february2021 - 50

GUEST EDITORIAL
»Internal tire balancing can
reduce maintenance costs.
Photo courtesy of Martins Industries

solutions, you will realize that
there are some " low hanging
fruit " improvements that can
be made. Take, for instance,
switching to internal tire
balancing. This solution does
not require significant investment, it is easy to implement,
and it can generate a rapid
return on investment.

Considering
internal tire
balancing

The case for
internal tire
balancing
Benefits and considerations
for fleets spec'ing internal
tire balancing compounds.

Many economic downturns in the past have
forced trucking companies, fleet managers,
and owner operators to find ways to adapt
and cut costs in order to keep their business
afloat. The one we are currently facing is no
different. When these periods occur, many
in the industry take a step back from the
day-to-day operations and look at what cards
they have in their deck to help their business
weather the storm.
If you stay up to date with industry news,
you probably have a good idea of what solutions exist on the market to help cut costs.
But if you take time to further analyze these

By Isabelle Oliver

MARKETING MANAGER, MARTINS INDUSTRIES
Isabelle Olivier is the marketing manager at Martins
Industries, manufacturer of the original tempered
glass tire balancing beads. Martins Industries
designs, manufactures, and distributes tire racks,
equipment, and supplies.

50 Fleet Maintenance | February 2021

While most maintenance
personnel are already familiar with internal tire balancing, some may still
question whether it can make a difference for
their fleet. The benefits that come with the
continuous balance that it provides, however,
are well known: internal balancing can extend
tread life, improve fuel efficiency, and reduce
maintenance costs.
There are few barriers to implementing
internal tire balancing; it is easy to install and
no staff training or reorganization of maintenance processes is required. It also does not
cost a lot. In other words, it checks a lot of
the boxes for what constitutes a " low hanging
fruit " type of improvement.
If your fleet has considered internal balancing for a while but has not tried it yet, this may
be a good time to see for yourself by testing it
on one of your vehicles.

Choosing an internal tire
balancing product

If you are not familiar with internal tire balancing products, a quick search will help you realize that there is no shortage of options (glass
or ceramic beads, powders, granules, liquids,
etc.). " Which product should I try and why? "
will undoubtedly be the next question you will
ask. When making this decision, there are two
important factors to keep in mind when evaluating the different alternatives.

Performance inside the tire

The concept of internal tire balancing is based
on the premise that the product will continuously adapt to the heavy spots that form
around the tire. Heavy spots can form when a
vehicle operates on different types of roads or
surfaces. Matter such as gravel, mud, or snow
can stick or stay caught in the tread grooves or
in the wheel hub, and then goes away, which
creates unbalance.
Uneven tire wear can also be a source of
heavy spots. If the internal balancing product

cannot move freely within the tire and, for
that reason, cannot disperse itself properly
to compensate for these unbalances, it simply
will not be as efficient. Products that are not
perfectly round, that are made of a material
that absorbs moisture or allows static buildup, that freeze, clump, or stick together, or that
break into fine particles over time will see their
performance affected as a result.
When it comes to tire balancing beads specifically, large tempered glass beads, such as those
offered by Martins Industries' MAGNUM+,
tend to move more independently from one
another, leading to better performance. This
is due in part to their shape and size, the fact
that they are free of coatings, and that they
are unbreakable.

" There are
few barriers to
implementing internal
tire balancing; it is
easy to install and
no staff training
or reorganization
of maintenance
processes is required. "
Isabelle Oliver, Martins Industries

Compatibility with the tire

When spec'ing an internal balancing product,
it is important to ensure it will not void the
tire manufacturer's warranty and that it will
not damage the tire from the inside. Materials
that react with the inner lining of the tire, that
deteriorate, or that can break can potentially
damage the tire. Also, take time to verify that
the product is compatible with any component
or technology that is used with the tire (valves,
TPMS, CTIS, etc.).

Look for proof of performance

Depending on the fleet, there are other factors
that will weigh into the decision of which
product and what brand to choose, such
as available formats, cost, ease of ordering,
delivery time, and after-purchase service,
but the factors outlined above are the most
important to consider from a product performance standpoint.
If results on the bottom line are important
to your fleet, adopting a balancing compound
that has already proven its performance and
safety will be the best bet.

february2021

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