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TIRE REVIEW (ISSN 0040-8085)(APRIL 2013, Volume 113, Number 04. Published monthly by Babcox Media Inc., 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333 U.S.A. Phone (330) 670-1234, FAX (330) 670-0874. Periodical postage paid at Akron, OH 44333 and additional mail-ing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tire Review, 3550 Embassy Parkway, Akron, OH 44333. A limited number of complimentary subscriptions are available to individuals who meet the qualification requirements. Call (330)670-1234, ext. 242, to speak to a subscription services representative or FAX us at (330) 670-5335. Paid subscriptions are available for non-qualified subscribers at the following rates: U.S.: $69 for one year. Canada: $89 for one year. Cana-dian rates include GST. Ohio residents add current county sales tax. Other foreign rates/via airmail: $129 for one year. Payable in advance in U.S. funds. Mail payment to Tire Review, P.O. Box 75692, Cleveland, OH 44101-4755. Visa, Mas-terCard or American Express accepted. Founded in 1901. © 2013 by Babcox Media Inc. “Tire Review” is a trademark of Babcox Media Inc., registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office. All rights reserved. Publisher reserves theright to reject any subscription that does not conform to his standards or buying power coverage. Advertising which is below standard is refused. Opinions in signed articles and advertisements are not necessarily those of this magazine orits publisher. Diligent effort is made to ensure the integrity of every statement. Unsolicited manuscripts must be accompanied by return postage.

36 Cover: Phone Skills Drill

52 Tires: Off-Road Light-Truck Tires

56 Service: Going Retro With Refrigerant

46 Top Shop: Folsom Tire Pros

41 Special Feature: Tire Buyer Research

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Columns & Departments

■ FIRST LOOK: TireReview.comTax Tips + Customer Service + Tire Inflation | 4

■ COMMENTARY: First Off - Death by a Thousand Cuts | 6The Car Side - Power Maps for Dummies | 76

■ NEWSMAKERS:Industry News Briefs | 102013 TIA OTR Conference | 16A Visit to Nokian’s ‘Winter Hell’ | 20Hankook’s Annual Partners Day | 23Nitto Adds ‘Severe Winter’ Tire | 26

■ BUSINESS:Market Intel - Tire & Service Pricing | 28Social Media - Enhancing Social Marketing | 30

■ TIRES: OTR Tires - Underground Mining Tire Service | 60Performance - A Closer Look at Speed Ratings | 64

■ SOLUTIONS:Spotlight - Tire Changers | 66Products | 69

CONTENTSAPRIL 2013Volume 113 | No. 04

FEATURES


TireReview.com Visitor Comments

FIRST LOOK ONLINE @TIREREVIEW.COM

Seven Tax Misperceptions

Service ExposedWe’re all in the customer servicebusiness. So we need to get intoour customers’ heads and reallyfigure out the best way to servethem – men and especially women– and turn a problem customerinto a customer for life.tirereview.com/inBusiness

April is tax time...well, actually the tail end of tax season, and one of thebiggest hurdles you’ll face in running your own business is staying on topof your federal, state and local tax agencies. Tax codes seem to be in aconstant state of flux, and are barely understandable to most people. As“ignorance of the law is no excuse,” it is safe to assume that a tax auditorwill not look kindly on an “I didn’t know” answer to his inquiries. Your bestcourse of action is to have a professional handle your taxes.tirereview.com/inBusiness

inBUSINESS

InflationMyths There are three categories of tireinflation problem children: theones who don’t regularly check;the ones who check pressures reg-ularly; and the “hypermilers” whotweak pressure to improve MPG.They do as much harm as good. tirereview.com/inTires

inTIRES

RMA-Backed Texas Bill Would Ban‘Unsafe Used Tires’“Should just ban all used tires. About theonly time a used tire doesn’t have one ormore safety issues is when someonechanges wheels and tire size. That’s pro -bably 5% of the total used tire market.”– CTA & CCR

“About time. Should be for the wholecountry.” – Frank

Skipping The Torque Wrench: SticksCreate Comebacks“We hand torque every lug that is re-moved and I’ve done a ton of research

on torque. Wheel fasteners should bedry with no lube. You should clean andinspect the threads, but lubing the studor nut changes the friction, which willchange your applied torque.”– Michael

Titan, USW Come to Terms on NewFour-Year Contract“What? A settlement without drama?Wow. Didn’t see that coming.”– Paul Vanderburg

Rainbow Tire Earns Success After aUnique Start“Yeah Tire Lady! You’ll go out and flattenyour tires just to meet her and the crew.

Check out the commercials on theirwebsite – really fun. Never wrong.”– Popcorn Empress

Tire Dealer Loses $70,000 in Credit CardScheme“It took 18 trips and $72,000 to figurethis out. Better take a hard look at theemployees.”– Delbert Hale

inBUSINESS

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We’ve talked about the dangersof “creeping normalcy.”When changes – good or bad

– are so subtle so as to not even be no-ticed, that’s creeping normalcy.

Obviously the result of subtle nega-tive shifts is an intensive negative, andcompounded virtually invisible posi-tive changes create a massive positive.

The sister phrase to “creeping nor-malcy” is “death by a thousand cuts,”five words rooted in an ancient form oftorture and execution. Mostly torture.The concept is pretty self-explanatory,so we’ll leave it at that.

In the business world, “death by athousand cuts” is always bad. There isno upside to the sum of small negativesover time. While usually via outsideforces, those “thousands cuts” can alsobe self-inflicted – a form of business sui-cide no one sees coming but everyonesees. The absolute worst way to go, asthey say.

Those five words came to mindwhen I was reading a recent column inTIRE TRAX by Bob Richey, a member ofthe board of directors of the Tire Deal-ers Association of Western Pennsylva-nia. Richey’s “Little Things Add Up” inthe association’s monthly newslettersuggested that tire dealers needed to besmarter with their generosity.

The “one-size-fits-all-approach” thatdrove $29.99 oil changes and $79 brakejobs and even the still popular “out thedoor” tire prices might have been greatfor gen erating traffic and landing somesales, but they played hell on the finan-cials.

“Even on the simplest jobs, such asan oil change,” he wrote, “there aremany factors that can ultimately play

into the total cost of the job for yourcustomers, as well as for your business.

Besides the cost of special weights orgrades of oil that add to the lost profitsfrom loss-leader oil change deals,“What if the vehicle requires a specialoil filter? For years, conventional spin-on filters were the norm, and the costdid not vary significantly. In recentyears, we are seeing many canister fil-ters or special filters, and often they costmore and are more time consuming toreplace.

“What if the car has an air dam orshield that has to be removed to accom-plish an oil change? Or what if it is anengine that requires more than fivequarts of oil” – the amount most deal-ers advertise as the limit to their oilchange deals?

And what of any necessary oil dis-posal fees, collection costs or recyclecharges? Surely your service tech willuse at least one rag to wipe his or herhands. What happens if the oil panplug goes missing or is dropped deepinto a bucket of waste oil?

Digging elsewhere, what happenswhen your tire tech spots a couple ofmissing valve caps on a TPMS-equip -ped car that came in for a free inflationcheck? When your techs do a courtesycheck, who’s paying to top off thewindshield washer fluid or coolant orbrake fluid or tranny oil?

How much brake cleaner do you gothrough on a simple brake pad replace-ment job? What about brake shims andclips, or the rust cutting spray neededfor that suspension job? There’s an end-less collection of nuts and bolts andfuses leaving your shop on customercars with nary a dime collected.

When you work out those “out thedoor” tire prices, have you figured inthe cost (plus fair profit) for valve stemsand caps, tech time to do a proper de-mount/mount, and the actual cost ofall those road hazard warranties andfree future tire rotations promised?

Probably not. Some of you count itas the cost of doing business. After all, ahappy customer today will be back to-morrow and tomorrow’s tomorrow.The little things do add up, and thekind of good customer you are tryingso hard to attract will be dazzled, grate-ful and loyal.

But how badly does all of this“good will” ding your financial results?Are you building a sustainable businesson the basis of the next dollar deal or“valued added” that goes unaccountedfor, or with your expertise and reputa-tion and quality and honesty?

Sure, some of you play with that“back side” money, which works greatwhen you buy tires by the train-carload and collect the max volume dealpossible. Front side or back side, profitsare profits and when you give profitsaway, it’s called a loss.

How can you be profitable, let alonesecure and growing, if you keep givingit all away one nickel, dime or dollar ata time?

Richey said he’s a “firm believer thatthe price of the job should reflect thematerial cost and the labor involved.”And he recognizes that with all of themakes and models and designs andconfigurations on the road today, onesize cannot possibly fit all.

The little things, he knows, do addup. ■


Death bya ThousandCuts

Is your good nature and

the ‘cost of doing

business’ doing in

your business?

COMMENTARY FIRST OFF

JIM SMITH

Editor

[email protected]

- Howard Fleischmann Sr.,

co-owner, Community Tire Pros

& Auto Repair, Phoenix

Having accessto the most reliable data andmarket feedback

“

”

More. Delivered.

is incredibly vital to our success. Especially in

the fall when we start planning for the next year. Tire

Review’s annual Sourcebook distills

it all down for us, with industry stats,

dealer outlook, and consumer feedback – alongwith a huge Buyer’s Guide – all inone issue. If it’s not there, it’s not important.

The Tire Industry Association isaccepting nominations for the 2013Tire Industry Hall of Fame. Thedeadline for nominations is July 5. Anomination form is available fordownload at www.tireindustry.orgor by emailing [email protected] calling Donna Sage at 301-430-7280, ext. 102.

The Hall of Fame is open to indi-viduals in the tire industry, includingmanufacturers, inventors, publishers,equipment suppliers, tire associationexecutives, tire dealers, tire and rub-ber recyclers and retreaders. The Hallof Fame may be awarded posthu-mously.

Inductees are chosen based on

their contributions of new ideas,practices and/or innovations thatpromote the health and well-being ofthe tire industry; their exemplaryand distinguished service in the tireindustry; and the respect of theirpeers. Civic, cultural, educational orcharitable endeavors will be consid-ered, but are not a primary consider-ation as attributes for selection.

Hall of Fame inductions will takeplace Nov. 4 as part of TIA’s Tire In-dustry Honors event, which takesplace prior to the 2013 SEMAShow/Global Tire Expo.

Tire industry veteran Rick Bren-nan joined Falken Tire Corp. as its

executive director of product strat-egy.

“As we have continued to ex-pand our product offerings and pro-vide incremental value to ourcustomer base, we thought it wasonly natural to expand our productexpertise. We are excited to wel-come Rick to the Falken family,”said Andrew Hoit, vice president ofmarketing. “Rick’s diverse industrybackground and over 40 years of ex-perience will be a great complimentto our team.”

Brennan, formerly vice presidentof marketing for Kumho Tire USA,will play a key role in workingclosely with Falken’s technical groupto “monitor and drive our futureproduct development needs, as wellas help to coordinate our go to mar-ket strategy for new and existingproduct lines,” Hoit added.


Bridgestone remains the world’s most valuable tire brand,

according to new brand valuation research by Brand Fi-

nance.

The annual Brand Finance Global 500, released in late

March, showed that while Bridgestone suffered some slip-

page from 2012 and Michelin gained some ground, the

Japanese tiremaker’s lead brand retained its top spot.

Bridgestone placed 254th overall on the global rankings,

down from 2012 placement at 235th. The brand was valued

at $4.5 billion, up slightly from 2012’s $4.4 billion valuation,

earning a brand rating of AA-.

Michelin, meanwhile, jumped to 264th place on the global

listing, up from 2012’s 271st spot. The brand earned a $4.4

billion value, well up from the $3.9 billion valuation of 2012,

and a brand rating of AA+.

Continental was third among tiremakers, with a global

ranking of 374, down from 362 in 2012. The brand was val-

ued at $3.2 billion, up slightly from 2012’s $3.1 billion, giv-

ing it a brand rating of AA-.

Goodyear, the only American tire brand on the global list,

placed at 379th, well up from its 431st spot last year. The

brand’s value came in at $3.2 billion, a significant jump

from 2012’s $2.7 billion, earning it an AA- rating.

Rounding out the tire category was Pirelli, which went un-

ranked among the top 500 brands this year and last. Still,

its brand was valued at $1.5 billion, up from $1.3 in 2012,

giving it a brand rating of AA.

Four Tiremakers MakeGlobal 500 Top Brand List

Continued on

INDUSTRY NEWS & EVENTS

NEWSMAKERS

TIA AcceptingTire Industry HOFNominations

Brennan JoinsFalken in ProductStrategy Role

Pep Boys launched an all-new cus-tomer experience on March 23, open-ing a completely redesigned retailstore in Tampa. According to PepBoys, the redesign reflects the com-

pany’s latest efforts to make “auto re-pair more accessible and engagingfor consumers.”

The retailer said, “The new experi-ence begins with enhanced customerservice from store associates with amore customer-centric approach.From there, associates will focus onalleviating the stress and confusionthat often shrouds auto service andrepair by offering clear, easy-to-un-

derstand explanations of parts andrepairs.”

The new-look store will featurefresh interior and exterior design ele-ments, with stone masonry and hard-wood accents adorning the buildingand signage. These design elementscarry through to the store’s interior,the company noted. Other upgradesinclude an enhanced, amenity-heavy

The RMA is backing a bill intro-duced in the Texas state Senate thatwould ban the sale of “unsafe” usedtires.

The RMA testified in support of SB459, introduced by Sen. Jose Rodri -guez, before the Texas Senate Trans-portation Committee, which laterpassed the bill forward for the full Sen-ate to consider.

The RMA said that busi-nesses should not be allowedto offer tires that are worn out,damaged or exhibit other un-safe conditions.

“This legislation will helpimprove highway and motoristsafety in Texas by addressingthe sale of unsafe used tires,”said Dan Zielinski, RMA seniorvice president. “Safety is thehighest priority for the tire in-dustry and we support this leg-islation.”

The bill defines an “unsafetire” as a “passenger or lighttruck tire that has tread lessthan one-sixteenth inch deep;has chunking, bumps, knots or bulgesevidencing cord, ply or tread separa-tion from the casing or other adjacentmaterial; has exposed tire cords orbelting material as a result of damageto the tire; has a repair to the tire in thetread shoulder, sidewall, bead area orbelt edge area; has a puncture that hasnot been sealed or patched on the in-side with a cured rubber stem or plugthat extends through to the outsidesurface; does not clearly show theUnited States Department of Trans-portation tire identification number lo-cated on the sidewall of the tire; issubject to a manufacturer’s safety re-call; has a puncture larger than one-quarter inch; or does not otherwise

meet department safety standardsunder Section 547.101.”

To demonstrate what it feels is theproblem of availability of “unsafe usedtires,” Zielinski said the RMA “pur-chased several used tires from usedtire stores in Texas. Each tire exhibitedone or more conditions that are clearlyunsafe.

“Unsafe used tires are readily avail-

able for sale across the nation,” hesaid. “Any used tire is a risky proposi-tion since it’s impossible to know theservice history of a tire used by some-one else. But some businesses are com-pounding that problem by selling tiresthat anyone in the tire business shouldknow are dangerous.”

In testimony before the Committee,Zielinski called SB 459 “common senseregulation of used tires,” add ing: “Weestimate that 20-25 million used tiresenter the market each year in the U.S.What we don’t know is how many areunsafe. But it doesn’t take long to findthem. Our members purchased severalunsafe used tires from shops in theAustin area in just a few trips. These

tires are readily available.“Used tires are not subject to any

regulations. All that SB 459 does is at-tempt to weed out those tires thatevery tire professional can and shouldknow poses an unreasonable risk tomotorist safety. Simply put, if you’rein the business of selling tires, youshould know not to sell tires thatmatch the conditions listed in this leg-

islation.“Requiring used tire sellers

to be appropriately account-able when they return usedtires back to road service is asimple, reasonable attempt toprotect consumers.”

Tire buyers are not absol -ved, though. “Consumers al-ways should approach a usedtire purchase decision withcaution,” Zielinski offered.“No consumer can possiblyknow the storage, mainte-nance and service history ofany tire. Tires driven underin-flated over time; suffered im-pact damage by hitting a

pothole or curb; exhibit uneven treadwear due to poor vehicle alignment orhave been repaired improperly can in-crease the risk of tire failure.

“We are working to educate policy-makers and consumers about the dan-gers of unsafe used tires and willadvocate state laws to prohibit the saleof used tires with conditions that posea significant motorist safety risk,”Zielinski said.

“Consumers may think used tiresare a bargain but saving a few dollarsisn’t worth the risk if your choice in-cludes a worn out or damaged tire.”

Zielinski noted the RMA also is“advocating unsafe used tire legisla-tion in Florida.”


■ NEWSMAKERS: NEWS & EVENTS gFollow@Tire_Review

Continued on

RMA-Backed Texas Bill Would Ban ‘Unsafe Used Tires’

Pep Boys AddsNew ‘Retail Experience’



customer waiting area and free wi-fiaccess.

