Modern Tire Dealer articles from April 1994

Modern Tire Dealer archives from April 1994

Switch to U.S. plants is paying dividends. (Japanese tire manufacturers) (Editorial)
April 1, 1994... With talk about the possibility of a trade war with Japan and with the value of the yen at close to an all-time high, it would appear that these are not the best of times for Japanese tire manufacturers. The good news is that even if the...

Cautious optimism. (tire retreading industry)(includes list of top 25 retreaders in the U.S.) (Cover Story)
April 1, 1994... Retreading's top executives examine the future of their industry Top retreading executives are generally optimistic about their industry's outlook for the year. Responding to a Modern Tire Dealer survey, they reviewed accomplishments in...

Building a case for casings. (evaluating tire retreadability)(includes related article) (Cover Story)
April 1, 1994... Retreadability is a big issue on many fronts. The federal government wants to save the environment. Trucking fleets want to save money. And commercial tire dealers want to save customers by offering value-added services. Retreading helps...

Still scrapping over tires. (scrap tire disposal)
April 1, 1994... The politicians dither and the special interests throw their weight around, but despite it all, America's scrap tire disposal problem is edging toward a solution. Michael Blumenthal, executive director of the Scrap Tire Management...

Surviving unexpected visitors. (Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety violation routine checks at tire dealers)(includes related article)
April 1, 1994... When OSHA inspectors drop by, you'd better be ready It never fails. When someone pays you an unexpected visit, things are always at their worst. If a friend catches you with a messy house, it can be quite embarrassing. But if an...

Keith-ing the faith. (Keith Rowbotham looks back at his 60-year career in the tire industry)
April 1, 1994... It is always hard to believe that I started with 30 x 3 1/2 (clincher and straight side) 450-21, 30 x 5,475 x 19 and ended up with the complicated metric-size tires we have today. In between there was a lot of learning, butyl tubes,...

Opportunity knocks ... but nobody's home. (advice for tire dealers)
April 1, 1994... During my travels as a consultant, I am amazed at the missed opportunities that present themselves daily to entrepreneurs in the tire and service business. The lack of vision in spotting potential sales is downright amazing. I know...

The ABC's of CV joint service. (constant velocity universal joints)
April 1, 1994... It is fast approaching 30 years since constant velocity (CV) universal joints were first used on a mass-produced automobile, the Oldsmobile Toronado. Later, the Honda Civic and Accord adopted them and were soon followed by the X-body...

'Demand is strong, price hikes should stick.' (tire sales) (Ludwig Report) (Industry Overview)
April 1, 1994... So far in 1994, Kelly-Springfield and Firestone are reported to be off to a booming start with "high teens" unit growth in the first two months of the year. With demand strong, it suggests to me that dealers believe the price hike will stick....

Tandem axle alignment.
April 1, 1994... All too often, only the steer axles of a heavy-duty (Class 8-type) tractor get alignment and other maintenance care. Many operators apparently assume the tandem axles on trailers are just being pulled along for the ride. That's a...

Serving your needs. (tire dealers' truck purchases)
April 1, 1994... Commercial tire dealers are taking quite a different approach to buying service trucks than they did 10 years ago, says Mark Zipse, regional sales manager for Iowa Mold Tooling (IMT), a major service truck supplier. In many cases, he...

New Goodyear system tracks tire/vehicle combos. (Tire/Vehicle Tracking System)
April 1, 1994... Goodyear has unveiled an inexpensive and flexible computer software system that can track the combined performance of truck tires and vehicles in commercial fleets. At a press conference recently in Orlando, Fla., Al Cohn, Goodyear's...

Kelly has lots to celebrate. (Kelly-Springfield Tire Co.)(includes related articles) (Company Profile)
April 1, 1994... Kelly-Springfield Tire Co. executives had a number of reasons to celebrate during their recent get-together with more than 900 dealers in Orlando, Fla. This record turnout - topping 1,300 with family members included - was on hand to...

'Not satisfied yet.' (Bridgestone/Firestone Inc.) (Company Profile)
April 1, 1994... But BFS' performance is much improved Consistency seemed to be the keynote of the recent meeting of Bridgestone/-Firestone Inc. (BFS) executives with the company's commercial tire dealers. Much of the meeting was devoted to a progress...

Rema takes training to the techs. (Rema Tip Top/North America Inc.) (Company Profile)
April 1, 1994... Mobile unit's badly needed, say executives Dissatisfied with the number of workers trained in proper tire repair methods, Rema Tip Top/North America Inc. has closed its training center in Social Circle, Ga., and is taking its classes on the...

Wheel dimensions. (1994 Performance Wheel, Tire & Suspension Handbook)
April 1, 1994... Here's easy-to-grasp explanations to a number of technical terms you'll hear used when discussing the custom wheel market: WHEEL OFFSET: Distance from the center of the rim to the bolt pad mounting surface that contacts the rotor...

Wheel fasteners. (1994 Performance Wheel, Tire & Suspension Handbook)
April 1, 1994... Quite often, what seems so simple and straightforward on the surface can create the greatest problems. That's the case with wheel fasteners. Plenty of naive mistakes are being made, creating potentially dangerous situations. In a...

Avoiding common custom wheel problems. (1994 Performance Wheel, Tire & Suspension Handbook)
April 1, 1994... In the wheel fastener article, we discussed the importance of using the correct type and size of wheel mounting nuts or bolts. Here, let's examine other potential problems and offer tips on avoiding them. Discuss the sizing and fitment...

Performance wheel alignment. (1994 Performance Wheel, Tire & Suspension Handbook)
April 1, 1994... Even for performance-oriented street applications, you'll want to follow the vehicle maker's alignment specifications. However, understand that in most cases, the automaker's wheel alignment specs represent somewhat of a compromise between...

Performance chassis parts. (includes related article) (1994 Performance Wheel, Tire & Suspension Handbook)
April 1, 1994... The performance customer represents a golden opportunity to expand your offerings beyond that of performance tires and custom wheels. The addition of related chassis parts should be seriously considered, both as an added value and convenience...

Wheel construction: understanding the various types. (1994 Performance Wheel, Tire & Suspension Handbook)
April 1, 1994... Understanding the various types In order to make an informed choice regarding a wheel purchase, the enthusiast customer needs to understand what's available in terms of wheel construction. Custom steel wheels are generally two-piece,...

The plus concept. (altering wheel and tire sizes) (1994 Performance Wheel, Tire & Suspension Handbook)
April 1, 1994... The "plus" concept is used as a guideline in altering wheel and tire sizes. Very simply: within the plus concept, you retain the stock outside diameter of the OE-sized tire, while improving the vehicle's handling by lowering the tire's aspect...