenger vehicle version of XACTBalance to a series of laboratory and highway tests. The tests compared the dynamic weight to standard lead weights and showed XACTBalance’s superiority as a vibration reducer, the company said. The technology also won awards for its innovation at the 2005 SEMA Show and the 2006 Reifen Tire Expo in Essen, Germany.
XACTBalance Truck wheel weights are being released through IMI’s distribution network. XACTBalance 180s will be released later this year.
For more information, visit www.xactbalance.com.
