Autoblog

SEMA Scraps: 15-series tire from Nexen barely holds air

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:02:00 EST

Nexen 365/15-24 tire - Click above for image gallery

While in Vegas for SEMA this year, we did our best to concentrate on the cars... and occasionally their hostesses. We deliberately stayed away from the thousands of individual products being introduced in order to spend more time on the cars, trucks, bikes and Snowbarus. Well, maybe we should have looked a little more closely at the products, or at the very least the wheels and tires. If we had spent more time in the lower level of the South Hall, we might have noticed a rather large crowd around the Nexen booth.

While the name might not be a household word, Nexen is a company with more than 50 years of tire-making experience under its steel belt. As impressive as that might be, it's not the reason everyone was standing around, mouths agape. The focus of their attention was a new tire by Nexen, one with an impressive 365 mm width and 24 inch diameter. As ridiculous as those numbers might be, they pale in comparison to the middle number in the equation.

You see, Nexen was showing off the very first 15-series tire. That's right, the world's first and only 365/15R24 tire. If you thought 35s looked like rubber bands wrapped around 19- and 20-inch wheels, this thing looks like a smear of black paint on that two-footer. We shudder to think of what the ride quality might be like, but we seriously doubt there will be any sidewall flex, mainly because there's no sidewall.

Gallery: Nexen 365/15R24 tire

[Source: Nexen via Consumer Reports]

SEMA Scraps: 15-series tire from Nexen barely holds air originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obama administration slaps hefty import tariffs on Chinese-made tires

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:58:00 EST

Filed under: China, Government/Legal

The aggrieved parties are: the United Steelworkers and the U.S. government on one side, Chinese tire companies and the Chinese government on the other. The issues are, as always, jobs and money. The Steelworkers brought a case against Chinese tire companies for dumping tires on the U.S. market over the past few years and in the process putting more than 5,000 people out of work and closing seven domestic tire factories. The case was ruled on by the U.S. International Trade Commission, which found in favor of the Steelworkers. In response, the current administration plastered a 35% tax on Chinese passenger car and light truck tires.

Naturally, the Chinese are miffed, to say the least. They feel the tariff is contrary to World Trade Organization rules and President Obama's rhetoric on current tariff levels, as well as being a tactic of undue protectionism. When China entered the WTO, the U.S. specifically negotiated the right to protect itself against a sudden wave of Chinese goods, and the ITC feels that China's share of the tire market having grown 14% in four years, with 31 million more tires entering, is just such an occasion.

Politics could be the decider in this one, however. China can complain to the WTO, attempt to impose its own countermeasures, or at the upcoming G-20 meeting it can simply whisper in Obama's ear, "You know that $1.56-trillion-and-counting deficit you guys need floated..." Nobody wins in the case of escalation, but we have a feeling the fight isn't yet finished.

[Source: Wall Street Journal | Photo: Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images]

Obama administration slaps hefty import tariffs on Chinese-made tires originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NHTSA introduces new tire labels

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 16:49:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Green, Safety

You will soon have more ways to choose which tire is right for you: the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has proposed a new tire label that ranks rubber based on fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas rating, safety (wet traction), and durability. According to NHTSA's calculations, rolling resistance accounts for up to 7% of "uses and losses of fuel energy in a vehicle." With everyone paying close attention to gas mileage and gas prices now, the federal agency wants to give consumers more info on how to maximize a car's performance in that respect.

There are a variety of labels NHTSA has come up with to display a tire's ratings. When the final rule is implemented, the removable label will be located on the tire at the point-of-sale, and the ratings will also be available at the NHTSA website, www.safercar.gov. The agency is taking comments from consumers now, and needs to come up with a final rule by December of this year. You can read the press release after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Nick

[Source: LA Times]

Continue reading NHTSA introduces new tire labels

NHTSA introduces new tire labels originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Jun 2009 16:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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California looking to classify tires by rolling resistance?

Chris Shunk — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:35:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Green, Technology

Low rolling resistance tires have been increasingly used to help manufacturers improve EPA efficiency ratings. While the specialty rubber used to be found mostly on hybrids, it is starting to find its way onto other vehicles as well, like gas-engined Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner SUVs.

