Tire Dealers Association of Canada Convention - Autosphere

Volume 5 / Number 6 / Octobre 2008 / $4.95
By the Sea 2008
Tire Dealers Association
of Canada Convention
Hall of Fame inductees Eric Gilbert, Jean-Marc Bernard, Gerald Robinson, and Don Blythe
PM 40014105

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Toll Free: 1 888 449.3534
pgermain@unimax.ca
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133 locations in Québec, New Brunswick and Ontario

Calendar
October 2008
Be Car Care Aware - Auto Safety Month
October 29-31
2008 Rubber Recycling Symposium
Four Seasons Hotel, Vancouver, BC
F www.rubberassociation.ca
November 2008
November 4
AIA Canada - Canada Night 2008
Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, NV
F Thérèse Santostefano 1-800-808-2920, ext. 225
F therese.santostefano@aiacanada.com
F www.aiacanada.com
November 4-6
AAPEX
Sands Expo & Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV, USA
F www.aapexshow.com
November 4-7
SEMA
Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV
F www.semashow.com
regularS
editorial 4
Friend and Customer
Industry News 6, 8
New Products 10, 11
14
By the Sea 2008
Moving Your Business
Forward
FeatureS
12 Job Safety—It’s No accident
Employees Who Can’t Work Will
Cost You the Most
28 Industry events
Ecological Obstacle Course in
Edmundston
29 Important Fall update
Quebec’s Mandatory Winter
Tire Matter
30 age: good for Wine, Bad for tires
Know the “Birthdays” of the
Tires in Your Stock
32 tPMS: a Money-maker or a Money-loser
Customer Education Will Make
All the Difference
Commercial tires 18 to 23
trucks tires
Not All Light Trucks Use Passenger Tires
Specific Commercial tires
The Right Tire for Hard Working Vehicles
a Huge Market
Light Truck Tires Abound
unusual tires
Choosing the Right Off-road Tire
Contents
October 2008
24
NaSCar in Montreal
Tires Save
the Show
33 getting the Safety Message Out
Care-Van Project Gets the Point to
the Public
36 Private Brands
What Are They?
38 tire Pyrolysis
Overheating Warning
40 Special report
O.K. Tire Ranked First
tire recycling 26
Ontario Directs a New tire recycling Program
Waste Diversion Ontario Must Develop
a Program to Recycle Tires
Wheels 34, 35
Steel or alloy Wheels
Winter Can Be Rough on Your Wheels
advertisers 46
October 2008 tn Tire News 3

editorial
Rémy L. Rousseau
remyrousseau@p-rousseau.com
Friend and Customer
Succeeding in today’s competitive market takes more than a quality product
and a good price. In order to rise to the top, you need to take the time to build
relationships.
O ne
of the most famous books ever
written about success in business is
How to Win Friends and Influence People.
Written many years ago by sales and
relationship guru Dale Carnegie, this wellknown
book has long been used as a
guide to excellence by some of the most
successful sales and business people in
the world.
What’s interesting about this book is the
fact that it has to do with winning friends.
Carnegie realized that success in business
is all about building relationships and cultivating
friendships. Do you?
Customers
Carnegie wasn’t saying that we need to
become buddy-buddy with every customer
who walks through the door to buy
a set of tires. But we do want to cultivate
relationships that will make our customers
feel like they know us and can depend on
us for their tire needs.
The simple truth is that people tend to
do business with people they recognize
and feel comfortable with. That’s why it’s
a good idea to get involved with your local
community.
Have you thought of joining the local
chamber of commerce, sponsoring a local
baseball or hockey team, or hosting a
getting-to-know-you event where local
residents can stop by for a free hot dog
or hamburger and a closer look at your
store?
Although you advertise in the local paper
and in the yellow pages, so does every
4 Tire News tn October 2008
other tire shop. Why not go the extra mile
and get involved with the community so
that you stand apart from the competition?
Suppliers
Don’t limit relationship building to customers.
Include your suppliers too. True,
you won’t be able to sell them tires, but
they can help you sell to your customers.
Your suppliers can offer you invaluable
advice—information that can help you
better run your business.
Your suppliers also have friends—friends
they might recommend your services to…
just as long as you treat your suppliers
right.
Employees
And don’t forget to be a friend to your
employees. Treat them right and they’ll be
more than happy to recommend your shop
to friends and family. Treat them badly or
take advantage of them, and they’ll tell
their friend, family members, neighbours,
and anyone else who will listen not to shop
at your store.
And do any of your employees have kids
that belong to a local sports team, club,
or association? If so, why not ask if there’s
a way you can get involved. It’s a great
way to put your best foot forward with
the community, and a great way to build
relationships. tn
Rémy L. Rousseau
Publisher
Rémy L. Rousseau
Contributing Editors
Raynald Bouchard, Shirley Brown, François
Charron, Éric Descarries, Frédéric Desjardins,
Jack Kazmierski, Jil McIntosh
Copy Editor
Shirley Brown sgbrown@xplornet.com
Production
Olivier Rhême production@optikdesign.ca
Valérie St-Cyr vstcyr@p-rousseau.com
Circulation Manager
Sylvain Gendron masdata@videotron.ca
Administration
Wendy Allain wallain@p-rousseau.com
Nancy Belleville nbelleville@p-rousseau.com
Advertising
Nathalie Plouffe
416-925-5665
tirenews@rogers.com
luc Champagne
514-945-1299
lucchampagne13@videotron.ca
réjean a. rousseau
450-649-9007
r.a.rousseau@videotron.ca
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Longueuil QC, J4M 2B3
T: 450-448-2220
F: 450-448-1041
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Tire News Magazine is dedicated to serving the business
interests of the Canadian tire industry. It is published seven
times a year by Publications Rousseau & Associés Inc., a
member of AIA Canada.
Material in Tire News Magazine may not be reproduced in
any form without written consent from the publisher. The
publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising and
disclaims all responsibilities for claims or statements made
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PRINTED IN CANADA

NO, WE’RE NOT KIDDING. ONCE YOU TRY THE NEW CORGHI ARTIGLIO 50,
YOU WON’T WANT TO WORK WITH ANY OTHER MACHINE. HERE’S WHY!
DOES YOUR CURRENT TIRE CHANGER HANDLE WHEELS UP TO 30”?
The Corghi Artiglio 50 handles car, 4WD, and light truck wheels from 12” to 30” inches.
DO YOU STRUGGLE WHEN REPLACING LOW PROFILE & RUN FLAT TIRES?
The Corghi Artiglio 50 easily handles low profile and run flat tires and only requires
ONE operator.
HAVE YOU EVER DAMAGED EXPENSIVE, SPECIALTY WHEELS?
The Corghi Artiglio 50 eliminates the use of conventional bead breakers and tire levers
to easily and safely handle expensive alloys.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY?
The Corghi Artiglio 50 is 50% faster than other tire changers thanks to its new single
arm bead breaker and dual rotation speed.
DO YOU HAVE DIFFICULTY MANIPULATING HEAVY WHEEL/TIRE ASSEMBLIES?
The Corghi Artiglio 50 is ergonomically designed, is user friendly, and includes an
automatic lifting cradle for heavy tire/wheel assemblies.
ARTIGLIO 50
30 th 30 th
anniversary anniversary
Importer of CORGHI products in Canada
FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT MR. ERIC LANDRY
800-663-0814

InDUStRy
NeWS
the Future Canadian
Automotive Business Portal
A well-kept secret, but rumours are raging like
the wind!
A b2b portal, the only bilingual multisegment
web site will soon be accessible. autosphere.ca’s
flagship segments will be: auto maintenance &
repair, collision repair, tires, and fleets.
It’s intended mainly for shop owners, their associates
and staff, manufacturers, wholesalers,
distributors, and chain stores. It applies equally
to Canadian automotive professionals and management
across the land.
At autosphere.ca, you’ll find current events,
scoops, interviews, profiles, exclusive issues, surveys,
information assets on the industry, etc.
autosphere.ca. Coming this fall!
tire Country Adopts
titan tires
Western Canada’s Tire Country recently announced
that it has become a primary distributor
of the Titan Tire brand. Titan Tire is North
America’s third largest manufacturer of off-Highway
tires. It also supplies OEMs, including John
Deere, Case, New Holland, and Kubota.
nASCAR Will Control the
Grand-Am Racing Series
NASCAR has indicated that it would control the
Grand-Am racing series in North America, while
both organizations will continue to sanction their
race event independently. This will include the
Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series for prototypes
that will race with the NASCAR Nationwide race
in Montreal next August and the Grand-Am Koni
Challenge for race-prepared street cars. Note
that Pirelli is the official spec tire for the Rolex
Series, while Hoosier is the supplier for the Koni
Challenge.
The Grand Am Rolex series that raced Pirelli tires in
Montreal will be under control of NASCAR. (photo: Éric
Descarries)
6 Tire News tn October 2008
:
Bridgestone to Expand
Mexican Plant for UHP tires
Bridgestone Corp. announced it will invest
some $90 million to expand its Bridgestone
Firestone De Mexico S.A. de C.V. tire plant in
Cuernavaca in order to build more UHP tires.
The plant already employs 850 workers and it
will create another 200 jobs with the expansion.
According to the company, the new capacity will
produce UHP tires for 16- to 22-inch wheels.
Though Bridgestone has another plant in Mexico
at Monterrey—with its automated BIRD, or
Bridgestone Innovative and Rational Development,
manufacturing system—it will soon be
closing its older light and medium-duty truck tire
plant in Mexico City.
Amtel-Vredestein/Sibur-
Russian tyre Deal Is Off…
for now
According to a company filing at the London
Stock Exchange, the Amtel-Vredestein/Sibur-
Russian Tyres deal has been called off. These
two companies were supposed to merge in order
to create a $2 billion a year tire company that
would have had more than 30 percent of the
domestic market, and that would have helped
the Russian tiremaker have access to Vredestein’s
performance technology and European market.
The reason given for the failure is the lack of
credit to meet the financial terms and conditions.
Nonetheless, Amtel-Vredestein has announced it
had not given up on the deal yet.
Chrysler Will Eliminate
Lead Wheel Weights
Chrysler announced its program is completed
to eliminate the use of lead wheel weights from
its vehicles, switching to more eco-friendly substitutes
worldwide.
The move puts Chrysler in full compliance with
a voluntary program announced by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency in Detroit August
29. The National Lead-Free Wheel Weight Initiative
calls for elimination of lead wheel weights in
vehicles by the end of 2011.
Wheel weights can sometimes be dislodged on
rough roads. Being made of lead—effective and
low cost—has raised concerns about lead entering
the environment. Chrysler’s wheel weights
are now made of steel and zinc.
tIA Releases a Basic
Earthmover tire Service
Program
The Tire Industry Association recently released
a new training program for OTR (off-the-road)
and earthmover tire service in order to educate
technicians on the proper safety procedures.
Basic Earthmover Tire Service (ETS) explains the
minimum skills and safety guidelines for servicing
one-piece, three-piece, five-piece, and double
gutter OTR assemblies. The ETS is designed as an
in-house training program including a 3.5-hour
video and a 350-page workbook. Technicians
who will successfully complete the final exam
and skills demonstration will get a TIA Certificate
of Completion. For ordering instructions, visit
www.tireindustry.org.
Bridgestone Opens an
OtR Unit in Peru
Since large scale investment in Peru’s mining
industry is growing rapidly, Bridgestone has
decided to establish a sales company there—the
Bridgestone Off-The-Road Tire Peru S.A.C. in
Lima, which will specialize in tires for mining and
construction equipment.
Continental continues
CanAm sponsorship
Continental Tire Canada has announced its
ongoing relationship with the Porsche Club of
America in the upper Canadian region for 2009.
It is the second year in a row that Continental
has been an official sponsor of the CanAm
Challenge, which offers Canadian and American
members of the Porsche Club and registered
car enthusiasts the chance to race at Ontario’s
Mosport, one of the fastest and most challenging
tracks in North America. Held on the first weekend
in August, the CanAm Challenge includes a
Test & Tune day, three days of club racing, and
sprint and enduro races.
Continental is one of the main suppliers to
Porsche. “We are very pleased to sponsor this
event,” said Guy Hardiman, general manager of
Continental Tire Canada. “Porsche and Continental,
both German-based companies, are for their
expertise in engineering known worldwide. Due
to our strong OE heritage, it’s a great fit for us.”

