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A Supplement to Fleet Maintenance magazine

Tire Technology Supplement

Best Practices for Maintenance Management

Getting the Most out of Your Tires and Fuel Tank


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S3www.fleetmag.com Fleet Maintenance


Features

4 Lowering Operational CostsFuel Max Technology Tires Roll Out

9 Lowering Rolling ResistanceLess Force, Less Fuel

10 Low Cost of OwnershipFuel Max Technology Results inLowering Life Cycle Costs

11 The Art of RecyclingUniCircle Leads Retread Growth

12 Fleets Renewed FocusTire Strategies for EnhancingFuel Efficiency

14 Data Drives Decision MakingGoodyears TVTRACKTire-Tracking Software

16 By the Numbers A Michigan Fleet Learns Buying onPrice Doesnt Translate to Lower Costs

18 Hit the Nail on the headDuraSeal TechnologyHelps Ward Off Flats

20 Those Who Deliver ServiceSpotlight on Tire Dealers

22 Tire MythsWhat Should You Believe?

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9

11

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A TRUCK TIRE THAT REPAIRS

ITSELF.

*Seals up to 1/4-inch tread punctures only.Does not seal sidewall punctures.

Tires face someof the toughestworking conditions in America. Thats whytheres Goodyear tires featuring DuraSealTechnology a rubber compound in thetire casing seals up to -inch punctures inthe tread, * allowing the tire to maintain airpressure and remain in service until a retreadis needed. This reduces vehicle downtimeand costly repairs, while improvingproductivity and tire life. Too bad thatDuraSeal Technology only xes tires.

www.goodyear.com/truck2006 The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. All rights reserved.


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Fuel is a necessary ingredient that helps you make money, but itsunfortunately at a cost which you cant control. For most opera-tions, its at the top of the list of expenses of doing business.

As a re sult, sav vy ope rators do every thing they can to squeeze t hemost revenue out of every gallon they buy.

Goodyear officials say they understand the challenges inrunning a successful operation. Thats why the com-

pany constantly seeks ways to build truck tiresthat deliver longer miles and casings that drive

down cost-per-mile.With high fuel prices expected forthe long term, the tire maker has

introduced a new tire technology,Fuel Max, and three fuel-efficient

line-haul tires that help deliverenhanced fuel economy.

Born out of innovativeresearch, Fuel Max Technologyemploys technology researchand uses the most effectivecompounds.

In a controlled test environ-ment using TMC/Society of

Automotive En gineers (SAE) Type II test ing stand ards, FuelMax tiresused as a system

measured an eight percent

Fuel Max Technology Tires Roll OutWhen Fuel Efficiency Counts

TMC/SAE Type II uel economy testing has veri ed the uel-saving per ormance o Goodyear Fuel Max long-haul tires.

(Continued on page S6)

S5www.fleetmag.com Fleet Maintenance4 Fleet Maintenance Tire Supplement



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Fleet Maintenance Tire Supplement


improvement in fuel economy compared withstandard Goodyear over-the-road tires.

Translated into real-world re sults, c ustom-ers can expect to get up to four percentenhanced fuel efficiency when variable driv-ing conditions, such as roads, temperature,load and terrain are taken into account. Fora truck that normally gets six miles per gal-lon, the increase to 6.24 mpg with Fuel Max

Technology wo uld produce a saving s of upto $2,100 in fuel per year (assuming the truck is driven 120,000 miles annually and fuelcost is $2.85 a gallon).

From a return-on-investment perspective,the tire payback in switching to Fuel Max

Technology t ires from our standa rd line-haul tires is virtually immediate, says SteveMcClellan, vice president, Goodyear com-mercial tire systems.

Conserving fuel is on everyones mind.Weve enhanced fuel economy in our indus-try-leading platform of line-haul tires. WithFuel Max Technology, we have blended fuel

efficiency with long tread life and excellentperformance.

According to McClel lan, whi le the poten-tial of achieving enhanced fuel economyis an important benefit, its not the onlyreason to select tires featuring Fuel Max

Technology. Fuel Max ti res also will hel poperators reduce their operating costs.

Tires are a major expense for over-the-road trucking companies and owner-opera-tors. We are able to enhance fuel economywhile maintaining a low cost-per-mile for ourcustomers by using innovative tread designsand blends of tire compounds, McClellansays. You have the potential of getting bet-ter mileage, which helps reduce your cost of doing business.

A key el ement of Fuel M ax Technol ogyis reduced tire rolling resistance. Scientistsand engineers discovered that tread design,depth and compound accounted for morethan half of a truck tires rolling resistance,according to McClellan.

Our analysis focused on increasing resil-iency in our treads, says Jon Bellissimo,Goodyears director of technology for com-mercial tires. Casing construction andtire manufacturing were also optimized toreduce fuel consumption. The net result wasa significant enhancement in fuel economy.

The thre e fuel- efficie nt tires featuringFuel Max Technology are the Unisteel G395LHS steer tire, the Unisteel G305 LHDdrive tire and the Unisteel G316 LHT trailertire in standard (11R22.5) and low-profile(295/75R22.5 and 285/75R24.5) sizes. Thecompany is also offering UniCircle and pre-cure retreads with Fuel Max Technology.

Fuel Max LineupG395 LHS Steer Tire

Steer tire position is crucial, and engi-neers made a great tire by adding Fuel Max

Technology to the best-se lling Unis teel G395LHS steer tire.