According to Modern Tire Dealer, California is looking to capitalize on advances in the tire industry to increase fuel economy and reduce CO2 emissions with a new proposal from the California Energy Commissions (CEC). The CEC has assembled a draft proposal to rate tires based on Rolling Resistance Force (RRF) efficiency. All tires that rank within 15% of the lowest combined tire size designation and load rating will be designated a fuel efficient tire.

Under the CEC's proposal, tire manufacturers would have to test their product to the same ISO 28580 test protocol. The CEC is hoping that the tire ranking system will be easy for consumers to understand so they can make an informed decision when it comes time to purchase new shoes for their car or truck.

Not surprisingly, the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) isn't exactly keen on the idea of additional oversight. According to Modern Tire Dealer, the RMA says the CEC's proposal would cost the industry up to $20 million, while forcing tire companies to hire additional workers for testing and data analysis (great, new jobs!). The RMA also points out that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also working on its own tire standards system, seemingly rendering the California initiative redundant.

[Source: Modern Tire Dealer]

California looking to classify tires by rolling resistance? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Goodyear posts loss, laying off 5,000 workers

Chris Shunk — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:31:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Plants/Manufacturing

When car sales dip like they have over the past few months, in many cases suppliers feel the pinch even more than the automakers. That's the case at Goodyear, where production is down by 19% and losses are beginning to pile up. The tire giant lost $330 million in Q4 2008, compared to a $55M profit in Q4 2007.

To help adapt to challenging times, Goodyear is tasked with reducing its operating costs by $700 million in 2009, and part of that reduction will come from layoffs. 5,000 salaried and hourly workers will be laid off, or 6.7% of Goodyear's global workforce. The workforce reduction comes on the heels of the 4,000 jobs that were already slashed in 2008.

The automotive sales nosedive has accelerated over the past six to eight months, but Goodyear, like the domestic auto industry, has been cutting back for some time. The tire giant has reduced costs by $1.8 billion over the past three years through layoffs, production cuts, and plant closings. Goodyear plans to further cut production by 15,000 to 25,000 tires to better align production with demand.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Goodyear posts loss, laying off 5,000 workers originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pirelli working with Brembo and Magneti Marelli on Cyber Tire

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Technology

Pirelli's Cyber Tire will provide real-time tire performance information via a chip/transponder setup in the tire tread. Operating temperature and pressures, typology of the road's surface, and vertical load exerted on the tire will be among the data collected and monitored. The system will work in conjunction with another Pirelli invention, the Cyber Wheel, which will convey wheel information such as hub loads in the same way.

Now that the tire company has partnered with Brembo and Magnetti Marelli on the Cyber Tire, the tie-up could mean a system that quickly transfers information from the tire to the driver, car, and brakes, allowing for more informed and instantaneous performance changes based on driving conditions.

[Source: Pirelli]

Pirelli working with Brembo and Magneti Marelli on Cyber Tire originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kumho keeps a low profile with world's first 15 Series tire

Noah Joseph — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 07:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Click above to enlarge, though they don't get much bigger than that

How low can you go? That's the big question in the tire-making industry, where profile sizes keep getting lower and lower. Sooner or later they're going to be spraying layers of rubber on a wheel with a pocket of air injected underneath. But in the meantime, Kumho has upped the ante (or lowered it, as the case may be) with its new 15 series tires, the lowest profile rubber on the market.

Wait, who? Okay, Kumho may not be as well known as Goodyear or Pirelli, but they've got an established history of innovation in tire technology - to varying degrees of usefulness - like scented, colored smoke and X-rated rubber. And while those may sound more like the stock list for the local "intimate apparel" store, it's things like that which have put Kumho on the map. The tires are being initially offered as upgrades for supercars like the Ferrari F430, Dodge Viper and Corvette Z06, and offer partial run-flat capability. Check out the press release after the jump and the images in the gallery below for more.

Gallery: Kumho World First 15 Series Tire

[Source: Kumho]

Continue reading Kumho keeps a low profile with world's first 15 Series tire

Kumho keeps a low profile with world's first 15 Series tire originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Nov 2008 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Titan Tire ships world's first 63-inch tire

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Work

Remember in the first Crocodile Dundee movie when he gets mugged in New York City and Sue says "He's got a knife," and Dundee says, "That's not a knife, this is a knife," and then he pulls out a beast-killing monstrosity of a blade? Well, that's what the folks at Titan Tire are saying right now about every other -- smaller -- tire in the world.