WINTER’S BEST FRIENDS
WINTER REBATES
$50 - 210 SOTTOZERO/SNOWSPORT
$30 - WINTER CARVING/EDGE
$40 - SCORPION ICE & SNOW
CONSUMER MAIL-IN REBATES VALID WITH THE PURCHASE OF 4 TIRES FROM SEPTEMBER 1 st TO DECEMBER 31 st , 2008.

InDUStRy
NeWS
Playground Falls Cushioned
by Recycled tires
B.C. Educators from East Kootenay School District
No. 5 unveiled an innovative approach to physical
education with the official opening of three unusual
playgrounds at elementary schools in the communities
of Fernie, Sparwood, and Elkford. Each of the
play areas features a five-inch thick “pour in place”
rubber surface made from B.C. scrap tires that cushions
falls, creates fun, and makes the playground
accessible to people of all ages and levels of ability.
Unlike traditional playground surfaces of pea gravel
or wood chips, the solid crumb-rubber surface is
completely wheelchair and walker accessible.
“When you set foot on one of these surfaces, it feels
as if you are standing on a firm mattress,” says Frank
Lento, the retired educator who facilitated the design
and development of the three playgrounds. “The
children find the cushioning effect so much fun they
flock to the playground at every opportunity. These
facilities will advance the quality of our physical education
program and assist us in achieving the goal of 30
minutes of exercise for each pupil each day.”
The recycled tire granule surface was chosen because
it provides superior safety and accessibility.
“Also, pupils confined to wheelchairs or who use
crutches now have complete access, which means
they can participate fully in play and experience the
joy of physical activity and exercise.”
The surface is also very durable—it’s highly resistant
to cold and heat and has a longer life span than
gravel or mulch. The surface is also easier to clean
and maintain.
Those interested in learning more about recycled
tire products and Tire Stewardship B.C. can do so by
visiting www.tirestewardshipbc.ca.
Heart-in-One Video!
As part of UNIPNEU dealers’ 2008 fall meeting,
held at Mont-Tremblant’s Le Diable golf course,
golfers raised $8770 to be donated to four charities:
The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Quebec,
MIRA, The Canadian Cancer Society, and The
Quebec Breakfast Club.
Participating golfers were also in for a surprise—when
you visit http://deficoupdecoeur.
unipneu.com/foursome25/index.html, specially
created by UNIPNEU, you can watch quite a
video-clip…
Filmed on location, the clip itself is well worth an
evening at a movie theatre. So why not take the
opportunity, while you’re on the site, to make a
online donation equal to the value of such an evening
for the benefit of one of the four organizations
whose links appear? That will allow you to multiply
the amounts received while being entertained.
The Heart-in-One Challenge is a Pneus Unimax
initiative made possible by Continental, Goodyear,
Pirelli, Toyo, and Yokohama.
JK and tornel tires
Coming to Canada
According to Tire Business, India’s JK Tyre &
Industries, the new owner of Mexico’s Compania
Hulera Tornel S.A. de C.V., is looking into selling
its JK and Tornel brands of tires in Canada
starting in 2009. JK Tyre is the world’s 23rd
largest tire maker. According to the American
publication, the tire maker has not yet named
any possible distributors or discussed any marketing
plans.
Our strength … exclusive and private brands
Our commitment … quick and no-hassle service!
More than 200,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space...
in Montréal, Sherbrooke, Moncton, St. John’s, and Toronto
• Passenger/Light Truck, TBR, Off-road and Industrial
• Free transactional site
• Territories available (contact Denis Monette, 514-457-0155 or dmonette@cdatire.com)
21500 Transcanadienne I Baie D’Urfé, QC H9X 4B7 I 1-800-364-9466
www.cdatire.com
BFGoodrich Chooses Quinn
Lakes trail as a 2008
Outstanding trail
In late August, BFGoodrich presented an award
and a grant to the Ottawa Valley Off Roaders
for its Quinn Lakes Trail close to Ottawa. The
grant is to be used to preserve the trail system
that is located between Calabogie and Ompah.
BFGoodrich, working in conjunction with Tread Lightly!
and United Four Wheel Drive Associations
(UFWDA), chose the Quinn Lakes Trail because
it provides driving opportunities for many skills
on varied terrain—rock, mud, dirt, and hills. To
learn more about this trail and others rewarded
by BFG, visit www.bfgoodrichtires.com/outstandingtrails.
Ottawa Valley Off Roaders was awarded a grant to
preserve its Quinn Lake Trail.

DM-Z3
LM-18
Atlas Tire Wholesale Inc.
YOUR SOURCE FOR BRIDGESTONE TIRES
WEST
6290 SHAWSON DRIVE
MISSISSAUGA, ON L5T 1H5
TEL: (905) 670-9791
FAX: (905) 670-0581
LM-22 LM-25 W965 WS-60
&
sales@atlastire.com
www.tiredistribution.com
EAST
140 McLEVIN AVE., #6 & 7
SCARBOROUGH, ON M1B 3V1
TEL: (416) 292-8202
FAX: (416) 292-8177

New
PRODUCtS
703ZL
501ZA 103ZR
new FS560 PLUS Urban
Steer tire Sizes
Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions
is launching six new sizes in its
lineup of Firestone FS560 PLUS
steer tires designed for long
wear and low cost per mile of
pick-up and delivery and local
hauling applications. The
sizes include 9R22.5 and
10R22.5 in F load range,
10R22.5 in G load range, and
255/70R22.5, 275/70R22.5,
and 215/75R17.5 low profile
sizes in H load range. The
215/75R17.5 size will be available
later this year. This tire has four full
Firestone
FS560 PLUS steel belts, an all-steel casing ply and
a special two-layer tread with a slow
wearing top compound and a layer beneath that
helps insulate the casing from damaging heat.
new FD690 Drive
Axle tire Sizes
Bridgestone Bandag Tire Solutions just added
two new sizes to its FD690 PLUS deep drive axle
tires, the 225/70R19.5 and the 245/70R19.5,
engineered to fight irregular wear while its aggressive
design adds stability. The middle
blocs are tied by rubber bridges,
which increase stability and
fight heel and toe wear.
10 Tire News tn October 2008
Firestone
FD690 PLUS
yokohama Introduces three
new Medium truck tires
Yokohama recently introduced three new medium
truck tires that feature high mileage, long
casing life, and low rolling resistance, all using the
new process Yokohama calls Z.environment.
These three tires are the 703ZL, a new premium
drive tire for long haul, the 103ZR, a premium
regional rib tire, and the 510ZA, a premium on/
off highway tire. Other than the highly specialized
deep-tread low resistance design, this new line of
tires utilizes a new mixing process that creates a
more pliable rubber that offers a long casing life
to reduce heat build-up, add durability and extend
retreading cycles.
Michelin’s new X One XDn2
Late last August, Michelin unveiled its very latest
X One Super Single tire—the X One XDN2 onhighway
drive tire—at the 2008 Great American
Trucking Show. The XDN2 is the first X One that
uses the Michelin Durable Technology that delivers,
according to the manufacturer, increased tire life,
uncompromised traction, and the fuel efficiency
gains of the X One single tire. The XDN2 tread
pattern incorporates Matrix Siping Technology
corrugated grooves in the tread block that provide
a zigzag appearance. These grooves lock the tread
block as it moves through the contact patch. It
thus provides tread block rigidity and exceptional
traction while resisting scrubbing. Note the open
shoulder tread design for more traction. Available
to end-users in November 2008, the XDN2 will
be available in a 445/50R22.5 size equivalent
to a 275/80 R22.5 size, while the 455/55R22.5
equivalent to an 11R22.5 size will be available in
December. The new X One XDN2 will replace the X
One XDA-HT Plus tire.
yokohama Adds the AVID
touring-S to Lineup
The AVID Touring-S is said to
offer exceptional ride quality,
stability, safety, and durability
for a wide range of
cars, SUVs, and minivans,
including Ford Focus,
Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan
Altima, Honda CRV,
Chevy Uplander, Dodge
Caravan, and Toyota
Sienna.
Product highlights
of the AVID Touring-S include
a twin stability rib for
better handling and reduced
noise; luxury sidewall construction that utilizes
a hard rubber insert to help absorb bumps and
vibrations; tapered rain channels that accelerate
water into the outer grooves for optimal wet traction;
cross traction sipes that improve handling in
adverse conditions; and a tri-plex compound for
increased tread life and traction on slick surfaces.
It will be offered in 19 sizes.
Heat Buster
This is a unique polymer gel that will create a
heat barrier and protect adjacent property from
welding flames and heat. It’s an easily applied gel
that prevents heat damage to sensitive areas when
undertaking repairs involving high temperatures,
such as in welding operations.
Heat Buster helps prevent
damages to adjacent
areas when welding repair
sections into damaged
vehicles, eliminates heat
distortion, and prevents
welding splatter adhering
to surfaces.
It saves time by eliminating
the costly disassembly
of valves or other
components before brazing,
soldering, or welding,
and reduces danger of fire
to surrounding surfaces
such as wood studs, drywall, insulation, glass, and
plastic.
The sticky gel will adhere to most surfaces, so
vertical and horizontal surfaces will be protected,
and it’s safe for skin, is non-toxic, non-corrosive,
and is a biodegradable product.
Talk to your Auto-Chem representative or call
450-654-9292.

Unibit Cobalt Step Drill
IRWIN introduces the Unibit cobalt step drill
bit, made of M35 grade cobalt high-speed steel.
IRWIN claims it lasts up to six times longer than
the competition. Contrary to other step drills,
the latest IRWIN innovation allows professionals
to drill through the toughest of materials such
as cast iron, carbon steel, alloyed steel, and 16
gauge stainless steel.
In addition, the IRWIN drill replaces an entire
twist drill set with just one bit. With just one drill,
tradesmen can drill up to 13 different hole sizes
without ever changing chucks.
Every Unibit step drill is engineered with a
single, radial concave flute to provide the greatest
control while drilling
the truest, most round
holes in various materials.
Laser-marked sizes, 3-flatted
shanks, minimal vibration
and patented Speedpoint
tips are features built
into all Unibit step drills.
For more information
about IRWIN’s line of hand
tools and power tool accessories,
call 1-800-GO IRWIN
or visit www.irwin.com.
Dorman tech trays
Don’t be stuck at the end of a long week with
a job that you can’t complete because a small
part broke and you don’t have it on hand. With
Dorman Tech Tray, you have all the small parts
needed to help with any last minute problems.
The Tech Tray offering makes sure you have the
specific part for a variety of applications.
The Engine Splash Shield Hardware Tech Tray
contains the most popular Skid Plate/Splash
Shield fasteners. The Heat Shrink Tech Tray has
heat shrink tubing in the most commonly used
sizes and gauges. Keep the Copper Lug/Butt
Connector Tech Tray around for battery hook ups
and higher amp connections.
Order them today and be prepared for
tomorrow—call Dorman Customer Service at
1-800-523-2492 or go to
www.DormanProducts.com.
Ride on the strength of Hercules
Hercules Avalanche line-up
X-TREME I PASSENGER / SUV / LIGHT TRUCK
For information on Hercules Tire
visit www.herculestire.ca