“Inside, the new store will incor-porate an easy-to-navigate layout, re-placing old store-length aisles withproduct ‘neighborhoods,’ which in-cludes a section for organization andlifestyle products,” the companyclaimed. “This arrangement enablescustomers to comfortably moveabout the store, as well as quickly lo-cate any number of products – frommotor oil to iPad accessories.”

Harvey Firestone, founder of Fire-stone Tire & Rubber Co., is amongseven racing and motorsports indus-try legends who will be inducted thisyear into the Motorsports Hall ofFame of America.

Firestone –along with JackChrisman, Mas-ten Gregory,Brad Lackey,Bud Moore,Robert Petersenand Alex Za-nardi – are theSilver Anniver-sary inducteeswho will receive

the honor at the organization’s 25thannual Induction Ceremony, set forAug. 21, at the Fillmore Theater inDetroit.

“There is no better way to cele-brate our 25th anniversary than withan induction class that showcases atrue variety of American motorsportswith an international flair,” said RonWatson, president of the MotorsportsHall of Fame. “This year’s Silver An-niversary group features a championrider and drivers, a title-winningteam owner, a legendary publisherand an industrial giant whose namestill graces racing tires today.”

International Marketing Inc.launched its “Operation Extra Mile”campaign in early March, which fo-cuses on helping fleets extend treadlife and overall lifecycle of commer-cial tires by reducing uneven wearand vibrations. This is particularlyimportant, IMI said, with today’smore fuel-efficient tires.

IMI reminded its Equal internalbalance compound “keeps all tires, re-gardless of wheel position, in balancefor the life of the tread. By maintain-ing a continuous mass balance, Equalreduces vibrations and uneven wearcaused by speed, load and the road.”

While most fleets take deliveryand then balance steer tires, balanc-ing drive tires is very uncommon,IMI noted, adding that as a truckgoes down the road at 66 mph, thetire and wheel assemblies rotate 563times per minute. Each rotation of anout-of-balance assembly brings irreg-ular wear, the company said.

According to IMI, reducing irreg-ular or uneven tire wear – whichhurts the fuel efficiency of the tire bycausing early tire removal – makes itpossible to take advantage of the lastfew 32nds, which is the most fuel-ef-ficient portion of the tire.

TIA is accepting nominations forservice on the 2013-14 TIA Board ofDirectors. Board members serve forthree-year terms and may be re-elected to serve two additionalterms.

Any TIA member in good standingor an official representative of an in-dustry association may recommendcandidates to the nominating commit-

tee; self-nominations also are welcome.All nominations should be sub-

mitted to the TIA office in Bowie,Md., no later than 5 p.m. on May 1.To download a nominating form,visit www.tireindustry.org or contactDonna Sage at [email protected] 800-876-8372, ext. 102.

Entries are being acceptedthrough July 5 for the 2013 TIRE RE-VIEW Top Shop Awards presented byAmmco/Coats. The industry-leadingTop Shop Awards program seeks tohonor the “best of the best” inde-pendent tire dealers in the U.S. andCanada.

The Grand Prize Winner will re-ceive the brand new Coats 70X-LLeverless Rim Clamp tire changer,$1,500 in cash, airfare and hotel fortwo (2 nights/3 days) to the 2013Global Tire Expo/SEMA Show, a fea-ture story in the October 2013 issueof TIRE REVIEW, and a Top Shop tro-phy to display in their dealership.

Three Finalists each will receive aCoats 1250-3DV tire/wheel balancer(featuring on-board training), $500 incash, a feature story in the Octoberissue and a specially designed final-ist trophy.

Entry forms, prize informationand links to past winners’ profiles areavailable at tirereview.com/topshop.

The TIRE REVIEW Top Shop Awardcontest spotlights independent tiredealers that epitomize the attributesand values stressed in every issue ofTIRE REVIEW: exemplary customerservice and retention, training andeducation, merchandising and pro-motion, professional standards andconduct, innovation, appearance,business management, communityinvolvement, business growth,achievement and innovation.

Dealers can nominate their ownbusinesses, or others can nominatetire dealer businesses. The entryprocess is simple: Those making thenomination need to provide basic in-formation about the dealership beingnominated and write a short (300-word maximum) essay explainingwhy that dealership should be con-sidered. ■

Harvey FirestoneInducted intoMotorsports HOF

SCAN FOR INFOTo view additional news stories, go totirereview.com/news or scan this bar codewith your smartphone or tablet.

IMI’s Equal Allowsfor ‘OperationExtra Mile’

TIA Seeks Boardof DirectorsNominations

2013 Top ShopAward Entry Period is Open

More than 500 members ofthe tire industry gathered inPuerto Rico for this year’s

TIA OTR Conference, not quite arecord but an impressive total none -theless. What was a record was thenumber of international attendees,who visited the 58th annual confer-ence from 18 countries.

Perhaps it was the weather; thebeachfront Gran Melia Golf Resort inRio Grande, P.R., blessed the groupwith mild temperatures and brightskies. Perhaps it wasthe company, cama-raderie and contactsthat those intenselyinvolved in the OTRtire segment enjoy.

Or perhaps it wasthe presence of Hallof Famer and golficon Chi Chi Ro-driguez, 77, whowelcomed confer-ence attendees withan engaging keynotespeech, and spenttime with thoseparticipating in theconference’s an-nual golf tourna-ment.

Regardless, theattendees faced an intense agenda ina relaxing atmosphere.

TIA executive vice president RoyLittlefield, introduced by TIA presi-dent Randy Groh, kicked off the fes-tivities with a brief welcome address.Littlefield noted that the OTR Con-ference “is a cornerstone for our as-sociation” and has proven to be “thebest source for new product and in-dustry information.”

Littlefield recounted the currenthealth of TIA, with the associationcarrying 721 total members, includ-ing 377 that have signed up since the2012 Global Tire Expo/SEMA Showlast November. A lot of that increase,he said, was driven by the ambitioustraining tour that crisscrossed the

U.S., as well as the continued popu-larity of TIA commercial tire andOTR tire training efforts.

The Feb. 21-23 conference contin-ued with a review of the OTR tiremarket by Amit Agarwal, Bridge-stone Americas’ manager of businessanalysis and forecasting. Unlike pastyears, this highly anticipated presen-tation did not include actual OTRshipment figures, a bit of a disap-pointment for the audience. Instead,Agarwal provided a look at the post-

recession condition of three key OTRtire sectors: construction, aggregatesand mining. In addition, he providedindex levels for both OTR equipmentsales and tire sales.

Jim Smith, editor of TIRE REVIEW,moderated the popular Tire Manu-facturers Panel Discussion, whichfeatured Bruce Besancon, MichelinNorth America director of earth-mover tire marketing; Tim Easter, di-rector of OTR sales for YokohamaTire Corp.; Aaron Murphy, vice pres-ident of CMA/Double Coin; andWade Gatlin, vice president of min-ing for Bridgestone Americas.

The sometimes spirited discussiontouched on a wide range of topics, in-cluding concerns over tire shortages,

increased production, how each pro-ducer saw the progress or decline ofcertain OTR segments, the potentialfor airless OTR tires, the state of OTRtire retreading, manufacturer effortsat tire recycling and other “green” ef-forts, and the impact of the decline innatural rubber prices.

Other Industry ConcernsDay two kicked off with a presen-

tation about TPMS use on earthmovertires by Trevor Potter, vice president

of sales and market-ing for Schrader In-ternational. Pottertouched on the keyadvantages of de-ploying TPMS ongiant OTR tires, aswell as how TPMStechnology has hadto evolve to meetthe challenges ofthe harsh environ-ments OTR tires ex-perience.

Michelin’s Besan-con then returned tothe podium with apresentation on thekey trends suppliersand dealers need tobe prepared for in

the coming year. In closing, Besancon’sfinal point was that 2013 will be theyear of choice, reminding attendeesthat OTR tire end-users still have op-tions, and their decision will be drivenprimarily by business requirementsand operational needs.

Marvin Bozarth, TIA senior techni-cal consultant, moderated the annualOTR Retreader Panel Discussion,which offered comments from MikeBerra Jr., vice president of Commu-nity Tire Retreading; Dennis Bull,president of BR Retreading; BrianHayes, vice president of manufactur-ing for Purcell Tire Co.; Noah Hick-man, president of H&H Industries;James John, vice president of opera-



> Tire Industry Association

Crowded OTR Meeting Heavy on Data, Networking

Continued on

The conference’s lively Tire Manufacturers Panel Discussion featured (fromleft) Michelin’s Bruce Besancon, Yokohama’s Tim Easter, Bridgestone’s WadeGatlin and CMA/Double Coin’s Aaron Murphy.

tions for Shrader Retreading; Ed Pet-ros, sales manager of RDH Florida;and Frank Schmidt, general managerof McCarthy OTR Retreading Inc.

Members of the panel pointed outthat the economy remains the topissue, with uncertainty carryingthrough into 2013, stimulus moniesthat were earmarked for road con-struction projects drying up, and thecontinuing threat of regulatory action.

At the same time, the retreadersdid note opportunities handling 51-inch and larger sized tires, the posi-tive impact of low interest rates onequipment purchases, and growth

opportunities outside of the U.S.Closing day still provided a lot of

valuable information for attendees.TIA’s Littlefield started the day witha recap of the November presidentialelection and its implications on busi-ness, as well as the status of Con-gressional inaction on a wide rangeof legislative matters.

Brett Eckstein, executive directorof Tire Stewardship Manitoba, deliv-ered an enlightening presentation onthe state of scrap tire disposal in theprovince. Manitoba passed the TireStewardship Regulation in 2006, andsince then a not-for-profit group

manages scrap tire collection, pro-cessing and disposal – as well as re-cycling – on behalf of tire sellers.

Bridgestone Americas’ Jeff Fau -bion, technical compliance trainer,then offered an inside look at OTRservice truck pre-trip inspections. Re-quired by law, these pre-trip inspec-tions remain integral to tire serviceworker safety. Faubion remindedthat Mine Safety and Health Admin-istration inspectors can shut down aservice truck if it is found to be un-safe, and the operator (the dealer)can receive heavy fines.

Taking that theme further, KevinRohlwing, TIA senior vice presidentof training, discussed safety issuesduring the servicing of OTR tires.Rohlwing pointed out that OTR tireservice techs face a difficult balancingact between getting the service/re-pair job done efficiently and gettingthe work done safely. The greatestthreat to safety, he noted, came fromlifting and jacking the vehicle andfrom assembly removal.

TIA announced that the 2014 OTRConference will take place Feb. 19-22at the Marco Island Marriott Resort& Golf Club in Marco Island, Fla.Registration forms are now availableat tireindustry.org. ■



Marvin Bozarth, TIA senior technical consultant, moderated the annual OTR RetreaderPanel Discussion.

Jim SmithEditor

[email protected]

Aaron Murphy, vice president of CMA/Double Coin, connects with OTR Conference attendees (left); Roy Littlefield, TIA execu-tive vice president, kicks off the event with a brief welcome address.

Rapid Response: 800-928-1184 ext. 49019 �

The reason Akron became theRubber Capital of the World wasnot its unique ability or those of

its inhabitants or even the earnestnessand inventiveness of the locals.

It was, in fact, all about location, lo-cation, location. Akron sat along amajor east-west shipping corridor withrailroads and the Erie Canal servicingthe area, and it offered an abundantwater supply in the Cuyahoga River.

Half a world away, in the frozenreaches of Finland, a tire company (notan entire industry) grew up by takingfull advantage of that country’s oneabundant resource – cold. Taking a“lemons-lemonade” approach, NokianTyre developed what its Finnish home-land – and residents of other equallyfrozen Nordic countries – demanded:

Tires that would allow safe, reliabletransport in even the harshest winterconditions.

Among the country’s most cher-ished pastimes is the sauna. In fact,there are said to be a million saunas inFinland – in private homes, businessesand even bars – or at least one forevery five Finns. Everyone in Finlandsaunas, at least once a week, according

to stats, and some hearty souls com-bine the steamy warmth with a nakedrun at what they call “ice swimming” –cutting a hole in the thick ice coveringa lake, jumping into the frigid water,crawling out and then racing back tothe sauna.

In Helsinki, the country’s capitaland largest city, with around one mil-lion people, as well as its southernmostport, winter temperatures can reach -15˚F or colder. Summers – effectivelyJune through August – can easily getinto the 70˚F range; the rest of the yearis various stages of cold, particularlythe November-March period, whichalso is the darkest.

Nokian Tyre hosted a hearty groupof about 70 dealers and media from theU.S. and Canada for a three-day tour ofits plant, primary warehouse, some funwinter activities and, of course, its fa-bled test facility in Ivalo. Located 200extra cold miles north of the Arctic Cir-cle, Ivalo is said to have 300 year-roundresidents and 20,000 hotel beds, cater-ing as it does to Russian and Japanesetourists looking for skiing, snowmobil-ing or snow shoeing adventures.

Ivalo also is home to the northern-most working com-mercial airport, whichcan handle a full 737-size jet at its singlegate.

The Saariselka re-gion, which includesIvalo, also is home to aPorsche Driving Expe-rience facility and an-other test track, thisone used by other tire-makers and some au-tomakers for wintertesting. Nokian’s “Win-ter Hell” at Ivalo isproprietary save forone or two automakertests per year.

The dealer body in-cluded representativesfrom Kal Tire, PRB,Touchette, Flynn’s Tire,

Free Tire Service, Northwest Tire Fac-tory, Grismer Tire, Direct Tire, PlazaTire and Schneider Tire, among others.

The Tiremaker’s EvolutionNokian Tyre is headquartered in

Nokia, Finland, about two and a halfhours north of Helsinki. Nokian, oncepart of the same group with cell phonemaker Nokia, was founded in 1898 asSuomen Gummitehdas (the FinnishRubber Works), and its current home-town factory was built in 1904. Itwasn’t until 1932, though, that thecompany undertook production of cartires.

In 1934, everything literally chan gedwhen the world’s first winter specifictire was produced, followed two yearslater by the debut of the Hakkapeliittawinter line, still the cornerstone of vir-tually everything Nokian Tyre does.

The Nokia plant has been expandeda few times over the years, but remainsextremely “tight,” with narrow walk-ways and production equipmentsqueezed into place. Still, for the mostpart the plant has modern equipment,and can turn out some five million con-sumer tires per year. It also produces



> Nokian Tyres Inc.

Visiting ‘White Hell’ to See Latest Winter Beaters

Among the new tires coming is the fuel-efficientHakkapeliitta R2 SUV.

Continued on

Hannu Teininen, vice president ofglobal sales and logistics.

medium truck (including Hakka win-ter lines) and forestry tires.

In 2005, Nokian Tyre went west, toVsevolozhsk, Russia, near St. Peters-burg, to construct its sec-ond plant. Expanded in2011, the Russia facilityhas the capacity to crankout some 12 million con-sumer tires per year fordomestic and export cus-tomers. Hannu Teininen,vice president of globalsales and logistics, sharedduring a briefing on thecompany that NokianTyre is looking to add yetanother plant, likely inwestern Europe.

Nokian Tyre alsoturned to retailing,launching its Vianor storebrand in Finland andlater in Norway, Swe-den and Latvia, ex-panding further acrosswestern Europe intoRussia, and back acrossthe Atlantic in theupper northeast of the U.S. Today,there are more than 1,000 Vianor stores(35 in the U.S.) selling tires and vehicleservices.

Nokian in North AmericaA new face to North American

media was Tommi Heinonen, installedlast August as president and generalmanager of Nokian Tyres North Amer-ica, the parent of Nokian Tyres Inc., theU.S. and Canada sales arm.

The 12-year Nokian veteran is look-ing to maintain double-digit growth inNorth America, and key to that contin-ued march will be the firm’s successfulEntyre all-season passenger tire andthe Rotiiva AT all-season light truck/ -SUV line, as well as the three upcom-ing winter tires unveiled at thisdealer/media event.

North America represents just 7% ofNokian’s global sales, at around $142million total for 2012. While it won’tbecome a billion-dollar sales companyon these shores anytime soon, Hein -onen fully expects the new winter rub-ber filling its North American pipelineover the coming 18 months – the stud-less Hakkapeliitta R2 and Hakka R2SUV, and the Nokian WR G3 – will bemajor contributors to the firm’s strong

incremental growth.Dealers and journalists had a full

day at Winter Hell to try out the threenew tires at Nokian’s 1,540-acre, 20-

track facility, with three large frozenlakes serving as ice tracks. A series ofAudi and VW cars, small SUVs andsports models served as test vehiclesfor the event, a short series of runsaround a full lake track, an ice/snowslalom track, and on nearby publicroads.

According to Matti Mori, technicalcustomer service manager, Ivalo is nowinter convenience; it is a full-time,permanent facility.

Most serious testing is done at nightwhen temperatures, unaffected bychanging sunlight and clouds, remainconsistent. There are no cement or as-phalt roads at Ivalo, only gravel routesthat snow and ice over in the coldermonths (which is most of the year).