Titan has made a 63-inch rubber behemoth for use on trucks in Canada's oil sands. The stats on these rubber donuts is impressive: the 59/80R63 is the biggest production tire in the world, standing over fourteen feet tall and weighing 12,500 pounds with a load rating of 101 metric tons. It makes Titan a very appropriate name for the company, as we learned from another movie, Remember the Titans, that in Greek mythology the Titans were greater even than the gods. Now we can only hope this development will make the price of oil drop another ten dollars...

[Source: Titan via Gizmag]

Titan Tire ships world's first 63-inch tire originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New self-inflating tire constantly under pressure

Chris Tutor — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 16:27:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Maintenance, Safety

We all know that keeping your tires properly inflated will prolong their tread life, help you burn less fuel and increase your safety. But finding a working air hose when you're away from your garage is like trying to find a working clock in an early-80's Buick.

This is probably what led Coda Development, a Czech Republic company, to invent a new self-inflating tire. Sure, self-inflating tires aren't new, they've been around for years on commercial vehicles and even a few passenger vehicles . But most of those systems use compressed air to keep the tires inflated.

Coda's new system uses a peristaltic pump built into the tire to constantly maintain air pressure. You may have seen a peristaltic pump used in hospitals to deliver intravenous drugs to patients. It's basically a spinning wheel pressed against a liquid-filled tube. As the wheel turns, it pushes the tube's contents through one end and pulls more in the other. In our case, your car's wheel is the wheel and your air-filled tire the tube. A valve ensures that your tire's pressure is always constant. Theoretically, the peristaltic pump is much simpler and therefore more reliable than a compressor-based system. It's also potentially lighter, cheaper and doesn't require a power source. Sounds like a darn smart idea to us. Coda plans to display its system at the 2008 SAE World Congress in Detroit on April 14th through the 17th, so we'll see if it makes a splash there with auto industry engineers.

[Source: Coda]

Continue reading New self-inflating tire constantly under pressure

New self-inflating tire constantly under pressure originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Feb 2008 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michelin creates Energy Saver gas-conserving tire

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Green, Technology, Hatchback, PSA

Michelin has created a new tire as part of the development of the Peugeot 308. The Energy Saver uses a specially-developed rubber composite, and Michelin claims the tire reduces rolling resistance by 20% in both 15- and 16-inch sizes. Tire testing was carried out by TÜV SÜD Automotive, which measured the Michelin's performance to that of the top six competitor tires. The Energy Saver is also said to have the same durability as Michelin's other tires.

The tire will come standard on two 308 models, the 90 HDI and the 110 HDI 308s, both high mileage diesels, and Peugeot will be the exclusive maker to use it until February 2008. In addition to the gas savings because of its lower rolling resistance, the tire is also said to lower a car's CO2 emissions by 4g per kilometer. We'll find out soon enough if the claims have real-world merit -- and real world savings -- but we welcome all such efforts where the rubber meets the road.

[Source: Michelin]

Michelin creates Energy Saver gas-conserving tire originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Sep 2007 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Carmakers increasingly under fire for using run-flat tires

Siddharth Raja — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 08:33:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, BMW

As the number of cars being equipped with run-flat tires increases car buyers are quickly learning that the new design is not all that it's cracked up to be. One automaker adamant in its decision to equip its cars with run-flats instead of installing a proper spare in the trunk is BMW, and it's now starting to experience a consumer backlash from that decision. Many of its customers are frustrated, not only at the shortcomings of the tire itself but also because of the exorbitant bill they face once the tires need to be replaced. Note that many service centers are unable to fix run-flats, and you can forget about re-treads (though that's probably a good thing).

Apart from the high cost of replacing the tires, run-flats are harder to come by and they don't last as long as regular tires either. Though the idea of not having to worry about changing the tire if it gets punctured sounds great, run-flats only have a range of about 50 to 100 miles once the rubber is damaged. Not much solace if you happen to hit a spike in the middle of nowhere.

