This fall Accuride will add to its lightweight Accu-Lite family with 38-lb. 22.5 x 8.25-in. ten hand-hole wheels (PN 43644), a lightweighting improvement of 15% from a decade ago (45 lb. in 2011).
In 1990, Accuride produced aluminum truck wheels that weighed 54 lb. By the end of that decade they were 50 lb. and by 2018, a weight of 40 lb. was reached.
The generally accepted lightweighting rule is that a 10% weight reduction leads to a 6% to 7% increase in fuel economy.
“We are proud of our aluminum wheel materials engineering team that helps us deliver the weight savings and performance that the industry has grown to expect from us,” said Greg Risch, president, Accuride Americas.
Breaking that 40-lb. threshold required the use of aluminum alloy Quantum 99 and Accuride’s design and manufacturing acumen. These led to better control of the wheel grain structure, so they are stronger and lighter, which for fleets means longer service intervals and better fuel economy.
“This new wheel design has really proven itself during our two years of field testing on the Canadian highway system,” says Craig Kessler, senior vice president of engineering at Accuride.
The Evansville, Ind.-based manufacturer also used the patent pending alloy to fabricate three additional part numbers with weight reduction of 5 to 7%:
- 42362 – 24.5 x 8.25" second generation wheel, now 50 lbs., a four pound weight reduction.
- 43142 – 22.5 x 14.00" third generation Duplex® wheel, reduced from 55 to 51 lbs.
- 43140 – 22.5 x 14.00" third generation Duplex® wheel, reduced from 54 to 51 lbs.
The Accu-Lite wheels will have two new finish options by the end of Q1 2020: ProShield XGT coating for improved shine, cleanability, and corrosion resistance, and the ProShield Black for customers who prefer a custom matte-black finish. Standard Polish (SP) and Extra Polish (XP) are also available.