The Unisteel G395 LHS earned its premier

steer tire title in the industry thanks to a longand uniform mileage performance and a robustcasing, says Donn Kramer, Goodyear direc-tor of commercial tire marketing. By usingdual-compound Fuel Max Technology, the newG395 LHS is taking steer tire performance toa whole new level in fuel efficiency and lowercost of operation.

By emphasizing the cool-running, dual com-position feature of the G395 LHS, the tire com-pany delivers a steer tire that helps minimizerolling resistance by helping reduce the amount

of energy generated within the tread. Reducedrolling resistance means less fuel consumed, if other variables remain constant.

The new Unisteel G395 LHS w ith FuelMax Technology also retains the steer tirestough four-belt package casing, according toBellissimo. The package of three inner steelbelts is topped by a belt of polyamide, whichhelps protect against moisture and reducestread squirm in the tire footprint duringcornering.

The new steer tire also in herits th e origina lG395 LHS five-rib tread design that helpsprovide an optimal footprint for long-life treadwear. That aides exceptional performancethrough each stage of wear, Bellissimo says.

Another ret ained fe ature is the origi nal stee rtires pressure distribution groove. Located onthe outer shoulder rib, the pressure distributiongroove bottom has a larger radius that helpsreduce pressure buildup. Shoulder wear isenhanced, and irregular wear and cupping areminimized, according to Bellissimo.

The result is enhanced tractionand handling over the tires life,he says.

Adds Krame r, When y oulook at the overall package,the new Unisteel G395 LHSretains all of the essentialattributes of the originalsteer tire and enhances itwith Fuel Max Technologyto save on fuel.

G305 LHDDrive Tire

In the drive position, theUnisteel G305 LHD featur-ing Fuel Max Technologyoffers a balance betweenhigher miles-per-gallon andlower cost-per-mile in both newtires and retreads. The tires fuel-efficient tread design, compound

8

6

4

2

0Standard

Production TireCombination

Fuel Max TireCombination

% F u e l S a v i n g s

TMC/SAE Fuel Test results

(Continued rom page S5)

(Continued on page S8)



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Fleet Maintenance Tire Supplement



blend and casing construction help enhancefuel economy. In addition, Goodyears four-belt package aids in long tire life in linehaulapplications.

Like the Unisteel G395 LHS steer tire,the Unisteel G305 LHD features a cool-run-ning, dual-compound construction that helpsreduce the amount of energy generatedwithin the tread for reduced rolling resistance.Drive tires hauling single trailers representnearly half of a vehicles tire rolling resistance,Kramer says.

The new drive ti re is offered in a 26/32-inchtread depth, and its large, stable blocks helpminimize tread squirm on the roadway forenhanced fuel economy, confident handlingand even wear. Drivers will appreciate the surehandling and the long tire life, Kramer says.

Two circumferenti al and extended lateralgrooves, coupled with a non-evolving treaddesign, help provide superb traction in allweather conditions. A closed shoulderfurther helps promote even tread wear.These are features that make this asuperb tire for operating in all kindsof weather, Bellissimo says.

The com pany also offers Fu elMax Technology for drive tireretreads as the G305 UniCirclewith 24/32-inch tread depth.In addition, the G305 precureretread is available in 22/32-inch tread depth.

G316 LHTTrailer Tire Trailer t ires, which often

receive less attention thanother wheel positions, shouldbe seen in a new light whenit comes to fuel economy.

Testing shows t hey pl ay a critic alrole in increasing MPG. The newUnisteel G316 LHT featuring Fuel Max

Technolo gy addr esses that by delive ring

fuel efficiency and good mileage. According to Goodyear, th e traile r position

accounts for approximately 41 percent of atractor-trailers rolling resistance. That figureclimbs to 62 percent for rigs hauling doubletrailers.

G316 LHTs contribution to a trucks fueleconomy gains is undeniable, Kramer says.

The new tire use s a co ol-running, triple-compound construction that helps reduceenergy generated within the tread. The cas-ing features an all-steel four-belt package fora solid foundation for multiple retreads.

A solid s houlder r ib and i nnovative pres-sure distribution grooveborrowed from theG395 LHS steer tirehelp resist shoulderwear. Two circumferential grooves and lateralgrooves help provide steady performancein all types of driving conditions. Similar tothe popular G314 LHT trailer tire, the G316

LHT tire and matchingUniCircle and precure

retreads are offeredat 12/32-inch

deep tread formany miles toremoval.

How much of a difference can Fuel Max Technology make in your fleets cost of operation? That depends on the kind of miles your trucks cover, as well as variables liketemperature, weather and terrain.

TMC/SAE Type II fuel economy tests con-ducted under ideal conditions showed an eightpercent improvement with Fuel Max Technologytires as compared to standard Goodyear tires(See chart on page S6). Allowing for drivingcondition variables, Goodyear expects fleetsto gain up to four percent in enhanced fueleconomy when using Fuel Max tires in all wheelpositions.

Working together, Fuel Max tires help achievemajor reductions in fuel-wasting rolling resis-tance. Simply put, rolling resistance is a mea-sure of the force required to turn a tire underload. The energy to turn the tire comes fromfuel, therefore a heavier load will require morefuel than a lighter load. Yet the proper tire withthe most efficient tread will help reduce theimpact of rolling resistance.