Along with BMW, Corvette also has run-flats, and Toyota and Honda put them on some minivans.

Apparently, run-flats were introduced because consumers want "the smallest amount of hassle in their lives," according to an engineer from Bridgestone. Perhaps it's time drivers were forced to learn how to change a tire as part of their licensing tests.

[Source: MSN]

Carmakers increasingly under fire for using run-flat tires originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Aug 2007 08:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As if poisoned pet food wasn't enough, Chinese tires failing now

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 19:34:00 EST

Filed under: China, Plants/Manufacturing, Recalls, Safety

In recent years, products made in China have gained more renown for being cheap than for the quality control behind them. Up until now, inexpensive sneakers that fall apart after a few weeks or DVD players that work erratically have been more of an annoyance and an economic threat as opposed to a physical one. Recent headlines would suggest that might be changing, however. The contaminated pet food that killed dozens of cats not long ago and the video of a Chinese car collapsing in on itself during a European crash test bring the issue of potentially hazardous Chinese imports to a whole new level.

Foreign Tire Sales, Inc. of Union, NJ is suing China's Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. over a series of catastrophic failures of tires they manufactured that resulted in a fatal car crash in Pennsylvania. Hangzhou has been manufacturing tires sold by FTS and other distributors that left out an extra layer of rubber between the steel belts, causing them to overheat and have tread separation similar to the Firestone tires that failed on Ford Explorers several years ago. The tires may need to be recalled and FTS doesn't have the financial resources to deal with something like that, so it's suing the Chinese company to cover the expenses since they built the tires in a way that differed from what was specified. The Wall Street Journal's report on the matter contains additional details, and is well worth a read.

Thanks to Mike for the tip.

[Source: Wall Street Journal]

As if poisoned pet food wasn't enough, Chinese tires failing now originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Jun 2007 19:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Consumer Reports puts cheap tire monitor under pressure

Chris Tutor — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Maintenance, Safety

In September, all new cars sold in the U.S. will be required to have tire pressure monitoring systems. But for all those cars built without them, owners must rely either on their trusty gauge, or one of the new valve-stem monitors. If you've been wondering how well these things work, Consumer Reports has an answer for you.

They bought a set of Air Alert Valve Caps for $25 and put 'em to the test. These caps indicate a four pound drop in pressure by lighting up an LED, a pretty good idea.

You can read for yourself all the pros and cons, but the overall verdict was that they worked, but CR was concerned about durability and accuracy due to temperature-related fluctuations in tire pressure.

[Source: Consumer Reports]

Consumer Reports puts cheap tire monitor under pressure originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Jun 2007 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Bridgestone saves smitten suicidal puppies

Damon Lavrinc — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:09:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos

Man's best friend obviously isn't immune to the tragedies that afflict his master, and for one downtrodden dog, the sight of seeing his beloved toy poodle in the throes of, ahem, passion beneath the rotund proportions of an English bulldog was just too much. But when he decides to end it all beneath the wheels of a Mercedes C-Class, well, you can make the jump to see the outcome.

Continue reading VIDEO: Bridgestone saves smitten suicidal puppies

VIDEO: Bridgestone saves smitten suicidal puppies originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lemony Fresh: Yokohama uses citrus oil in tires

Dan Roth — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 19:03:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Green, Japan, Technology

Yokohama is doing its part to reduce petroleum consumption. Its new Super Nanopower Rubber compound uses a unique brew of citrus oil and natural rubber to cut petroleum in the tire's makeup by 80 whole percent. The Decibel Super E-Spec (they certainly have a knack for catchy names) tires that use the technology will only be available in Japan for now, but there's more to these meats than just less oil. As part of a larger conservation intiative that Yokohama's calling EcoMotion, the E-Specs are designed to save fuel on several fronts.

The new compound that uses far less petroleum is a first step, but the tires also boast a lower rolling resistance by way of reduced weight. There's also an inner liner in the tire to reduce air permeation of the tread compound. This helps keep the air in the tire, and maintains inflation, dodging the fuel consumption increases from underinflated tires. The most pressing question, though, is what do they smell like? There are scented tires on the market already, but we're guessing that these Yokos aren't going to release clouds of fruity smoke when you peel out.

