NEW ORLEANS-Companies dotting the National Tire Dealers & Retreaders Association's trade show in New Orleans exhibited their latest product offerings. Following are some of the new products seen at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Oct. 12-14:
Rim-King International Inc. exhibited its rim bead cleaner, which cleans and refinishes the bead areas of aluminum and steel wheels to ensure a tight fit between tire bead and wheel rim, thereby eliminating slow air leaks.
The unit, which also is being marketed by Myers Tire Supply Co., clamps directly onto any rim clamp tire changer and features a circular wire brush on a ``floating radius'' arm, driven by a 1/2-hp electric motor.
The brush head pivots to allow easy access to all areas of the rim bead seat.
Contact: Myers Tire Supply Co., Dept. TB, 1293 S. Main St., Akron, Ohio 44301; (216) 253-5592. Fax: (216) 253-1882; or
Rim-King International Inc., Dept. TB, P.O. Box 72057, Calgary, Alberta T2V 5H9; (403) 281-5464. Fax: (403) 281-2442.
Coker Tire Co., a marketer of antique and classic tires, has developed two products for keeping these tires looking new.
Wide White Tire Cleaner is formulated for wide whitewalls and is the only whitewall cleaner that contains an abrasive, Coker said.
Big Classic Tire Dressing cleans and dresses tires with a black satiny finish, favored by collector car enthusiasts over the glossy sheen left by other products, Coker said.
Contact: Coker Tire Co., Dept. TB, 1317 Chestnut St., Chattanooga, Tenn. 37402; (800) 251-6336 or (423) 265-6368. Fax: (423) 756-5607.
Tech International debuted its Uni-Seal Ultra line of cap-and-stem repair units for crown, shoulder and sidewall injuries in bias and radial tires, including speed-rated models.
Compared with regular Uni-Seals, the Ultras have about 30 percent more usable length in the stem and caps that are 25 percent thicker, providing better strength and eliminating dimpling.
Uni-Seal Ultra repairs, available for 1/8- and 1/4-inch diameter injuries, also have a copper-clad wire in the stem to pull the unit through the tire.
Contact: Tech International, Dept. TB, P.O. Box 486, Johnstown, Ohio 43031; (800) 433-8324 or (800) 336-8324. Fax: (614) 967-1039.
Snap-On Inc. introduced a line of ultrasonic wheel balancers manufactured by its Sun Electric Corp. subsidiary, designed to increase both the speed and accuracy of the balancing process.
Both models, CWB 1858 and CWB 1860, feature a patented ultrasonic measuring system that automatically measures wheel diameter, rim width and offset.
Lowering the arm activates the motor, which is isolated from the balancer shaft and engages it kinetically, disengaging and stopping once the wheel is up to speed.
Worn motor parts cannot affect the accuracy of the balancer, which also can be hand spun.
The CWB 1860 also has a measuring head that tilts into a vertical position during mounting, ensuring the wheel is truly centered on the cone.
Contact: Snap-On Inc., Dept. TB, 3550 Snell Ave., San Jose, Calif. 95136; (408) 972-2526. Fax: (408) 972-4495.
The Accu-turn 6100 and 6600 microprocessor wheel balancers service 10- to 24-inch rims.
Both models are self calibrating, self diagnosing, balance to 1 gram, have five mag modes plus tire matching, and stop automatically at weight location. The 6600 model also includes automatic parameter entry and a free quick nut.
Contact: Accu-turn, Dept. TB, P.O. Box 15540, Richmond, Va. 23227; (800) 551-2228.
Automotive Diagnostics, a division of SPX Corp., introduced its Bear Pace 100 brakes-alignment analyzer and Bear Pace CCD 3100 and 3400 wheel alignment systems.
The brakes-alignment analyzer tests vehicles up to 10,000 GVW with a measuring range of zero to 2,200 pounds per plate. The unit has an IBM compatible 486 computer with a high capacity hard drive and a 14-inch color monitor.
The CCD 3100 and 3400 alignment systems use Microsoft Windows to provide screen selection, help screens and multiple displays. The analyzers have analog-style adjustment meters, graphic alignment procedural help displays and live adjustment meters.
The 3400 comes with a CD ROM drive, additional cabinet space and a 17-inch color monitor. The smaller 3100 has a 14-inch monitor.
Contact: Automotive Diagnostics, Dept. TB, 8001 Angling Road, Kalamazoo, Mich. 49002; (800) 358-2400 or (616) 329-7600. Fax: (616) 329-7713.
ASA Tire Systems Group has introduced three add-on modules to its TireMax 2000 tire dealership computer software system: Payroll Time Clock, Accounts Receivable Credit, Collection & Dunning and Tire Link.
The payroll addition allows employees to clock in or out using any office or point of sale computer even while other TireMax operations are running. At the end of a pay period, the system generates a payroll report by employee.
The accounts receivable module allows credit managers to attach specific comments to customer files that can be viewed on screen or on a credit management report. User defined dunning letters can be custom created and printed.
With TireLink, wholesale dealerships can give access to ordering and inventory information to their customers. Retailers can search inventory, check account status and place work orders directly into the TireMax Order Entry system. The module does not allow access outside of the customer's account.
Contact: ASA Tire Systems Group, Dept. TB, 615 Amherst St., Nashua, N.H. 03063; (603) 889-8700. Fax: (603) 880-3438.
Dognet, from Progressive Computer Systems Inc., is an interactive inventory database that allows dealers to advertise slow-moving items to 20 to 30 million people on the Internet.
The service can be found at hhtp://dognet/northwest.com*.
Contact: Progressive Computer Systems Inc., Dept. TB, 12515 Willows Road N.E., Suite 500, Kirkland, Wash. 98034; (206) 820-0360. Fax: (206) 820-2637.
Star Machine & Tool Co. introduced its Model 1290 Micro-finish Brake Lathe, said to combine extra precision finishing with 60-second drum-to-disc changeovers.
The unit features: a cross-slide drive engineered as an integral unit tucked beneath the carriage; a Switch-O-Matic tool plate for instant change from drum to disc turning and infinitely adjustable spindle speeds for a squeak-free finish that is said to require no follow-up grinding or polishing.
It is designed to finish drums up to 32 inches and discs to 18.5 inches in diameter.
Contact: Star Machine & Tool Co., Dept. TB, 201 Sixth St. S.E., Minneapolis, Minn. 55414; (800) 869-1330 or (612) 378-3232.