Accuride trims wheel weight

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 12, 2014) — Wheel maker Accuride Corp. is launching a range of 22.5-inch aluminum wheels for wide-base truck tires.

The company claims the new wheels are up to four pounds lighter than the wheels being replaced.

The new “Accu-Lite” Duplex wheels are already on the road in fleet service, Accuride said, and are available for specification from Accuride's OEM customers. The company debuted the wheels at the American Trucking Associations' Technology & Maintenance Council meeting in Nashville.

Accuride said it was able to reduce weight by re-engineering the design of the 14-inch wide Duplex model, cutting three pounds off the PN 41660 model and four pounds off the PN 41016.

The new wheels, part numbers 41142 (2-inch offset) and 41140 (zero offset), replace part numbers 41660 and 41016, respectively, Accuride said. Both are 10-hand-hole, hub-piloted aluminum wheels rated to support a maximum load of 12,800 pounds. They weigh 56 and 55 pounds, respectively.

Together with Accurides' Steel Armor coating for steel wheels, the new Accu-Lite Duplex aluminum wheels give fleets more options to lower tractor-trailer weight, said Accuride President and CEO Rick Dauch, which in turn can boost fuel economy and payload and reduce maintenance costs, etc.

Mr. Dauch claims Accuride is the only wheel company able to offer fleets alternatives in steel or aluminum.

The Duplex wheels are a one-piece forged aluminum wheel design produced in Accuride's plants in Erie, Pa., and Monterrey, Mexico.