Job Safety—It’s No accident
Employees Who Can’t Work
Will Cost you the Most
Who’s the costliest employee in your shop? Don’t look at salaries, because it’s a trick question: it’s the one
who’s off work because of injury.
Everyone knows that repair shops are
dangerous, and that it’s essential to
train employees in proper procedures,
maintain a safe working environment, and
have a comprehensive Health & Safety
plan in place. But it’s also important to
identify potential hazards you may not
have considered.
Cages: essential for truck tires
When you’re working with truck tires, an
inflation cage is a “must.” A tire rupture at
these high pressures can be deadly, and
multi-piece rims should never be inflated
without one.
It’s equally important to ensure that it’s
installed correctly and that technicians
know how to use it. The cage must be
free-standing and at least three feet (one
metre) away from other objects; under no
circumstances should it be bolted to the
floor or placed too close to a wall. The
cage absorbs the energy of the rupturing
tire, and can deform if it’s bolted down.
It also doesn’t do much good if someone
is reaching in to inflate the tire. A clipon
chuck with an in-line valve must be
used, with enough air hose so that the
technician can stand a safe distance away.
Finally, the technician should always wear
safety glasses or a face shield, and inspect
the tire to ensure it’s seated before it’s
removed from the cage.
Treat compressed air with respect
Most people know that playing with com-
12 Tire News tn October 2008
pressed air for practical jokes is unacceptable,
but think it’s fine as a cleanup tool.
The air hose should never be used to blow
off clothes or work surfaces.
Blasting clothing with air won’t result
in bloodstream air embolisms, as some
believe, but it can force metal filings or
dirt into the skin, or blow them up into
the eyes. There’s also a risk of accidentally
pointing the hose at an eye or ear, which
can have serious consequences.
Using the air hose to sweep off a work
surface can send material flying, with the
risk of eye damage. Use a brush or broom
instead.
Back injuries: all too common
It’s estimated that eight out of ten people
will suffer a back injury at some time
in their lives; it’s almost impossible to
find a repair shop that hasn’t had an
employee out at some time with back or
knee injuries. Reasons for the prevalence
of these injuries include worker inexperience,
underestimating an object’s weight,
lifting improperly, or wanting to “get the
job done,” without waiting for others to
help or getting a mechanical device such
as a dolly.
Technicians should be taught the right
way to lift: squatting with the feet apart,
hugging the load to the body, lifting with
the legs, and turning the whole body to
change direction, not just twisting at the
waist.
Jil McIntosh
jil@ca.inter.net
While back belts are popular in many
industries, several medical studies found
that they made no difference. In some
cases, they provide a false sense of security,
leading workers to try to lift more.
A device that does make sense is hearing
protection. Auto shops are noisy, and our
ears don’t “build up” tolerance; if noise
doesn’t bother you like it once did, it’s
because your hearing is damaged, and
unlike other injuries, it will never heal or
reverse itself. Ear protection should be
readily available, and comfortable enough
that people will wear it.
Your employees are both among your
greatest assets and your biggest expenses;
their safety should be among your
primary concerns. tn

Features & && Benefits
improved tread pattern:
Parallel central ribs to to improve vehicle handling
Stable shoulder blocks with Force Transmission Links to to increase performance
Circumferential central groove for for fast drainage, slush expulsion and better self self cleaning
increased sipe density and 3D 3D Drop sipes:
More grip edges for for better snow handling performance
nordic silica compound:
Innovative winter grip polymer for for improved snow traction, performance and ice ice grip
SIZES AVAILABLE
Nordfrost 5
13 13 inch 16 16 inch
175/70R13 82T SL SL 225/70R16 102T SL SL
155/80R13 79T SL SL 215/65R16 98T XL XL
14 14 inch 205/60R16 96T XL XL
175/65R14 82T SL SL 215/60R16 95T
185/65R14 86T SL SL 225/60R16 XL XL 102T
175/70R14 84T SL SL 205/55R16 94T XL XL
185/70R14 88T SL SL 215/55R16 97T XL XL
195/70R14 91T SL SL 225/55R16 XL XL 99T
15 15 inch 17 17 inch
215/70R15 98T 235/65R17 108T XL XL
185/65R15 88T 235/55R17 XL XL 103T
195/65R15 91T 205/50R17 93T XL XL
205/65R15 94T 225/50R17 XL XL 98T
185/60R15 88T XL XL 225/45R17 94T XL XL
195/60R15 88T 18 18 inch
195/55R15 89T XL XL 245/40R18 97T XL XL
NEW SIZES FOR 2008

Advertorial
Shirley Brown
sgbrown@xplornet.com
T he
Tire Dealers Association
o f C a n a d a ( T D A C )
Conference really was ‘By the
Sea.’ Halifax, Nova Scotia is especially
beautiful in the summertime
and the venues for
the various events were spread
throughout the city and nearby
sites. Seminars and speakers
were many and varied but all had
a theme—the opportunity for tire
dealers to move their business forward in
the coming years.
“The whole event was awesome,” stated Eric Gilbert current TDAC president and
owner of Ericway Tire in Beamsville, Ontario. “I talked to a lot of dealers and suppliers
that were present and they thought everything went very well. As well, because of
some issues that needed to be discussed, I’ve talked with people since the TDAC and
their feedback was tremendous. This is unusual because usually when the event is over,
there is no further communication, so it was great to be able to hear people from across
Canada praising the event afterward.
“Another thing that stood out was that we surpassed attendance numbers of former
events—there were a great number of independent tire dealers in attendance. The
seminars were of good quality—that’s what the feedback was—and there weren’t a
great many of them, which can be overwhelming. I give a lot of credit to the organizing
committee who gave us the quality speakers and seminars—they were well attended.
“Halifax was a great place to be—when you combine all the offerings of the East coast,
the friendly atmosphere, the hotels and the piers being right on the waterfront—it was
pretty incredible. We learned something from it… we need to hold all our conventions
in a ‘tourist’ location. Many attendees brought their family and came early and had a
little holiday or stayed afterward to enjoy the scenery.
14 Tire News tn October 2008
“All in all I felt the TDAC was a big success!”
By the Sea 2008
By the Sea 2008
Moving your Business
Forward
By the Sea—this year’s Tire Dealers Association of Canada
Convention—was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The goal of the
event was “moving your business forward.”
Needless to say, a Golf Tournament was the
kickoff to the Convention on Wednesday
and attendees were given entertainment
options for that evening. Meetings and
seminars were on the agenda Thursday
with luncheon guest speaker, Peggy Fisher,
president of TireStamp and current TIA
president, giving an interesting talk on
products, marketing, and training.
A reception at Pier 21 finished off
the day.
Great seminars, great speakers
The next day brought forth Market Trends
presented by Marc Brazeau, president
of the Automotive Industries Association
of Canada, followed by Trends in Scrap
Management, a subject well geared to today’s
environmental issues. Then keynote
speaker Jacques Demers took over. As
you all recall, Demers was one of the most
successful of the NHL hockey coaches…
although he could neither read nor write.
Demers coached in both Canada and the
United States and was the last coach to
help the Montreal Canadiens to a Stanley
Cup victory. After he stopped coaching,
he went on to have a new career—as a
television sports commentator and he was
most interesting to hear at the TDAC. His
biography was published in 2005.
It was a double-barrel day for famous peo-
Photos: Marie-Josée Rousseau mjr@p-rousseau.com

Moving Your Business Forward
ple as the luncheon speaker was Mario
Andretti, regarded as the greatest racecar
driver of all time. He had a 36-year career
and was a very versatile driver; in fact, he
competed in and won every discipline he
entered—midget, sprint cars, dirt track,
stock cars, Champ cars, Formula One,
Formula 500, and sports cars. Throughout
his career, Mario won 111 major events!
He brought a great message to TDAC.
Hall of Fame inductees
The Hall of Fame was well done and the
inductees certainly were worthy of their
nominations. Jean-Marc Bernard has
worked in the United States and Paris,
France in the transportation business. His
father had started the Bernard family’s
automotive product and service outlets
in Quebec in 1943, and by 1975 Jean-
Marc and his brother-in-law took over
the leadership of the five Bernard Tire
shops. He finally founded and operated
Don Blythe, executive director, Western Canada Tire Dealers (WCTD) was enthusiastic
about the program. “I thought the Conference Committee did a great job of putting
everything together. Most of the speakers were first-rate. The two sessions by Kevin
Rohlwing were excellent, especially the session about what you must do as a tire dealer
(or retailer) that has been legislated by Canadian law… training, certification, etc. In fact,
he told about things that I didn’t know and I’ve been in the business for over 50 years!
Overall, I believe the committee did an outstanding job.”
SYSDRO. Which specialized in assembling
components and supplying tires and rims
on an OE basis. This company was sold to
cousins in 2004. Eventually, Jean-Marc
became vice president of TDAC.
Gerald Robinson of Prince Edward Island
was also inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Robinson and his brother Virden started
Robinson’s Tire Service in 1952, and
a year later, they got involved with OK
Rubber Welders—now O.K. Tire Stores.
Gerald farmed for some years but when
his brother’s tire shop burned down, he
helped him rebuild, working at the tire
The rat pack—Jean-Marc Bernard, Gerald Robinson, Don Blythe, and Eric Gilbert
shop and on the farm. In 1969, Gerald
took over as manager of the O.K. Tire
Stores of PEI and the business grew quickly.
He also operated his own tire businesses—Parkdale
Tire Sales and maintained
the BFGoodrich warehouse for PEI. He
retired in 1994.
Born in Newfoundland, Eric Gilbert was
another inductee. He left Newfoundland
for Ontario at the age of 17 and became
a Tire Tech with Glendale Tire in Toronto.
In 1984, Eric started his own tire dealership
in Beamsville, Ontario—Ericway
Tire. He loved to sponsor and work with u
October 2008 tn Tire News 15

“I think the key to any of the conventions, regional or national, is to bring pertinent
information and value to make it worthwhile for attendees to partake in these events,”
stated Jim Schmidt, general manager, Consumer Products, Bridgestone Firestone
Canada. “The time of year, Convention’s venue and the socializing was well done. The
Hall of Fame was a highlight and I thought the speakers were good. They were people
outside the realm of our direct industry and it was good to hear sessions about things
other than tires.
“The conventions are more than just a time for socializing, they’re a time to get together
with your peers in the industry and you always learn something. Jacques Demers
was very good, and Bridgestone Firestone Canada sponsored Mario Andretti and he
brought a good message as well. Again, two speakers from outside the tire industry.
The Industry Leaders’ Breakfast was one of the most informative sessions of the TDAC.
We heard different topics about our industry from five or six business leaders and that
was a pretty good cross section of information.
“The trade show sector of the TDAC was good for the insurance, the wheels, the equipment,
some of the aspects of the business that support the tire industry. It does more
for them than it does for the tire manufacturers.”
Dave Lottridge, president of the supplier’s Council and president of PREMA Canada, hands a $30,000
contribution to Corey Miller for the organization of By the Sea 2008.
children’s sports teams, so obtained his
coaching certificate through the national
Coaching Certification Program and
became a hockey coach. He also spent
many years with the local Chamber of
Commerce and was president at one
16 Tire News tn October 2008
point. Eric was awarded a medal on behalf
of Queen Elizabeth for outstanding
community service. He was on the Board
of directors of the Ontario Tire Dealer
Association for 20 years, including a
two-year stint as president. Currently,
By the Sea 2008
From a supplier’s perspective, Dave
Lottridge, president of the supplier’s
Council and president of PREMA Canada
thought, “The venues were excellent
and the meals were great. I thought the
organizing committee did a fantastic job
—everything was just first class. I didn’t
hear many speakers but it was neat to
hear that Mario Andretti first touched
the shores of North America not far
from the place we were in quite a few
years ago! I also thought the trade show
was good although we were expecting
to see more people go through it.”
Lottridge was at the trade show with
tire supplies—balancing weights, valve
hardware, ice studs, tools, lubricants,
etc.—every day supplies to maintain
and service tires.
Eric is president of the Tire Dealers
Association of Canada.
Don Blythe, currently the executive di-
rector of Western Canada Tire Dealers,
was the fourth inductee in the Tire Hall
of Fame. Don was born in Lethbridge,
Alberta and joined Goodyear Tire &
Rubber after high school, working at the
order desk and as a tire adjuster. He
held several Goodyear sales positions in
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, B.C, and the
Yukon. For two years, he managed Hub
Tire & Battery in North Battlefield. Don
finally joined O.K. Tire Stores Canada as
regional manager, working out of Calgary.
He later returned to Vancouver as general
manager of O.K. Tire Stores. Five years
later, he opened his own O.K Tire retail
stores. Later he would be voted on to
the O.K. Tire Board of Directors and then
return to the Head Office as Managing
director, then as president. Don retired
in 2003 from O.K. Tire Stores and has
spent his time relaxing by holding down
the positions of executive director of the
Western Canada Tire Dealers, director of
the Saskatchewan Scrap Tire Corporation,
and chair of Tire Stewardship B.C. tn

Moving Your Business Forward
Mario Andretti and Jacques Demers, speakers at By the Sea 2008
Corey Miller, of Miller Tire Service, Fleet Retreading Services Limited, and Conference
chair, believed “the Conference was extraordinarily received. We had about 300
people there and that was a pretty good turnout. The visiting delegates from Canada
and the U.S. gave us enormous positive feedback. They loved the venues and were
complimentary about the trade show. The people liked the speakers. They liked Mario
Andretti who told us he had been to Halifax some years ago—this was the port at
which he and his family landed when they came to America! This was pretty incredible
in my mind.
“He took the time to sign autographs and have his picture taken. Jacques Demers did
the same thing—they were very gracious. It was a momentous occasion and on top of
that, the weather was just perfect!
“It was also quite touching to have the Hall of Fame inductees there in front of us.
They are still active and are great people in our industry. It’s wonderful to see them
still involved.”