Fuel Max Technology tires should make adifference from first mounting to removal. Asthe tire tread wears, fuel efficiency naturallyincreases. As long as tires a re kept within rec-ommended depth parameters, and properlymaintained, fleets and owner-operators mayrealize enhanced fuel economy and maintaintraction and handling.

To get the maximum benefit, Goodyearrecommends outfitting trucks with Fuel Max

Technology tires in all wheel positions. Justas we recommend that truck operators mountlike-branded tires in all positions to help achievethe lowest cost-per-mile, we suggest the samestrategy in using Fuel Max Technology tires, saysSteve McClellan, vice president, commercial tiresystems. The result will be excellent mileage,

more retreads per casing,cost savings and enhancedfuel economy. Thats a win-ning combination.

Fuel Max CalculatorComputes FuelSavings

To learn how much youmight be able to reduceyour fuel bill by using tireswith Fuel Max Technology,Goodyear has created anonline fuel savings calculator.

The site allows the user toenter fleet information suchas average annual mileage per truck, average miles-per-gallonand number of trucks in fleet, plus cost of fuel per gallon. Youcan also fill in current tire information, including cost per positionand average removal miles. The c alculator computes savingsbased on the information provided.

To use the calculator, go to www.goodyear.com/truck/ whatsnew/fuelmax/calculator.html.

Its All About LoweringRolling Resistance


(Continued rom page S7)


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Calculating tire cost per mile is an exerciseoften overlooked by maintenance manag-ers. But keeping track of what it costs torun your trucks day in and day out will help showthe true numbers of doing business.

For those who know their costs and those con-sidering keeping tabs, Goodyear is ready to helpout by offering its innovative Fuel Max Technology.While its name implies a focus on fuel-savingefforts, Fuel Max is the latest tool to do whatother technology does: help reduce your cost of operation.

Fuel Max is another example of innovativetechnology that can lead the way to better fueleconomy, which is a vital component in reduc-ing our customers cost of operation, says TimRichards, Goodyears project manager for com-mercial long-haul tires. Our tires will help saveon fuel consumption, while continuing to deliveroutstanding performance.

Aiding their customers efforts to drive downcost per mile is an ongoing Goodyear goal.Richards says the company aims to do that bymanufacturing tires that help provide many miles

to removal and outstanding casing performance.With Fuel Max Technology, were not sacrific-

ing performance and low cost-per-mile, ratherwere maximizing it with enhanced fuel economy,he says. This adds to our goal of giving our cus-tomers the best tire value by having the industryslowest tire cost of ownership.

One of the essential elements of enhancingcost of ownership is through extended casing life.Making a quality new tire is one thing, but build-ing a tire casing that provides a solid foundationfor multiple retreads is equally important.

A tough Goodyear casing means that you canretread more often, which also helps lower youroverall tire cost, says Darren Long, Goodyearengineering account manager. Retreads costless than new tires and the mileage you can getfrom a Goodyear retread is comparable to newtires.

We also look to keep the customers applica-tions in mind, he adds.

The neat bow on the package is a consistentand precise product, according to Richards.The payoff for the customer is tires that last lon-

ger, travel many miles and contribute to alower cost of operation.

The company also recommends ongo-ing vigilance in practicing smart tire main-tenance. Long says that closely monitoringa trucks alignment and maintaining thecorrect tire pressure will result in moreproductive miles per tire.

You have a lot of money tied up in yourtires, Richards says. Maintaining themand keeping your trucks in alignment willget the most out of them and help reduceyour cost per mile.

Retreads remain one of the trucking indus-trys best ways to recycle. According tothe Tire Retread Information Bureau, if youre using retreads youre helping reduce thenations dependence on foreign oil. It takes about22 gallons of oil to manufacture one new truck tiremost of it resides in the casing whereas aretread uses only about seven gallons.

More fleets are using retreads in their tireprograms and as a result, demand is rising.

Although the cost of a retread is typically 30 per-cent to 50 percent lower than a new tire, qualityretread processes give retreads comparablewear and performance to new tires.

Leading the way is Goodyears UniCircleretreading process. Since its 1996 introduc-tion, UniCircle has quickly gained loyal converts.

According to Richard Kirk, Goodyear managerof retread programs and pricing, the numberof authorized retreaders producing UniCircle isexpected to grow 10 percent growth in the nextsix months.

Our UniCircle business at existing distribu-tion centers continues to grow also, he says.We now have several authorized retreaders whoproduce more UniCircle retreads than retreadsmade with flat pre-cure tread.

Kirk adds that Goodyear drive and trailer

products that use Fuel Max Technology exist. Additional UniCircle deve lopment designs areunderway, and they will be introduced in thenext two years to meet emerging demands.

What makes a UniCircle retread special?UniCircle is the result of a unique processin which a precise amount of non-vulca-nized rubber is heated to curing temperatureas its forced into a mold. The vulcanizedtread, molded into a single, circular piece,is stretched over the buffed casing like agiant elastic band, laser positioned, and thenprecision-stitched.

Once its cured, the finished UniCircleretread has no splice. The patterns usedfor its treads are like those used on newGoodyear tires, providing similar wear androlling resistance qualities.

Its simpler to manufacture than a standardretread and its manufacturing specificationsmaintain a more consistently manufacturedproduct, says Ryan Searcy, retread centertraining manager for Goodyear.

For the user, enhanced consistency trans-lates to longer tread life than other retreads.When youre getting better performance andlower overall tire costs, its easy to see why itsbecoming so popular, Searcy concludes.

