RMA revises shop bulletins
WASHINGTON-The Rubber Manufacturers Association has issued a technical bulletin on flat spot repair and revised five other retread and repair shop bulletins.
The new bulletin for tire service professionals is ``Break Skid (Flat Spot) Repair in a Full-Service Repair Facility.''
The revised bulletins are: ``Groove Cracking, Precure''; ``Groove Cracking, Mold Cure''; ``Retread and Repair Materials Glossary of Terms''; ``Tread Edge Lifting''; and ``Buffing Techniques for Radial Passenger Tires.''
The RMA now has more than 40 tire retread and repair shop bulletins available for download in the Publications section of its Web site, www.rma.org.
Yokohama fronts golf tournament
FULLERTON, Calif.-Yokohama Tire Corp. sponsored the Scion Release Invitational golf tournament March 20-21 in Scottsdale, Ariz., which benefits the Boys & Girls Club of America.
Yokohama said the tournament featured auto industry executives plus celebrities. Norio Karashima, president and CEO of Yokohama Tire Co., and Jim MacMaster, executive vice president, represented Yokohama.
The event also served to strengthen Yokohama's relationship with Scion, a Toyota Motor Sales brand, the firm said.
Michelin chair named at Clemson
CLEMSON, S.C.-Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research has named Todd H. Hubing to fill the Michelin Endowed Chair in Vehicular Electronic Systems Integration.
Mr. Hubing, who comes to Clemson from the University of Missouri-Rolla, will lead research and instruction in the increasingly complex interaction of electrical, digital and mechanical technologies in automobiles.
Clemson will begin its Ph.D. program in automotive engineering with a concentration of vehicle systems integration in August, with a Master of Science program to follow in August 2007.
BFS launches teen essay contest
NASHVILLE, Tenn.-Bridgestone/Firestone is launching an essay contest for teens to earn $2,500 college scholarships or other prizes.
The company is running the contest on its Web site, www.safetyscholars.com, which is part of the firm's safety education campaign. The essays will deal with various driver safety issues.
``Car accidents are the leading killer of teens in this country,'' said racing legend and BFS spokesman Mario Andretti. ``Teens are just learning to drive and face many distractions, so they're at a very high risk for accidents. We want to help teens learn good, safe habits from the very beginning. Our hope is our Safety Scholars program will help us find the best way to get all teens to hear this important message.''
To participate in the essay contest, students age 16 to 21 must compose an essay of 500 words or less on car safety topics they feel are important to their peers, such as using seat belts, drinking and driving or tire safety. The submission should include ways to improve driver safety and ideas about the best way to communicate to young drivers about these safety messages. Essays will be accepted through July 31, and finalists will be named in the fall.
Each of the top three finalists will receive a $2,500 scholarship and laptop computer. The top 10 finalists will receive a $500 gas card and set of tires.
Pirelli, Maserati renew agreement
MILAN-Pirelli & C. S.p.A. and Italian car maker Maserati S.p.A. have renewed for two years a global collaboration agreement covering motorsports and the development of new consumer products.
Besides several partnerships in racing series, Pirelli supplies P Zero high-performance tires as original equipment on Maserati's Quattroporte, GranSport Coupe and GranSport Spyder models and for Maserati driving schools.
The agreement originally was signed in 2003 for three years. Bologna, Italy-based Maserati is part of Fiat S.p.A.
Goodyear steer tire hits 1 million
AKRON-Goodyear's Danville, Va., tire plant produced its 1 millionth Unisteel G395 LHS medium-truck steer tire May 18.
Now in its third year of production, the G395 LHS reached this milestone four years faster than its predecessor, the G397, Goodyear said. The G395 LHS has turned out to be Goodyear's most successful steer tire ever, according to the Akron-based tire maker, and is a result of a continuation of the Akron Technical Center's steer tire development.
Commercial tire scientists used technology to energize the company's line-haul tire lineup, according to Donn Kramer, director of commercial tire marketing.
``The G395's milestone is significant because our customers have finally embraced a Goodyear steer tire,'' Mr. Kramer said.
The G395 steer tire is specified by truck makers International, Freightliner, Volvo and Mack Trucks, Goodyear said.