A technological balancing act

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CSA and truck tires

A technological balancing act Mounting and balancing equipment and procedures evolve to handle today’s high-tech vehicles

By Bob Bissler

It’s a procedure that’s been performed on vehicles since they were called “horseless carriages.” Service technicians have been demounting, mounting and infl ating tires for years.

For today’s modern automotive marvels, equally modern high-tech tire changing machines have made the process easier than in days past. But there are many factors that technicians must consider before att empting to demount, mount, infl ate or balance a passenger or light truck tire.

Industry groups such as the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the Tire Industry Association (TIA) help keep techs informed on the latest practices and procedures. Both groups have guidelines to make mounting and balancing tires a safe, effi cient and profi table procedure (see www.rma.org and www.tireindustry.org).

And equipment suppliers are continually creating new and bett er equipment. Here’s a rundown of some of the equipment suppliers’ latest off erings.

Robert Bosch wheel balancer portfolio

Robert Bosch LLC says its portfolio of advanced wheel balancers ranges from compact, tech-friendly balancers to sophisticated electronic and laser-actuated units.

Th e WBE 4110 compact wheel balancer off ers an invisible weight mode for hiding weights behind spokes and a weight optimization mode that reads wheel imbalance.

Bosch’s portfolio of wheel balancers range from compact, tech-friendly balancers to sophisticated electronic and laser-actuated units.

Th e WBE 4140 wheel balancer features an easy-to-read upright LCD monitor, with intuitive and straightforward steps illustrated on the monitor.

Th e WBE 4230 features an easy-to-read color LCD display and exact att achment of all concealed adhesive weights using the electronic Easyfi t data recording arm.

Th e WBE 4430 off ers automatic, precise and quick wheel data input via electronic data sensor arms, and features an Easyfi x data recording arm for measuring rim diameter.

Lastly, the WBE 4510 wheel balancer has a laser sensor that provides fully automated measurements for tire width, run-out and tire symmetry.

Corghi USA EM9380 wheel balancer

Co r g h i U S A’s EM9380 wheel balancer has been specifi cally designed for the North American market. The main characteristics of this machine include acCorghi USA’s EM9380 wheel curacy, robustness balancer debuted at the 2011 and quick cycle speed, SEMA Show and was designed Corghi reports. for the North American market.

T h e E M 9 3 8 0 electronic wheel balancer features a monitor for cars, lightweight transport vehicles and motor vehicles. Rapid

and precise, it handles high work loads.

Hennessy Industries has added the BL300, BL400 and BL500 to its BaseLine by Coats tire changer family.

New Coats BaseLine tire changer models

Hennessy Industries has added three new models to its BaseLine by Coats tire changer family. Th e BL300, BL400 and BL500 are ideal for shops where tire service is an important, but not primary, source of business. All four BaseLine models off er reliable, economical alternatives to pre-owned equipment.

The BL300, BL400 and BL500 service both steel and alloy wheels. Each tire changer comes with an airpowered side bead loosener, and X-shaped tabletop and bead-sealing jets to assist with infl ation.

Th e BL400 and BL500 also include a fully articulating Robo-Arm helper device to easily mount stiffer sidewall tires.

Hunter TCX575 tire changer Hunter Engineering Co.’s TCX575 tire changers now include the new PowerOut side-shovel bead loosener system. Th e PowerOut system provides fi ngertip beadloosening controls outside of the wheel on the shovel handle. Th is ergonomic design eliminates the foot-pedal control Hunter’s ‘s TCX575 tire that oft en forces technicians changers now include the new PowerOut side-shovel bead loosener system. into awkward positions when loosening beads, says Hunter. By operating the loosener at a more effi cient and comfortable position, technicians gain additional power, speed and control.

Snap-on John Bean RFV 2000

Snap-on Equipment’s John Bean RFV 2000 Automated Diagnostic Wheel Balancer obtains the complete profi le of the tire and wheel in one spin cycle. Patented optical imaging predicts if tire and wheel harmonics will interact with suspension harmonics to create vehicle vibrations.

Th e John Bean RFV 2000 incorporates “stripe of light” technology that provides advanced measuring processes to eliminate the need for mechanical measuring devices. With three-dimensional data obtained from optical cameras, the RFV 2000 provides a three-dimensional scaled color display of the tread, sidewall and wheel.

A weight for every need

When performing tire repair services, repairers still see a lot of lead wheel weights today. Not for long. With anti-lead regulations gaining momentum in an evolving marketplace, lead alternatives are the wave of the future. Here are some of the choices to consider.

Snap-on’s RFV 2000 provides a three-dimensional scaled color display of the tread, sidewall and wheel.

3M Wheel Weight System

Th e 3M Wheel Weight System combines a lead-free wheel balancing material with 3M Acrylic Foam Tape adhesive. Th e product provides an all-in-one, securely att ached wheel weight balancing system.

Th e 3M Wheel Weight System is designed to have less impact on the environment than standard lead wheel weights. Th e product consists of a fl exible, conformable material available in an easy-to-use, self-dispensing package used with a stand and cutt ing device.