Fuel Max Technology:The Latest Tool to DriveLow Cost of Ownership

The Art of Recycling

UniCircle Technology Leads Retread Growth


A quality casing is a critical component involved in

owering a feetscost per mile.

GoodyearsUniCircle process

is spliceless and provides maintenance managers a retread that eatures long li e

and uni orm wear.


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2 Fleet Maintenance Tire Supplement



life. Its definitely a balancing act, says Tim Richards, project manager for line-haul tires. You need to come up witha tread compound that wears well andstill provides traction and toughness. AtGoodyear, we work hard to develop theright combination that brings the cus-tomer the best value.

Factors to Consider forMaximizing Fuel Efficiency:

Operating Practices - How thetruck is driven has a huge influence onfuel efficiency and can also affect tire life.

The higher the average speed, the fasterthe tread will wear. Speed also affectsfuel efficiency because the truck requiresincreasing amounts of horsepower totravel faster. Research has shown that

s fuel prices have continuedto fluctuate, many fleets haveplaced a renewed focus on

fuel efficiency. Tires are a good placeto start because they are a significantcontributor to vehicle rolling resistance.

A unique characteristic of tires is thatthey get more fuel-efficient as they wear.

Tests have shown fuel economy canimprove one percent after the tread isapproximately 30 percent worn.

But at some point, running tires with aworn-out tread is neither safe nor legal.Sufficient tread is needed for tractionand the more tread you start with, thelonger the tire will run before it has to bereplaced.

Engineers are constantly develop-ing new tire designs that provide agood match of fuel economy and tread

every five mph increase over 55 mph reduces fueleconomy by eight percent.

Retreads - When retreading, you can chooseto specify a more fuel-efficient tread. A well-man-aged casing may be retreaded three or four times.Each time, you should choose the tread that bestsuits your goals in the intended wheel position.

Alignment and Rotation - Keeping yourtires running as straight as possible down theroad helps save both fuel mileage and tread life.

A regular alignment program for all trucks is rec-ommended. Another good way to fight irregularwearwhich can quickly get out of hand is inrotating tires according to specified schedules.Watching for variation in tread depth among lugtires is also important.

Inflation - From a maintenance standpoint,proper inflation pressure is the most important thingyou can do to improve fuel efficiency. Goodyearresearch has shown a one percent drop in fueleconomy with every 10 psi drop in tire inflation.

If fleets are concerned about their bottomline, they should be looking at all these factorsand weighing their options, says Tim Miller,Goodyears commercial tire marketing communi-cations manager.

For drive axle tires, reducing new tire treaddepth is one way to lower rolling resistance.Line-haul fleets intent on getting the bestfuel mileage possible need to weigh thisshallower drive tire tread depth againstthe cost of removing the tire earlier, Millersays. They also have to factor in the gainsin fuel costs against what it costs to buy afew more tires per year, maintain higher tireinventory levels, and have their trucks in theshop a little more often.

On the other hand, a vocational fleet maybe running more aggressive tread than is reallyneeded, Miller says. By going to more fuel-efficient treads on certain positions, it couldrealize some savings in fuel costs.

To fully unders tand t he im pact of the setread choices, its important to survey tiresand analyze the data regularly. Softwarelike Goodyears TVTRACK makes it easyto compare performance and costs with a

few mouse clicks.If you really want to get serious about rooting out

unnecessary costs in your tire program, TVTRACK isone tool that can really help, says Miller. It gives thebig pictureand thats important when you are tryingto deal with variables like fuel costs.

Fleets Renewed Focus

Tire Strategiesfor Enhancing Fuel Efficiency

Keep tires properly infated: A tire underinfated by only ten percent can cost up to one percent in uel economy.

Tread design and compounding play an important role in lowering rolling resistance.

Tire scrubbing which takes place i any wheels are not properly aligned will create drag and poor tire per ormance.

Every ve mile an hour increase in speeds over 55 mphcosts eight percent in uel economy.

A


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K nowing that tires are a fle ets third highestcost behind fuel and labor, fleet managersare constantly searching for tools to helpreduce tire costs.

This is why many are turning to Goodyears TVTRACK tire-tracking software to quantify tirecosts and performance. The software analyzesdata by individual tires and presents it in easy-to-

read charts and graphs.Good data on specific tire applications is

extremely valuable, says Tim Miller, Goodyearsmarketing communications manager for com-mercial tires. Once you have a regular datastream, fleets can use it in many different waysto help save money on their tires.

High Steel Structures, Inc. selected TVTRACK software several years ago to help track and ana-lyze tire information for its fleet of 40 power units.

The Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based companyis North Americas largest fabricator of bridgesteel. Its tractors pull flatbed trailers, haulingoversize loads up to 320,000 pounds throughoutthe eastern United States. All are e quipped withGoodyear tires, including size 11R22.5 UnisteelG395 LHS and G149 on the steer position, G362LHD on the drive and G314 on the trailer.

TVTRACK makes real-time tire informa-tion available to High Steel on demandand prepares quarterly comprehensivetire surveys. After Goodyear Commercial

Account Manager Bob Splick downloadsHigh Steel data from TVTRACK, he workswith nearby Service Tire to conduct athorough inspection of the fleets tractortires. He checks tread depths, inflationpressures and wear patterns. The resultsare presented to fleet maintenance man-ager Mike Murry.