Commercial tires
Éric Descarries
104420.662@compuserve.com
trucks tires
not All Light trucks
Use Passenger tires
According to the latest reports, light truck sales have been slipping in
North America. But still, the number one overall vehicle in sales remains
the same pick-up we have seen up there for the past 30 years. Does that
mean that light truck tire sales will slow down too? No! As a matter
of fact, you should expect them to rise since actual light truck owners
will keep their ride longer and that means they will need replacement
tires more than ever.
P or LT tires?
Light truck tires are not passenger car
tires. They have a load to sustain. Some
light trucks come equipped with sturdy
LT (Light Truck) tires with sizes that can
interchange with passenger tire sizes.
Consequently, in order to save a few dollars,
some owners might want to switch
to passenger car tires claiming they
never load their light truck. This might
not be a good idea. Light truck owners
are known to overestimate the capacity
of their vehicle. They might never load
up their truck but it could happen that
they will expect their small truck to carry
a big load, a load that passenger car
tires are not made for. Worse even, they
might try to pull a trailer, something they
rented for only a short period of time,
that will add more weight to the rear
tires. The P-Metric tires might prove to
be too weak for such a situation—they
will build up heat and fail.
Used trucks with P-metric tires
Obviously, the customer who wants
P-metric tires (the P, as you know, stands
for Passenger) is also looking for a
smoother ride. Indeed, an LT tire will give
a harsher ride to the vehicle. But this is
mostly due to stronger sidewalls that can
sustain heavier loads and heat build-up.
Also be aware that some light truck tires
are available both in P-Metric and LT
formats. The surprise could be heavier
for someone who has bought a used
S207
Drive all-steel radial truck. Wide and deep transversal grooves for greater driving force.
Deep tread depth for extended mileage. Reinforced bead construction and durable carcass
for excellent retreading rate.
light truck on which the previous owner
changed the LT tires to P tires.
Being an expert, you should have a keen
eye for such vehicles. How can you be
sure of the original fitment? Have a look
at the placard in the doorjamb, inside
the glove box, or in the owner’s manual.
You will find the original fitment for the
vehicle and if it says LT, show it to your
customer. He might not like what he will
see but you will have done your professional
duty—and you will have shown
him that you are concerned about his
safety. tn
Light trucks don’t always
have P-metric tires as original
equipment. (photo: Ford)
This Bridgestone Dueler A/T
light truck tire is available in
the P-Metric and LT format.
(photo: Bridgestone)

Vehicles like this Dodge Sprinter sometimes
require specific commercial tires.
Delivery vans
Delivery vans are probably the most
used—and abused—light duty commercial
vehicles on the market. Some
come with P-Metric tires, but most are
delivery equipped with LT tires. It is not
recommended to switch from LT tires to
P-Metric tires, but the opposite is highly
recommended if the vehicle owner can
find the right sizes—and the replacement
wheels.
Some of the vans now come
from Europe, where tire
companies serve them
well. But their specific
tire sizes are not necessarily
available everywhere
in Canada. This
Tire manufacturers such is where companies like
as Bridgestone offer light
commercial truck tires like Continental come into the
this most recent Duravis. picture with replacement
products such as its Vanco 8 tire series.
Slowly, other tire manufacturers, once
again mostly from Europe, are beginning
to offer products and sizes for such
vehicles.
S208
Premium all-steel steer axle radial. Reinforced bead
construction and durable carcass for excellent
retreadability. Decoupling groove for extended wear
and stress relief sipes for all weather traction.
Specific Commercial tires
the Right tire for Hard
Working Vehicles
Some specific vehicles require very specialised tires. In such a case,
the choice is narrowed down to just a few products.
According to Goodyear, who recently introduced
its Unisteel G949 RSA, G947 RSS,
G933 RSD, and G971 medium duty commercial
tires for pickups, delivery vans, and trucks
up to 14,000 lbs, some of the most popular
hard-working commercial truck tire sizes include:
LT225/70R19.5 • LT245/70R19.5 •
LT235/85R16 • LT225/75R16 • 8R19.5LT
• LT215/85 R16.
Manufacturers include tires for such
sizes. BFGoodrich is one of them with its
Commercial T/A products. Uniroyal has
the Laredo HD/H and HD/T Traction, which
have some of those sizes and other helpful
fitments. Bridgestone has the Duravis, and
Firestone offers the Transforce A/T products
for light commercial vehicles. Actually, there
are even a few more tires that should fit the
same definition. For more information, a
quick check with your local distributors will
tell you more.
Winter tires
Winter tires are not always easy to find
for such sizes. Fortunately, more and more
tire manufacturers are listening to their
Éric Descarries
104420.662@compuserve.com
customers and are bringing
in specific winter tires for
delivery vans and other
light duty commercial
vehicles. Continental offers
its Vanco products
in winter configuration,
which is a great help for
Dodge Sprinter owners.
BFGoodrich also has a
BFGoodrich’s
Commercial T/A Traction
great winter tire for com- can be used for snow
mercial vehicles, the or off-road situations.
Commercial T/A Traction which bears the
RMA winter logo on its sidewalls—note
that it is also a very useful off-road tire. And
lately, Pirelli Canada has begun offering the
Winter Chrono for such vehicles and this
tire can be studded.
Keep in mind that many big RVs must also
rely on LT tires. Few owners will change
their tires because they are worn out and
still fewer will install winter tires on their
RVs. But some of them might stop at your
shop to replace a damaged tire. This is
where the information on this page can
come in handy. tn
heRculeS MeDiuM tRuck tiReS
affoRDable, Reliable tiReS built to PeRfoRM
ViSit WWW.heRculeStiRe.ca

Commercial tires
Éric Descarries
104420.662@compuserve.com
a Huge Market
Light truck tires Abound
Though passenger car tires still make up the biggest part of the North American tire market, light truck
products definitely have their place. Most major tire manufacturers have quite a few products for light
trucks—LT tires, off-road tires, winter tires, and even performance tires. What follows is an overview of
what’s available.
BFGoodrich offers quite an array of
specialty tires for light trucks. Most
of them are targeted at off-roading
and while many of them are good
for the road, some are specifically
designed for serious off-roading.
Indeed, tires like the All Terrain T/A,
Mud Terrain T/A, Long Trail T/A,
and Rugged Trail T/A are good for
use on the road, but the meaner
Krawler T/A is good only for serious
off-roading. BFGoodrich also
has a performance version
of its light truck tire, the
G Force T/A KDW, but
the Commercial T/A and
Commercial T/A Traction
are definitely aimed at
heavier commercial truck
users—the latter has the
Commercial T/A winter logo on its sidewalls.
Bridgestone has a few great light-duty truck tires to offer,
such as its Dueler A/T Revo and its tamer Dueler H/L Alenza.
The company also has quite a few versions of its A/T, HT, and
HP tires—the latter is available in a 20-inch version for highperformance
light trucks. In addition, Bridgestone offers the
more commercially-oriented Duravis product for some of the
beefier light trucks.
Continental has a large array of light truck tires to offer its
customers whether they need high performance products,
touring tires, winter tires, or light commercial products that
also fit motor homes. ContiCrossContacts come in UHP
versions, but most customers will go for the ContiTracs and
their 4x4 tires including a winter version, the Conti 4x4
WinterContact. The commercial tire mentioned here is the
Vanco, and it has a winter version available; it is considered
ideal for Sprinter vans.
Cooper Tire markets its light truck tire line-up under the Discoverer brand name. This tire is available
in many shapes, including HT, touring LT, and more aggressive S/T and STT off-road products. The
Discoverer is available as a winter tire identified by its M+S logo.
20 Tire News tn October 2008
Discoverer M+S
Duravis R500 HD
Vanco

Dunlop is one of Goodyear’s premium products. It provides
great high-performance products, but its catalogue
also includes a few light-truck tires, including its Radial
Mud Rover and Radial Rover RV/XT products mostly for
light off-road adventures.
Slowly rebuilding its line-up, Firestone has a few interesting
light-truck tires to offer its customers, the Destination
A/T and the Destination M/T, the latter being a fullfledge
off-road tire with, of all things, pin holes for studs.
Firestone also offers the Transforce H/T and A/T commercial
truck tires for 15- to 18-inch wheels.
General Tire is going through a rejuvenation, but it still
has some traditional products for its customers. The company
has a LT tire line up of different Grabber products for
high-performance, street, and off-roading as well as a more
traditional AmeriTrac TR light truck tire.
Grandtrek SJ6
Goodyear’s name is closely associated with truck
tires of all sizes. Among its star products, it offers
the Fortera line-up for upscale pick-up trucks and
SUVs—including the Silent Armour product and the
newer TripleTred which bears the winter tire logo.
The Wrangler with Silent Armour also shows that
logo, but the Wrangler MT/R is mostly designed for
serious off-roading. Remember that Goodyear also produces
a full-fledged commercial light truck tire discussed in
another article, the Unisteel G947, G949 G933, and G971.
Transforce H/T
AmeriTrac
Wrangler MT/R
Hankook’s catalogue includes
light truck tires such
as the Dynapro ATm and
MT off-road products,
which are also used as
touring products. For
winter tires, Hankook
recently unveiled the
I*Pike RW07 and the
I*Pike RW11.
I*Pike RW11
Hercules Tires has a few light truck
tires in its catalogue, including the All
Country A/T and All Country LXT offroad
products for 16- to 18-inch wheels.
As far as light medium duty truck tires
are concerned, we could include the
S-209 series for 17.5 to 19.5 wheels.
Kumho offers a few great light-truck
tires. One model, the Ecsta STX, is
mostly a high-performance product
meant more for show than for go. On
the other hand, the whole Kumho Road
Venture line of tires includes touring
products and aggressive MT off-road
tires with serious tread.
Venture MT
u
October 2008 tn Tire News 21

Commercial tires
Éric Descarries
104420.662@compuserve.com
Maxxis is slowly building its line up for American needs
and its catalogue includes HT, MA, and off-road MT products.
It also offers light-duty tires like its UE 168 model
for 12- to 16-inch wheels, and Marauder and Buckshot
products. There will probably be more to come from
Maxxis in the future.
Maxxis 760
Michelin has quite an array of light truck tires to offer, whether
they be the tamer 4x4 Diamaris, popular Cross Terrain SUV,
Latitude Sport, Latitude Tour HP, or the more work-oriented
LTX AT/2 or winter M/S. For winter purposes, there is the
Latitude X Ice. Michelin also has a few RV tires, such as the
17-inch XCA and the 16- and 16.5-inch XPS tires.
Better known for its winter tires, Nokian has a few
light truck tires that might fit many customers’ needs.
For the now, the Hakkapeliitta LT and Hakkapeliitta 5
SUV tires are the best known.
Pirelli has specialized in high performance light truck
tires, including the very special Scorpion Zero and
Zero Asymetrico, which are available up to 24 inches.
These are probably the world’s only computer-made
tires, produced at Pirelli’s automated plant in Rome,
Georgia. Scorpion tires are also available in an Ice
& Snow version. Let’s not forget that Pirelli has a
Winter Chrono tire for light commercial trucks in
winter.
22 Tire News tn October 2008
4x4 Diamaris
Hakka Sport Utility
Winter Chrono
Japanese tire manufacturer
Toyo is busy in the
light-truck segment.
Its catalogue shows a
great array of products
including the Proxes
line of performance
tires and a very exciting
Open Country line of
tires including all-season
Open Country
products and real off-road
tires like the M55. Toyo also includes
the Open Country M606 LT tire for 16inch
wheels that could be considered a
light commercial and RV tire.
For light trucks, Uniroyal
has a good array of products
known under the
Laredo brand, including
the popular Cross
country, All Season
AWP, AWR, AWT, and
AWTII all-terrain tires,
and its commercial HD/D
and HD/T tires.
Most of Yokohama’s line-up is identified
as Geolandar products whether
they are road-going H/T, off-road A/T,
or the winter-designed I/T G072.
Still, Yokohama has a few commercially
oriented products, such as
the Y788 and the Y742S. If your
customer is looking for a “show”
or high-performance tire, suggest
the Parada Spec-X product from
Yokohama. tn
Laredo AWT