“If there is no snow, there is no test-ing,” Mori stated. Apparently that isn’ta problem, as over a 12-month period,test drivers at Ivalo will run through20,000 tires – Nokian and competitiveunits – a remarkable 55 for each day ofthe year.

While not entirely identical, theHakkapeliitta R2 and R2 SUV lines doemploy similar technology, including“cryo crystals” in the silica-based treadcompound for added traction on ice,heavy tractive siping, pump sipes to

move water, added snow grip edges inthe tread grooves that also fight slush-planing, and “extremely low rolling re-sistance,” according to Mori.

The Hakka R2 re-places the Hakka R, andwill be available nextwinter season in a rangeof 13- through 20-inchsizes, all XL or run-flat(for BMW fitments).

The equally fuel-effi-cient Hakka R2 SUV hasa different looking treadpattern compared to itssister, and a slightly dif-ferent tread compound.The casing is enhancedwith a nylon cap beltover two steel belts,Mori noted. The tirealso will be available fornext winter in an initialrange of 15- to 19-inchsizes, mostly XL, withtwo run-flat versions.

The asymmetricWR G3, replacing theWR G2, has four cir-

cumferential grooves, 3D lock sipes,heat-reducing indentation on theshoulder blocks, and a “nano base”tread compound that features three dif-ferent compounds laid one over theother.

The H-, T- and V-rated tire willcome in a range of 16- to 18-inch sizes,with six directional sizes in 14- and 15-inch dimensions. The WR G3, saidHeinonen, is making its way to NorthAmerica now.

That Nokian Tyre makes excep-tional winter tires there is little doubt.And in its Nordic home and westernRussia, the brand is well known andunderstood by retailer and driver alike.

But in North America, Nokian re-mains a niche tire with a fervent butsmall following. The tiremaker has re-lied almost exclusively on its smallcadre of dealers to handle advertisingand promotion, which limits its abilityto entice new buyers and new dealers.

Still, Heinonen has his eyes firmlyon continued growth, and the newlines should help facilitate that. ■



Matti Mori, technical customer service manager, talks about the newestadditions to the Nokian line.

Jim SmithEditor

[email protected]


TireReview.com 23

■ NEWSMAKERS: NEWS & EVENTS

> Hankook Tire America Corp.

Execs Share Growth Plans, New Products at Meeting

Some new faces in managementwelcomed more than 200 dealers,distributors and their guests to

Hankook’s Partners Day 2013, held inFebruary at the Ritz-Carlton in Can-cun, Mexico.

Welcoming attendees tothis year’s winter meetingfor the first time was Bye -ong Jin “B.J.” Lee, newly-appointed president of Han -kook Tire America Corp.

Introduced by senior vicepresident of sales ShawnDenlein, who joined thecompany last fall, Lee saidhe believes in a “give andtake” philosophy with hiscustomers as opposed to a“take and give” business re-lationship.

In a separate one-on-oneinterview with Lee, the newpresident said he intends tooffer strong support to hismanagement team. Pointingspecifically to Denlein’s ef-forts on behalf of the tire-maker’s dealers anddis t ributors, Lee said, “Ourgrowth depends on ourdealers.” Lee also applied asense of humor and well-placed metaphors to hisbusiness strategies andtactics, presenting a verypersonable attitude toevent attendees.

Growth GoalsHankook – which currently regis-

ters as the seventh largest tire manu-facturer in the world – has a long-stated goal of breaking into the topfive. Hankook Tire America recordeda 20% sales growth in 2012, reaching$1.2 billion in sales.

That contributed mightily to Han-kook Tire Co.’s record global sales of$6.44 billion for 2012, up 8.3% from2011’s sales of $5.67 billion. Operatingprofit in 2012 grew 58% year-over-year to $836.8 million.

Lee said that due to a combinationof increased availability of productfrom capacity expansions in the tire-maker’s Indonesia and Hungary facil-ities, as well as the end of U.S. tariffson Chinese-produced consumer tires,

it is “very reasonable” to see Han-kook’s North American business unitreach sales of $1.4 billion in 2013. Overthe last seven years, the company hasaveraged 13% annual sales growth inNorth America.

Denlein, running the dealer meetingfor the first time, said in order to ac-complish that goal, Hankook’s strate-gies are about “sustainable” growth forthe company and its dealer partners.He emphasized Hankook’s productline, the quality of the tires and howwell the brand has performed in sev-eral CONSUMER REPORTS tests.

A number of dealers told TIRE RE-VIEW they were interested in housebrands Kingstar and Aurora, as Den-lein indicated those brands have re-ceived added offerings to give dealersa good-better-best lineup to offer cus-

tomers.

New Tire PlantAlso taking the stage at

the meeting was HyunBum Cho, president andchief marketing officer ofHankook Tire Co., whonoted Hankook’s successplan “is based on achievingan economy of scale forlong-term success,” which“is crucial to continuedgrowth and overall profits.”

The appearance of Cho,who is a major shareholderin the parent company andis reported to be one of the200 wealthiest people inSouth Korea, was a refresh-ing experience, accordingto a number of dealers inattendance, who said meet-ing and talking with himallowed them to have abetter understanding of thecompany as a globalplayer.

In order to reach the topfive global tire manufac-turer ranks, Hankook mustovercome both Sumitomo

Rubber Industries and Pirelli SpA. Todo this, Cho said a North America tireplant is a necessary addition to thecompany’s overall strategy. He statedthe chance of a U.S. plant being built“is over 80%; we want to grow evenlyaround the world and are looking forbalance.”

In North America, Cho estimatesthe company can improve its overallmarketshare to 12%, even to 15%, inthe long term, especially once a localplant is in place.

Other highlights of the meeting in-

Hankook Tire America Corp. senior vice president of salesShawn Denlein (left) and president Byeong Jin “B.J.” Lee out-lined the tiremaker’s growth goals and strategy at the meeting.

Continued on Page 24

� Rapid Response: 800-928-1184 ext. 49121

cluded the announcement of futurechanges to Hankook’s “One” dealermarketing program, launched in 2012.The tiremaker also plans to continueto pursue OE fitments in both the con-sumer and commercial markets.

Lee did share some concerns thatHankook expects 2013 will bring chal-lenges, indicating that market expecta-tions might be softer than desired. ButDenlein said Hankook will outpacethe rest of the industry, even in softeconomic conditions, with a wideproduct screen that offers new andupdated quality products.

New RolloutsOn the consumer tire side, Han-

kook introduced new products in thewinter and summer UHP segments,and discussed plans to further buildits brand image with sponsorships,advertising aimed at consumers anddealers, and an expansion of its socialmedia efforts.

New consumer products for 2013include:

The Ventus S1 Noble 2 UHP All-Season, which was introduced at the2012 SEMA Show/Global Tire Expo.The tire went on sale March 1 in 40sizes covering 16- to 20-inch wheel di-ameters.

The Winter I*cept iZ, available in24 sizes ranging over 14- to 18-inchwheel diameters.

Winter I*pike RS, a studdable win-ter tire available in 37 sizes covering 13-to 18-inch wheel diameters. The tire

features a 16-row stud arrangement.

Commercial Tires Brian Sheehey, director of commer-

cial tire sales and marketing, an-nounced plans to increase his salesforce in order to help dealers developstronger sales strategies to move prod-uct into local and regional fleets. Hesaid the additions also would helpdealers target specific accounts thatare using competitive products. In thisway, Sheehey said, Hankook can helpdealers organize “better sales efforts”in defined territories.

He also noted Han-kook’s medium trucktires sold in NorthAmerica are eitherSmartway-verified ordesigned to be verifiedby Smartway in the fu-ture.

Another componentof Sheehey’s businessplan is to gather morecost-per-mile data,which he said is key in-formation for fleets, and“allows the company tobetter understand newproduct developmentfor our fleet customers.”

New medium trucktires coming in the sec-ond half of 2013 include:

• AH15 wide-based rib tire in385mm and 425mm tread widths. Thetire, which replaces the AH10, featuresanti-chip and cut compounding andenhanced endurance and mileage.

• DL07 and TL07 long-haul superwide drive and trailer tires, each com-ing in size 445/50R22.5.

• DL12 Multi-Way Series drive tiredesigned with traction aids and tohandle higher operating weights. Thetire will be available in sizes 295/ -75R22.5, 285/75R24.5, 11R22.5 and11R24.5.

• AM15 wide-base all-position tirefor on- and off-road capability, avail-able in sizes 385/65R22.5, 425/65 -R22.5 and 445/65R22.5.

William Wong, vice president ofWorld Wide Distribution in Irvington,N.J. – which has carried Hankookcommercial tires for 13 of the 21 yearsit has been in operation – said hiscompany’s business is made up of80% commercial truck tires.

“The Hankook brand is becomingwidely accepted and does extremelywell for our company,” he said. “AsBrian Sheehey mentioned, there is avalue in focusing on regional fleets,and we have been doing just that formany years in our trading area.” ■



David MonizPublisher

[email protected]

Brian Sheehey, director of commercial tire sales and marketing, announcedplans to increase Hankook’s truck tire sales force.

New York Yankee and Cleveland Indian great ChrisChambliss, who was the keynoter, stressed the valueand positive resolves of teamwork.

Nitto Tire USA Inc. recentlylaunched its new studlesswinter tire, the NT90W,

which the company said is “engi-neered for severe winter driving con-ditions.”

The launch event for key tradeand consumer journalists, held inFebruary at the Miller MotorsportsPark in Tooele, Utah, was part newproduct launch and part drive andlearn, as Nitto pitted the new tireagainst its all-season Motivo –launched in 2012 – and the all-seasonGoodyear Eagle RS-A to demonstratethe new tire’s handling ability, aswell as the difference in performancebetween winter and all-season tires.

The Goodyear tire was includedbecause it is OE on the Infiniti GSXvehicles used for several snow-cov-ered track demonstrations: skid pad,acceleration/braking, emergencylane change maneuver, hill climband handling course.

According to William Hong, Nittomarketing analyst and project coor-dinator, the NT90W features ad-vanced 3D interlocking, multi-wavesiping and a silica-infused com-pound. The combination of circum-ferential grooves and wide lateralgrooves evacuates slush from thetread pattern for increased grip,while the tire’s siping provides extrabiting edges for traction in wet andicy conditions without sacrificing tirelife. The interlocking design in-creases block rigidity when braking,accelerating and cornering to create amore even contact area, Hong ex-plained.

The NT90W also features crushedwalnut shells infused throughout thetread compound to scratch and biteinto ice and snow for improved trac-tion, while bamboo charcoal acts as asponge to absorb water on the roadsurface, he added.

The new tire, designed forcrossover vehicles, SUVs and pas-senger cars, will be available in late2013 in 13 sizes ranging from 17- to

20-inch wheel diameters.On the marketing side, Nitto

plans to add details about theNT90W to its website, as well asmake a strong social media pushcloser to the 2013-14 winter season,Hong said. For dealers, point of pur-

chase materials and displays will beincluded, as well as other support, ofwhich details are still being planned,he added. ■



The launch event for Nitto’s NT90W studless winter tire, held in February, includeda snow-covered skid pad, acceleration/braking, emergency lane change maneuver,hill climb and handling course. Below, William Hong, Nitto marketing analyst andproject coordinator, reviews the tire’s tread features, which include advanced 3D interlocking, multi-wave siping; and a combination of circumferential grooves andwide lateral grooves to evacuate slush for increased grip.

Denise KoethManaging Editor

[email protected]

> Nitto Tire USA Inc.

Nitto Launches NT90W ‘Severe Winter’ Tire

TIRE RE VIEW and InteliChek pres-ent up-to-date tire and service priceinformation from major U.S. metro-politan areas.

For this monthly feature, Inteli -Chek directly contacts a selection ofindependent tire dealers, mass mer-chants/chain stores and car dealersto obtain current pricing on replace-ment tires and vehicle services.

InteliChek requests and verifies

retail prices via phone calls, usingcommon specific vehicles, tire sizesand vehicle services. In that way, di-rect and useful comparisons can bemade by readers.

The tire prices shown in this re-port are for tires only, and do not in-clude mounting/balancing or anyadd-on warranties or other servicesor fees. To allow for a more accuratecomparison, the level of tire brand –

Tier 1, Tier 2 and Private Brand/Oth -er – recommended by the retailer isnoted. (See legend below charts.)

The services chosen for these sur-veys include a standard oil change(oil plus filter), a standard four-wheel alignment and front brakework (replace front pads and turnboth rotors).

For more information on InteliChek,visit intelichek.com. ■


BUSINESS MARKET INTEL

Legend * = Tier 1 Brand ** = Tier 2 Brand *** = Private Brand/Other

San Diego, CA MarketPeriod 3/27-4/1 Mass Mass Tire Tire Car Avg. Merch. Merch. Dealer Dealer Dealer All A B A B

Vehicle 1Oil Change/Filter $29.00 $30.00 $29.00 $34.99 $38.95 $32.39Replace All: 215/60R16 $363.96** $504.00* $334.00* $440.00* $508.00* $429.99 Vehicle 2 4 Wheel Alignment $69.99 $84.99 $79.95 $59.95 $120.00 $82.98Replace All: 225/60R16 $379.96** $492.00* $334.00* $480.00* $376.84* $412.56 Vehicle 3 Front Brakes, Turn Rotors $180.00 $150.00 $179.95 $139.00 $180.00 $165.79Replace All: 265/70R17 $559.96*** $760.00* $598.20* $674.72* $900.00* $698.58

Billings, MT MarketPeriod 3/27-4/1 Mass Mass Tire Tire Car Avg. Merch. Merch. Dealer Dealer Dealer All A B A B

Vehicle 1Oil Change/Filter $34.99 $32.99 $34.95 $28.95 $32.95 $32.97Replace All: 215/60R16 $552.00* $509.16* $555.80* $600.00* $536.00* $550.59 Vehicle 2 4 Wheel Alignment $90.00 $84.99 $69.95 $79.00 $79.95 $80.78Replace All: 225/60R16 $576.00* $456.00** $567.80* $564.00* $436.00* $519.96 Vehicle 3 Front Brakes, Turn Rotors $280.00 $150.00 $250.00 $169.00 $250.00 $219.80Replace All: 265/70R17 $960.00* $791.20* $824.00* $760.00* $772.00* $821.44

Wichita, KS MarketPeriod 3/27-4/1 Mass Mass Tire Tire Car Avg. Merch. Merch. Dealer Dealer Dealer All A B A B

Vehicle 1Oil Change/Filter $34.49 $24.99 $37.00 $29.99 $32.95 $31.88Replace All: 215/60R16 $555.96* $495.96* $440.00** $337.16** $452.64* $456.34 Vehicle 2 4 Wheel Alignment $79.99 $89.99 $84.00 N/A $74.95 $82.23Replace All: 225/60R16 $535.96* $543.96* $512.00* $337.16*** $436.68** $473.15 Vehicle 3 Front Brakes, Turn Rotors $169.00 4150.00 $275.00 $109.95 $179.95 $176.78Replace All: 265/70R17 $475.80*** $667.80** $710.00* $640.00** $750.84* $648.89

Milwaukee, WI MarketPeriod 3/27-4/1 Mass Mass Tire Tire Car Avg. Merch. Merch. Dealer Dealer Dealer All A B A B

Vehicle 1Oil Change/Filter $19.99 $26.00 $30.99 $22.99 $29.95 $25.98Replace All: 215/60R16 $566.76* $436.00* $533.84* $489.93** $592.00* $523.71 Vehicle 2 4 Wheel Alignment $69.99 $84.99 $74.95 $79.99 $89.99 $79.98Replace All: 225/60R16 $435.40* $456.00* $543.44* $499.93** $405.04** $467.96 Vehicle 3 Front Brakes, Turn Rotors $250.00 $150.00 $200.00 $130.00 $290.00 $204.00Replace All: 265/70R17 $980.64* $630.76* $692.52* $759.96* $700.00* $752.78

Charlotte, NC MarketPeriod 3/27-4/1 Mass Mass Tire Tire Car Avg. Merch. Merch. Dealer Dealer Dealer All A B A B

Vehicle 1Oil Change/Filter $27.00 $24.99 $40.00 $30.00 $34.95 $31.39Replace All: 215/60R16 $339.96*** $507.96** $472.00* $351.20** $560.00* $446.22 Vehicle 2 4 Wheel Alignment $69.99 $89.99 $89.00 $74.99 $99.95 $84.78Replace All: 225/60R16 $347.96*** $479.96** $468.00* $364.60* $356.00* $403.30 Vehicle 3 Front Brakes, Turn Rotors $170.00 $179.98 $232.06 $119.99 $179.95 $176.40Replace All: 265/70R17 $559.96*** $695.96** $712.00* $702.40* $1016.00* $737.26

Baltimore, MD MarketPeriod 3/27-4/1 Mass Mass Tire Tire Car Avg. Merch. Merch. Dealer Dealer Dealer All A B A B

Vehicle 1Oil Change/Filter $29.99 $24.99 $24.00 $29.00 $24.95 $26.59Replace All: 215/60R16 $484.88* $423.96** $420.00** $515.08** $562.40* $481.26

Vehicle 2 4 Wheel Alignment $69.99 $89.99 $124.00 $70.00 $104.95 $91.79Replace All: 225/60R16 $411.96* $555.96* $468.00* $520.44** $628.96* $517.06 Vehicle 3 Front Brakes, Turn Rotors $170.00 $199.00 $229.00 $160.00 $189.99 $189.60Replace All: 265/70R17 $556.00*** $687.96** $615.96*** $681.00* $386.80* $585.54

If you are like most tire dealers, man-aging your social media channels isa random mix of postings from time

to time, done when time permits. Meas-uring performance on your channels ispushed to the back burner – way, wayback – since just figuring out con-tent is time consuming enough.