One thing TVTRACK highlighted forus was the need to change our inflationpractices, says Murry. Front tires wereshowing irregular wear, and we thought itwas a front-end alignment issue. Instead,

TVTRACK showed us that our tires wereunder-inflated for the weights we werecarrying. As a result, we increased our tirepressures from 95 psi to 105 psi and thewear issue vanished.

Murry says TVTRACK data also provides valu-able feedback to his maintenance staff.

Out of 300 tires that we monitor, TVTRACK shows me that less than one percent deviate fromour recommended inflation, Murry says. As adepartment director, thats important information,telling me that our guys are doing a great job.

TVTRACK data analysis also helped Murrydecide to use new tires solely.

The heavy loads we carry put tremendous

pressure on the casings. TVTRACK showed usthat new tires would provide enhanced perfor-mance and life. In our business, we cant affordto take chances with tire failure.

Murry says that because of the weights anddimensions of High Steels loads, permits arerequired for each state, as well as police escortsthrough each jurisdiction. He says TVTRACK helps him make sure hes following smart tiremaintenance practices and making decisionsthat will prevent extremely costly delays.

If we have a crane and a crew waiting for ourpiece of steel and were delayed by a tire prob-lem, it can c ost us thousands of dollars, plus thetime and hassle of rescheduling police e scorts,he says. Our main goal is to have no delays onthe road.

There are other systems out there that ana-lyze tires, but TV TRACK provides unsurpasseddetail on each tire, Murry says. The charts areblack and white. TVTRACK allows us to quantifyclearly which changes are necessary and whythey are necessary.

Tire information also plays a vital role in reduc-ing costs for Mt. Sterling, Illinois-based Dot FoodsInc. The company selected TVTRACK software10 years ago, deciding the fleet needed a betterway to track tire information. The food re-distribu-tor runs 507 trucks from seven locations, haulingrefrigerated, frozen and dry bulk products.

Shop supervisor Duane Fischer, who worksat Dot Foods Williamsport, Maryland, loca-tion where 67 power units are maintained, says

TVTRACK software assists fleet managers withtheir budgets and provides information to makedecisions on tire purchases, specifications andmaintenance.

We use the software to track operating costsand tire wear by individual tires, Fischer says.Its used to plan tire retreading and replacementschedules and to compare tire models for lengthof service and fuel economy. TVTRACK over theyears has taught us to make some changes inour tire specifications.

Fischer says every Dot Foods truck isassigned a number, so that if a tire failure occurs

on the road, the TVTRACK system tells the tireservice facility and driver which tire is affected.

Whats more, since most of our drivers areassigned to a specific truck, we can see who getsthe best treadwear and fuel economy, he says.

TVTRACK software is simple to use. Fischersays his technicians insert data on tire wearwhen the trucks come in for alignments at60,000 miles and rotation every 100,000 miles.

On-screen menus give you all the informationyou need, Fischer explains. You simply click oneach tire position on the truck chassis diagramthats shown on the screen. Its very simple to use.

Miller says all fleets can benefit from TVTRACK. It doesnt matter what type of operation you runthe value of the data isthere. The more you use it, the better your tiremanagement decisions that help improve yourtire cost savings.

Fleets Utilize TVTRACK Tire-Tracking Software

Data Drives Decision Making


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miles per retread and G314s will cover another203,000 miles.* UniCircle uses a pre-cure sec-tion that has already been molded into one cir-cular piece and is stretched over a buffed casinglike a giant elastic band.

Drive tires and trailer tires are removed with5/32-inch of wear remaining, while the steer tiresare replaced at 6/32-inch. Before Goodyear, thetires were run down to almost nothing, Turnersays. By taking tires off at these tread depths,were still getting great mileage and the casingsare in great shape for retreading.

By using retreads, Turner says Deeco is ableto enhance tire life and drive down overall tirecosts. Im saving 66 percent off the price of new tires with UniCircle and the overall life of thetires is extended. We have far less downtime,happier drivers and a better bottom line. BeforeGoodyear, it was common to experience threetire failures per day. That problem, and moreimportantly, costly downtime, has gone away.

Deeco aggressively monitors tire pressure.Pressure is maintained at 100 psi on steer tiresand 85 psi on drive and trailer tires, a pressurerecommended to achieve longer tire life for theparticular applications of Deeco. Deeco mainte-nance people check tire pressure every time atractor or trailer arrives at the maintenance yard.When Deeco drops tr ailers at some of its majorMichigan customer locations, the technicianscheck tire pressure twice weekly.

Turner gives high marks toWingfoot commercial tire deal-ers in Lansing, Kalamazoo,Wayland and Benton Harbor,Michigan. He says they fre-quently make recommen-dations for extending tirelife. Our Wingfoot dealersare extremely helpful,

Turner says. They havea great selection of tires,the warranty programworks well and they provideservice that anticipates ourneeds.

Up until two years ago, Deeco

Transportations tire program consistedof buying the cheapest new tires avail-

able and refusing to retread. But the tire programwasnt cheap.

The Lansing, Michigan-based general freighthauler has since a dopted a dramatically differ-ent tire management program. The c urrent pro-gram is simple: work closely with Goodyear, buyGoodyear tires and keep close tabs on costs.

With tires representingthe third highest expenseitem for our operation,its essential that we getthe most mileage out of tires, says Mike Turner,Deeco director of main-tenance. We now havea program that costs afraction of what we spentbefore.