The adhesive used to attach 3M wheel weights is designed to work on a variety of surfaces.

Features include 3M’s Att achment Tape technology for dependable att achment. Th e system provides an all-in-one, securely att ached wheel weight balancing system.

IMI XACTBalance

IMI’s XACTBalance truck weights consist of free-moving steel particles in a fl exible thermoplastic shell.

Th e particles move and adjust to changing speed, load and tread wear by targeting the exact location of imbalance, for the life of the tire.

IMI says XACTBalance off ers a 40% to 60% greater vibra

XACTBalance truck weights have free-moving steel particles in a fl exible thermoplastic shell.

tion reduction than clip-on weights. Th e adhesive backing provides compatibility for fl angeless, performance wheels and low-profi le tires.

Th e product line is available in low-profi le heights. While the weights are primarily for trucks, IMI does have an XACTBalance line for cars and light trucks.

Hennessy’s BADA Tape-A-Weights

Hennessy Industries’ BADA division recently launched three new styles of steel Tape-A-Weight products. In addition to BADA’s 7026FE style of low-profi le steel strip-and-roll products, the company now off ers 7025-FET, 7025-FE and 7024-FE products.

Th e 7025 FET steel Tape-A-Weight product is 25 standard profile strips with Tape-On-Top strips of quarter-ounce segments. Th e 7025-FE steel Tape-AWeight product is 25 standard profi le strips of quarter-ounce segments with no Tape-On-Top.

Th e 7024-FE steel Tape-A-Weight product from the value line is 16 standard profi le strips of quarter-ounce segments with economy coating and no Tape-On-Top.

All three new Tape-A-Weight styles are manufactured at BADA’s Bowling Green, Ky., plant and feature BADA’s premium-quality adhesive backing, say Hennessy offi cials.

Perfect Equipment wheel weights

Perfect Equipment Inc. off ers a full catalog of weight types in steel and zinc, including clamp-on and adhesives,

Perfect Equipment’s steel clip-on wheel weights have a corrosion resistant coating.

3M delivers to OEMs Auto W8t Apply System applies wheel weights automatically In what may be a paradigm shift in the way but also saved money,” says Schreiber. wheel weights are attached during vehicle “The new system allows you to robotimanufacturing, 3M Co. has partnered with cally apply a wheel weight. You can’t do Esys Corp. to develop the Auto W8t Apply it with a traditional segmented wheel System using 3M’s lead-free wheel weight weight. Conceivably, with our cut-tomaterial. length material on a roll, you can get an

According to 3M Co.’s Kurt Schreiber, the exact balance every time.” system can put two 3M highly fl exible, polyHe adds that there will be additional mer composite wheel weights on a wheel assembly plants featuring the Auto W8t in 10 seconds during the manufacturing Apply System in 2012. The system is not process. “It’s a game changer,” says Schexclusive to GM. reiber, manager of 3M’s General Motors Three other General Motors plants also Corp. account. “For the fi rst time, OEMs are using 3M wheel weights for the fi rst can fi nally automate the process in their time, just not in a fully automated proassembly plants.” cess. They are located in Lake Orion and

Late last year, 3M announced that three GM Lansing, Mich., and Bowling Green, Ky. plants are using the automated system on a GM is not the only OEM to make the limited basis. They are located in Arlington, Texas, Fairfax, Kan., and Oshawa, Ontario. Esys designed this Auto W8t Apply System to enable robotic application of 3M switch: BMW of North America LLC (in Spartanburg, S.C.) and Ford Motor Co. (in

“We had to make sure the automated wheel weights in original equipment Genk, Germany) also are new 3M wheel system was not only viable and sustainable, manufacturers’ assembly plants. weight customers.

for light passenger vehicles all the way to heavy-duty equipment.

“We are fi nding in our market that there are huge misconceptions about the proper ways to install non-lead wheel weights,” says Greg Parker, marketing manager at Perfect Equipment Inc. “In the old days, you truly did just ‘bang on’ lead wheel weights. Wheels were mostly steel and lead is malleable.”

Parker says that as lead weights disappear, the industry needs to learn that zinc and steel clip-on wheel weights must be installed with a soft -head hammer to avoid damage, rather than a metal hammer.

Perfect Equipment has added the new Pvalue lineup of steel clip-on wheel weights to its product lineup.

Featuring a fi ve-year corrosion resistant coating, an OE manufacturer approved clip design and a lower cost per unit, this lineup of products is positioned for the price conscious buyer.

Th e P-value series is available in all eight standard clip styles with ounce increments from 0.25 ounce to 3 ounces and gram increments from 5g to 60g.

Plombco’s lines of zinc and steel weights are made both for original equipment and the aftermarket. Plombco Inc. zinc and steel weights

Plombco Inc. off ers a complete line of zinc and steel products for OE and aft ermarket applications. Th e company also off ers lead weights, while there is still a market for them. Plombco says it likely will produce more steel weights as lead disappears.