Éric Descarries
104420.662@compuserve.com
unusual tires
Choosing the Right Off-road tire
Customers do not exactly rush to tire shops to buy off-roading tires. We’re talking about real serious off-road
tires—the ones with huge blocks and knobs that grab into mud and sand for the best possible traction. Still,
there is a market out there for such tires.
Most tire manufacturers will offer
off-road tires; some of them have
even been installed as original equipment
on regular production vehicles. Indeed, in
the past, Goodyear provided its Wrangler
MT/R on Jeep’s early TJ Rubicon. Today,
it’s BFGoodrich that is the official provider
for the newer Wrangler (JK) Rubicon with
its Mud Terrain T/A. Both tires have a
three-ply wall construction that will avoid
cinching the tire when it is deflated at a
lower pressure for off-roading activities
(many speciality off-road tires are offered
with three-ply sidewalls). By the way, these
two tires might be good in deep snow but
are not the best performing tires on ice.
A good recommendation would be to replace
them with “real” winter tires during
the cold season.
All-terrain or mud terrain tires are
good in sand if slightly deflated.
Super Swampers
are typical
extreme off-road
specialized tires.
Super special
off-road tires
are good in
mud or rough
terrain, but not
Mud, sand, rock?
so much on
A country as big as ours has many differ-
the road or in
winter.
ent kinds of trails available, depending on
where the off-road enthusiast is located. In
some areas, off-roading is done mostly on
very rocky trails that might require specific
rock-crawling capabilities. However, the better part of Canadian trails will be in
muddy areas that will require what are
referred to as “mud terrain” tires. They
are recognizable by large voids that clean
themselves up very quickly in such situa-
Kumho still
produces a tions. The commercially better accepted
modern version “all-terrain” tires will do the job here, but
of its Road
Venture off-road their tighter voids might have the ten-
tire that is not dency to clog up faster and provide less
bad on the road.
traction on muddy trails.
Our test Jeep Wrangler was equipped with
its OE BFGoodrich Mud Terrain T/A tires.
Speciality tires
Speciality off-road tires are not always
easy to obtain. Very few distributors import
tires under the brands of Mickey
Thompson, Dick Cepek, Swamper, Nitto,
or Pro Comp, but there is indeed a market
for such products. A few speed and
specialty shops can get you those huge
tires with very aggressive tread. They
might not be the best tires on the road
and they might not perform well on ice—
however, they can be surprising in very
deep snow—but they are still the ones
“serious” off-roaders look for. tn
Skid Steer OOPS
A story we recently published in Tire News on
skid steer tires has sparked a controversy, and
our editorial department has received a number
of inquiries on the subject. Since the matter
clearly needs to be explored further, Tire News
will be devoting a special Industry Report on the
subject in our April 2009 issue. This report, we
feel, will give all sides an opportunity to present
their cases, tell their stories, and let our readers
come to their own conclusions.
October 2008 tn Tire News 23

I ndeed,
NaSCar in Montreal
Tires save The show
The Montreal NASCAR Nationwide held at Le Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve was, once again, a spectacular and
unique event. Last year, local driver Patrick Carpentier made the show by finishing second to veteran Kevin
Harvick. This year, Carpentier once again finished second, this time to Canadian Ron Fellows,
who was driving the JR Motorsport Chevy. But Montreal’s event will go down in history as
as the race was only a few laps old, it started
to rain. NASCAR had never raced in the rain. But its
only tire provider, Goodyear, was ready with a trailer full
of rain tires that were made almost ten years ago but
never used. Many of the drivers in the Montreal road
course event had some kind of experience in road racing
and driving in the rain. That decided Nationwide director
Joe Balash to run the first ever NASCAR race in the rain!
Taking time for a lengthy red flag, he allowed teams to
switch to rain tires. Balash’s decision was also based on
the fact there was no rain date for a next race.
The decision paid off. Almost every fan stayed to watch,
very few drivers went off-course, and the event was a
real success, not only for fans, but also for NASCAR and
Goodyear who, the weekend before, had to go through
a disastrous Indianapolis race where its race tires selfdestroyed
in less than seven laps. This time, Goodyear
had the right answer.
Earlier during the morning, the NASCAR Canada race
saw last year’s champ Andrew Ranger win the race with
his Tide Ford Fusion.
Pirelli was there too
Less celebrated, on late Friday afternoon before the
Nationwide race (held on Saturday afternoon), was the
Rolex Grand Am endurance race. Last year, all teams had
to use Hoosier tires. This year, Italian tire maker Pirelli
stepped in and it was a wise choice. The Montreal race
was among the most interesting—and with one of the
biggest crowds—of the season. At the end, the Canadian
team of Brian Friselle and Mark Wilkins got to the checkered
flag first, driving a Riley Ford. tn
24 Tire News tn October 2008
NASCAR’s very first official race held in the rain!
photos: Éric and Guillaume Descarries
The Todd Braun Racing team serviced Jacques Villeneuve’s Camry very well. (É.D.)
A Pirelli-shod Grand Am Daytona Prototype car in action. (É.D.)
Pirelli was ready for any weather in the
Grand Am series. (É.D.)
Goodyear pulled out its NASCAR rain tires
for the first time. (É.D.)

Pirelli guests had a great spot to watch
the Grand Am race. (É.D.)
Patrick Carpentier was the star of the show. (G.D.)
Working their way in the rain. (G.D.)
Andrew Ranger won the NASCAR Canada race. (É.D.)
Working on Jacques Villeneuve’s car. (É.D.)
Éric Descarries
104420.662@compuserve.com
Mike Wallace (Camry No 7) was one of the
rare drivers to lose it on wet pavement. (G.D.)
Goodyear posted recommended pressures
before the race. (É.D.)
Patrick Carpentier, Jacques Villeneuve,
and eventual winner Ron Fellows at work
in the rain. (G.D.)
official SuPPlieR of
PRoDuctS iN caNaDa
the leaDiNG SPecialiSt iN tiRe RackiNG
t. 1-800-754-9432
info @mskcanada.com
www.mskcanada.com

Jil McIntosh
jil@ca.inter.net
Ontario Directs a New tire recycling Program
Waste Diversion Ontario Must
Develop a Program to Recycle tires
Although other provinces have had tire recycling stewardship plans in place for many years, Ontario has
always lagged behind, despite the efforts of tire associations and organizations to put one in place.
H owever,
in August, Minister of the
Environment John Gerretsen directed
Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO) to
develop a program intended to recycle 90
percent of Ontario’s used tires by its fifth
year. In the directive, the Minister requires
a plan to clean up any existing tire stockpiles
as quickly as possible, and to ensure
that the program be self-funding, with an
industry organization collecting program
fees from tire producers.
Required by December 2008
The program will cover all motor vehicle
tires, including OTR, industry, and farm
vehicle tires supplied to the Ontario market.
In his letter, Gerretsen insists that a
program be submitted for approval by
December 31, 2008.
WDO is a non-crown corporation that was
created in June 2002 under the Waste
Diversion Act to develop, implement and
operate waste diversion programs for a
wide range of materials, including Blue
Box waste, used oil material, electrical and
electronic equipment, and municipal hazardous
or special waste.
Ontario has had no official program for
used tires since 1989, when a short-lived
$5.00 fee that was ostensibly a recycling
charge was levied on each new tire sold
26 Tire News tn October 2008
tire recycling
in the province. The money instead went
into the general revenue stream, and the
incoming government repealed it in 1993.
This time, the request states that no fees
will flow to the government.
Instead, in his letter, Gerretsen directs that
WDO either develop the program in cooperation
with an existing Industry Funding
Organization, or incorporate one, and take
on an active role as the organization develops
the program.
Priority is the 3 Rs
The program “should place a priority on
the diversion of used tires into higher end
uses whenever possible, based on the principle
of the 3 Rs (reduction, reuse—i.e.,
retreading where feasible—and recycling),”
the letter reads. “Landfilling, the use of
used tires as daily cover at landfills, or incineration,
shall not be part of the program
unless the 3R options are not available or
not technically feasible.
“The program should be consumer-focused
and designed in a manner to ensure that
the program and its return options are
user-friendly, available across the province,
and accessible to all Ontarians. There shall
be a single fee paid by the stewards that
is associated with the program. Collectors
of tires, including retailers, that are par-
ticipating in the program, shall not charge
consumers an additional fee for the management
of tires following the removal of
the tire from the vehicle.”
Cleaning up stockpiles
Gerretsen instructs that the program must
also include a plan to clean up existing
stockpiles of used tires across the province,
and “promote the diversion of stockpiled
tires into recycling and higher end uses
whenever possible, depending on the quality
of the stockpiled tires. The cleanup of
stockpiles should be considered a priority
under the early mandate of the program
and expedited as much as possible.
WDO should work with the Ministry of the
Environment staff to identify and prioritize
stockpile sites for cleanup.”
According to the report, over 10 million
used tires need to be managed in the province
each year, and that currently about
half are being shipped out of the province
for use as TDF (tire-derived fuel) or are
being stockpiled.
The 2008 Ontario budget has also allocated
almost $2 million, over two years,
to remove 300,000 illegally-stockpiled
tires in the province’s Middlesex County,
and to review the inventory of scrap tires
in Ontario. tn

Industry events
Ecological Obstacle
Course in Edmundston
Like other fields, the automotive world had to adjust to the intricacies of the ecological wave spreading across
the planet. What’s left for us to do is convince the population that the words ‘ecological’ and ‘performance’
can indeed go together.
And for that reason, the Formation de
conduite Avantage in Edmundston, NB
decided to present its traditional slalom—
which reached its 6th edition in 2008—in a
different manner. On September 21, more
than 250 people showed up to watch obstacle
races in the Brunswick Centre’s parking
lot. Drivers had to go through various
manoeuvres while respecting road signs.
Challenges included 180° turns, emergency
stops, the serpentine, the dead end, and the
“final decision.”
School and construction zones were also
set up on the course thanks to real signs,
bumps, and an authentic school bus. The
main difference with previous courses
was the types of vehicles used during
the day—most of them were hybrids or
environmentally friendly. This type of ecofriendly
demonstration was a first in the
The final decision exercice required the driver to brake
rapidly in one of the three designated stop zones at the
end of the course.
Police chases were recreated within the obstacle
course at the Brunswick Centre.
28 Tire News tn October 2008
Maritimes. “People haven’t been made
aware of these new types of vehicles. Even
if we’re green conscious, comfort and
performance are still at the forefront. We
must find a way to curb our consumption in
order to reduce greenhouse gas,” explains
Gilles Francoeur, president and founder
of Formation de conduite Avantage and
spokesperson for the Maritimes Be Tire
Smart—Play your PART program.
Dealer participation
Many car dealers in the Edmundston area
eagerly accepted the invitation to present
their hybrids and eco-friendly models in
an event which combined both safety and
the environment—in the form of a game.
Drivers with faults lost their licence after
crossing the finish line. To recover it, they
had to correctly answer a road safety
question live on CFAI-FM.
Gilles Francoeur giving instructions to a participant.
In order to make visitors aware of the importance of being
sober when driving, the Formation de conduite Avantage
company put a damaged vehicle on display.
Frédéric Desjardins
Desjardins.Frederic@brunswicknews.com
Other organizations also had booths on
site, COGERNO and the Edmundston
police force to name but two. Spectators
got to watch police chase simulations. On
a more technical note, a few participants
tested their skills at changing a flat tire in
the shortest time. There again, all safety
and verification rules had to be respected
so as not to lose points. “When a flat occurs,
it’s always important to check your
spare tire. Some contestants didn’t think
of checking the air pressure in that tire.
Inflation of all tires must be checked
regularly and it’s preferabe to inflate
them with nitrogen if possible,” added
Francoeur.
The event should take place again in 2009
with other innovations, such as a demonstration
of emergency braking with new
and used winter and all-season tires. tn
Participants had to change a flat tire.
Translated from its original French by Marc-Alain Nantel.
photos: Frédéric Desjardins