Deecos fleet of 90tractors and 195 trailers transports mostly paperproducts and non-perishable goods throughoutthe continental United States, concentratingon the Midwest and Southeast. The tractorsare Freightliner Columbia, Century Class andClassics, while the trailers a re 53-foot dry vansfrom various manufacturers. Deec os rigs aver-age about 132,000 miles per year.

Before 2004, Deeco bought whatever tireswere on sale from a local tire dealer. When thetires were worn, the casings were returned forcredit because company management dislikedretreads. If a tire went flat on the road, the driver

was at the mercy of the nearest truck stop for areplacement tire.

With no clear-cut system in place, the com-pany was running 16 different tire brands andrecording low mileage before replacement. Newtires on the steer a xle averaged only 102,000miles and drive position tires averaged a littlemore than 116,000 miles, meaning the c ompanywas constantly replacing tires.

With the assistance of Dan Manning at Scott Tire Sales, a dealer with a location in Flint,Michigan, Deeco began testing both new andretreaded tires. The company compared costsbetween Goodyear and other brands and dis-covered dramatic differences.

The cost per mile for new tires was 0.12 cents,compared with almost twice that for the otherbrands. The cost per mile for retreads was evenbetter at just 0.04 cents.

The startling numbers convinced the ownersto buy new Goodyear tires and retreads.

Deeco signed as a national account cus-tomer and simultaneously became involved inthe UniCircle retread program. The companyrecently bought 25 new trailers and outfittedthem with new tires and plans to be a totalGoodyear fleet soon.

Deeco uses Unisteel G395 LHS for the steerposition, G362 on the drive and G314 on thetrailers. Turner is projecting steer tires will travelmore than 217,000 miles before retreading, drivetires will get almost 224,000 miles and trailersmore than 223,000 miles.*

With UniCircle retreading, Turner says heprojects G362 retreads will run another 186,000

Deeco also usesGoodyears 4-TIRES-NOW emergencyroadside service,which is available forall trucking opera-tions. When one of our drivers has a tireproblem out on theroad, he can call the800 number and have it handled quickly by alocal dealer, Turner says. Our drivers are upand running faster, and we experience much le ssdowntime. Plus, we pay the same prices nation-ally as we pay locally.

Deeco also uses TVTRACK fleet managementtools for tracking tire wear and performance.

The company tracks cost-per-mile, mileage andtread depth. For example, Turner knows that theaverage steer tire is running 14,000 miles per32nd-inch.

We can break out tire performance by modelnumber and position, Turner says. Plus, we ca ncompare new tires with retreads.

This allows us to calculate our costs andproject tire mileage today and into the future,he says. We always go with the best tire value,and the switch to Goodyear is paying off tremen-dously. I couldnt be happier.

By the Numbers

Michigan Fleet LearnsBuying on Price DoesntTranslate to Lower Costs

DeecoTransportation

was running16 di erent

brands be ore standardizing

with one tire brand.

Mike Turner, Deecos director o maintenance,

checks tread depth.

*Results may vary based on road and hauling conditions


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In the past, tire manufacturers have beenreluctant to recommend aftermarket tiresealants since they may be flammable if notproperly removed during the retreading process.

The sealant also must be applied while the tire isrotating or the material pools at the bottom of the tire, creating balance issues.

But a sea lants potential benefitslongertire life and more constant tire inflation pres-

sureskept the wheels of creativity spinning atGoodyear. Last year, the company introduced itsrevolutionary DuraSeal Technology for two newmixed-service tires.

DuraSeal uses a gel-like, solvent-free com-pound built into the inner liner of the tire. It isdesigned to consistently and instantly seal punc-tures up to 1/4-inch in diameter in the repair-able tread area. Since its introduction, the tiretechnology has earned the company numerousaccolades from fleet managers and truckingmedia alike.

This is why the tire make r is expa nding thetechnology into numerous sizes and applica-tions, with 11R22.5, 12R22.5, 12R22.5 and

12R24.5 sizes in the G287 MSA, G288 MSA and G177 tires. In addition, its available in315/80R22.5 in the G287 MSA (both stan-dard and heavy service).

The story behind the development anddeployment of DuraSeal Technology incommercial tires demonstrates a com-mitment to engineering innovation. It alsooffers a strong example of the companyscore value of listening and respondingrapidly to customers, while providing out-standing value to consumers and offeringthe highest standard of product qualityand service.

David Benko, director of GoodyearsGlobal Materials, says developing the con-cept behind the sealant tire for use in com-mercial tires required a lot of testing and

refinement. First, marketing conducted asurvey in 2001 which revealed, among other

things, that refuse fleets with 50 trucks typi-cally receive 102 tire-related service calls per

month. It found that 69 percent of those calls canbe attributed to tire punctures and each call costthe fleets $170, or more than $143,000 per year.

The survey clearly demonstrated the need fora sealant tire among commercial users like wastehaulers, Benko says. But engineers faced severalchallenges in developing one.

A typical truck tire has 25 different compo-nents, each for a specific application, Benkosays. And about 50 different raw materials gointo a truck tire. The compound making up eachcomponent has to be optimized for the purposethat component serves.

For example, fuel efficiency is determinedmostly by tread compound characteristics.

The inn er line r compou nd is fo rmulated to holdair. Belt and body ply compounds give the tireits strength.

We had to make sure the compound wecame up with for the DuraSeal component didntinterfere with the performances of the othercomponents within the tire.

