Truck tyre technicians at Protyre Winsford are seeing the benefits of Falken’s flexible yet durable tyre sidewalls in both ease of fitment and in time savings. CVW finds out more.
Mounting truck tyres can be a hard and physical process. The requirement for a robust tyre that’s resilient to damage often results in a construction that has stiff sidewalls, which makes mounting a challenge. However, the team at Barry & Wilkinson Tyre & Exhaust in Winsford, part of the Protyre network, has found a solution in Falken tyres that does not compromise on durability but has made fitting a quick and pain-free procedure.
“Like buttering bread; that’s the best way I can describe it,” says Dave Radford, Truck Manager at Barry & Wilkinson Tyre & Exhaust. With over 20 years in the truck tyre business, and the last three of these at Protyre Winsford, Radford has fitted his fair share of tyres. However, it’s the speed and ease with which a Falken tyre can be mounted that has made a significant difference to his work.
“The Falken tyres are so easy to fit, you could almost put them on with your hands,” he explains. “It makes a huge difference to the process, which is generally still a manual task. A truck tyre can weigh around 30kg; it can be a very physically demanding job getting them on and off. Crucially, it’s not just energy it saves, but time too.”
With the easier fit, the team is finding that the Falken tyres go on quicker as a result, ultimately saving time within the workshop whilst also ensuring a quick turnaround for a happy customer. Radford continues: “We’re saving at least five seconds per tyre when simply mounting and fitting.
“Additionally, as the tyre sits and seals a lot quicker, that can potentially save around another 30 seconds per tyre, as opposed to needing to get the beading plate out and blow that up. It may not sound like much, but it adds up. Over the course of a week, we fit approximately 100 commercial vehicle tyres, so that adds up over the months to quite a time saving that has a very positive impact on the workshop.”
Fitting made easier
Radford and his team of six truck tyre fitters have all developed brand loyalty towards Falken since receiving a glowing testimonial from the team’s resident ‘Grandad’, David Finemore.
Radford explains: “David is affectionately known as ‘Grandad’; he’s in his 60s and still doing this incredibly manual job. He helped one of our biggest customers switch from budget tyres to Falken’s RI151 steer axle tyre and BI851 drive axle tyre. He was very impressed by the ease with which he was able to fit the tyres and was telling the rest of the team.
It has made his job easier, and the client is benefitting from a quality, cost-effective tyre that is delivering improved mileage. The client has also seen a reduction in down time that was previously caused by tyre failure and wear-related issues.”
Falken’s more flexible sidewalls complement the tyre’s ability to cope with the vigorous demands of the transport industry. The compound has been developed using innovative 4D Nano Design Technology, which analyses the compound at the nano level for improved performance and wear resistance. Falken’s products have even been proven in the refuse sector, which is notoriously hard on tyres with a mix of on- and off-site driving and the need to negotiate narrow streets and kerbs.
The RI151 tyre can carry up to eight tonnes to meet today’s demand for high load bearing tyres and can be regrooved to further extend its life. The casing is also excellent for retreading, with Protyre supporting as a service partner to ensure clients achieve the best possible mileage.
“We fit thousands of truck tyres a year, more and more of which are Falken due to the product’s performance capabilities,” concludes Radford. “The brand has made a positive impact to our work.”
