parts & service
Lighting the flexible way A new solid-state light technology from Grote Industries is thinner than a penny and is mounted on self-adhesive flexible strips that can be bent, twisted and even cut to size. Called LightForm, the proprietary technology will see its first commercial application as a P2 marker lamp before the end of the year, according to Dominic Grote, vp-sales and marketing. Grote introduced the industry’s first LED marker lamp at the MidAmerica Trucking Show 20 years ago. LightForm is the “most radically innovative lighting product to come along” since that introduction, he said. Using 98% less material than a standard LED marker light and measuring only 71-mm thick, the marker is being called “a light stamp” because of its extremely light weight and profile, and because it can be af-
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fixed with peel-and-stick tape. Cost “will be competitive with standard LEDs,” according to Grote. The marker application is just the first for the technology that Grote said “will change the shape, design and application of interior and exterior vehicle lighting in ways we haven’t even begun to imagine.” According to the company, LightForm can produce red, amber, green and blue light; a white-light version is under development. www.grote.com
Extend tire life with nitrogen
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new TireSaver Nitrogen Tire Inflation System uses membrane technology to purify air into a stream of high-purity nitrogen that can be taken straight to any vehicle quickly and safely. Released by the Racor Div. of Parker Hannifin Corp., the system is said to extend tire life by reducing premature failure of tires caused by oxygen and moisture.
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According to the company, nitrogen inflation can help tires maintain pressure, extend tire life, improve fuel efficiency, eliminate rim corrosion, and prevent auto-ignition. Features include two stages of pre filtration and oil removal filtration; optional auto-inflator system; and portable, mobile or wall mounted designs. www.parker.com
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ometic Corp.’s Automotive Business Group announced the addition of a new under-bunk refrigerator as well as a new series of portable refrigerators/ freezers for trucks. The CD-30 underbunk unit provides more than a cubic foot of interior space and features a slide-out drawer for locating in out-ofthe-way spaces. The CD-30 is 9.8 in. high x 17.5 in. wide and 28.25 in. deep. It weighs 39.7 lbs. and runs on standard 12- or 24-volt DC power. According to Dometic, the DC-powered Danfoss compressor is designed for long life, and an oversized condenser helps to protect it against overheating. “Last year we developed an underbunk refrigerator specifically for Freightliner as a factory option for new Cascadia trucks,” said Lou Siegel, senior vp of strategic development, Dometic Automotive. “The product was so wellreceived that we are now introducing a similar model for the trucking OEM and aftermarket sectors.” The new “CoolFreeze” portable refrigerators/freezers are designed to provide additional cold storage. The top-loading units range in capacity from 1.1 to 3.77 cu. ft. and are designed to fit into tight spaces. A CoolFreeze unit can be programmed to serve as either a refrigerator or a deep freezer, with temperatures as low as 0 deg. F. A mounting kit for the CoolFreeze is available for customers who prefer fixed installation. An AC adapter kit is also offered for operation on 120V power; it’s equipped with a three-stage battery monitor, and a low-voltage shutoff protects against a dead battery. www.dometictruck.com
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