This article will help you createa social media marketing plan thatworks for the long term. The infor-mation provided here includesproven strategies specifically fordealerships; your part is commit-ting to three things: resources, timeand budget.

Social media is free – As youprobably now know, although it’s“free” to sign up for social mediachannels, managing these channelsrequires a budget and qualifiedstaff. On average, dealers shouldbe spending 10-20 hours perweek on social media marketing,including performance reporting.This time equates to either a part-time or full-time internal position, de-pending upon the size of yourdealership, objectives and goals.

I Want ROI, NOW – No doubtabout it, social media marketing re-quires patience. This arena of market-ing is by no means turnkey, but I canassure you I have never seen a dealerfail if they commit to this effort. Youshould be seeing foot traffic marchinginto your dealership within 3-6 months– even sooner if you start out of the gateoffering social media-specific couponsor offers.

Driving Customers The biggest hurdle to driving foot

traffic to your dealership is you. I speakfrom experience; each week my highlymotivated, extremely passionate teammeets to discuss (whine about) ourdealer clients who promised to trackour well-executed Facebook promo-

tions through to sales conversion – butthen the dealer doesn’t hold up theirend of the bargain. We cry, we scream,we vent, and then we work out poten-tial solutions. To date, we have not dis-covered one go-to solution, so if youhave the magic answer, please tell me.

You must require your entire staff totrack social media-driven promotionsat check-out. Here’s where it gets tricky;customers may come in with printedcoupons, but more likely they’re goingto flash their mobile phone with theFacebook offer displayed on it to yourcashier. If your cashier gazes back,dazed and confused, it’s a problem.

Your cashier must track this sales

conversion. The tracking can be as re-medial as a checkmark on a piece ofpaper, but just make sure this getsdone. Every single coupon/offer re-demption must be tracked, or what’sthe point?

The Right ResourcesLet’s start with what may be

my biggest pet peeve of all time –dealers who say something likethis: “My daughter is cominghome from college for springbreak and she’s big on all this so-cial stuff, so she’s going to handleit from here on out.”

This is so foolish. You are run-ning a business. People’s liveli-hoods depend on your success.Don’t be a cheapskate, and don’tunderestimate the power (posi-tive and negative) of social mediamarketing.

Just because your kid spends18 hours a day on Facebook does-n’t mean he/she knows how to

market your business. Second, I don’tcare how old you are, you need to learnabout this stuff. Don’t pawn any mar-keting responsibility off on others andexpect it to get done correctly. It’s timeto get your hands dirty and learn it at ahigh level so you can assign resourcesappropriately.

If I were a dealer, I would have thebest-qualified internal resource managemy social media marketing. This per-son would generally be your marketingperson, but not always. Perhaps yourservice manager or IT person has theright skills and aptitude for the job.

If I didn’t have an internal resource, Iwould hire one on a part-time, hourly


EnhancingYour Social Marketing

It’s your business – can

you afford to leave social

marketing to your 14-

year-old niece?

BUSINESS SOCIAL MEDIA

HEATHER BLESSINGTON

Contributing Writer

[email protected]

Because Facebook has the highest number of sub-scribers in every single demographic, it should takeat least 50% of your social media marketing time.

basis. Word of warning here: everyoneis a social media specialist these days,so do your due diligence in reviewingpast work samples, client referencesand resumes.

Outsourcing In both scenarios, I also would out-

source with a company specializing inthe tire/automotive industry to workas a mentor/trainer for your internalstaff member. The social media marketis changing and evolving so quickly,my company even has a hard timekeeping up with it.

An example is Facebook or Google+enhancements or product updates,which are literally made on a weeklybasis, resulting in some big announce-ments posted on Mashable.com orTechcrunch.com (two great resourcesfor the techie dealer who likes to keepup with the latest and greatest in theworld of social marketing).

This information can make or breakyour social media efforts because yourmarketing person is moseying alongwith no sense of industry best practicesin security, privacy or current featureset (read: security breaches to your cus-

tomer data, lackof reach to targetdemographic,and contentpostings that sitand spin whenthey should beinforming yoursocial communi-ties of your deal-ership happen-ings). All of thisresults in lostrevenue for you.

ChannelRelevancy

Facebook isby far the mostutilized socialchannel by dealers, and with good rea-son: It has the highest number of sub-scribers in every single demographic.This means you should dedicate at least50% of your social media marketingtime to Facebook efforts, which in-cludes Promoted Post Advertising cam-paigns (facebook.com/help/promote).

Google+ and Twitter are the othertwo channels that I consider must-

haves. The thought of managing threechannels is daunting, however the useof tools like Hootsuite make this prob-lem disappear.

Hootsuite (hootsuite.com/fea-tures/social-networks) is a social mediamanagement tool that allows you topost to multiple channels simultane-ously, and it only costs $9.99 per month.Even better, Hootsuite allows postings


■ BUSINESS: SOCIAL MEDIA


The demographic and city reports in Facebook insights tell youwho your fans are and where they live.

to be scheduled, so content can beplanned ahead of time and postedwhen your fans are most active.

YouTube is the most powerful socialmedia marketing tool. The ability to ex-press company culture, personality andstyle via video is second to none. Fur-ther, 30-second walk-around videos selltires or vehicle services like there’s notomorrow. Dealers who dive intoYouTube are the most successful I haveseen.

The hard part is figuring out who isgoing to put their face on camera andwho is going to shoot the video (which,by the way, is a simple process whenshot from a smartphone with theYouTube app for automatic upload).Also, don’t just “wing it;” take the timeto plan out your video and even someof the dialogue. You want it to look asprofessional as you want people to seeyour business being.

Finally, we have two other visual-based tools, Pinterest and Instagram.Instagram is owned by Facebook and itcan be integrated into your account, sothat is one plus for its usage.

Pinterest is known for its “boards”format, which auto-magically sortsyour images into an eye-pleasing dis-play that begs to be viewed and repin -ned by any enthusiast with a pass ionatebone in their body.

My advice here is to take one ofthese channels on, if and when youhave mastered the management of thebig three – Facebook, Google+ andTwitter utilizing Hootsuite.

Performance ReportingFacebook insights are right there for

the reading, so you must take the timeto review the reports. The demographicand city reports tell you who your fansare and where they live, and you willlikely be surprised to find your in-storedemographic is different than your on-line demographic – which is somethingyou need to consider and accommo-date for when planning your contentand promotions.

Next, the daily performance report-ing on key metrics is essential. The keymetrics include: Reach, Likes, Engage-ment, Talking About This, and Virality

(hover over each metric on your reportto learn what each statistic means foryour business).

Your website reporting tool, such asGoogle Analytics (which is free) will tellyou the referral traffic from your socialmedia channels. Read about the report-ing tools for the other social mediachannels mentioned in this article at thefollowing URLS:

Twitter: http://hootsuite.comGoogle+:

http://www.allmyplus.com/ Pinterest: http://bit.ly/13XLYlV Instagram: http://statigr.am/ YouTube: http://bit.ly/Qov7m2 ■


■ BUSINESS: SOCIAL MEDIA


Heather Blessington, CEO ofDuo Web Solutions, is an accom-plished blogger receiving pressfrom CNN, USA Today, BBC andForbes. Her company specializesin creating and managing blogsfor powersports dealers. ContactHeather at [email protected].

We’ve all experienced it.We call a business seeking information about a product or service and, after countless rings, a quiet, bored-sound-

ing employee mutters “Hello?”

Unsure of our dialing, we verify that it’s the business we thought we called, and when the staffer drones “Yep,” we

reluctantly proceed with our question.

“Hold on,” the answerer slurs, placing us on hold for minutes. And when the same employee finally returns, he re-

asks what we want and grudgingly replies with a suspiciously brief and simplistic answer.

We wonder whether he knows what he’s talking about, yet, seemingly helpless, we continue to attempt to engage.

But only for a little while. And if the employee doesn’t soon transfer us to someone who actually seems to care, we

end the call with an insincere thank-you and a firm hang-up.

Yes, we’ve all experienced it. But, more importantly, have we – or our employees – perpetrated it?


FEATURE

JOANNE DRAUS KLEINContributing Writer

Phone Skills Drill

Stop Saying ‘Buh-Bye’ to Callers andDial Some Customers for Life

“This can be the difference betweensuccess or failure,” emphasizes DaveCrawford of Tire Pros/American TireDistributors. “We preach that if youdon’t do anything different today ver-sus yesterday – except having everyperson in the store proficient and pro-fessional on the phone – it will make adifference. Every person means justthat, even staffers in the shop, officeand warehouse. If this is the first im-pression a caller has with your store, ithas to be a good one.

“‘You don’t get a second chance tomake a first impression’ is the time-tested statement,” he says.

Hard numbers suggest that the oldadage is true. McKay Allen of ContactPoint, a company that records andtracks business phone calls, says its re-search reveals that less than 20% of atire dealership’s calls from potentialcustomers result in a close.

“This means that under 20% of thepeople that call commit to coming in ata specific time,” he says. “Generally,the employee is far too will-ing to let the caller get off thephone without a firm com-mitment.

“Every call counts,” hesays. “You spend money to get thephone to ring. You have to seize everyopportunity. Your marketing money iswasted if you let callers get away.Think about it: Someone is calling youand asking about tires and they’re notbuying! Why?!”

Many dealers probably know why.“The biggest risk I see,” says MarcPons, president of Chapel Hill Tire CarCare Center in North Carolina, “is thatdealership personnel could be busydoing their daily routines and fail toview the call as important compared tothe other stuff they’re working on. Ifthe staff views the call as a nuisanceand not as an opportunity to shine to aprospect, then opportunities are goingto slip through.”

Given the ups-and-downs of theeconomy, preventing that phenomenonis more important now than ever. “Wehave to scrap for everything now,”Pons says.

“Gone are the days of not address-ing all the details of your sales andmarketing, and phone calls cover both.The first few seconds of every callmake a marketing impression. If youdon’t deliver an impression that says,‘We are professional; we want your

business,’ then you risk not making itto the sales opportunity. If there’s onething we’ve learned from the recession,it’s not to take any customer forgranted. They are all valuable. We needeach and every one of them.”

“Remember, the caller called you,”Allen emphasizes. “They need tires.They’re not price-shopping. Nobodyprice-shops tires for fun! They needtires or they wouldn’t have called. So,sell them tires!”

Beyond the FactsThat, of course, is easier said than

done. But breaking down the logisticsbehind business phone calls can helpturn the call-to-close process into anart, as well as a science.

First, callers to a dealership typicallyare one of three types, according toCrawford: Callers asking for a price, in-formation, or availability of a tire,wheel or service; callers requesting anappointment for service; and callers

checking the status of a vehicle left forservice.

Allen says his company’s record-ings reveal that many such callers havesearched the dealership online, edu-cated themselves somewhat about theproduct, and want to know more abouttires for their car. Yet Allen reports that70% to 80% of these opportunities arelost.

“We generally hear employees pro-vide pricing and then fail to sell,” heexplains. “Our analysis found that if adirect invitation is extended on the call– something like, ‘We have some timeat 2 p.m. today, so will you come in?’ –then the caller is 4.4 times more likelyto purchase. This is compared to sim-ply giving a price and letting themhang up, which is what we hear mostoften.”

Steve Ferrante – whose PinnaclePerformance Training also providesphone interaction recordings, evalua-tions and scores for business clients –

TireReview.com 37

■ FEATURE: COVER

10 QUESTIONS TO TEST YOUR PHONE SKILLS1) Does a sincere welcome come across when you answer a call?

2) Do you smile? (It’s apparent on the phone.)

3) Do you properly introduce yourself and the dealership, and thank the customerfor calling? (“Good morning, thank you for calling the Tire Shop, this is Joe; Howcan we help you today?”)

4) Do you ask for the caller’s name? (It turns the call into a conversation.)

5) When asked for a tire price, do you ask for the tire size or vehicle information?(Another opportunity for a conversation.)

6) Do you quote a range of prices starting with the lowest option?

7) Do you mention ancillary services offered, such as in-store credit, shuttle serv-ice, warranties, complete service available, and what’s included in the price?

8) Do you arrange for an appointment or invite the customer to stop in, so you canshow the products quoted and ensure the right application? (This is called “askingfor the sale.”)

9) Is the customer put on hold too long if the store is busy? (Perhaps you need morehelp.)

10) Do you follow up as promised? (If not, you fail.)

Source: Dave Crawford, Tire Pros/American Tire Distributors

has found that sales percentages dropsignificantly with open-ended calls,when the potential customer is “callingaround” with tire inquiries or price re-quests, as opposed to those in which acaller indicates that he or she is phon-ing to buy or book. That makes it evenmore important to engage the cus-

tomer who’s less committed.“When the interaction is functional-

focused, many consumers feel like acommodity themselves,” he says. “Un-less you’re in a business where youonly have to sell the customer once andnever see them again, don’t focus onclosing the sale. Focus on opening the

relationship, building trust and rap-port, and creating a lifetime customer.”

That apparently hasn’t changed,even in the face of technological ad-vancements that have altered the na-ture of business communications.

“Calls are more important now thanever,” Allen explains. “Here’s somedata: First, mobile search will surpassdesktop search by the end of 2013. Thatmeans more people will find yourbusiness on a smartphone than on theirdesktop or laptop.

“Second, mobile searchers make alot of phone calls. Google says thatmore than 60% of local mobile searchesresult in a phone call.

“Third, analysis from variousgroups indicates that, because of mo-bile search traffic and calls, your busi-ness will receive more calls in 2013 and2014 than ever before,” he says. “Thenumber of calls is increasing, not de-creasing.”

Ferrante agrees, for additional rea-sons. “Customer engagement has be-come more important in the age ofelectronic communication,” he says.“The average customer calling on thephone is shopping around, and typi-


■ FEATURE: COVER


No matter how busy the front counter gets, it’s vitally important to treat eachcaller as though they are the only customer at that time.

cally calls three tire dealers inthe process.

“When everyone they speakto sounds the same, with noone making emotional connec-tions, the entire buying processis commoditized, with the cus-tomer most influenced by, andtypically going with, the lowestprice. The single biggest advan-tage brick-and-mortar retailershave over online retailers istheir ability to humanize theirinteractions.”

Skill EnhancementSo, how can dealers improve

their employees’ phone skills?“Address it head-on,” Pons

says. “Create a signature waythat all staffers will answer thephone every time. Celebrateemployees who do a great jobon the phone. And training isthe first step to becoming moreprofessional. There’s a ton oftraining available now fromoutside trainers, consultants,books, DVDs and the Internet.”

“Training is paramount,”Crawford agrees. “People willfall back into bad habits if theproper procedure isn’t rein-forced constantly. It’s availablefrom numerous sources: suppli-ers, independent companies,mystery-shopping providers.Sign up with a mystery-shop-ping program through an out-side provider; there are severalin the industry. Have a spouse,friend or neighbor place calls toyour people and give them ascorecard to complete. Take thetime to develop a script for howto answer a call, and make sureyour people are following theguidelines.”

“The real key is call record-ing and scoring,” Allen adds.“Nothing will improve untilemployees are held account-able. We have a tire client thatstarted recording and scoringcalls a few months ago. Theirclose rates went from around20% to more than 70%. Theirper-store revenue is twice theindustry average.”

Fellow call-recorder Ferrantealso touts that technique. “Thebest way to manage employee

TireReview.com 39Rapid Response: 800-928-1184 ext. 49039

4 PHONE FAILS1) Not connecting emotionally withcustomers: “Most salespeople focus onthe functional or transactional side of thetelephone interaction and minimize, if notoutright neglect, the emotional or peopleelements. All too often they sell from fit-ment, what’s in inventory and price, oftenending interactions without even knowingto whom they were speaking.”

2) Winging it: “There’s a profound differ-ence between longevity and prosperity.Many tire store employees have beenworking in the industry a long while andhave been managing incoming calls theirway, for better and often worse, for manyyears. They frequently have no realprocess and simply let the caller guidethe conversation, and respond to the in-quiry with facts and figures. I have per-sonally trained employees who have lessthan a year of tire industry experiencewho are routinely outselling their veterancounterparts on the phone by adhering toa proven sales process.”

