AKRON (Jan. 14, 2003) — Hennessy Industries Inc. unveiled new tire service equipment as well as two education initiatives at a press conference today in Akron.
The XR 1800 wheel balancer is aimed at making diagnostics a part of every tire balance, the company said, with the ultimate goal of preventing customers from having to return to a shop when a vibration problem was not fixed the first time. The new unit adds only two to three seconds to each wheel balancing job, instead of the 30 to 35 extra seconds used with a separate diagnostic tool, said Kevin Keefe, group marketing manager for Hennessy.
“You stop that problem from ever leaving your shop,” he said.
The company's new 9024E tire changer is designed to handle the ever-increasing sizes of wheels, company officials said. It can handle tires up to 24 inches, including run flats, low profiles and other tough tire-changing jobs.
“They're all designed to prevent wheel damage because we all know how expensive some of these rims can be,” Mr. Keefe said.
Company officials also unveiled two educational programs. One, for technicians, offered a CD-ROM covering topics such as proper wheel balancing and mounting techniques. The company also debuted a program, dubbed R.I.D.E., for tire retailers to help consumers focus on preventative maintenance while providing dealers with “tools that can promote better care and wheel balancing services.”
LaVergne, Tenn.-based Hennessy manufacturers tire changers, balancers, brake lathes, lifts, alignment systems wheel weights and accessories under the brand names Coats, Ammco and Bada.