[Source: Yokohama via autoindustry]

Lemony Fresh: Yokohama uses citrus oil in tires originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Feb 2007 19:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michelin lands $1.7b Pentagon contract

Noah Joseph — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 08:04:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Earnings/Financials

The French military may not be fighting in Iraq, but their tires are: Michelin just landed an exclusive $1.7 billion contract with the US Department of Defense to supply the American military behemoth with tires. For the next ten years (at least), every vehicle in the US Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps deployed around the world will be shod in Michelin rubber.

This isn't the first Pentagon contract Michelin has won, either. The French tire company previously won a contract worth $700 million to supply the tires for all US warplanes. In order to meet the enormous supply demands of the US military, Michelin has invested a reported $16 million. For the sake of our brave boys and girls serving overseas, let's hope the French tires don't throw up their arms and surrender at the first time of trouble. (No whitewalls, please.)

[Source: F1i.com]

Michelin lands $1.7b Pentagon contract originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Feb 2007 08:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Maintenance/Project Garage: 2006 wrap-up

Eric Bryant — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 10:27:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Technology

In 2006, we spent a lot of time spinning wrenches here in the Autoblog Garage in the process of taking on common maintenance tasks and a few performance upgrades. For your convenience, we've compiled links to each of the posts after the jump.

We already have some things in the works for 2007, but we'd also love to get suggestions for additional posts from our readership. Keep in mind that we need projects that have a relatively broad appeal, and we're a bit limited in our selection of "test subjects"; beyond that, we're all ears, so please share your ideas.

Continue reading Autoblog Maintenance/Project Garage: 2006 wrap-up

Autoblog Maintenance/Project Garage: 2006 wrap-up originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Jan 2007 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Drop that tire: Goodyear workers go on strike

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing

At 1 PM EST yesterday, the United Steelworkers union terminated its contract with Goodyear, causing 15,000 employees to walk off the job and subsequently shut down 16 plants in the U.S. and Canada. The strike came after negotiations between the two parties had stalled after several months of talks.

Goodyear's contract proposal aimed to make the tire manufacturer more competitive in the global marketplace by reducing the costs associated with maintaining a large workforce. Most of the proposed cuts were focused on health care and pension spending, with an emphasis on worker productivity.

The union cited that substantial cuts were made to wages and other worker's benefits in 2003, and that further reductions were unacceptable.

In the meantime, Goodyear has enacted a backup plan that will reduce the harmful effects of the strike on its customers.

[Source: CNN Money]

Drop that tire: Goodyear workers go on strike originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Oct 2006 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Federal judge requires NHTSA to release pre-recall safety data

Eric Bryant — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 20:04:00 EST

Filed under: Recalls, Safety

A federal judge has declared that the public must have access to safety data from automotive OEMs and part manufacturers, even before a recall is officially announced. The ruling comes as the result of a suit filed by Public Citizen, which was claiming that manufacturers should not have blanket protection from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) filings when it comes to the warranty claim data and other safety-related complaints that must be filed with the Department of Transportation.

The tire industry fought to keep the data confidential, stating that any release of it prior to the announcement of an official recall safety campaign would constitute "competitive harm". When the TREAD Act of 2000 originally passed in the wake of the Firestone debacle, such information reporting was required, and when the DOT's National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed rules on the matter in 2002, it stated that any reported data would be "non-confidential". A final issuing of the rule in 2003 allowed the pre-recall data to remain safe from FOIA filings, however.

[Source: Detroit News]

Federal judge requires NHTSA to release pre-recall safety data originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Aug 2006 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Drag racing tires in slow-mo

John Neff — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 14:16:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos

We always assumed that every component of a top-fuel dragster or funny car undergoes an unthinkable amount of stress on each run, but this high-quality, slow-motion video shows exactly how a drag racing tire reacts to the extreme amount of abuse it takes each time down the track. As substantial as these rubber doughnuts are, the power of a dragster's motor has no trouble making them quiver like Jell-O.

[Source: YouTube]

VIDEO: Drag racing tires in slow-mo originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 09 Jul 2006 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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