3) Not asking any, or asking too few, di-agnostic questions: “Like a doctor witha patient, employees should be trained toask every customer specific needs-re-vealing questions before making recom-mendations.”

4) Lacking enthusiasm: “As HarvardBusiness Review reported, ‘Unengagedemployees do not create engaged cus-tomers.’ When the employee is just goingthrough the motions or sounds bored anddisinterested, customer engagement suf-fers and sale conversions drop off con-siderably. Callers should sense theemployee’s appreciation for the call andhis or her desire to help them from‘hello.’”

Source: Steve Ferrante, Pinnacle

Performance Training, SaleAway

performance on the phone is to recordand evaluate actual customer calls,” hesays. “It’s important to note that manycompanies in the industry are alreadyrecording their calls. If so, you’re onlyhalfway there.

“The other half – the more impor-tant half – is monitoring and evaluat-ing those calls on how well employeesare meeting, or not meeting, the estab-lished selling system. In the case of myclients, a couple dozen individual com-ponents are assessed and we can pin-point precisely where the weaknessesare and what needs to be addressed.”

“Start call-recording immediately,”Allen agrees, specifically mentioningthe call-tracking software tool LogMy-Calls. “It isn’t expensive. We’re talkingabout well under $100 per location.You have to hold your employees ac-countable. If you don’t, your close rateswill stay low and you will lose busi-ness.

“Think about every phone callbeing worth a new set of tires,” he says.“When you think of every ringingphone as worth $500 or more, you’ll in-vest in call recording. And you’ll makemore money.” ■


■ FEATURE: COVER


WRONG AND RIGHT WAYS TO HANDLE A CALLWRONG: “Answering a call in a way that conveys, ‘I’m rushed, I’m apathetic, I will not go out of my way for you, and I have poor listening skills.’”

RIGHT: “Smile. Introduce yourself. Be engaged. Ask questions. Genuinely want to help. Genuinely want the business. Ask for the appointment.”

(Marc Pons, Chapel Hill Tire Car Care Center)

WRONG: “Selling solely or primarily transactionally, and going through the motions, sounding like every other tire business the caller may contact.”

RIGHT: “Having proper balance between emotional and functional elements, along with consultative selling to align recommendations with the cus-

tomers’ expressed needs.”

(Steve Ferrante, Pinnacle Performance Training, SaleAway)

WRONG: “It has to do with attitude, meaning whether you see the call as an interruption or an opportunity. In the business world, everything starts

with a sale. If money doesn’t change hands, businesses fail. So, every call needs to be seen as an opportunity to make a new customer – and, more

importantly, a friend and long-term client.”

RIGHT: “Smile. Be pleasant. Ask questions. Focus 100% on the caller and not on what’s going on around you. And sell the appointment!”

(Dave Crawford, Tire Pros/American Tire Distributors)

WRONG: “Employees in the industry sometimes sound very rushed or frustrated when they answer the phone. They’re not thinking about making a

sale; they’re thinking about finishing the tires they’re working on. This can lead them to sound rude. The other problem is a failure to ask for the busi-

ness. Just ask customers directly for the business! Don’t let them get off the phone until they’ve told you yes or no. Do not simply quote a price and

let them go.”

RIGHT: “The bottom line is that you have to be kind, professional and direct.”

(McKay Allen, Contact Point)

Consumers now lean heavily to-ward digital and online re-sources when shopping for tires,

but still rely on local tire shops for finalpurchases and installation.

So says “Compete Tire Path to Pur-chase,” a new consumer researchstudy conducted by Google and Com-pete in September 2012. The 36-pagestudy dug into where tire shopperslook for information and pricing, howthey follow through on their search,and how they follow-up post pur-chase.

The results were both revealing anda bit surprising, especially as so manyconsumer product categories haveshifted heavily to online purchases vs.brick-and-mortar stores. The study alsogave a glimpse at how consumers seeboth “traditional” and tiremaker ad-vertising efforts.

The study fielded responses of1,356 recent (within the last sixmonths) tire buyers, and the resultswere compiled last August. More than80% reported buying tires in a retailstore, but 46% leveraged online anddigital tools to do significant pre-pur-chase research. Some 72% of con-sumers claim they are open toconsidering multiple tire brands, tire

retailers or both – but tire brands andretailers “have a relatively low famil-iarity among shoppers.”

From a demographic standpoint,today’s tire buyer pretty much matchesthe U.S. population. The respondentwas the decision-maker (67%) or washeavily involved in the purchase deci-sion (19%). Among those polled, 45%were female (vs. 51% of the generalpopulation), 59% were married (vs.48%), 42% had children at home (vs.46%), 49% were college educated (vs.43%), 20% were non-caucasian (vs.22%), and 60% were in homes withcombined incomes of greater than$60,000 per year (vs. 42%).

When these consumers consideredwhat they were looking for in theirnext set of tires, durability (tread wear)was the most important at 86%, whiletraction ranked third at 80%. Squeezedbetween the two was price at 85%.

At the back of the list were tirebrand (55%), carmaker recommenda-tion (46%) and the appearance of thetire (43%).

With regard to durability as themost considered factor, 95% of tire buy-ers stated that their purchase wasdriven by worn out tires or a recom-mendation by the shop that their tires

needed to be replaced. Only 8% of tirebuyers made their purchase on a sea-sonal basis (primarily winter tire buys).

How long did it take for most tirebuyers to make a purchase decisionand take action? For 2012, 65% actedwithin one week, but 33% said theybought tires the same day they under-took shopping. This compared to 62%buying within a week in 2011, and 20%acting within one day. It took as muchas three weeks for 26% of 2012 tire buy-ers to act, down slightly from 2011’s30%.

Google/Compete then comparedhow buyers acted if they purchased of-fline (at a store) vs. online. In the caseof in-store purchases, 48% said they“needed to go” to a tire retailer to havetheir new rubber installed, and 41%said they did so because they “neededthe tires immediately.” Some 34%wanted to see the tires “in person be-fore buying them,” and 30% wanted tomake sure tires for their particular ve-hicle were indeed available for pur-chase.

The perceived expense of shippingtires (14%) was another reason behindin-store buys, as was the availability ofcoupons (11%). Just under 9% said theywere not “comfortable providing per-

TireReview.com 41

SPECIAL

New Google Study Shows Changed ‘Path to Purchase’

How Tire BuyersBuy Tires

FEATUREJIM SMITH

Editor

sonal information on the Internet.”But those buying on the Internet were convinced that bet-

ter prices were available online (42%), that it was faster tobuy online (33%), that it saves time (26%), that there was bet-ter selection online (25%), that it was personally more con-venient (24%), that it helps them avoid “crowds and lines ofpeople” (17%), and it helps them avoid dealing with a sales-person (14%). Another 18% claimed having a positive prioronline tire buying experience.

But most online tire buyers lack bays and lifts, so theyhave to rely on making an appearance at a tire store. Andwhile they were there, 24% ended up having brake work

done, 35% got an oil change, 43% got their tires rotated, and44% had a complete alignment done.

Reasons for DecisionsWith all of that in mind, Google/Compete turned its at-

tention to what influenced the final purchase decision –what they referred to as “moments that matter.”

Even as 72% of respondents indicated they were “open tomultiple manufacturers, retailers or both,” 64% said theywere clearly unsure of the manufacturer but only 33% wereunsure of the retailer. This is particularly interesting as the

survey did not mentionthe ages or age ranges ofrespondents; one can as-sume that there is an age-related disconnectbetween shoppers andtire brands and retailerbrands.

Some 46% said theyengaged in using onlineresources to make theirtire purchases, but of thatgroup, 37% said they re-searched online and thenbought in-store. Ninepercent claimed to haveresearched in-store onlyto turn around and buyonline.

So what were themost powerful influ-encers on tire selection?According toGoogle/Compete re-search, family memberswere cited by 50% ofbuyers, followed by thesalesperson (45%), TV(26%), newspapers (23%)and radio (14%).

In the online and digi-tal spectrum, tire retailerand service shop websiteswere the most powerfulinfluencers at 52%, fol-lowed by online con-sumer-generated reviews(43%), general automo-tive websites (32%), cardealer websites (29%),service shop websites(24%) and newspaperwebsites (22%).

In looking at media in-fluence on tire buying,Google/Compete foundthat among those whosaw tire brand or retailerads on TV, 38% did addi-tional research on theirdesktop/laptop com-


■ FEATURE: SPECIAL

Affluent Male Tire BuyerAccounting for 5% of tire purchasers, this is the third largest

demographic segment of purchasers with a common gender, age

and income bracket.

Quick Facts:• Gen X male, with annual

household income of

$100,000-$149,000

• 83% are married

• 55% have at least one child

• 75% have graduated with a 4-

year college degree or higher,

with over half holding a grad-

uate degree

The Upwardly Mobile Female Tire BuyerAccounting for 6% of tire purchasers, this is the second largest

demographic segment of purchasers with a common gender, age

and income bracket.

Quick Facts:• Gen X, female, with annual

household income of $60,000-

$99,999

• 72% are married

• 57% have at least one child

• Only 37% have a 4-year college

degree or higher – 50% have

attended some college and/or

have an associate’s degree

Source: Google/Compete research

puter (computer), while another 17%used their smartphone or tablet com-puter (mobile device). Among thoseseeing a tire brand/retailer ad in anewspaper, 38% did follow-up re-search on their computer and 10% didit on their mobile device.

Among those spotting a tirebrand/retailer ad in a magazine, 42%went to their computer and 19% wentto their mobile device for additional re-search, and among those reading a tirebrand or retailer brochure, 53% headedto their computer and 8% pulled outtheir mobile device for follow-up re-search.

Going MobileGoogle/Compete dug a little

deeper into how and when consumersuse their smartphones or tablets to re-search tires and stores.

One in five mobile users did theirresearch at the actual tire retailer site.More than half (57%) did their mobileresearch at home, 33% used workhours to do personal research, 23% re-search tire brands/retailers whilestanding in line somewhere, 18% whilevisiting with family, 17% while in arestaurant, and 18% while either wait-

ing for or on a train or bus.We’re not trying to be smug here,

but it is interesting: A) how people areusing their mobile devices, and B)when they are researching tire pur-chases.

Getting down to the brass tacks ofusing mobile devices, 33% used themto make sure they were getting the bestprice, while 28% used them to comparetire brands.

Thirty-one percent used their mo-bile device to look up the address orhours of a tire shop they were inter-ested in visiting, and 27% used them toseek discounts or special offers.

In terms of specific digital resourceson which mobile users depended, re-spondents turned to professional autoreview sites (57%), general auto web-sites (50%), consumer review sites(48%), search engines (like Google)(45%), tire service center store websites(43%), tire brand sites (37%), carmakersites (36%), car dealer sites (35%),newspaper websites (32%), video shar-ing websites (32%) and social network-ing sites (Facebook, Twitter) (31%).

ConclusionsGoogle/Compete drew some con-

clusions from its research work:• Tire buyers are looking for dura-

bility and price, they research on thego, and they usually buy within aweek. Recommendation: Maintain aconsistent online and digital marketingpresence to capture tire shoppers year-round.

• Even as 84% buy in-store, nearlyhalf are using some online or digitalmeans to research their purchases. Rec-ommendation: Work to better under-stand how online/digital is assistingyour sales.

• Tire buyers are “typically” the pri-mary decision maker, and they oftenare married, educated and skew onlyslightly male. Recommendation: Cap-ture in-market tire buyers by targetingdemographic and tire interests.

• Most tire buyers (72%) are “open”to tire brands and tire retailers – theyare not “attached” to any particularbrand or store – but tire brands havethe lowest familiarity among buyers.Recommendation: Improve familiarityand purchase intent by “introducingyour brand” and your key tire brandswhen undecided consumers approachyour store. ■


■ FEATURE: SPECIAL

1 in 5 Mobile Users Research AT the RetailerWhile at home

While at work

While waiting in line, etc.

While at a tire retailer

While visiting family members,friends, or colleagues at

their homes

While in a restaurant, etc.

While out of town

While on atrain/bus/subway/plane

While at a train/bus station or airport

57%

33%

23%

21%

18%

17%

15%

10%

8%

The locations of tire buyers when they used mobile devices to conduct tire research. Source: Google/Compete research

In a little over two years, JustinBreaux has turned Folsom TirePros into a well-respected, rev-

enue-generating, full-service tireand automotive shop in the city ofFolsom, Calif., just outside of Sacra-mento.

Breaux was appointed store man-ager when owners Roger and BettyFuller purchased the facility in 2010.

“I worked for their son for five orsix years and they wanted me to getthe store going,” he explains.

Breaux has been in the automotivebusiness since he was a teenager andhas learned all the ins and outs overthe years. At the age of 20, he was putin charge of managing a store andwas able to generate more than $2million in revenue.

With those years of success underhis belt, Breaux was confident hecould get Folsom Tire Pros off theground using a mix of effective mar-keting and good, old-fashioned cus-tomer service.

“It’s a recipe like anything else,”Breaux says. “You can’t just be goodat one thing. You have to be cus-tomer-centric. You have to be in-tuneto understanding your customer,communicating with them, takingcare of them truthfully. That’s a hugeaspect of it.”

The one-location dealership is tai-lored for a good customer experience,with a waiting area that featuresample seating and plenty of enter-tainment.

“We’ve got four leather reclinersand a big screen TV with cable andsatellite so we can keep everyone en-tertained,” Breaux says. “We playmusic, we’ve got a mini fridge withwater in it and a coffee maker. We

have a table and stools if you want tobring your laptop. “

The shop tries to keep waitingtimes as low as possible and for cus-tomers on the go, it offers a shuttleservice. The garage features sevenbays and is capable of handling al-most any type of work, according toBreaux.

“We do everything,” he says. "Wedo Kias and we just got done fixing


TOPSHOP

Experience, marketing and top-notch service bring new shop fast success

FolsomTire Pros

FEATURESHANA O’MALLEY

Contributing Writer

Relatively new to the tire dealership scene, Folsom Tire Pros opened in 2010 whenowners Roger and Betty Fuller purchased the facility.

Folsom Tire Pros uses a mix of effective marketing and good, old-fashionedcustomer service to maintain success.

the brakes and doing an alignmenton a Maserati.”

Breaux said they also are capableof doing work on vehicles over oneton, though they see them rarely.

“We do motor homes every oncein a while,” he says. “The shop wasoriginally supposed to be a Panera,so it’s a pinwheel set-up. It has onebay door and the seven bays split off.There’s no way to get a motor homein here without shutting down thewhole shop, so we do motor homesbehind the building.”

On a day-to-day basis, the shopperforms a variety of services fromtires, wheels and brakes to align-ments and oil changes, to name just afew.

“It’s a shorter list to tell you whatwe don’t do. We don’t do the actualrebuilding of transmissions here, wedon’t do (engine) swaps and wedon’t auto body,” he says.

When it comes to tire brands,Breaux says Continental and Michelinare the most popular sellers. FolsomTire Pros also carries BF Good rich,Uniroyal, Continental, General and

Good year. It also uses top-

notch equipment,such as Hunter’slaser alignmentrack and Coatsand Hunter tirechangers to get thejobs done right.

StandingOut

Breaux says theshop’s ability to doeverythingunder one roofputs it at an ad-vantage overthe competition.

“In our area,there reallyaren’t a lot of places that do all ofwhat we do,” he says. “There’s aplace across the street that only doestires and wheels, that’s easy for us.”

While it has a leg up on the com-petition, Breaux says one of the deal-ership’s biggest challenges has beengetting the Folsom Tire Pros name

out to the community. The business has used direct mail

and local advertising to help spreadthe word, as well as racking up on-line reviews from sites such as Yelpand establishing a social media pres-ence on Facebook.

“We did advertising on the shop-ping carts over at the grocery store


■ FEATURE: TOP SHOP


Using top-notch equipment and well-trained technicians, Folsom Tire Pros is prepared to handle nearly any automotiveservice job.

with high traffic flow,” says Breaux.“Right now our strongest pull frommarketing is our website, just be-cause we built that with awareness inmind.”

The website allows customers toprint out coupons, shop for tires andwheels and schedule appointments.

One marketing tool that’s been abig help to the up-and-coming shopis its affiliation with the Tire Pros net-work. “The business managers withTire Pros really constructively try tofind ways to help you grow yourmarket and help you be more inno-vative,” Breaux says. “They help youwith whatever problems you’re hav-ing.”

He adds that being able to swapideas with others in the industry hasbeen a big benefit.

“Our particular manager is reallygood because he gets to see a multi-tude of stores, he gets to see otherpeople doing well and knows whatworks.”

Making ConnectionsIn order to make a name for itself

in Folsom, Breaux says the shop hasbeen active in the local community.

During its first year in business,Folsom Tire Pros helped raise moneyfor a local charity called “Viva la Jes-

sica” for a 10-year-old girl who suf-fered a traumatic brain injury in ahorseback riding accident. Last year,the shop helped raise funds for theRachel Gray Foundation for a youngwoman who was severely burned inan off-roading trip with friends. Italso participated in the “Race to KeepHearts Beating” poker tournament,which is dedicated to raising aware-ness of Sudden Arrhythmia DeathSyndrome.

