Accuride Corporation (NYSE: ACW) rolled out several new products at HDAW, including two new lightweight aluminum wheels, a steel wheel to be warranted against corrosion, and lightweight Gunite wheel end components.
The new aluminum wheels are both standard type 22.5 x 9.00 wheels produced at the company’s aluminum wheel production facility in Erie, Pennsylvania. They will be available effective March 2016. Accuride has cut four pounds from the 41730 wheel (total weight per wheel: 58 pounds) and saves three pounds on the 41012 wheel (total weight per wheel: 51 pounds).
The steel wheel, branded EverSteel, comes with a five-year warranty against corrosion--the first for a steel wheel, according to Accuride. In independently-performed cyclic corrosion testing (GM9540P), EverSteel demonstrated six times longer life than its North American and offshore competitors and double the operational life of Accuride’s Steel Armor steel wheels. They are especially suited for trailer applications and fleets regularly operating in ice and snow, the company said.
Also new at Accuride are lightweight Gunite wheel end components designed to provide weight savings to assist fleets when EPA greenhouse gas regulations take effect.
Accuride’s MMC technology combines cast aluminum with a selectively reinforced MM
C wear surface. The drum is well-suited to a range of commercial vehicle, off-highway and military applications where weight savings is paramount, yet without sacrificing performance or durability.
At approximately 61 pounds, the patent protected MMC aluminum brake drum is capable is expected to save as much as 100 pounds per axle over standard cast drums. That represents an approximately 300 lb. savings for a typical 3-axle Class 8 tractor. www.accuridecorp.com