The curing process also proved to be achallenge, he adds. Most tire compounds, likerubber, stiffen when heated. Heating up theDuraSeal compound softens it to a gum-like

consistency. For months, engineers workedon getting the formula just right.

The results? In Sau lt Ste. Marie, Ont ario, Avery Construction trucks haul stee l fromincoming Great Lakes ships through anarea of the Algoma Steel grounds litteredwith countless tire-piercing steel slivers.Constant flats and tire repair costs of $4,000to $5,000 per shipload routinely plagued thecompany before it started using tires withDuraSeal. After six months, Avery truckshadnt experienced a single flat due to tread-area punctures.

Company co-owner Jeff Avery says repaircosts are a tenth of what they used to be,and hes able to run one less truck.

Since Goodyear introduced DuraSeal Technology last year, the company has earnedhigh praise from construction and truckingindustry publications through several presti-gious awards.

Its very satisfying, especially being ableto take it from an initial concept and carry itall the way through into the marketplace andthen get that kind of rece ption. Its gratifying,Benko says.

Goodyear Hits the Nail on the Head

DuraSeal Technology Helps Ward off Flats

David Benko.

A marketing survey ound a high number o tire puncture-related service calls among re use feets. DuraSeal o ers a sealant solution to reduce fats and lower repair costs.

DuraSeal was designed to consistently and instantly seal punctures up to 1/4 inch* indiameter in the repairable tread area.

DuraSeal uses a gel-like,olvent- ree compound

built into the inner iner o the tire.

8

* Seals up to 1/4 inch tread punctures only.Does not seal sidewall punctures.


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J ust-in-time. Cost-per-mile. C radle-to-grave. Three catchphrases that put the black in afleets bottom line.While most fleets today run JIT and track

operational costs to determine CPM, todayseducated fleets rely on their truck tire dealers tohelp put together an efficient tire program.

According to Donn Kramer, Goodyearsdirector of commercial tire marketing, fleets arelooking for tire solutions, not just round rubber.Quality tire dealers have evolved past just sellingnew tires and retreads, he says. To compete,they must provide value-added services andsupport. That encompasses working with fleetsto help meet daily tire challengeshandling roadcalls if a tire problem occurs, retreading tires,refurbishing wheels and aligning suspensions,helping to track tire costs and, if ne ed be, check-ing tire inflations.

Kramer says the Truckwise program, avail-able at more than 500 Goodyear dealershipsthroughout North America, is the companyscommitment to cradle-to-grave service. The

Truckwise l ogo is a symbol of q uality; it refle ctsa commitment to handle a customers entire

tire needs.Fleets want to work with tire dealers who

they can trust with their tire programs, saysJeff Lecklider, president of Gem City Tire, afive-location Truckwise dealership in Cincinnatiand Dayton, Ohio; Indianapolis and Columbus,Indiana; and Somerset, Kentucky. Tire salesonce were driven by tire deals. What was price-driven is now value-driven. We can show acustomer their cost-per-mile with our TV TRACK program, and how Fuel Max Technology willsave them money in fuel costs. And we, alongwith other Goodyear retreaders, can track ourcustomers casings through the retreading pro-cess using G TRACS software. Customers whobought on price now buy on informationon thetotal cost of that tire from cradle-to-grave.

We work with customers and ask themwhat part of their tire program is giving them themost issues, Lecklider continues. We then getto work solving that issue. It might be findingqualified people in-house to perform tire mainte-nance. So, we may help them monitor inflationpressures. Or we might set up a mounted tireprogram in which we deliver inspected tires

already mounted and exchange them fortires that need to be retreaded and wheelsthat need to be refurbished.

Paul Long, region manager for Purcell Tire of Fenton, Missouri, says Truckwisestandards are stringent. They have to be.Its all about exceeding customer expecta-tions, he says. It starts with stocking tiresfor all applications so that national accountand commercial customers never hear thewords, Were out of stock. It continueswith support of customers 24/7 throughour emergency roadside service, and it

doesnt end until the final retread on a casinghas been scrapped.

We support Goodyear tires and our custom-ers from cradle-to-grave and in the process, wereduce their cost-per-mile. Thats truly what ourbusiness ishelping our customers be moreprofitable by improving their tire programs,Long says.

According to Gem Cit y Tires Lecklider,reducing a fleets CPM is the result of qualitytires and the diligence of tracking performanceand tire pressure.

Ive been selling tires for 20 years and thequality and performance of Goodyears tiresis the best Ive ever seen, Lecklider says. Were an independent tire dealer and have theopportunity to sell any brand, but we only buyGoodyear. We feel theyre the best in the marketwith the broadest line of tires.

They continue to introduce new innovativeproducts, such as DuraSeal Technology. Whenthe company introduced its Unisteel G395 LHS,it really changed how the industry looked at steertires. Its the premier steer on the marketit sellsitself with proven performance.

In addition, Lecklidersays, retreading now is

just as advanced as newtires. When customerstour our UniCircle retreadplant, theyre shocked andsurprised by all the tech-nology. Our tires are bar-coded, casings are buffedby a computer-aidedmachine and UniCircle isan amazing piece of equip-ment. The quality is easilyseen, and the UniCircletread matches newGoodyear tire tread.

All told, the network of Truckwise dealers areready to help customers with industry-leadingtires and programs.