“Most of the corporate decisions that have been made with original equipment manufacturers have veered toward steel,” says Mark Aiken, Plombco vice president of sales and marketing. “What you see happening is a lot of the independents choosing zinc. Part of the reason for that is people look at a zinc weight and it looks like a lead weight, so for them it’s a more

natural transition to go that way.”

Wurth’s most recent addition to its wheel weight line is steel 10- and 20-pound rolls in various increments.

Wurth strip/roll zinc and steel weights

Wurth USA Inc. off ers full-line wheel weight steel and zinc programs. The company’s wheel weights are available individually, in strips and as roll packaging.

Wurth’s wheel weight line off ers steel 10– and 20-pound rolls in 1/4-ounce, 1/2-ounce and 5-gram increments. A mounting stand is optional. It is a nowaste, cutt ing, or measuring system with OE adhesive. Th e company says the most important feature to this addition is Wurth’s commitment to expanding non-lead options to customers.

“As suppliers we need to maintain our commitment to non-lead wheel weights and continue to drive programs which educate our customers on the benefi ts of non-lead wheel weights,” says Daniel Molinari, product manager. ■

Make ’em earn it Show your sales team how a little more e gross profi t every day adds up fastt

As a former regional vice president running a group of retail tire and automotive outlets, rarely a week went by that a store manager wasn’t asking me for an equipment upgrade or a new piece of equipment. The manager’s reasoning and promise was usually the same, “If I had this piece of equipment, blah-blah-blah... and we’d make more profi t.” Today, I wish I had By Wayne Williams $10 for every $100 we wasted on equipment that either didn’t perform as promised, required consistent maintenance, or simply never caught on and was pushed into the corner of the shop and abandoned.

Once, while I was contemplating several equipment purchases, I was complaining to Mr. D, a retired Firestone West Coast regional director working three days a week for our company as an advisor, storyteller and voice of reason.

Mr. D said to me, “Make ’em earn it.” At fi rst I thought he meant aft er the purchase, but he meant before the purchase. Mr. D was talking about generating additional gross profi t dollars before the purchase and immediately aft erwards.

We operated a 12-bay store in Montclair, Calif., a highervolume store where the manager was asking for a second alignment machine. He was a determined, smart store manager, and a very profi t-motivated individual. Back in the day, the alignment machine he wanted meant we’d have expensive concrete work on top of the cost of the machine.

To “earn it,” (the second alignment machine), we set a goal of generating additional gross profi t ahead of our purchase through two means: additional “alignment” dollars, and additional “balancing” dollars.

Th ough the store did a good job in these categories, we set a goal of generating 20% of the purchase price of the project before we ordered the equipment, and 120 days aft er installation to pay the remaining 80%. We announced the goals to the sales and service team, and with a great deal of pride, the additional dollars starting fl owing immediately.

We instituted a simple counter card program that read:

FREE Rotation and Balance Check!!

We performed rotation and balance checks on vehicle aft er vehicle, charging only for rebalancing out-of-balance tires. Th e store team monitored their results daily, and it became apparent rather quickly that we had bett er contact a cement contractor and the Hunter alignment sales rep rep because the dollars were rolling in.

And 120 days aft er the installation, the entire project was ti j t completely funded or had generated enough additional gross profi t dollars that we proudly stated we owned the machine free and clear.

The team generated the dollars, made the extra sales eff ort and achieved its goal; they earned it. As with most organizations, there’s a grapevine; word got around, and it became standard practice for planned equipment purchases to have a plan to “earn it.”

I tell you this story because at the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association show in Las Vegas a few months ago, I stopped in to see several equipment manufacturers and check out the new advances in design and technology. I was blown away. Th e technology, accuracy and ease of use that is built into some of today’s equipment is incredible.

A rep working the Snap-on booth was friendly and knowledgeable (not always a given) about a balancer and walked me through several processes. Th ese machines are built to balance tire and wheel assemblies (and to print money).

I was around when the Chevy Corvett e came with original equipment 16-inch tires, size 255/50R16. I remember thinking, “Could they get any bigger?” Today, the Corvett e ZR1 comes with size 285/30R19 on the front and 335/25R20 on the rear. You may not be able to rotate them, but balance is more important than ever.

While watching the demonstration by the Snap-on rep, all I could think of was how to sell this service and how to make money with it.

The terminology he was using to explain the service and its benefi ts was making bells go off in my head. If this service can be eff ectively communicated to consumers at the sales counter (counter intelligence), there is a tremendous amount of gross profi t available (low-hanging gross) on a worthwhile service.

I was thinking I would institute a simple counter card program (check out this counter card easel in the photo).

I’ve learned a lot from some great people in this business. I learned how to make a profi t in a retail store and how to make more profi t year over year.

I’ve learned how to generate more gross profi t with a litt le focus and a litt le additional eff ort. I’ve learned that a litt le more gross profi t every day adds up fast.

I’ve learned you have to “earn it.” Th anks, Mr. D! ■

Wayne Williams is president of ExSell Marketing Inc., a “counter intelligence” fi rm based in La Habra, Calif. He can be reached at exsellmkting@gmail.com.