The great debate: aluminum vs. steel wheels
Truck wheels are made from one of two metals: steel or aluminum. Today, new advancements in lighter-weight steel wheels are clouding what was, traditionally, a clear choice. As with any great debate—be it about politics or equipment productivity—the type of wheel you pick depends on the issues that matter the most to you: Does your
Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products names new president
Merrick Murphy has been named president of the Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products (AWTP) business, reporting to Tim Myers, the group president of Alcoa Transportation and Construction Solutions (TCS). The appointment is effective immediately. Murphy will be based in Cleveland, Ohio, at AWTP headquarters. Prior to this appointment, Murphy (pictured left) was vice president and general manager for
Alcoa expands M-Series aluminum wheels
Alcoa has announced that it has expanded its collection of M-Series aluminum wheels for medium-duty commercial vehicles by adding products designed for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ford Transit and GM 3500/4500. The wheels were unveiled at the Work Truck Show 2016, and each will be available for order in North America on March 15, 2016. “As
Alcoa expands family of Ultra One wheels with MagnaForce
Alcoa expanded its family of Ultra One wheels with MagnaForce alloy by launching wheel sizes 24.5 x 8.25 in., 22.5 x 14 in., and 22.5 x 9 in. The new Alcoa Ultra One 24.5 x 8.25 in wheel with MagnaForce weighs 51 lbs., weighing in 3 lbs. less than its predecessor—the LvL One 24.5 x 8.25
Five reasons application matters when spec’ing wheel ends, wheels
Let’s take a step back from the focus on efficiency and talk about application. Sure, getting the most out of your truck is important, but if you aren’t putting just as much consideration into the impact your application has on your equipment, then you’re potentially setting yourself up for maintenance issues that could cost more
Proper wheel maintenance contributes to efficiency, cost savings
Maintenance is a critical component of ensuring reliability and safety of fleets, their drivers and others on the road. Wheel maintenance is also a significant contributor to the overall efficiency, lifetime operating costs and appearance of commercial vehicle wheels. When wheels need continuous refurbishing, it can become maintenance and time intensive. Steel wheels require refurbishing,
Alcoa rolls out its most durable aluminum wheel
Alcoa rolled out its most durable, easy-to-maintain commercial truck wheel, Dura-Bright EVO, to the North American market. Alcoa’s Dura-Bright EVO wheel maintains all the benefits of its predecessor, the Dura-Bright wheel with XBR technology, while taking the wheel’s performance to a new level. The Dura-Bright EVO wheel is 10 times more resistant to corrosion primarily
Kenworth offers Alcoa Ultra ONE wheel
Kenworth Class 8 and medium-duty trucks now are available with the Alcoa Ultra ONE wheel. The 22.5-in. by 8.25-in. Ultra ONE wheel is made of the Alcoa MagnaForce alloy. Compared to its existing alloy wheel, the Ultra ONE offers a 17% increase in strength, weighs just 40 lbs. for an additional 5-lbs. weight savings, and
Alcoa Ultra Wheels available for Peterbilt Class 8 trucks
Peterbilt Motors Co. recently announced that new Alcoa Ultra aluminum wheels manufactured from a MagnaForce alloy that provides additional strength and lower weight are available as a factory-installed option for all Peterbilt heavy-duty trucks. “This is a great new option for our customers in weight-conscious applications and other markets who want to run lighter and
Alcoa Wheels launches social media photo sharing contest
Alcoa Wheels announces the creation and launch of its first social media photo sharing campaign and contest. The campaign and contest kicks off this week and ends Sept. 15, 2014. Alcoa Wheels encourages social media followers and contestants to follow the company on Twitter (@AlcoaWheels) and now on Instagram (@AlcoaWheels); snap eligible photos of their trucks
What are the lighter-weight wheel options?
For fleets that want to roll efficiently, there’s no shortage of lighter-weight wheel options. For a fleet that has hundreds of pieces of equipment moving along many routes, increased load capacity can add up quickly. Aluminum wheels are typically a lighter option than steel; one of the lightest weight options was launched in March at
Weighing fifth wheel options to spec a lighter-weight truck
When fleets spec lighter-weight components, it’s generally an attempt to offset increases in weight in other areas of the vehicle and/or increase their payload capacity. As a result, the savings in fuel comes in improved efficiency in the operation of the fleet—greater cargo capacity equals revenue per trip and more capacity may even mean less
