Kudos for TIA
Let's give praise to the folks at the Tire Industry Association (TIA) for some of the battles that have been won recently.
I'm specifically referring to TIA's efforts to get legislation passed establishing Association Health Plans (AHP), its certified stores program, and the hard work the association did on trying to implement a check-off program.
Doug Swanson
Co-owner
Modern Auto Care Inc.
Eden Prairie, Minn.
Still torquing
I read the article ``Torqued off'' (June 7 issue) with interest.... I would like to see a more in-depth how-to article on torquing.
We have been torquing vehicle wheels for 20 years with torque wrenches and understand about clamping rather than bolting wheels to the hub. I would like ideas on how to clean hubs and wheels.
We feel it is just as important to keep these areas clean not only when installing new wheels, but when rotating and/or balancing, repairing tires or any time you change a wheel. We often work on 3/4-ton and 1/2-ton pick-ups and sport-utility vehicles, and there's a big problem with dirt on the wheel-if you don't clean them properly it creates an air pocket and then the wheel can and sometimes does fall off.
I would like to see more information along these lines and more input on how to get hubs clean on these vehicles. We use a torque wrench up to 100 pounds and torque sticks for 140 pounds and above. But all we have to clean wheels is a wire brush. We need some other tools developed.
Tom McLaughlin
Owner
Waid Tire Service
LaGrange, Ga.
On the money
Although most of the features in Tire Business are ``on the money,'' Mary Miles' Personnel Matters columns (May 24 and June 21 issues) on ``Look before leaping'' when considering acquiring a business were simply superb.
Over my many years in the tire industry, I have made a number of acquisitions and turned down even more. However, had I had Ms. Miles' ``check list'' in front of me, I am sure I might have walked away from some. And maybe taken on some of the rejected ones.
We all know the '70s, '80s and '90s were the time for acquisitions and mergers, and we also know a fair amount have failed-a great many of them because of ``culture'' issues.
Bravo to Ms. Miles and Tire Business for an outstanding educational piece!
J.A. ``Joe'' DePaolis
President
Consultative Services
Rochester, N.Y.
Where's quality control?
In response to, or rather in corroboration with, your June 7 issue mail call letter ``Round-about problem,'' I'm glad I am not the only one who has noticed the varying degree of quality control problems we are finding in today's tires.
Most of these problems are in fact lateral runout issues-sometimes rather severe. This usually will manifest itself as a wheel vibration at highway speed even though tire balance and wheel runout are not at fault. We have seen this in the tire size P265/75R16, but also in some more common passenger car sizes.
I'd be interested to know how widespread this problem may be, and what other responses have come in to the editorial desk.
Bruce Dickerman
Service manager
Tire Clinic Inc.
Columbia, Conn.