Truckwise has given us the tools with tires,retreading systems and tracking software,concludes Purcell Tires Long. As a Truckwisedealer we put it all to use for customers, workingwith them to improve performance while lower-ing their costs.

Spotlight on Tire Dealers

Look for ThoseWho Deliver Service

Truckwisedealers o ten helpcustomers monitor their tire programs,

includingdocumentingtread depths.

GoodyearsVTRACK programis a power ul tool o track tire costs.

More than 500 Goodyear Truckwise locationsexist to service customers. Despite being an

independent tire dealer, Gem City Tire in Cincinatti is exclusive to Goodyear.


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Myth #1: Over-inflating tires will allow you to carry heavier loads withoutreducing speed.

Not so. Tire inflation pressure is based on loads.Over-inflation reduces the tires footprint and placesmore weigh on the centerline of the tire. Not onlywill this reduce tire life, but it also affects ride quality,stability, safety and traction because good traction ismaximized when you use the tires full footprint.

Myth #2: Deeper tread depthguarantees better treadwear.(i.e., more is better)

The reality is that too much tread depth willcause the tread lugs to compress a nd squirm,which can lead to premature removal because of fast and uneven wear. For every truck, application,and load bearing requirement, there is a specifictread design and depth that will provide optimumtire life and the lowest possible cost-per-mile. Moreis not always better.

Myth #3: Inflating a tire with nitrogenis better than using air.

Nitrogen is an inert gas with large molecules and,in theory, it would have less osmosis through the tirecasing when compared to air. Our tests, however,show no significant advantage in using nitrogen incommercial radial truck tires.

Myth #4: Golf balls in tires helpimprove balancing.

Any unbalanced condition in a steer tire assembly(tire plus wheel) can lead to vibration that the driverfeels in the steering wheel. Many drivers believe thatusing balance material inside a tire will help reducetire/wheel vibration. Golf balls? Thats a stretch. Golf balls tend to compress into a cube pattern that candamage the tire inner liner.

We recommend using lead weights to balance

the tire-wheel assembly. However, there are manyaftermarket additives that fleets and drivers claim alsowork. We do not specifically endorse any product.

That said, please review the materials so that they donot contain chemicals that react with the tire inner liner.

Myth #5: Retreads wear faster thanoriginal tire treads.

Most major brands view the tires they make andthe retreads they offer as a system. At Goodyear, forexample, the system begins with making a casingthat is rugged, long-lasting and capable of multipleretreads. The next steps include tread design andcompounding. Goodyear retread wear rate is com-parable to that of its new tires. You can expect simi-lar treadwear per 32nd on a retread as youd get ona new tread.

Myth #6: Gators all that rubber onthe roads comes from retreads.

Perception is reality when you see tire debris onthe road. Motorists see strips of tread and concludethat glue must have come undone to throw aretread. It was this perception that led to many statestudies, hoping to curtail the use of retreads on thenations highways.

But what they found was startling. A 1999 studyshowed that a significant amount of tread on thehighways came from passenger tires, even thoughpassenger tire retreads are non-existent. After examin-ing truck tires, the study concluded that new tires failat the same rateor lessthan retreaded tires undersimilar conditions.

What causes alligators? Improper attention to infla-tion. If you overload your tires or run under-inflated (20percent underinflated is considered a run-flat by tiremanufacturers), then your vehicle is a perfect candi-date to throw a tread. An under-inflated tire stressesthe sidewall and generates heata tires worst enemy.Mismatched tires on duals also lead to issue.

Tire MythsWhat Should you Believe?


North American search ison for unsung heroes of the highway truck

drivers who keep thenations economy movingwith daily commerce andwho come to the rescueof fellow motorists.

Nominations forGoodyears 24th annualNorth America HighwayHero program will beaccepted through Nov.30, 2006.

Those who ply theirskills and abilities behind thewheel are Americas unsungheroes. Too many timeswe hear about the negativeaspects of trucking, such asa driver shortage. Too little iswritten about drivers whose abil-ity makes our highways safer and keeps ourcommerce moving, said Steve McClellan,Goodyears vice president, commercial tiresystems.

The Highway Hero program is for thosewho selflessly risk life and limb to cometo the aid of fellow motorists. We believehonor should always be met with honor,McClellan added.

McClellan appealed to the truckingindustry to nominate a deserving driver.With the final deadline fast a pproaching,we dont want to leave any driver out of consideration.

To be considered for this years award,the following criteria must be met: Nominee must be a full-time truck driver; Nominee must be a resident of the United

States or Canada; Incident recognized must have occurred in

the United States or Canada; Nominee must have been on the job or on

the way to or from work, and in his or herrig at the time of the incident;

Nominees truck at the time of the incidentmust have 14 wheels or more;

Incident must have taken place betweenNov. 16, 2005, and Nov. 15, 2006, toqualify.

Nomination forms and program detailsmay be obtained by calling the GoodyearHighway Hero Hotline at 330-796-8183.

The nomination form also is available on theprograms web site at http://www.goodyear.com/truck/whatsnew/heroes.html.

Search has begunfor Truck-Driving Heroes

A


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Runs Great.Less Fueling.

Goodyear tires and retreads featuring Fuel Max Technology are a great solution for eets.They offer all the advantages of fuel efciency, while promoting many miles to removal

and a low cost per mile. Get the whole story from yourSales Representative by registering at www.goodyear.com/truck/eet.

2006 The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. All rights reserved.

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