Jul17

The Deflecktor Aero-Improving Wheel Covers

by Jabbering Jay on July 17th, 2011 at 1:42 PM
Posted In: aerodynamic parts

The Deflecktor by A de F, Ltd

Last year, Schneider Trucking started installing The Deflecktor, manufactured by A de F, Ltd., on its tractors and have not regretted it one bit.  After testing the product for two years, Schneider has been installing the wheel covers on all four drive wheels and have seen an improvement of almost 1%.  At a cost of $200 per tractor, the payback has been about 6 months with $4.00 / gal fuel.

Inventor Jon Fleck came up with the idea for an aluminum wheel cover over 20 years ago to improve fuel mileage.  But with cheap oil and fuel prices back then, the idea was put on the back burner to simmer.  Jon reintroduced the aero-improving wheel cover in an advanced technology lightweight fabric in 2009.

Zip on The Deflecktor cover

The attachment uses two metal rings sewn into the fabric which get placed into the wheel rim.  The smooth fabric cover is then zipped into place.  The aero-improving wheel covers are “Schneider-verified” and have an anticipated 5 year lifespan.

The Deflecktor aero-improving wheel cover can be manufactured with colors and graphics.  The Deflector is a “must have” low-cost high-ROI add-on for your tractor.

Link:  A de F, Ltd  The Deflecktor

Related articles:

Schneider News - Schneider Outfits Tractor Fleet with Aerodynamic Wheel Covers

Wilwaukee Journal Sentinel - This inventor rarely spins his wheels

White Bear Press.com –  From Mackin’ Bacon to making better wheel covers

 

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Jul10

Yokohama Tires Available at 1,500 Dealers

by Jabbering Jay on July 10th, 2011 at 8:49 PM
Posted In: tires

Yokohama low roll resistance tires

California-based Yokohama Tire Corporation, with factories in Virginia, Japan, China, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam, is a very progressive 100-year old tire company.  Eight of its tires have been SmartWay-verified to improve mileage and reduce emissions

SmartWay has determined that a fuel savings of 3% or greater can be achieved when using low roll resistance tires on all three axle positions.

Yokohama makes three SmartWay models for the steer (RY617, 101ZL, 103ZR) and drive (703ZL, TY577, Y703ZL) positions and two SmartWay models (RY587, RY587MC2) for trailers.  Per America Moves By Truck (AMBT) tire chart, Yokohama’s tires have some of the best low roll resistance available.

Yokohama commercial tires

Yokohama does make a single-wide (RY 253) for drive and trailer positions, but this tire is not SmartWay-verified nor is its roll resistance listed on AMBT’s website.

Yokohama does provide an emergency service for national customers called YES.  Their website also has some good cost-saving tips.

Yokohama has a large selection of truck tires with different technology options.  Definitely consider the MC2 and STEM2 tires for increased fuel mileage and extended retreading opportunities.

Link: Yokohama Tire Corporation

Related articles:

Yokohama Truck and Bus Selection Guide - Truck Tire Reference Guide

 

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Jun25

Ridge Corp’s Green Wing Skirts Are Hot

by Jabbering Jay on June 25th, 2011 at 6:40 PM
Posted In: aerodynamic parts

Ridge Corporation - Pataskala, Ohio

Last August, Ridge Corp signed an OEM agreement to supply its aerodynamic side skirts to Hyundai’s Translead, a leading dry van manufacturer.  Since then its Green Wing skirts have been a hot item for trucking fleets looking for fuel-saving solutions.

For over 30 years, Ridge Corp has been an OEM supplier of wall liner sheets to trailer manufacturers.  With this experience and knowledge, Ridge Corp has been able to easily branch out into manufacturing aerodynamic add-on trailer skirts.  The skirts are made of a flexible, temperature-resistant and durable glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic.   The skirts can easily endure any rough treatment from railroad crossings, loading dock ramps or street curbs.  The fuel savings from the Green Wing skirts has been tested to improve fuel efficiency 5.2% and its Smart Wing skirts achieve a 4% improvement.  Both are  EPA SmartWay-verified.

Green Wing aero side skirts

The attachment, design and materials used for the stiffening struts allows for quick snap-backs after most minor accidents. The glass fiber reinforcing provides a memory for the thermoplastic, thereby returning it to its original shape. Also – the skirts only weight 200 pounds and the thermoplastic can be recycled at the end of the skirt’s life-cycle.