Translated from its original French by Marc-Alain Nantel.
Important Fall update
QUEBEC’S
MAnDAtORy
WIntER tIRE
MAttER
At press time, Quebec’s Ministère
des Transports (MTQ) was finalizing
certain last amendments to Acts 55 and
42, making the use of winter tires mandatory.
However, these modifications do not
affect application dates already adopted,
remaining December 15 to March 15 of
each year.
During a conference call held on September
9, 2008 between the MTQ governmental
committee and representatives of numerous
organizations, including the Quebec
Tire Specialists Association (ASPQ), the
matter concerning the new identification
of tire classification in particular was
among the amendments.
Pictograms and Markings
• Two new markings—AT and Nordic—will
be added to the 7 already prescribed,
which are: ARTIC, BLIZZARD, ICE, SNOW,
STUD, WINTER, and LT with regard to the
types of tires to be considered compliant
with the definition of a tire designed specifically
for winter driving.
• Prior to December 15, 2014, all tires
bearing the snowflake/mountain symbol
as well as those bearing at least one
of the nine following markings: ARTIC,
BLIZZARD, ICE, SNOW, STUD, WINTER,
NORDIC, LT, and AT will be considered
compliant with the definition of winter
tires and will be accepted according to
the the amended regulation.
• After December 15, 2014, winter tires
will have to comply with new standards
and new identification criteria which
should be adopted by the Canadian government
during 2009.
• The Mud and Snow (M+S) marking will
not be considered compliant.
Definition of a touring vehicle
Based on the Highway Safety Code definition,
the MTQ will issue an administrative
memo specifying what a touring vehicle
must or must not be. Said definition
should soon be available on the MTQ Web
site. tn
Raynald Bouchard
raynaldbouchardmedia@yahoo.ca
The ASPQ deemed fit to share this information with
Canada’s tire industry and with all interested parties, be
they manufacturers, distributors, resellers, or other
concerned associations. In fact, the Canadian
government was on the verge of issuing, in 2009, the
compliance standards for winter tires throughout the
country. Those mentioned in this article apply to Quebec
and could lead the way to national regulation. Note that
this information is distributed without prejudice, since
the MTQ could still bring forth minor modifications. We
will be made aware of the content regarding the final
version of Act 55 when it is published in the Gazette
officielle du Québec in a few weeks.
October 2008 tn Tire News 29

age: good for Wine, Bad for tires
Know the “Birthdays” of the
tires in your Stock
When you sell your customer a new tire, is it really new? Or has it been sitting in a warehouse somewhere,
gathering dust, until someone finally got to it and added it to your order?
Wine improves with aging, but tires
definitely don’t—and if you’re not
paying attention to the manufacturer’s
date on the sidewall, you could be passing
along a problem tire that could affect
your customer, your supplier, and your
business.
As you know, the tire manufacturer put
the date the tire was made on its sidewall.
Everyone in your shop should be aware of
the codes, know how to read them, and
understand their importance.
No regulations
While there are no regulations in either
Canada or the U.S. on the shelf life of
tires, Transport Canada recommends
that tires should not be put into
service if they have been in
storage for more than six
years, and that all tires
should be replaced ten
years from their date of
manufacture.
If you’ve got a very
full warehouse,
it’s entirely possible
that some
tires might get
overlooked, especially
if they’re in
a slow-selling size,
and could sit until
they’re close to
the recommended
expiration
30 Tire News tn October 2008
date. Stock rotation should depend not on
the date you got the tire, but on the day it
was manufactured.
A higher profile
You can expect this to take on a higher
profile with customers, especially since
ABC News prepared a special investigative
report earlier this year. The network called
aged tires a “ticking time bomb,” even as it
reported that some tire companies and car
manufacturers issue consumer warnings
about using a car beyond a specified age.
ABC also reported that some of its “local
reporters” went into tire shops, looking for
aged tires sold as new. While the network
didn’t say how many shops the reporters
visited or how many
tires they examined overall,
they found seven
tires, one at a branded
tire store and the rest
at Wal-Mart, made
anywhere from 1999
to 2001 and sold
as new.
That’s not a lot,
but it’s seven
too many when
it comes to
consumer confidence,
and
such stories
quickly take
on a life of
their own.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) says that it has
been examining the issue since 2002, but
will not consider regulations until it has
determined an accurate test to measure
the effects of age on new tires, and has
studied costs and potential safety benefits.
Tires deteriorate over time
Jil McIntosh
jil@ca.inter.net
Transport Canada says that it does not
regulate shelf life “because the department’s
investigations have not revealed a
pattern of motor vehicle collisions caused
by tire failure due to tire aging of the time
of sale.” As well, “many variables come
into account to evaluate a tire lifetime,
such as environment (storage conditions,
temperature, climate), the driven frequency,
the composition and quality of tire,
and vehicle maintenance practices (proper
inflation pressure, wheel alignment, etc.).
As such, many experts agreed that tires
deteriorate over time, even if they are not
used or driven on.”
In other words, it’s up to you to regulate
your stock; just as importantly for your
business, you need to keep your customer
informed. It’s a good opportunity to build
your goodwill by letting customers know
that they’re getting fresh stock, by showing
them how to read their tire codes
and the importance of replacing old tires,
even if they’re not badly worn, and to replace
their spare tires when they get too
old. Make their tires’ birthdays work for
them—and for you. tn

tPMS: a Money-maker or a Money-loser
Customer Education Will
Make All the Difference
B ut
$
that doesn’t necessarily translate
By now, tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) are probably
hardwired into your brain. The phase-in period for their federal
mandate in the U.S. is complete, and that’s had a profound
influence on the number of cars in Canada so equipped.
into an easy sell with your customer,
and dealers will have to focus on training,
equipment, and knowledge to remain
profitable when it comes to TPMS. That
was the message from Kevin Rohlwing,
senior vice president of Training for the
Tire Industry Association (TIA), during his
presentation at the TDAC Convention in
Halifax earlier this year.
The difference between making and losing
money is in being able to sell the value of
maintaining the TPMS to your customer,
and then continuing to service the vehicle
correctly so that it continues to monitor
the tires, he said.
Numerous obstacles
Unfortunately, there are a lot of obstacles
in your way. For consumers, there’s the
price: at approximately $50 per sensor,
you’ve got to “sell” the customer on something
that can represent one-fifth the price
of each tire.
On your shop floor, you’re going to need
tools, updates, parts, resources and scanners,
and possibly the most expensive
of all, staff who are trained in proper
mounting, dismounting, testing, and calibration
of the various systems. That’s not
made easier by the fact that there is no
32 Tire News tn October 2008
standardization for TPMS, and worse,
no quick, comprehensive guide. If your
technician doesn’t know the difference
between a valve-mounted sensor and a
banded one, for example, you could be
looking at an expensive repair that will be
your responsibility, not the customer’s.
Communicating the importance
Another problem that will affect independent
shops, Rohlwing said, is that the
TPMS industry has not effectively communicated
the importance of system maintenance
to customers. Not only are many
drivers unaware of what this new warning
light means, but they’re also likely to ignore
it once the vehicle’s warranty has expired,
or will find ways to disable it, rather than
pay to have it repaired. That’s not the news
you want to hear when your shop is ready
to go with expensive tools and training.
And TPMS can even go the other way, as
a new survey released by J.D. Power and
Associates following the TDAC convention
shows: when asked about satisfaction
with their tires, vehicle owners reported
nearly 20 percent more complaints about
“slow leaks” in their tires in 2008, when
compared with 2007. The problem? J.D.
Power suspects that drivers were monitoring
subtle, non-problematic pressure
changes or false readings on their digital
TPMS readouts, and mistakenly blaming
the tires.
An uphill battle
Jil McIntosh
jil@ca.inter.net
So what’s the solution? Education,
Rohlwing said, with OEMs and suppliers
emphasizing the safety aspect of TPMS
to consumers; as the number of safetyconscious
drivers grows, so does the market.
Even so, independent shops face an
uphill battle, as consumers become weary
of paying to repair or replace components,
and realize that the car will still work even
if the warning light is on.
TIA, meanwhile, is introducing a new TPMS
chart that will become the foundation for
its advanced TPMS training programs,
with relearn summaries, part numbers,
and torque values for all domestic and
import models.
And at the retail level, dealers need to
stay on top with training at all levels of
the shop, from the service counter to the
shop floor, with the aim of “relearning” not
only the TPMS system, but also its owner.
Seatbelts, airbags, anti-lock brakes, and
electronic stability control all had to be
“sold” to the customer in their day, and
now they’re considered essential. One
day, with the proper emphasis, TPMS will
be there also. tn

Jil McIntosh
jil@ca.inter.net
getting the Safety Message Out
Care-Van Project Gets
the Point to the Public
As tire professionals, you know that consumers should take care of their rubber: maintaining pressure, checking
wear, and thinking about safety. And you also know that consumers often don’t do any of those things.
G etting
them to think about the importance
is the goal of the Care-Van
program, a new initiative by the Rubber
Association of Canada (RAC). Currently a
pilot project operating within a 500-km
radius of the Greater Toronto Area, the
program may one day operate nationally
with a fleet of vehicles.
Trained tire experts
“It’s a play on words,” said Gilles Paquette,
Communications manager for RAC. “It’s the
van that tells you how to properly care for
your tires. We have staffed it with trained
tire experts, people who are master communicators
to explain the importance of
proper tire maintenance. They don’t just
tell people about it, but they get them to
commit that they will be measuring their
tire pressure monthly.”
The Chevrolet Express van is shrinkwrapped
with decals, featuring the association’s
“Philip the Tire” mascot, along with
bilingual reminders to check tire pressure
monthly, and the website address for Be
Tire Smart.
The van has been taken to numerous
community events, including fall fairs, car
shows, and Toronto’s Canadian National
Exhibition and Ontario Place.
Member events
“One priority is that we’re accommodating
our members’ events,” Paquette said.
“We’ve been attending tire manufacturers’
events, sales events, product launches, and
dealer events. Dealers often do community-based
events where the public is invited
to come and visit the store. For example,
Niagara Battery & Tire did a big event
where they brought in some race cars and
we were there.”
Over the years, the Be Tire Smart cam-
paign has educated thousands of consumers,
but the association has found that it
isn’t always enough just to tell people what
they should do. Instead, they’re asked to
sign a commitment, which is surprisingly
effective, according to the RAC’s research.
The approach is used at the Care-Van for
maximum benefit.
“We want to use this pilot project to evaluate
the feasibility of this type of event
vehicle,” Paquette said. “If it’s successful,
we’d love to roll this out nationally. We’re
thinking three vehicles, one out West, one
in Ontario and Quebec, and one in the
Atlantic Provinces.”
The choice of a Chevrolet Express van isn’t
random; the RAC chose it because it was
named the 2008 EnerGuide winner as
the most fuel-efficient vehicle in its class.
Paquette said that if the project does turn
into a full program, he’d love to see the
vehicle fleet made up of hybrid SUVs.
An education program
The RAC has also signed a three-year
agreement with Natural Resources Canada
and, over the next three years, plans to
develop an education program. “We’re
looking at how we can target schools and
partner with community police officers
who are already going into the schools,”
Paquette said. “We’re looking to develop a
mascot that’s a large version of Philip the
Tire, with an oversized tire gauge. He would
be like Elmer the Safety Elephant.
“If we get to them when they’re young, they
can develop the correct habits, so when
they do get their licenses and get into their
cars and become the drivers of tomorrow,
they’ll already have the message of tire
safety and tire maintenance.” tn
October 2008 tn Tire News 33

