Accuride Corporation recently reduced weights across its Accu-Lite family of light-weight aluminum wheels, and added a new 38-pound, 10-hand-hole wheel.
The commercial vehicle industry component supplier says its unique design and manufacturing process, combined with the performance of Quantum 99 aluminum alloy, allows it to specifically control grain structure, making its wheels stronger and maintaining their service life, while also lightening them to help improve fuel savings.
“This new wheel design has really proven itself during our two years of field testing on the Canadian highway system,” said Craig Kessler, senior vice president of engineering at Accuride.
The new 38-pound, 10-hand-hole wheel is expected to be available later in 2020, the company said.
- 43644, 38 pounds, 22.5” x 8.25”—The newest part number in the Accu-Lite line of aluminum wheels.
Accuride utilized a new patent-pending aluminum alloy to reduce the weight of three wheels by 3-4 pounds each, the company said, for a 5-7% improvement overall. The new alloy employs an improved grain structure that boosts fatigue, so less material is needed.
- 42362, 24.5” x 8.25”—Second-generation wheel, now 50 pounds, for a 4-pound weight reduction.
- 43142, 22.5” x 14.00”—Third-generation Duplex wheel, reduced from 55 to 51 pounds.
- 43140, 22.5” x 14.00”—Third-generation Duplex wheel, reduced from 54 to 51 pounds.
Accuride says it also improved and expanded on its customization of coating technologies with ProShield XGT, an extreme gloss technology designed to improve shine, cleanability and corrosion resistance, along with ProShield Black, a custom matte-black finish. The company expects to debut both coatings early this year.
Along with the ProShield coatings, all Accu-Lite wheels are available with Standard Polish (SP) and Extra Polish (XP).
“We are proud of our aluminum wheel materials engineering team that helps us deliver the weight savings and performance that the industry has grown to expect from us,” said Greg Risch, president of Accuride Americas.
Visit accuridecorp.com for more information.