Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions (BBTS) has introduced a new Bandag drive axle retread for LTL applications. The new tire was introduced to dealers at the company’s Bridgestone Bandag Executive Symposium. The Bandag brand BDR-HT3 retread is designed for single-axle tractors and features a new tread compound and pattern that resists tears and improves fuel mileage, the company says. The company says it combats tread chunking and improves mileage by using a new breakthrough tread compound, new tread design and splice optimization. A bow tie-shaped tread block distributes torque evenly to reduce block stress, the company says, while the wider, buttressed shape design strengthens the blocks.

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BBTS’s new Firestone trailer tire has been dubbed the Firestone FT455 Plus. It’s built with fuel economy in mind without sacrificing removal mileage, the company claims. It’s approved for use on EPA SmartWay-certified equipment and is designed for free-rolling positions, including trailer axles, tax axles and converter dollies.

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Goodyear has come out with a super-single tire for mixed-service applications it says will lower operating costs and improve performance compared to duals. The G296 MSA was unveiled at the company’s recent dealer conference. It features more wearable rubber on the tread for enhanced mileage, as well as a special compound that resists cuts, chipping and tears, the company says. It’s also available with Goodyear’s DuraSeal technology, which seals punctures up to a quarter inch in diameter. The wide-base tire is ideal for heavy on-and off-road applications such as mixer, dump, pumper and other specialty applications, according to the company, and it’s available in three sizes: 385/65R22.5 (load range J); 425/65R22.5 (load range L); and 445/65R22.5 (load range L). For info, speak to a Goodyear dealer.

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Goodyear has also introduced a new G296 WHA super-single tire specifically for refuse applications. The wide-base tire is available in 425/65R22.5 sizing in load range L, at 11,400-lb capacity, the company says. The tire features special compounding to help resist chunking and chipping as well as sidewall scuff protectors, similar to those found on the G289 WHA dual. The G296 WHA single comes with DuraSeal technology that seals tread punctures. For details, visit a Goodyear dealer.

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Kelly Tires has introduced a new Armorsteel KLS steer tire which the company claims offers uniform wear and long miles to removal. It’s available in 11R22.5, 11R24.5, 295/75R22.5 and 285/75R24.5 sizes, featuring an 18/32-inch trade depth and five-rib design to optimize tread wear performance. For more info, visit www.kellytires.com/truck.

Components

Fleets using Bendix ADB22X air disc brakes can now order three new service tool kits to better maintain the components. The tool kits are manufactured by Ken-Tool and were specifically designed to service trucks equipped with the disc brakes. The available kits include: The Tappet and Boot Replacement

Tool Kit; Guide Pin/Pin Boot Service Tool Kit; and the Complete Kit. For more info, visit www.foundationbrakes.com.

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Meritor Wabco’s patented single piston PAN 22 series air disc brake is now available on selected Hendrickson trailer axles and the INTRAAX and VANTRAAX suspensions. The company says the air disc brake is lightweight and boasts a long pad life and also features an integral molded friction pad that virtually eliminates rust-jacking. Meritor recommends the brake for on-highway line-haul axle ratings up to 23,000 lbs with 22.5-inch wheels. For more info, speak to a Meritor or Hendrickson representative.

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ArvinMeritor has introduced a new line of hydraulic disc brake rotors with a special coating to protect against oxidation and corrosion. The patented coating is called ZXP3 and is initially available across three part numbers with more models to be released through the year. The aftermarket solution is well-suited for medium-duty delivery and express delivery vehicles, ArvinMeritor announced. The new coating will initially be applied to rotors with a cast-in ABS tone ring, and other applications for the coating are being researched and developed, the company says. The coated rotors will be available under the Meritor and Euclid brands through aftermarket distributors beginning this month.

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Peterbilt has developed a new stainless steel, cowl-mounted air cleaner and cap the company says improve performance and style while increasing durability and serviceability. It’s now available on the models 389, 388 and 367, in both 13 and 15 inch diameters for single or dual side installations. For details, speak to a Peterbilt dealer.

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Danny’s Custom Truck Fenders out of Souris, P.E.I. has come out with a new name, look and series of fenders. The company is now called Fiber Fenders, which better describes the company’s products, it announced in a release. It also unveiled a new Web site at www.fiberfenders.ca, where visitors can peruse the company’s line of fiberglass truck fenders. “The new name is representative of exactly what we do, and we felt it was a needed change as we expand our network of dealers into western Canada and the US,” said president Danny Campbell. The company already has more than 40 dealers, mostly in Atlantic Canada. It recently launched a new series of lightweight fenders, the Standard Series, which the company says are the first of their kind. They’re styled to look like metal fenders, but more cost-competitive, lighter (weighing just 11 lbs) and easier to paint and repair, the company claims. For more info, visit the Web site or call Angela Campbell at 902-626-5431.

Accessories

A long-time professional truck driver has authored a 16-page reference guide for drivers called Hammer Down Truck N Trailer. The book includes information on: distributing axle weights; strapping and tarping loads; winter driving; checking and adjusting brakes; tractor-trailer heights; filling out log books; and other safety-related subjects. Author Gary Ball said the information is pertinent to all professional drivers and includes details on subjects many new drivers would not have learned in driving school. The book can be purchased for $28.95 (volume discounts are available) and downloaded from his Web site at www.hammerdowntruckntrailer.com (one word), or you can call 250-585-4788.

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Quebec-based Robond says it has inked a non-exclusive agreement that makes its Talon Tight locking fuel caps available on International trucks. International truck dealers will now have access to a complete line of locking fuel caps, according to the company. It is rugged, attractive and deters fuel theft, the company claims. For info, visit www.talontight.com.

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Shell Lubricants has introduced a new Shell Rotella engine oil formulated specifically for natural gas-powered engines. Shell Rotella T3 NG Energized Protection can be used with both compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) engines, according to the company. For more info, visit www.rotella.com.