Éric Descarries
104420.662@compuserve.com
Wheels
Éric Descarries
104420.662@compuserve.com
Steel or alloy Wheels
Winter Can Be Rough on your Wheels
No matter where you live in Canada, winter will be rough on wheels. If it’s not the snow and ice, it will be
the salt and potholes that might damage your customers’ wheels. What to do in such a case? This is what
we asked Dan Beaton of Alloy Wheel Repair Specialists in Ottawa, Ontario, an area that is usually hit pretty
hard by winter.
A lloy
Wheel Repair Specialists deal
with a lot of wheel repairs, mostly
slightly bent alloy wheels for high end
cars and light trucks. It also deals with
refurbishing alloy wheels. A quick look at
its website—www.alloywheelrepair.ca—
will show you more about this Ottawa
business, as it includes refurbishing,
straightening, providing, and caring for
wheels.
Winter is a season that brings a lot of
business to Alloy Wheel Repair. Most
of the time, the damage is caused by an
accident or a road hazard. According to
Dan, people don’t always drive carefully
in the rain or snow, and they hit potholes
and curbs. Also, Nature alone may cause
cosmetic damage to wheels.
34 Tire News tn October 2008
What to choose—steel or alloy?
A wheel thus damaged can be considered non-repairable.
The first question we asked Dan was
concerning the choice of winter wheels.
Should a customer go for a generic black
steel wheel, or a fancier but more vulnerable
alloy wheel? “Steel wheels are
definitely less expensive,” he answered.
“But other than looking bland—and in
some cases, ugly—they also add extra
unsprung weight to the vehicle. It is
not surprising that people who own
automobiles such as BMWs, Mercedes,
Cadillacs, and other similar products will
rather go for better-looking wheels.”
And if your customer intends to keep
his vehicle for a while, Dan considers
that buying an extra set of wheels, even
if they are alloys, is a good investment,
as changing tires twice a year will surely
damage the original wheel. “And original
wheels might not be as expensive as
first thought,” he said. “Some import
car wheels are even less expensive than
many domestic car wheels if we are
looking at some luxury cars. What’s
more, they are good quality wheels—
sometimes a lot better than some reproduction
wheels.” In this case, a set of
refurbished OE wheels would be a great
buy. And a simple design with less webbing
would be easier to clean.
Many motorists think that a nice looking
aftermarket wheel will do the job, especially
since it will be cheaper than an original
equipment wheel. Dan has a warning
concerning wheels that are not always
at par with original wheels, mostly their
finish and durability. “Aftermarket wheels
can be of a very good quality, but good
wheels are not cheap and cheap wheels
are not necessarily all good,” he added.
What to avoid
Not all aftermarket wheels are well
protected. Dan pointed out that some
aftermarket wheels look good with
their polished finish and clear coating.
But, according to him, they do not fit
our climate. Most of his customers
discover that the clear coating has
peeled off after winter. The same goes
photos: Éric Descarries

1/2 Page
Only Canadian bilingual, multisegment trade site
(mechanical, collision repair, tires and fl eets)
A wheel with a slightly damaged edge can be repaired. With such a fissure, it’s better to opt for a refurbished wheel.
with chrome finish on aftermarket alloy
wheels. Alloy wheels are flexible and
their chrome coating has a tendency
to peel. The damage might not be visible
at first, but a deep inspection will
show the beginning of cracking and
damage. And once the chrome goes,
that’s it. They cannot be rechromed or
repaired.
There are some steel-chromed wheels
on the market that will survive some
winters, but they do not fit all needs.
As a matter of fact, the company he
represents does not recommend chrome
wheels for winter, regardless of whether
they are aftermarket or not. Machine
finished surfaces might not be very
durable either. These are very popular,
mostly on Japanese cars. But as their
rough finish on the spokes will sustain
winter attacks, the flat machined section
will not stand up to salt. Once again, this
type of wheel is not suggested by our
expert. According to Dan, fully painted
alloy wheels remain the better choice.
These usually have at least three layers
of protective coating.
1/6 Page
1/4 Page
Launch Fall 2008
CONTENTS
Repairing alloy wheels + Latest news and events
A quick visit to + Alloy Exclusive Wheel interviews, Repairs will profi les and topics
teach you a lot + about Online the surveys, kinds resources of dam- and promotions
age that can be fixed by the Ottawa
importance of being careful with aftermarket
cleaners. Instructions should be
read very carefully, as most cleaners are
corrosive. For example, some people
business. As Dan VISITORS’ explained PROFILE to us, slight- have the tendency to let the product
ly bent alloy + wheels Shop owners, can be associates repaired, and staff sit on the wheel for more than a few
often at a reasonable
+ Manufacturers,
cost;
distributors,
a wheel with
wholesalers
minutes
and
before
retail chains
washing it off. If it says
+ Fleet managers and industry professionals
a missing part can also sometimes be ‘apply-brush-wash,’ it’s important to
repaired but, once again, a refurbished abide by the instructions and wash off
OE wheel will Dedicated be better. section to tires the product ! as soon as possible so that
the corrosive action does not stick to the
Any damage that crosses over the bead
is considered unrepairable. And as far
wheel and mar the finish.
as steel wheels are concerned, the com- In addition, he recommends that the
pany Dan represents very rarely repairs black powder produced by the brake
them because it is much less expensive pads doesn’t stay on the alloy wheel. It
to get a new wheel from the dealer. If it’s too has a corrosive action and though
only slight surface rust or scaled paint, it might be only mildly corrosive, it is
a do-it-yourself job is a lot better. In any best to be quickly washed off. And, if
case, when buying aftermarket wheels, possible, install different brake pads
Dan suggests buying five wheels instead that will not produce such black pow-
of four because many models can be der.
discontinued after two years.
Maintenance still is the key
autosphere.ca
Maintenance remains the secret to nice
wheels, whether it is in summer or in
winter. However, Dan mentioned the
website website in in construction
construction
autosphere.ca Only Canadian bilingual, multisegment trade site
Remember, maintenance is the key to
good-looking wheels, no matter what
kind of wheel it is. tn
Launch Fall 2008 website in construction
CONTENTS
+ Latest news and events
+ Exclusive interviews, profi les and topics
+ Online surveys, resources and promotions
www.alloywheelrepair.ca
autosphere.ca Only Canadian bilingual, multisegment trade site
VISITORS’ PROFILE
+ Shop owners, associates and staff
+ Manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and retail chains
+ Fleet managers and industry professionals
Launch Fall 2008 website in construction
October 2008 tn Tire News 35

Private Brands
What Are they?
Even if many tire outlets sell private brand tires, the segment is more or less known by many people in the
industry, and not well understood by customers. So, what are private brands?
In the past, many were leery of private
brands—not knowing what they were
and where they came from. Indeed, over
the years, private brands have begun
mimicking most of the branded products
and, by doing so, gained a very good
reputation. To know more about the market,
we spoke to a specialist: Rob Keller,
president of Hercules Tires Canada, one
of the country’s biggest private brand tire
manufacturers.
According to Keller, private brands account
for about 25% of the tire industry
in Canada. And, with today’s economy,
he sees a growing opportunity for private
brands. In his opinion, since the market
is shifting, people will be looking at the
better deal private brand tires will offer.
What’s more, as we learned in the past
few years, major tire manufacturers are
slowly walking away from private brands,
though a few majors still have customers
in the segment.
Who are the private brand customers?
Keller says that most people who buy
private brand tires are typical consumers
who will use them as second or third fitment
for an older car. Other customers
will choose them because they want to
save money. For others still, it’s a cure
to the “sticker shock” that usually comes
with a new replacement tire. Hercules is
trying to keep up to date with sizes. For
example, if a new vehicle comes out with
tires of unusual sizes, it will try to produce
a replacement tire in those sizes within 18
36 Tire News tn October 2008
to 24 months from the time the vehicle
hits the market.
In real life, about 50% of the people who
are in the market for a replacement tire
know exactly what kind and what brand of
tire they want. Keller calls them “pre-sold”
products: customers will show up and ask
for a major brand tire exactly or almost
exactly the same as the original equipment
on their vehicle. Therefore, brands
like Hercules are designed for dealers,
businesses that sell products to people
who have a budget to respect and don’t
want to pay as much as an OE tire, but still
want quality. Private brands are also more
affordable because there is less money
spent on advertisement.
Are private brand tires as good as OEs?
How good are private brand tires? Can
they stand up against OEs? Hercules
Tires sources its tires globally, but most of
them come from American manufacturers,
suppliers such as Cooper Tires, a manufacturer
that is still committed to private
brands. Consequently, private brand tires
Éric Descarries
104420.662@compuserve.com
nowadays are of very good quality. Keller
explained that Hercules tires run on the
same carcass as the supplier’s carcasses
and that the compound is no different.
The only major things that differ are the
moulds and the tread, and sidewall designs.
In other words, private brand tires
are produced on the same production line
as other tires, using the same components
and the same materials. Also, they must
meet the same stringent governmentmandated
quality standards as branded
tires. So private brand tires are just as
well made and as carefully inspected as
branded tires.
In case your customers are asking about
Chinese-made tires, Keller recommends
that you let them know that they are gaining
in quality and that some major brands
are already into China. Actually, Chinese
manufacturers use the same global materials
used by any other tire manufacturer
in the world. “And their average equipment
is at least twice as new as the ones
we have in America or Europe. So they are
using the latest technology in tire making,”
says Keller.
Keller has a final recommendation for
dealers—never to install only two winter
tires on a vehicle, even if it’s rear-wheel
driven. “When installing winter tires, go
for four tires, that’s all!” tn
Hercules Tires is among the best-known independent
brand tire manufacturers in Canada.

www.autosphere.ca
Launch Fall 2008
autosphere.ca
Only Canadian bilingual, multisegment trade site
(mechanical, collision repair, tires and fl eets)
CONTENTS
+ Latest news and events
+ Exclusive interviews, profi les and topics
+ Online surveys, resources and promotions
VISITORS’ PROFILE
+ Shop owners, associates and staff
+ Manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and retail chains
+ Fleet managers and industry professionals
website in construction

tire Pyrolysis
Overheating Warning
Every year in Canada, numerous people are seriously injured or die due to a tire explosion caused by
a pyrolysis phenomenon, which is the chemical breakdown of the tire brought on by excessive heat.
Tire pyrolysis begins when the temperature of the rubber that goes into the production of the tire attains
± 250°C.
It then breaks down in a variety of chemical
substances, such as methane, hydrogen,
carbon black, and styrene. When
they make contact with the oxygen inside
the tire, these flammable vapours are set
ablaze by auto-ignition when the temperature
gets to ± 430ºC, bringing on an
explosion so powerful that debris can be
blown 300 metres away.
Origin of the explosion
A report based on expert examination
following a fatal work injury enumerates
the possible heat sources of this phenomenon:
• Overheating brakes
• Poor tire condition or over/
under tire inflation
• Using a blow torch on a
wheel or near the tire
• Welding on or near the wheel
• Automobile fire
• Contact with high-tension
power line or lightning
• Presence of contaminants
inside the tire
• Absorption of flammable
liquids by the tire
• Installing and uninstalling tires
Explanation of the phenomenon
When the vehicle is in motion, the tires
cool down thanks to the air circulating
at high speed. If an abnormal condition
occurs, causing the tires to overheat, the
cooling process is much less efficient when
38 Tire News tn October 2008
If you suspect unusual tire overheating,
it’s better to remain at a safe distance
until the tire has cooled down.
the vehicle is at a standstill, increasing the
risks of pyrolysis. The heat causes the air
inside the tires to dilate and significantly
increase their pressure, bringing about the
degradation and softening of the rubber.
If the tires are not cooled, the pyrolysis
phenomenon begins and an explosion can
occur at any moment within 24 hours.
Extreme caution
Whether you’re a truck driver, automotive
technician, or other, if you suspect that
a tire is unusually overheated, it’s better
to keep a safe distance for a reasonable
lapse of time until the tire has cooled. If
possible, measure the tire’s temperature
with an infrared temperature sensor; it
must be below 250°C. As soon as the situation
is favourable (temperature around
70°C), you must deflate the tire to a minimum
and carry out a careful inspection.
Good practices
The afore-mentioned enumeration of potentially
dangerous heat sources resulting
in pyrolysis must be a guide to be memorized
by you and your staff, and your work
processes must reflect this awareness in
order to avoid potential dangers.
Preventive training
François Charron
technoserv@sympatico.ca
According to numerous reports of serious
accidents involving tire pyrolysis, the dangers
linked to a tire blowout are overlooked
in the workplace. Truckers, suppliers,
and technicians must be made aware of
this phenomenon, which has caused the
loss of many lives in Canada. tn
This picture illustrates the brake actuator and the
threaded bar to be screwed to the end in order to
compress the diaphragm spring inside, thus releasing the
pressure on air brakes. Said rod is usually stored on the
side of the actuator. It’s the only good way of neutralizing
the pressure on brake shoes and preventing brakes from
overheating.
Translated from its original French by Marc-Alain Nantel.