Additionally, Folsom Tire Proshosts car washes and candy fundrais-ers for local youth sports organiza-tions.

In just two years, the company hasalready established a solid repeatcustomer base, to which Breaux cred-its his employees for taking care ofthe customer from beginning to end.

“We have a very friendly environ-ment; we know all of our customerson a first name basis and truthfully,we’re just honest with customers,” hesays. “It’s just getting everyone onthe same page, from the guy sweep-ing the floors to the back crew.” ■


■ FEATURE: TOP SHOP

The shop supports many communitycauses, including “Viva la Jessica”for a girl who suffered a brain injuryin a horseback riding accident.


Mark Twain might have saidthat rumors of the death ofoff-road light-truck tires have

been greatly exaggerated. And hewould have been right.

“Several years ago, prognosticatorshad deemed the light-truck tire marketas dead,” says David Shelton, directorof marketing for Giti Tire USA. “Todayit seems it is still alive and very well.”

While the light-truck tire markethas faced changes, many tire industryinsiders agree it’s largely healthy, withsigns of potential continued growth.And tire manufacturers seem preparedto fill that market with new and im-proved products.

“The off-road business segmentcontinues to be very strong for BF-Goodrich off-road tire lines,” saysMichelin North America spokesmanTom Sullivan. “We have identified op-portunities to continuously improvemarket coverage by anticipating thedemands and trends of new sizes. The

economic recovery makes us very op-timistic for the future.”

“With a positive trend in milesdriven and consumers continuing toregain confidence, the light-truck seg-ment enjoyed positive performance in2012,” adds Suzanne Mitchell, man-ager of brand development at Her-cules Tire & Rubber Co. “However,consumers have become more priceconscious and, moreover, they arelooking for value. Key performancefeatures and benefits are still impor-tant to consumers, but they are de-manding more at a more affordableprice.”

“Aftermarket sizing has been cap-tured by the OE,” Shelton qualifies,“but many still want tires more fortheir particular application and usethan the ‘streetable’ balance the OE

manufacturer has to provide to reachthe larger mainstream consumer mar-ket.”

“We had another solid year in salesfor this segment,” summarizes ScottJamieson, director of product manage-ment at Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.“Expectations would be for ourgrowth to exceed the forecasted mar-ket growth in this segment into 2014.”

So, to what can the segment’sproverbial second wind be attributed?Shelton says it’s, well, the joy of life.

“Even though the economy has notrecovered for all end-users, the markethas remained relatively strong as peo-ple still wanted to go play,” he says.“Whether it was for showing off theirrig, playing in the rocks or snow ormud, or going hunting, the desire togo out and play has remained.”


TIRES

Dealers must be experts on off-road light-truck features, applications

Meeting All Demands

FEATUREJOANNE DRAUS KLEIN

Contributing Writer

To give a customer the best off-road light-truck tire, balance on-road performanceand off-road capabilities based on his or her particular driving needs.

To that end, manufacturers arelaunching products with new featuresthat they hope will generate additionalexcitement, some of which already aregaining market share in the segment.

“The appearance of the tires has be-come more aggressive,” Shelton de-scribes, “with shoulder blocksevolving down into the sidewalls, theaddition of increased sidewall protec-tion and bigger blocks being used. Agreat deal of effort has gone into car-cass design to stabilize the blocks, aswell as tread block designs for stability,and compounding for grip and noisereduction. And let’s not forget that weare pressured to reduce rolling resist-ance at the same time.

“Basically,” he says, “we are re-en-gineering and redeveloping the light-truck tire for today’s end-user.”

“A great off-road light-truck tirestarts with an internal carcass con-struction that’s rigid enough to resistpunctures, yet compliant enough toallow the tire to form to the terrain,”Jamieson says. “Specially formulatedcompounds and tread designs have al-ways had a large impact on the per-formance of a tire, and off-road tiresare no exception.

“Optimizing the compound re-quires numerous development cyclesuntil the right balance is found that al-lows the tread pattern to be flexible,yet strong enough to resist lug tearingand abrasion to the tire,” he says. “Ad-vances in tread design that comple-ment the compound are found indual-drafted groove walls that reducestone retention while maximizing thetread footprint area. Strategicallyplaced stone ejector ribs prevent stonedrilling for added protection.

“Not to be forgotten,” he adds, “is

the buttress area of the tire. While notdirectly in contact with the road, anaggressive buttress can add more bit-ing edges and traction surface when inloose soil and mud.”

Brand Selling PointsManufacturers each are establishing

their own areas of focus within theseimprovements, all in the name ofhealthy competition.

“We are proud to continue invest-ing in BFGoodrich tire research anddevelopment – in particular the dura-bility of our tires to make them stron -ger and better resistant in order tomeet off-road hazards in extreme con-ditions,” Sullivan says. “Our success inoff-road racing, such as Baja and Kingof the Hammers in desert enduranceracing, demonstrates the capabilities ofour tires.”

“GT Radial engineers and buildslight-truck off-road tires to get you toand from where you need and want togo,” Shelton says. “We provide thedurability to hold up to grueling useand survive when others may not. Wedesign tread patterns and compoundsto provide the grip that end-userswant and need when they are onrocks, and the mud-slinging capabilityto power their way through a bog. Wedevelop designs to represent the prod-uct’s capability to tackle the rugged-ness of the environment that end-userswant to experience. Lastly, GT Radialprovides the civility that consumersexpect when they are using the vehicleas their daily driver.”

“Every off-road light-truck tire weoffer has a unique set of specializedfunctions with the overall goal of ho-listic design,” Jamieson says of Cooper,citing one model that offers on- and

off-road versatility, another that maxi-mizes rough-terrain performance, andyet another attuned to gaining tractionin adverse terrain conditions.

And, for Hercules, the outstandingcharacteristic is “value, plain and sim-ple,” Mitchell says. “There are a lot ofgreat tires out there in this segment,but no other company offers the valuethat Hercules does. We provide dealerswith great-looking, high-quality tiresthat deliver outstanding performanceand high-profit potential – the com-plete package.”

Of course, there are those who sayprice isn’t everything.

“While price can play a factor in apurchase decision, if a tire doesn’thave the correct balance of attributesto meet their needs, customers are leftwith an under-performing tire and re-gret,” says Jamieson, who nods in-stead at styling. “Customers neverforget about style and neither doesCooper. If a tire doesn’t complement acustomer’s vehicle, it usually stays onthe store shelf. Cooper’s holistic ap-proach to tire design maximizes per-formance and style to give that truck agreat look.”

Sullivan, on the other hand, saysthat, “true off-road enthusiasts can’t befooled. They demand durability andtraction, which is what BFGoodrichoff-road products are known for.”

Meanwhile, Shelton sees the end-user as falling into one of two cate-gories: “Serious off-roaders seekper f ormance first, looks and thenprice,” he says. “They want a productthat can get them to their destination,whether it be through mud, snow,sand, rocks, mountains or river bot-toms. Their goal? To simply get awayfrom the world.”

TireReview.com 53

■ FEATURE: TIRES


Other Side of the CoinThe other category, he says, is the

street user, who wants the look of anoff-road vehicle and therefore seekslooks first, then performance, thenprice. “However,” Shelton adds, “oncethey leave your store, they will evalu-ate the product on performance,whether it be ride uniformity, noise,grip or stability.”

Even value-minded Mitchell ulti-mately agrees that, “there is no onedictating factor. The best advice wecan give consumers is to really con-sider how they will be using the tires,or what they will be driving them on.”Experts have, in fact, created lists ofconsiderations and multi-tieredprocesses by which dealerships canproperly sell and service the tires.

“The key is getting customers into atire that fits their lifestyle,” Jamiesonsays. “It’s often a sliding scale of howmuch on-road performance is neededversus off-road capabilities. Under-standing those needs requires askingsome of the following: What is theirprimary usage with their vehicle? Istheir secondary usage a high or low

percentage of the time? Is the vehicletheir primary method of getting backand forth to work via roads and high-ways? Does their daily routine takethem from the highway to dirt roadsor farmlands? Where do their needs fiton this sliding scale of on-road versusoff-road?”

Shelton’s process has two steps:“The first step is the key to ensuringthe end-user is provided the productthat best fits his or her needs, wants,desires and expectations,” he says. “In-terview the customer before you showhim or her any product. Discover theuses and what the owner expects fromit. Find out what they liked or dislikedabout their previous set, or their vehi-cle as it was previously set up. Thenput them in the best product to meettheir desires or expectations. Thissounds simple enough, but it doesn’tget done often enough.

“The second step is the one thatbuilds trust and loyalty with the end-user,” he says. “Once the tires are in-stalled and before customers depart,invite them back for a free rotation be-fore they put 4,500 miles on the tires.

When making the first rotation bythen, there is a good chance of nippingthe tendency for tires with large treadblocks and depths to scrub into irregu-lar wear before it gets locked in. In theprocess of maintaining the tire’s de-signed performance, handling andride, you have developed trust fromthe customer. As you have helpedthem gain the best from their vehicle,you have also gained their loyalty.”

Finally, Jamieson says a dealer-ship’s best chance of successfully sell-ing and servicing off-road light-trucktires lies in its level of product knowl-edge, as well as its ability to communi-cate that knowledge.

“The dealer needs to be as wellversed as the consumer,” he says. “TheInternet has allowed the consumer tobecome more and more educated. Thismakes it critical that dealers who selland service off-road tires become justas educated as their customers. Under-standing consumers’ needs and uses,along with the capabilities and limitsof the tires, will be vital to their successand future repeat business.” ■


■ FEATURE: TIRES

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One of the more common ques-tions I hear from current andformer clients is whether it’s

worth the trouble and cost to have theR-12 freon air-conditioning systemretrofitted to R-134a refrigerant.

Because this topic comes up a lot, Ioften wonder myself if it’s worth per-forming this task or if it’s better to re-pair the OE A/C system back to itsoriginal form.

First off, it’s important to explain tothe customer that the term “retrofit”describes special procedures that arerequired to convert a R-12 system to analternative refrigerant. This servicewill depend on the need for this typeof repair, the cost and how much thevehicle owner can afford.

The A/C system to some people isa luxury, to some it’s a very importanthealth issue, and others, depending onwhere they live, can take it or leave it,with money being a large factor in thedecision.

Before I address the issues of retro-fitting a customer’s A/C system, I willconsider what I call the three main Cs:Cost, Climate and Components.

Cost, Climate, ComponentsYou first need to determine how

much the customer is willing to spendor can really afford. Does the customerneed the very minimal performanceout of the system due to drivinghabits? Or is it a health reason, wherecost is not an issue?

Next, consider if the existing com-ponents in the A/C system are in goodshape. Are they working, broken orleaking? Are they compatible with R-134a? After all, if the R-12 system isworking, retrofitting alone will notmake it better.

Because R-12 systems were not de-

signed to use R-134a, owners shouldbe prepared for a slight and noticeablereduction in the A/C performance, es-pecially in warmer climates, where theA/C systems are running for manymonths during the year. If this is thecase, the technician should recom-mend what additional steps would bemost appropriate to make the retrofit asuccess.

Consider that installing a largercondenser unit, plus adding an extrafan and a high-pressure cut-off switchwould be needed here, and these itemswill run up the expense of performingthe retrofit. In addition, it may be nec-essary to replace any worn A/C com-ponents, and some vehicles also mayhave components that were not madespecifically to withstand the higherpressures of the R-134a refrigerant.


SERVICE

R-134a Retrofits Still an Option – at the Right Price

Go Retro With Refrigerant?

FEATURECARL FEDELE

Contributing Writer

Surprisingly, there are still a number of vehicles on the roads today built prior tothe introduction of R-134a in the early 1990s that could be in need of an A/C retrofit.

I still believe there is no reason toretrofit a vehicle to R-134a as long asthe R-12 system is cooling properlyand holds a full charge. Any A/C sys-tem designed to use R-12 will cool bestwhen charged with R-12 refrigerant. Ifthe system is leaking, repairing theleaks and recharging it with R-12 isstill usually the best repair alternative.

Where then, does retrofitting to R-134a make the most economic sense?The answer would be when the sys-tem requires major repairs, such as anew compressor assembly, condenseror evaporator.

Yes, R-12 is no longer produced inthe U.S., but supplies of recycled R-12still can be found, often with a highprice tag, depending on the supplyand demand factor. This, along withthe cost of needed repairs, woulddrive most customers to an R-134aretrofit repair.

Although the EPA has been educat-ing consumers about options availableto them in retrofitting their A/C sys-tem, the technician or dealer must in-form the customer as to which type ofretrofit procedure would work the bestand what kind of price tag it carries.The informed customer can choose anOEM-warranted retrofit, if it’s avail-able for the vehicle, a less-costly retro-fit or something in between the two.

OE retrofits were designed by themanufacturer to provide the best levelof performance with the new R-134asystem. But these types of retrofitscommonly come with a high cost.They include replacement of majorA/C components and require certainguidelines from the manufacturer andthe EPA are followed. The Society ofAutomotive Engineers (SAE) providesguidelines for A/C retrofits in its Pub-lication J1661.

Most of vehicle manufacturers rec-ommend removal of all mineral oilfrom the R-12 system, as well as re-placement of the accumulator or thereceiver-dryer with the one that con-tains XH-7 or XH-9 desiccant; replac-ing the O-rings; installing a highpressure cutout switch; changing theorifice tube or the expansion valve;and then adding PAG oil before charg-ing the system.

On some applications, OEMs callfor a more efficient condenser, whichwould improve cooling performance,and the addition of a secondary fanunit, which will provide extra cooling

performance, especially at idle andlow speeds.

Through conversions to R-134a formany vehicles in the past, I found R-12to provide better heat exchange poten-tial during times when air movementacross the condenser is nominal, suchas at idle or slow speeds. For this rea-son, I found that replacement of thecondenser unit and adding a second-ary fan work quite well when retro-fitting to R-134a.

Also, following guidelines and fed-eral law, a permanent installation of R-134a fittings on the high- and low-sideservice ports must be performed to re-duce the chance of refrigerant cross-contamination, along with properlyinstalled labels to identify that the sys-tem has been converted to R-134a.

The R-12 system must then beflushed with the approved equipmentand the rubber hose lines replaced. Ithas been argued that it if mineral oil isleft in the system, it could cause sys-tem failure down the road. I’ve foundthat if you remove as much of the min-eral oil as possible, any residual R-12left in the system will not have a sig-nificant effect on its performance. EvenSAE now states it believes systemflushing is not critical enough to affectthe performance of the retrofitted sys-tem.

As far as the compressors go, somemanufacturers recommend replacingthem – or at the very least rebuildingthem – and changing out the seals andO-rings that are saturated with the R-

12 refrigerant. Of course, any compres-sor that is not in good shape should bereplaced during the retrofit procedure,and service techs should make surethe replacement compressor is ap-proved for R-134a service.

About R-134aVehicle manufacturers still do not

approve of any of the alternative refrig-erants other than R-134a for retrofit.Mixing different types of refri gerants

will cause problems with operatingpressures for that system. System pres-sures will be increased, which couldlead to compressor failure and loss ofcooling performance down the road.

R-134a is regarded as one of thesafest refrigerants introduced, basedon the current toxicity data. It wastested by the chemical industry’s Pro-gram for Alternative FluorocarbonToxicity Testing (PAFTT) and wasfound to not pose any cancer or birthdefect hazards.

R-134a is not flammable at ambienttemperatures and atmospheric pres-sures, but it has been found that somemixtures of air and R-134a have beenshown to be combustible at elevatedpressures. Because of this, R-134aequipment and A/C systems shouldnot be pressure-tested or leak-checkedwith shop air.

Even though a number of refriger-ants other than R-134a have beenlisted by the EPA as acceptable underits Significant New Alternatives Policy(SNAP) program – which evaluates

TireReview.com 57

■ FEATURE: SERVICE

The costs associated with a retrofit – new A/C components, refrigerant, recyclingthe old refrigerant and technician labor – may all be worth it for driver comfort.

substitutes only for their effect on human health and the en-vironment, not for performance or durability – none ofthese refrigerants have been endorsed by OEMs for use invehicles, and most currently are not readily available in allareas of the country.

It’s important to remember that R-134a or any other al-ternative cannot be mixed with R-12 or used to top off theR-12 system, for this will cause system failure and verypoor cooling performance problems.

One last note on R-134a refrigerant: most vehicle manu-facturers will not allow any other alternative refrigerant tobe used other than R-134a for their retrofits, or the warrantywill be voided.

Lubrication NeedsAs far as lubricants, we know the mineral oil used in R-

12 cannot sufficiently be transported throughout the A/Csystem by R-134a. Automobile manufacturers have testedboth PAG and esters for lubricant miscibility, chemical sta-bility and materials compatibility. Most choose to use PAGlubricants for their retrofits.