Ridge Corp’s Green Wings  and Smart Wings are well worth considering for your trailers.

Link:  Ridge Corporation Green Wings

Related articles:

Hyundai Translead - Hyundai Translead Partners with Ridge Corp. (press release)

 

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Jun23

Goodyear Offers Seven Fuel Savers

by Jabbering Jay on June 23rd, 2011 at 5:01 PM
Posted In: tires

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

With the introduction of the Fuel Max G572 LHD Drive tire, Akron-based Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company now has 5 SmartWay-certified tires and 2 SmartWay-verified tires to offer truckers to increase their fuel mileage.  Goodyear offers the seven types of Fuel Max low roll resistant tires as:  2 Steer/All Purpose tires, 2 Drive tires and 1 Trailer tire for trucks running dualies (SmartWay-certified) and 1 Drive and 1 Trailer Wide Base (SmartWay-verified)  for those who have moved to single-wide tires. SAE testing of the Fuel Max tires showed an 8% increase in fuel economy over standard Goodyear tires. However, Goodyear only likes to claim a 4% increase to adjust for load, road and weather conditions.

EPA studies in 2005 and 2006 determined that a fuel savings of 3% and greater can be achieved when using low roll resistance single-wide tires on drive and trailer axles.  Alvan Motor Freight has been able to see a 5% improvement when running the single-wides (See video below from Big Truck TV.).  With diesel over $3.50 a gallon, a 3% to 5% increase in fuel economy provides a quick return on your investment, even after paying the initial installation/conversion cost.

Fuel Max tire

Flat tires have been a big concern for the single-wides.  To overcome this hurdle, Goodyear’s single-wides come with DuraSeal Technology to self-seal any punctures in the tread-area up to 1/4″ diameter.

Another big plus – the single-wides reduce about 1,000 pounds weight over dualies.  Thereby, allowing for a larger load for faster ROI.

All seven Goodyear Fuel Max SmartWay tires are great.  The Fuel Max tires for dualies has been tested and shown effective.  Definitely consider the  Fuel Max DuraSeal single-wides for your next new tractor and trailer.  As a retrofit, the single-wides are a bigger decision and financial ROI calculation.

Also – Goodyear has very good fuel-saving information and tips on their website – not just on tires, but for route management, driving style, etc. (Link to info.)

 

Link: Goodyear Truck Tires (website)

Related articles:

Big Truck TV - Single wide tires (video)

Truckinginfo - Goodyear Wide-Base Trailer Tires with DuraSeal Flat Protection

Truckinginfo - Goodyear Unveils Deep-Tread Drive Tire with Fuel Max Features

Tire Information World - New Advancements for Goodyear Truck Tires

 

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Jun23

Why OPEC Oil Producers Drive Us (Me) Crazy

by Crazy Jay on June 23rd, 2011 at 11:25 AM
Posted In: oil prices

It just drives me crazy to know Americans are being played like “junkie” puppets by OPEC.

Two weeks ago, Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal said he wanted the price of oil to decrease to $70 to $80 / bbl so America, Europe and every other developing country would stop looking for alternative energy sources.  That idea is crazy!!  ”We don’t want the West to go and find alternatives”, said Alwaleed in an interview on CNN.

Prince Alwaleed photo by Waseem Obaidi / Bloomberg

He is crazy!!  That is the voice of a drug dealer wanting to keep his customers buying heroin instead of converting to methadone.  That is the voice of a cigarette company CEO fighting federal and state “sin” taxes so his customers don’t switch to nicotine gum.

If Prince Alwaleed had said they wanted the price of oil to decrease to help the global economy recover from The Great Recession.  Then I would say “Thank You” for your help.

But… now we know how the Saudis  really think about us.  We are their junkies.  We are just their billion dollars a day cash cows.

We really need to kick the petroleum habit – ASAP!  We all know it can not happen over night.  It can not happen in 5 years or even 10 years.  But, if enough good decisions are made now,  we can don’t need to be powering our trucks and cars in 20 years with imported oil from OPEC “dealers”.

 

Related articles:

Bloomberg - Alwaleed Says Saudi Arabia Seeks $70 to $80 Oil to Preserve Sales to West

Wall Street Journal - Saudi Prince Alwaleed Says Saudis Want Oil At $70-$80

The Daily Caller - Saudi Prince Calls for Lower Oil Prices

 

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