WE’RE PROUD OF OUR GROWING RELATIONSHIP WITH OK TIRE AND CONGRATULATE THEM ON
BEING RANKED #1 FOR CANADIAN CUSTOMER COMMITMENT BY J.D. POWER AND ASSOCIATES.
tiresafety.com

Special report
Measuring Success
Putting the customer first can place your company head and shoulders above the competition while
significantly boosting your bottom line.
W hether
analyzing new home purchases,
new or used cars, service
centre performance or a variety of other
goods and services, J.D. Power has long
served as the litmus test of customer satisfaction.
The company’s annual ranking
is used as a benchmark by consumers, business
owners, and analysts alike to determine
which businesses excel in customer
satisfaction, and which ones are losing or
gaining market share.
Recently, J.D. Power announced that
O.K. Tire ranks highest in customer satisfaction
on the J.D. Power and Associates
2008 Canadian Customer Commitment
Index Study. O.K. Tire achieved an overall
index score of 902 on a 1,000-point
40 Tire News tn October 2008
scale and performs particularly well in
work quality and customer orientation—
two of the most important drivers of customer
satisfaction.
Petro-Canada (Certigard) follows O.K.
Tire in the rankings with a score of 886,
while AUTOPRO ranks third overall with
881.
The study finds that the industry as a
whole has improved over the past four
years, and that customer satisfaction in
general has risen over the same period
of time. In 2004 the industry average
was 826 points, while in 2008 that number
rose to 850—a small increase, but
an increase nonetheless.
“A one percentage point
increase in share of service
visits for either aftermarket or
new-car dealers can potentially
lead to a $110 million increase
in annual revenue.”
– Adrian Chung, manager of
automotive syndicated research at
J.D. Power and Associates.

The study also finds that independent
shops are collectively doing better than
any franchised car dealers. The independents
weighed in with 884 points, while
the franchised dealers with the highest
score were Saturn/Saab and Toyota/Lexus
(tied at 871).
When you compare 2008 results with
those from 2007, new-car dealers lost
market share. The most noteworthy drop
in share for new-car dealers was among
owners of 2- to 3-year-old vehicles, declining
from 75 percent in 2007 to 73 percent
in 2008.
The study finds that the cost per service
visit has increased by 7 percent since 2004
with the most significant increases taking
place among quick lubes (up 19 percent),
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tire specialists (up 14 percent), and service
stations (up 13 percent).
J.D. Power’s findings spell out why it’s
important to take good care of your customers:
Among consumers who report
being highly committed to their service
centre, nearly 94 percent say they
would return to the shop for service and
84 percent say they would definitely recommend
the shop. On the other hand,
only 17 percent of customers with low
commitment said they would return for
service, and less than 12 percent said
they would give a recommendation.
How much business can a shop expect
to get from word-of-mouth advertising if
a customer is happy? According to the
study, highly committed customers will
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recommend the shop to nearly six individuals,
either family or friends.
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Jack Kazmierski
kaz@cogeco.ca
J.D. Power measures the service satisfaction
and loyalty of owners of 2- to 12-yearold
vehicles. Key factors analyzed by the
study include appointment/check-in, service
advisor, work quality, after-service and
customer orientation.
The 2008 study is based on responses
from a significant sampling of the overall
market—17,114 owners, surveyed between
December 2007 and May 2008.
According to the study, nearly 70 percent
of all vehicles in Canada in 2008
fall into the 2- to 12-year-old category.
Furthermore, owners of these vehicles
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Special report Measuring Success
spend an average of $860 annually on
service and repairs. This means that even
a small increase in market share can
make a huge impact on the bottom line of
any service provider.
“With more than 13 million 2- to 12-yearold
vehicles on the road in Canada and ve-
42 Tire News tn October 2008
hicle owners spending an average of $860
per year, a one percentage point increase
in share of service visits for either aftermarket
or new-car dealers can potentially
lead to a $110 million increase in annual
revenue,” says Adrian Chung, manager of
automotive syndicated research at J.D.
Power and Associates.
tn
With customer satisfaction playing such a
significant role in the overall success of a
business, it certainly makes sense for shop
owners to pay extra attention to the way
customers are treated. u

Special report
Rising to
the top
Ranked as first by J.D. Power justifies all
J
.D. Power and Associates recently ranked O.K. Tire Stores highest
in customer satisfaction on the 2008 Canadian Customer
Commitment Index Study. Although O.K. Tire is thrilled to be number
one, the truth of the matter is that the company wasn’t even
trying to outrank its competitors. In fact, the entire organization
is so busy improving the quality of their service that they almost
forgot about the annual J.D. Power Index Study.
“We were so busy that we didn’t even realize it was the time of the
year for the results of the J.D. Power Study to come out,” says Greg
Sims, president and CEO of O.K. Tire Stores. “I was travelling at the
time and was thrilled to find out we were number one. Everybody
I talked to is just thrilled—the dealers, the board of directors—and
for the same reasons: This is an outside third party, totally impartial,
totally neutral confirming that our company is moving in the
right direction. When you get someone as well recognized and well
respected as J.D. Power putting you in first place, it tells us that
we’re doing the right things.”
The “right things” Sims is referring to have to do with an ambitious
overhaul and improvement strategy O.K. Tire began more than two
years ago. “We set our sights on building the quality of our stores,”
Sims says. “We have no targets about growing the number of stores.
Everything we are doing as an organization is qualitative.”
The strategy
Jack Kazmierski kaz@cogeco.ca
the changes and improvements O.K. Tire has
made to their organization over the past
couple of years.
When Sims took over as president and CEO two-and-a-half years
ago he organized town hall meetings with his dealers. “We interviewed
the staff to find out what issues they’re dealing with and
what’s happening in our organization that’s holding us back,” he
says. “After getting that feedback we took the company through a
full strategic review and developed a vision for the company.”
The newly defined vision focuses the entire organization and defines
the type of company O.K. Tire wants to become. No stone was
left unturned, and absolutely everything that could be overhauled
and improved, was.
The organization has been working on building the O.K. Tire brand,
attracting more consumers to their stores, and on improving the
u
Europe s Tire Market
‘
Leader Salutes Everyone
at O.K. Tire for Being #1
in their Field.
Tires - Engineered in Germany.

Congratulations to OK Tire from
Toyo Tires on this prestigious
recognition!
Engineered
for the real world.
44 Tire News tn October 2008
At TOYO Tires, we design our tires
to handle Canada’s worst driving
conditions. We also know you need tires
that will perform in one particularly
demanding area: the real world. So
whether your customer is taking the kids
to the ball game, or they are on the way
to a meeting TOYO has the perfect tire to
match their driving needs.
Contact a TOYO Regional manager for
details on how you can get involved
in an upcoming TOYO campaign or to
become a TOYO Tire dealer.
Special report rising to the top
quality of the staff and the service. “We have a group of staff
called dealer development managers who work with our stores
to help them become better businesses,” Sims says, “because it’s
not enough to be a good tire and mechanical service provider. You
have to be a good business person as well.”
The organization also strives to understand the consumer, conducting
research on a national level and introducing tools that
help each store better understand what’s happening in their particular
area. “If you don’t understand the consumers, you won’t
know what they’re looking for, and you won’t know what services
to provide,” Sims says.
There’s also a strategy in place that is helping the organization
become as efficient as possible, with a focus on improving supply
chain management. “We need to make sure that when a consumer
is looking for something, we can get it to that store and to that
consumer in a timely fashion,” Sims says.
Independent thinking
An organizational shift of this magnitude is difficult enough when
all the stores are company owned. But when you have an organization
like O.K. Tire where each store is independently owned and
operated, it can be difficult to get all owner/operators to buy into
the new vision.
“The uptake is uneven because they are independent business
people,” Sims says, while pointing out that this can also be an
advantage. “If you look at the winners of the J.D. Power Study
in the last three years, they’ve all been organizations that have a
large degree of independent ownership. You had Fountain Tire two
years ago, last year it was Tirecraft, and this year it’s O.K. Tire.
So when a consumer is dealing with one of our stores, they’re not
dealing with the manager—they’re dealing with the owner. And it
seems that the owner has a more vested interest in making sure
that the customer is satisfied.”
The upgrades the more than 265 O.K. Tire locations have been
asked to accept are major. For starters, the organization is rec-

ommending significant change in the IT
(Information Technology) structure. “We
have a recommended POS system that we
suggest our stores should have,” Sims says.
“Because they’re independents, they make
the final decision, but we feel that in order
to be successful and in order to be able to
manage your time and really be able to follow
the complexity of the transactions, you
need to have a modern POS system.”
O.K. Tire is in the process of switching over
to a new enterprise system. The recommended
POS system is from COSTAR, as
is the enterprise system, “because this will
allow us to drive efficiency and time savings
to the stores,” Sims says. “That means
if our stores are not wasting time finding
tires and parts then they’ll have more time
to spend with customers. They can follow
up better and do better with customer relationship
management.”
The company also offers an online training
program, dubbed e-University, with online
courses available 24/7. This will give store
staff the knowledge they need to provide
top-notch service and increase customer
satisfaction.
“It’s all driven by the market,” Sims says.
“If you’re going to be successful you need
to understand your customers, understand
their needs and how to satisfy them.”
Facelift
O.K. Tire is also working on improving the
look and feel of each store. “The woman
that brings her car into an O.K. Tire store
may have just come from a very modern
grocery store or a clothing store, or any
number of retail experiences,” Sims says.
“And she’s looking for a retail experience
that’s more on that level vs. the old traditional
automotive experience.”
To improve the retail experience, the company
is working with their stores to enhance
ambiance with new guidelines on
signs, on store identification, and a focus
on store interiors.
u
oktire.com
Whether it’s advice on winter tires or getting your car ready for cold
weather driving, you’re in good hands. Among auto service providers,
OK Tire ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction” on the J.D. Power
and Associates’ 2008 Canadian Customer Commitment Study. See why
we’re different – for the location near you, visit oktire.com.
The OK Tire mark is a trademark of O.K. Tire Stores Inc.
OK Tire Stores received the highest numercial score among service providers in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Canadian
Commitment StudySM . Study based on responses from 17,114 consumers measuring 38 providers and measures opinions of consumers who
had their vehicle serviced at the dealership or after-market facilities. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of
consumers surveyed December 2007 and May 2008. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com
October 2008 tn Tire News 45

PIrellI WarMlY SaluteS
FOr tHeIr
J.D. POWer aWarD
FOr eXCePtIONal
CuStOMer SerVICe.
Special report rising to the top
Warehousing
The customer-focused vision of excellence also includes an overhaul
of O.K. Tire’s warehousing system. “We have sold our distribution
centre in Langley and are building a new and larger distribution
centre, which will also serve as our head office in South
Surrey,” Sims says. “That’s a definite part of our supply chain
improvements. We’re going from a 40,000 sq. ft. warehouse to a
100,000 sq. ft. distribution centre with room to expand another
40,000 sq. ft. if we need to.”
The new distribution centre will be used as a hub/mixing warehouse
for Western Canada, with a 100,000 sq. ft. facility in
Mississauga servicing Eastern Canada. “The containers we bring
in from Asia, for example, will come into Vancouver, we’ll be able
to mix the product, and ship it directly to other Western Canada
distribution centres,” Sims says. “That means we should be able to
reduce the amount of inventory, make the inventory more shallow,
and increase the breadth of our inventory because we can refresh
it whenever we need out of Vancouver rather than out of Asia because
that part of the supply chain takes three to four months.”
Encouraged by the number one ranking from J.D. Power, O.K. Tire
has set their sights even higher, and everyone is eager to stay on
top. “We’re two years into a trip that will never end,” Sims says.
“We have a focus now, we know what we’re doing and we will constantly
be working to improve ourselves.” tn
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Your car can only brake
as well as your tires.
So: For your own safety, switch now to winter tires by Continental –
the pioneer in the development of safe tires and innovative braking systems.
Winter tires
35 m
Summer tires
43 m
Measurement at a speed of 50 km/h on snow.
The stopping distance data and comparison between summer and winter tires shown here were obtained using standard vehicles. The
displayed image is for illustrative purpose only. The stopping distance of any individual vehicle depends on the vehicle type, the brakes,
the tires, the load, the temperature and the road surface. (Source: Continental AG)
Tires - Engineered in Germany.