Some new compressors are shipped with PAGs andsome with ester; however, most of the ones I’ve purchasedhave come empty, requiring the technician to make a lubri-cation choice for the retrofit procedure. I recommend usingthe lubricant used by the manufacturer of the vehicle youare retrofitting.

As far as how much to charge the system with the newR-134a, I suggest to charge the system with 80% to 90% ofthe amount of R-12 needed in that system. Most A/C sys-tem manufacturers provide guidelines regarding the correctamount of R-134a to be used.

If no information is available, use the following formula:multiply the R-12 charge specification by 0.9 (90%), andsubtract 1/4 (0.25) pound

(R-12 Charge Specifications X 0.9) - 0.25 = R-134a ChargeAmount).

See the chart on this page for more information.Once the system is properly charged, a new sky blue-col-

ored label that complies with the standard SAE J639 mustbe affixed over the existing R-12 label, or as close as possible

to the R-12 label. Any other information on the R-12 refrig-erant needs to be rendered unreadable by some permanentmeans, such as complete removal, permanent marker orcompletely covered by the new R-134a label.

The retrofit label shall contain the name and address ofthe company who performed the retrofit, the date, and thetype and amount of refrigerant and lubricant used. Theretrofit label must have a header with the words, “NOTICE:RETROFITTED TO R-134a.”

Weighing AlternativesAs you can see, a lot goes into a good quality retrofit re-

pair, including a hefty repair bill to the customer whochooses this type of procedure. The customer also can optfor the “quick and easy” retrofitting procedure: recoveringthe R-12 charge, installing the correct R-134a service fittings,adding in lubricant needed and recharging the system to80% to 90% capacity with R-134a. This option also includesfilling out and attaching the new sky-blue label with thecorrect information.

However, these types of low-cost retrofits probably willnot give the best cooling performance and may not even bepossible on some vehicles. They also may lead to customercomplaints, comebacks and even more headaches for thetechnician or shop owner in the future.

I’ve found the Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS)provides a wealth of information on retrofitting proceduresand guidelines to many vehicles.

In classes that I instruct, I use MACS information toteach new technicians. Then, after all of the information istaught, I always ask my students the same questions theyask me: Is it really worth it to perform the A/C R-12 to R-134a retrofit procedure? How much are you willing tospend to achieve the best cooling A/C performance?

Then I let them figure out the rest. ■

■ FEATURE: SERVICE

Components, fittings and retrofit kits are available from anumber of suppliers.

Wonder how much to charge the system with the new R-134a? Mostmanufacturers offer conversion charts like the general one above.Make sure to check what information the manufacturer offers.


Do the maintenance practicesfor tires operated in an under-ground environment versus a

surface operation change? The an-swer is NO.

In fact, more focus needs to bespent on maintaining the haul roads,loading and dumping areas to mini-mize early tire failure. Generally, in anunderground mine operation water isdifficult to avoid, which makes cut-ting of the tires much easier. This iswhy training both the operators andmine supervisors is more critical;everyone is either part of the problemor part of the solution to improvingthe overall tire performance.

In this article, I will be focusing ononly the high-ceiling, hard rock un-derground mine operations. Theseoperations generally use pneumatictires, unlike low-seam coalmines inwhich the tires are usually filled.

The production equipment gener-ally used in underground operationsincludes scoops (loaders) and haulagetrucks (mostly articulated dumps butsometimes rigid frame). There also aredrills and roof bolters in use, and thesame principles that we will discussfor the tires on the scoops and haulerswill apply to that equipment, as well.

For the most part, once the equip-ment enters the mine, it will not comeback to the surface until the end of itslife. That means all the maintenance isdone in the underground shop.

Safety is the first priority. Prior togoing onto any mine site in the U.S.,you must be MSHA certified. Othercountries have similar certifications, aswell. When going underground, thereis a special MSHA training course that

you must attend, plus whatever themine site itself may require. It is im-portant to listen and learn what to doin case there is an emergency.

Although you won’t see as manyunderground mines in development orin operation as you do open pit, theyare out there. And, yes, some of the

highest maintenance cost will be tires.This is why application, proper fitmentand maintenance are very important.

The main reason for removals isjust like surface mines – cuts and im-pacts. But there are far fewer wearouts, depending on the site’s mainte-nance.

Underground mine tires generallydo not last as long – depending on theoperation and its maintenance prac-tices.

What does seem to happen oftenare “out of sight, out of mind” prob-

lems, meaning many of the principlesof good tire management change andbecome more relaxed because thetires become virtually invisible belowthe surface. For underground miningtires, it is more important to focus onmaintenance – getting another monthout of a tire can save the mine a lot of

money annually. One of the big problems with tire

maintenance underground is “gettingit done and done correctly,” accordingto Jerry Newton, who handles prod-uct application and field service forMaxam Tire International.

“When the equipment gets in-spected, you will normally see a cou-ple mechanics cleaning or changingthe air filters, dropping the oil, greas-ing, and topping off fluids,” Newtonsays. “One thing you will hardly eversee the mechanic do is check the air


Deep,Deeper,Deepest

Maximizing performance

of underground mining

tires takes a deeper

approach

TIRES OTR

TIM GOOD

Contributing Editor

Tire application, proper fitment and maintenance are key aspects in undergroundmining operations, where cuts and impacts can wreak havoc on tires.

pressure or the condition of the tires.Unless the tire actually looks low, it’sgenerally ignored by a mechanic.”

One important suggestion is that arun-low tire (less 20 psi from the rec-ommended cold inflation) shouldnever be aired up without first havinga trained tire technician inspect and

possibly remove the tire to ensurethat it has not been run flat. Once in-spected and the reason for the tire los-ing has been air found and addressed,then the tire can be aired and putback into service.

The Right WayHaving a good tire maintenance

program in place can save the end-user thousands of dollars each year.As I have discussed in previous arti-cles, you cannot check the air pres-sure too much.

Get the mine site into the habit ofhaving the equipment operators doroutine walk arounds and check tire

air pressure while they are checkingthe oil and performing other pre-shiftinspections. After all, air in the tires islike oil in the engine: neither one canoperate very long without the properamount. Also, equipment operatorsshould note any concerns with thetires, like serious cuts in the sidewalland tread, damaged wheel and rim

components, and any loose or bentequipment body parts that mightdamage a tire.

“The routine of checking all fourwheel positions will add maybe 10minutes to the rest of the walkaround, unless the operator finds alow tire. At this point, the operatorsaved the company a lot of money.This is preventive tire maintenance,”Newton says.

To ensure the operator is doing theroutine walk-around, he or she shouldcarry a check-off sheet that the super-visor eventually sees. Having the tiresadded to the pre-shift check-off sheet– and regularly checked – will allowthe supervisor to schedule the equip-ment in for the necessary work.

Tight SpotsAlthough checking air pressure is

a crucial part of maintaining all tires,underground equipment is more sus-ceptible to wheel and rim damage, al-lowing for air loss. This is due to theharsh, tight conditions in which theequipment operates while mining.The drifts are just wide enough for

TireReview.com 61

■ TIRES: OTR


>TAKEAWAYS

• CHECK TIRE PRESSURE, LOST AIR CAUSES

• ENCOURAGE ROUTINE WALK AROUNDS

• CHECK FOR WHEEL AND RIM DAMAGE

• REDUCE WATER AND LOOSE ROCKS

the machine, and the corners aretight. This means the rim and wheelcomponents will get damaged easily,causing the air to escape from the tire.

You’ll find on underground equip-ment that the side rings (flange rings)are damaged more often than in anyother mining operation. The side ringsupports the bead of a tire, which, inreturn, supports the rest of the tire.When you take this support away,you are damaging a tire, and morethan likely it will be removed prema-

turely and marked as junk. A lot of times, these removals can

be avoided by keeping spare parts onthe shelf and making sure any dam-aged components are replaced anddisposed of when removed.

Because underground mining op-erations run non-stop and most of themaintenance is done in a limited-lightenvironment, little things get missedor left out, like not replacing the valvecap. We all know that the valve cap isthe primary air seal. Installing the

metal cap on every valve stem hope-fully will stop the operator from com-plaining about having to put air in alow tire every four to five days.

While we are on the subject of seal-ing the deal, we cannot overlook theO-ring. Remember, “out of sight, outof mind” does not mean you can reusesome of the parts that you would nor-mally toss out. When a tire is changed,be sure to cut and throw away the oldO-ring. Taking shortcuts to savemoney will cost a lot more to the cus-tomer in the future. Every time a lockring is removed and reinstalled, a newO-ring should be installed.

In my mind, walking the area inwhich the equipment will be operat-ing is more important with an under-ground mine than with a surfacemine. As stated earlier, in under-ground conditions, water is just asnatural as rocks and must be ad-dressed to reduce tire cutting.

Grading is important, but manytimes overlooked. Filling in the rutsand reducing the water and looserocks will make a major difference inthe life of a tire, whether on the scoopor haulage vehicle. Besides saving thetire, the operator will be more pro-ductive and much more comfortable.

The last area to examine is the tireservice bay. Make sure it is clean andwell-lighted. This will ensure the tireand wheel/rim components can beproperly inspected.

As a side note, it is very importantfor the tire technician to dual inflatethe tires. With the beads being sowide and strong, they’re more diffi-cult to properly seat on the rim. Thisoften is overlooked and can affect theperformance of the tires.

Just like surface mining, you shoulddo a mine site inspection report for un-derground mine custo mers. The infor-mation you share with the minecustomer will be very beneficial, withmajor returns coming much faster.

There is more to tire and site main-tenance than what we have discussedhere. The way I like to look at it is:you can never say too much or too lit-tle about maintenance.

The good thing about mainten anceis it pays off. Get tire technicians,equipment operators and site super-visors involved and make them re-sponsible. If everyone is doing theirpart, then downtime and tire costscan be cut drastically. ■


■ TIRES: OTR

How many times have youheard this question: “Whydo I have to pay extra for a

Z-rated tire when I never drive over70?” (We’ll ignore the fact that thequestioner ran in a 90 mph pack onhis recent trip from Memphis toKnoxville. The late British journalistL.J.K. Setright called the highwaythat connects the two – Interstate 40– the fastest autobahn in the world.)

Now, here’s a question you proba-bly haven’t heard: “Why does myLexus stutter at 150?”

It was my mother on the phone.Despite her genteel Southern up-bringing, she tended to get right tothe point on phone calls.

“Good morning to you, too,Mom,” I said. “What you experi-enced was the electronic speed lim-iter.” (Notice I was not surprised thatMom had bounced against the lim-iter.)

“Why do they have that?” sheasked.

Rather than discuss the agreementamong most auto companies to limittheir fastest cars to 155 mph, I justsaid: “Toyota doesn’t want yougoing any faster than that.”

“Why?”“If your tires are underinflated or

damaged, they might fail.”“Can the thingie be disarmed?”Forgive me for lying to my

mother, but I said: “No.”“By the way,” I asked. “Where

were you going 150?”“Alabama.” No need for further

questions: That told me she was run-ning a buck fifty because she waslate for church.

Fast forward a few years and myMom had handed down the LS400 tomy brother. He needed new tires. Ofcourse he asked the tire salesmanwhy he needed a Z-rated tire when

the same size from the same manu-facturer with the same model namewas available as a less-expensive V-rated tire.

Of course, I got another phonecall.

The problem: I didn’t know –couldn’t know – the full answer.

My short, incomplete answer wasthe same one I give any time some-body is replacing tires: “Between thetire and car companies, nearly a mil-lion dollars was spent developingthe tires that are on your car. If youlike how the car rides, handles, how

quiet it is, and how your tires han-dled deep water when they werenew, replace them with the identicaltire. And not just the same manufac-turer and model, but the same part

number. Why would you take achance on messing up what you likefor $200 (or less)? If there’s a per-formance category you don’t like(other than price or tread life), try analternative.”

Another short, incomplete answeris that while you may never exceed80 mph, perhaps your son, brother-in-law, or the person to whom yousell the car may. Or maybe Mom willborrow it when she’s late for church.If a lower speed-rated tire fails inthose situations, you will be heart-broken at best and could lose a huge


Closer Lookat SpeedRatings

Explaining the difference

between Z-rated tires

and their less expensive

counterparts to customers

TIRES PERFORMANCE

MAC DEMERE

Contributing Editor

Providing an easy-to-understand explanation of the need for more expensive, highspeed-rated tires can be challenging when faced with customer doubt.

lawsuit at worst. (And that fact alsowould ring true for the dealer whosold them.)

Cars today can reach speeds thatwere unheard of in the 1970s. Backthen, CAR & DRIVER did an article ofall the American-made vehicles thatcould “double the double nickel.”There were 10 U.S.-made vehicles ca-pable of going twice as fast as thehated 55-mph speed limit. One of thevehicles was a Dodge pickup thatwas exempt from the then-new emis-sions controls because of its “grossvehicular weight rating.”

Today, a Honda Civic would eas-ily blow past 130 mph if not for itselectronic speed limiter. This is tosay, trying to save a few dollars byinstalling a lower speed-rated tiredoes not make sense.

Digging DeeperA more complete, but possibly in-

accurate, answer is that there may beabsolutely no difference between theZ- and V-rated tire except the label-ing on the sidewall.

It’s not unusual for tire companies

to put two labels on the output ofone tire mold. If they work their di-mensions just right, a single moldcan produce two different size tires.(See: “Tire Size Allowances: All242/43R17s Are Not Created Alike,”June 2011)

In the same manner, it’s not un-precedented that a V and a Z comefrom the same mold. However, yourchance of learning that – even by ac-cident – is pretty much zero. And Iwouldn’t be shocked if I got a nasty-gram from a tire company for reveal-ing that.

Another factor is the lawsuits thatplague the tire industry. When a tirecompany can lose a suit over a tirethat was purchased used, improperlyrepaired at least twice, and run un-derinflated and overloaded for thou-sands of miles, the industry developsa healthy level of fear.

Plaintiffs’ attorneys have kickedmore than one tire company for fail-ing to use a nylon cap, one of thefeatures that allows the tire to passthe speed-rating test, even when thefeature wasn’t required for the in-

tended use of the tire. Also, it’s be-come easier and cheaper to buildtires with nylon caps. Since nyloncaps provide other benefits, tirecompanies are beginning to liberallyemploy them.

Much of the speed rating issue isthe tire companies’ own fault. Backin the day, they planted in the mindof consumers the fact that higherspeed rating meant improved trac-tion. But the two are only peripher-ally related.

Yes, most sticky tires have highspeed ratings, but it’s not the speedrating that provides that grip. Trythis analogy: Most bankers wearsuits and ties, but wearing a suit andtie does not make one a banker. Thestiff belt package and cap required tomeet the speed rating helps han-dling, but it’s the rubber compoundthat provides the grip.

The next time an old lady tries toget you to install a lower speed-ratedtire on her car so that she might savea few dollars, ask if she’s ever latefor church. ■

TireReview.com 65

■ TIRES: PERFORMANCE

JOHN BEAN The John Bean ATC 900 is a leverless high-productivity tirechanger for passenger car, light truck and SUV tires. Thedual-discbeadbreaker,centerclamp sys-tem andautomaticdemount-ing toolmake theATC 900 aproductivesolution,accordingto JohnBean. Lev-erless de-mountingand pow-ered wheellift reducetechnicianfatigue andthe opportunity for injury. Additionally, dual disc beadbreakers are servo-positioned and electronically synchro-nized so the technician can efficiently maintain a safe andergonomic bay position, the maker added.johnbean.com Rapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49150Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49150

A tire changer is a costly purchase, so when shop owners are in the market for a new ma-chine, they want a lasting piece of equipment that can handle the volume and variety ofwork that comes through their bay doors. The latest tire changers are capable of servic-ing a range of tire sizes, from lawn and garden tires to low profile and luxury models. Ad-ditionally, the leverless demounting and powered wheel lifts make it easier fortechnicians to safely handle the busiest days with ease.


Product Spotlight

SOLUTIONS SPOTLIGHT

Tire Changers

COSENGThe Coseng C933 tire changer features a unique, user-friendly and leverless tilt-back system that enables the userto mountand de-mount anytype of tire,including lowprofile, re-verse-mountwheels andrun-flats,without addi-tional tools.Coseng saidthe fast cen-ter postclampingsystem andautomaticleverlessmountinghead systemprevent theaid of a beadremoving lever or extra physical effort. The leverless tilt backsystem side and mounted pneumatic wheel lift is designedto greatly reduce the operator’s effort, to maximize capabilityand efficiency, and to save time and money at the shop, themaker added. cosenggroup.com Rapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49151Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49151

TireReview.com 67

■ SOLUTIONS: SPOTLIGHT

HOFMANN Hofmann’s Monty3550em withpatented EasyMontpneumatic beadassist is equippedto handle wheel di-ameters up to 30inches. The Monty3550 series isspecifically de-signed to changelow-profile, high-performance andrun-flat tires, maxi-mizing a shop’s ver-satility, accordingto the maker. Thepneumatically con-trolled mount/de-mount head easesoperator effortwhile still allowingfor manual guidance and movement. Additionally, theEasyMont Pro holds the bead into the drop center, makingone-operator tire changes possible on low profile, high-performance and run-flat tires, Hofmann said.hofmann-usa.com Rapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49153Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49154

COATSThe Coats 70X Lev-erless model tirechanger features aunique leverlessmount/demounthead that elimi-nates the use ofmanual tire toolsand delivers in-creased productiv-ity, and an exclusiveswing arm lockingmechanism thatgreatly reduces theoperator effort re-quired to changeeven the most chal-lenging applica-tions, the companysaid. It includes allthe value-addedfeatures of the X-Series line, includ-ing advancedclamp positioningand Coats’ exclusiveoil injection system.ammcoats.com Rapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49152Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49152

CLARK HEINTZ TOOLS & EQUIPMENT Clark Heintz Tools & Equipment has launched the Pro 920Plus TC tire changer. Features include bead breakers manu-factured with steel and pol-ished cylinders resistant towater and moisture. Addi-tionally, the cylinder pis-tons are equipped withmultiple seals, which allowfor a powerful force duringbead breakdown. The Pro920 Plus TC tire changerelectric motors are copperwound and are capable ofhandling larger wheels, themaker added. Transmis-sions are built with heat-treated steel andaluminum cases. Wormgear, main gear and shaftare made of the highestquality materials in orderto transfer ample power tothe turntable.nhproequip.com Rapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49155Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49155

BENDPAK/RANGERThe R980NXT NextGen tire changer from Ranger Products isdesigned to take the all-day abuses of high-volume tireshops. De-signed toservice low-profile tiresand large lux-ury wheelsalike, theR980NXTalso offersadvancedpower assistcapabilitiessuch as aquick-changelower discroller andcenteringcone to aid inclamping, lu-bricating, de-mounting,mounting andinflation forstubborn tireand wheel combinations, the company added.bendpak.com Rapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49154Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49154

■ SOLUTIONS: SPOTLIGHT

GREG SMITH EQUIPMENTGreg Smith Equipment introduced the Atlas TTC-306 au-tomatic truck tire changer. Toggles on the console operatethe bead breaker disc and mount/demount head assemblyautomatically from a remote position, according to themanufacturer. The Atlas TTC-306 truck tire changer is de-signed and engineered to handle wheel sizes from 14 to56 inches, tire diameters in excess of 97 inches, andtire/wheel combinations weighing up to 3,950 pounds.The unit is priced under $12,000, including aluminumwheel adapters; an optional wireless remote is available.gregsmithequipment.com Rapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49156Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49156

TSISSGTire Service Equip-ment ManufacturingCo. and Saf-tee Sip-ing & Grooving saidits CH-22 multi-tirechanger, CH-23stand with beadbreaker and floorplate make the smalltire changing jobeasy, fast and eco-nomical. From lawnand garden to ATVwheels, the CH-22can accommodate avariety of makes andmodels, accordingto the manufacturer,making it a com-plete tire changingstation for small tiresand wheels. Thebead breaker iscompletely ad-justable to accommodate any small tire width. The Mon-goose tire tool also is included to mount and demount anysmall tire.tsissg.com Rapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49157Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49157

68 April 2013 | TireReviewRapid Response: 800-928-1184 ext. 49068

HUNTERHunter said its Auto34 tire changerservices the toughest wheel combina-tions with effortless operation. Accord-ing to Hunter, features includeautomated functions and a powerful,high-torquemotorthatserv-icesrimsup to34incheswith-outtheuse ofbeadlevers.Only three switches and one foot pedalcontrol virtually all tire changing opera-tions, ensuring the same simple opera-tion on all wheels regardless of thesize, design or fitment, the companyadded.hunter.com Rapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49158Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49158

Radial Implement TiresNew Firestone brand DestinationFarm radial implement tires withAD2 technology are designed tosignificantly reduce soil com-paction compared to equivalent-sized, conventional implementtires, according to the tiremaker.Features include steel belts, widersection width, higher speed ratingand a soil-friendly tread design.The tire is available in both IF andVF designations for greater load-carrying capacity, the companyadded.firestoneag.comRapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49160Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49160

Ultra-Premium Brake PadsAdvics said it designs and produces brake pads for OEMs

around the world. Theengineering that goesinto its ultra-premiumbrake pads has takenoriginal ceramic frictiontechnology to the nextlevel, resulting in bet-ter heat dissipation,

longer pad and rotor life, increased stopping power andoverall performance, the maker added. advics-na.comRapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49161Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49161

New Filter Catalog Denso has released the 2013 Air, Oil and Cabin Air Filter cat-alog (FIL-CAT-1112) for its First Time Fit filter line. Updatedair, cabin air and oil filter coverage is included in the ex-panded catalog, which offers information in English, Spanishand French. Additionally, the catalog covers automotive,light truck and van applications.densocorp-na-dsca.comRapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49162Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49162

Tire Comparator Type I and IIIPA released its latest products, the Tire Comparator Type Iand Type II. These tools help fleets ensure the greatest fueleconomy and tire life possible to reduce costs, according toIPA. The Type I allows users to compare tire diameter on sin-gle and dual-mated wheel applications for proper pairing.Additionally, the Type I can be instantly adjusted to work onvirtually any sized tire, up to 48 inches in diameter. The TypeII provides an easier method of ensuring mated tires arewithin tolerance. The sliding tolerance gauge requires no

measuring, guessing, or even visual inspection, according toIPA. ipatools.comRapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49163Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49163

Cordless Ratchet Wrenches Ingersoll Rand has added newratchets to its evolving IQ v20 se-ries cordless line. These ratchetsare ideal for engine repairs, un-dercar work, and light industrialmaintenance, repair and opera-tions applications. The R3130 3/8-inch and R3150 1/2-inch 20Vcordless ratchet wrenches providethe power, portability and accessusers need for tight access jobs,according to Ingersoll Rand. Ad-ditionally, the cordless ratchets deliver 54 foot-pounds oftorque to complete automotive and industrial equipment re-pairs quickly. ingersollrand.com Rapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49164Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49164

Two-Post Lift The new 9,000-pound capacity two-post lift from Direct Liftfeatures asymmetric arms mounted on symmetric columns.The DL9 features im-proved arms and car-riages to give users betterpickup-point access andallow them to lift eitherasymmetrically or sym-metrically, according tothe manufacturer. The lift’slatch covers are made ofimpact-resistant polymerto minimize denting andscratching. All hoses are routed internally for improved aes-thetics, and the padded switch that cuts power when a vehi-cle reaches maximum height has been redesigned, themaker added. directlift.comRapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49165Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49165

New Diagnostic Scan Tools Delphi introduced three diagnostic scan tools and flash pro-grammers, including 36 accessories, covering North Ameri-can and Asian applications. Technicians connect the tool tothe OBDII connector under the instrument panel to deter-mine trouble codes and are guided to the suspect area. Ad-ditionally, technicians have access to the latest OE data andsoftware, as well as the ability to receive current OE-based

TireReview.com 69

SOLUTIONSPRODUCTS

Hot New Products


■ SOLUTIONS: PRODUCTS

service repair information, dedicatedASE-certified support, advanced train-ing, a new mobile eCatalog and Del-phi’s connected car telematics solution. delphi.comRapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49166Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49166

Powerful Air CompressorThe new Tri-Max air compressor byBendPak features an extreme-duty 3-

cylinder pump,designed andmanufactured tooperate with maxi-mum efficiencyunder all load con-ditions. Addition-ally, the cast-ironpump provides360-degree cool-ing efficiency and

splash lubrication. The 7.5 HP motorpacks a lot of power but makes littlenoise, according to the manufacturer.bendpak.comRapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49167Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49167

Updated Scan ToolBosch recently updated its MastertechVCI scan tool to expand support formore in-depth vehicle coverage. Fea-turing thepowerfulESI[tronic]2.0 diagnos-tic software,the Mas-tertech VCInow in-cludesVolvo, Toyota and Chrysler to providean unparalleled aftermarket diagnosticand service resource for multiple vehi-cles, according to Bosch. boschdiagnostics.comRapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49168Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49168

Light Truck TireMaxxis International spent three yearsof market research and engineering todevelop the new HT-770 light-trucktire. Features include increased casingstiffness and tread reinforcements toimprove overall braking performance.Additionally, the sidewall was fine-tuned to improve the overall ride aswell as stability under emergency ma-neuvers or heavy crosswinds. maxxis.comRapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49169Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49169

Clone-able TPMS LineStandard Motor Products said it hasadded the popular Ford-banded styleTPMS sensor to its growing clone-ableTPMS sensor line. This new sensormatches the original for fit, form andfunction; and due to its advanced engi-neering, can easily be cloned in lessthan a minute with the existing sensorID, eliminating the need for a factoryrelearn, according to SMP. Standardpart TPM23A offers extensive modelcoverage for Ford, Lincoln, Mercuryand Mazda, model years 2005-11.smpcorp.comRapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49170Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49170

Pick-Up Tire Cage The newest pick-up truck tire cage isnow available through Martins Indus-tries. The pick-up truck tire cage wasdesigned, tested and manufactured totransport tires of all sizes, according toMartins Industries. The tire cage workson all types of pick-ups that have an 8-

foot box. On average, it can transportapproximately 100 tires of 17 inches indiameter. The cage is equipped with asafety net for the top, a locking systemand stainless steel hardware to preventrust.martinsindustries.comRapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49171Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49171

Synthetic Oil BlendACDelco’s 5W20 Dexos1 syntheticblend oil is now available for selected2013 Chevrolet and Cadillac models.Dealers can obtain the oil through theirlocal GM oil distributor, according toACDelco. The oil is available in 55-gal-lon drums or by the quart. acdelco.comRapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49172Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49172

Digital O2 Sensor Catalog In an effort to continue an eco-friendlyapproach of digitizing print material,Spectra Premium said it has launched adigital flip-book formatof the oxy-gen sensorcatalog. Ac-cording tothe com-pany, thisformat fea-tures an easyto navigateonline tool,while beingcompatiblewith mobile devices. spectrapremium.comRapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49173Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49173

Online MarketingThe Kukui online marketing suite offersclean, powerful website designs, opti-mized to boost conversion rates aswell as search engine rankings, accord-ing to the maker. A content manage-ment system is included with everywebsite and is integrated with a tiredealer’s POS system, so dealers cansee their marketing ROI. Additionally,it helps improve customer relationshipsthrough service reminders, emails,blogs and customer review posts. kukui.comRapid Response: www.TRRapidResponse.com/49174Or call 800-928-1184 – Ext. 49174


TireReview.com 71

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new ignition switch, but that didn’thelp. Then I disconnected the sunroofwiring harness, but we’re still blowingthe link. I don’t know where to turnnext, guys!”

Basil rubbed his chin. “Turn is agood choice of words, Beanie. You needto check your road map. Have you con-sulted the appropriate wiring diagramsfor this vehicle?”

“Well, yeah. Spoke has them printedout right here. That’s how I know thewire only feeds the sunroof and the ig-nition switch.” He paused briefly.“From what I can see, there’s only a fewcircuits going off from the ignitionswitch, and each one has its own sepa-rate fuse. Those fuses aren’t blowing, soit can’t be one of them.”

“Hold up there,” growled Tooner.“Whaddya mean ‘only a few circuits?’Since when does an ignition switchfeed only a few circuits?” He headedfor the shop computer. “Keep himtalkin’, boys. I’m gonna check out thatdiagram myself.”

When Tooner returned, he had acrumpled printout clutched in his

hand. “Beanie, I show a ton of circuitsrunnin’ off that ignition switch, andthere’s at least four or five that ain’t gotno fuse.” He thrust the wiring diagramtowards the phone. “It’s all right hereon page three.”

There was a long pause from thespeaker box. “Uh, page three?” ven-tured Beanie meekly. “I’ve only got twopages here.”

Spoke used the same online servicefor repair manuals and wiring diag -rams that we did, but somehow he’donly printed out two of the three pagesrequired. Once Beanie found pagethree, he was able to trace the short tothe EGR solenoid wiring harness, whi -ch had melted to the exhaust manifold.

I hung up the phone. “Well, I guesswe’ve learned a lesson. Never send aninexperienced tech on a service call.”

“Whaddya talkin’ about?” Toonerbristled. “It ain’t Beanie’s fault wedidn’t give him the right gear before heleft!”

“The right gear?”“Yeah! The road map, er…I mean

the wiring diagram. Rule number one:never trust the other guy’s informa-

tion.”“Exactly my thoughts,” chimed in

Basil, clapping Tooner on the back.“You can’t blame the lad for getting lostwhen we’re the ones who sent him inthe wrong direction. If you ask me, I’mrather proud of the boy.”

“Ditto. Now let’s go have some ofthem donuts. I feel like celebrating.”

Basil and Tooner headed off to thecoffee room full of praise for their pro-tégé, while I stood there shaking myhead. This was a side of their personali-ties that I’d never seen before.

But life’s like that; just when youthink you’ve got the story figured out,somebody rewrites the map…or rather,the book. ■

TireReview.com 75

■ COMMENTARY: THE CAR SIDE

Continued from page 76

Rick Cogbill, a freelance writerand former shop owner in Sum-merland, B.C., has written TheCar Side for a variety of trademagazines for the past 14 years.“A Fine Day for a Drive,” his firstbook based on the charactersfrom this column, is now availablefor order at thecarside.com.

Gee, I dunno…d’ya think thekid’s gonna be alright?” Basillooked worried. “I certainly

hope so, Tooner,” he replied as hestruggled to control his emotions.“But I do worry – a bad experience atthis age can damage a young fellowfor life.”

I stared at my two colleagues.“Aren’t you guys overreacting alittle? I mean, you’ve packed him alunch, checked his list of suppliesthree times, and insisted he wear afresh pair of coveralls.” I shrugged.“Get over it. You two are actingworse than a mother on her kid’sfirst day of school.”

But as we silently watched theservice truck disappear down thestreet, even I had to admit that lifehappens way too fast. One minute,your apprentice is playing in apuddle of oil; the next minute, he’soff doing service calls.

Basil smiled weakly as hedabbed at his eyes with a clean rag.“Well, I suppose you’re right, Slim.We’ve done our best. Sometimesyou just have to let them go.”

Tooner growled and went backto his tire vibration job without anotherword. Even though he tries to hide it,deep down I know he cares.

I slapped Basil on the back. “Cheerup. If Beanie has any problems, he’llcall. Come on back inside – there’s a bagof fresh donuts with your name on it.”

But the sugar-laden treats failed tolift the mood that morning. We’d sentour young apprentice on his first offi-cial service call to help out anothershop, and it was worrisome. “What ifThe Bean really screws up?” exploded

Tooner at one point. “Our reputation’son the line here!”

I couldn’t blame Tooner for beingworried – Beanie hadn’t called all morn-ing and the pressure was getting to us.But we had our own work to do, andwe needed to keep ourselves focused.“Relax,” I said. “It’s a simple wiringproblem. I’m sure he can handle that.”

The vehicle at issue was a 2000Chrysler Sebring with a dead short. Theguys at Spoke Lee’s Alignment Shophad been struggling with it for twodays now, and Spoke himself hadcalled me that morning for help.

“Y’know we wouldn’t normallytackle these things, Slim,” he’d said,“but it’s a regular customer, and be-sides, you’d think a dead short wouldbe easy to find.”

“And it’s not?” I asked.Spoke groaned. “We’ve replaced the

fusible link four times! Every time wedrive around the block, it blows again!”He lowered his voice. “If you couldsend someone over, that’d be great. Ihate to run up a towing bill unnecessar-ily, if you know what I mean.”

I understood all right. It wasn’t thetowing bill he was worried about – itwas the ribbing he’d get from Dutchy

when he showed up with his decktruck. Our local towing operatorcan be less than sympathetic attimes.

The long-awaited phone call fi-nally came in the early afternoon.Tooner pounced on it at first ring.“Beanie, is that you?!”

Basil and I came running. “Ishe okay? Put it on speakerphone!” yelled Basil. “I need tohear his voice…” I glanced athim and he coughed. “I, er, Imean, I want to hear what he hasto say…”

It turned out that Beanie hadlots to say, and most of it wasn’tgood.

“Guys, I’m stumped!” he la -mented. “I’ve checked everythingI can think of. I’ve followed the

wire from the battery to the ignitionswitch, and then traced the lead to thesunroof, and then…”

“Hold it!” broke in Tooner. “Ignitionswitches? Sunroofs? Back it up, buddyboy. Just start at the beginning an’ tellus what’s goin’ down.”

Beanie stopped to collect his thou -ghts. “Okay, here’s the deal. Fusible link#5 keeps blowing, and the only circuitsit feeds are the ignition switch and thesunroof relay. We’ve already tried a


Power Maps forDummies

The perils of sending

a young tech out on his

first service call without

all of his papers

COMMENTARY THE CAR SIDE

RICK COGBILL

aka Slim Shambles

Contributing Writer

Continued on page 75

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