 by Jil McIntosh
December 1, 2009
Tire Trends at SEMA
Tools That Earn Their Keep
While it’s still the biggest shindig in town, the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show, held November 3 to 6 in Las Vegas, definitely felt the impact of the financial meltdown in the U.S. It was cut by about a quarter of its usual size, with large empty areas curtained off in each of the four halls that spread over three buildings.
But even in a bad year, buyers and sellers still have to get together, and there were plenty of new products on display. The more frivolous items usually present had been weeded out, and most products were designed for hard work and good value.
So what’s new with tire tools this year? I saw a few new trends, and the products that go with them, including these:
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Bartec Wheel Rite Tech 400 Plus
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Continued focus on TPMS
It’s mandatory on all U.S. cars, but that doesn’t make it any less of a headache at times. Bartec showed its new Wheel Rite Tech 400 Plus, an improvement on the previous generation with a heavier-duty connector. A tech can insert a blank Schrader EZ-sensor into the machine’s cradle, program it, and then use it to replace a faulty sensor. Bartec says the EZ-sensor brand emulates 90% of SKUs, reducing inventory and eliminating lost sales due to insufficient stock. www.Bartecusa.com
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Justin Ochoa demonstrates the Pneu-Tek hand-held portable tire machine.
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Roadside truck tire repairs
Fleets can’t afford downtime, and getting a truck back in action as soon as possible is a major concern. Ochoa Roadrunner Products showed a new, made-in-USA hand-held portable tire machine under its Pneu-Tek Tire Tools brand. Powered by a compressor and impact gun, the tool allows a single operator to demount anything from ATV tires right up to 24.5-inch truck rims. The company also makes a unique bead keeper that stays put on the rim, allowing a tech to mount the tire with just one tire iron. 1-575-439-1561.
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Black Jack T-Bone Tire Repair Kit
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More durable products
Tire repair company Black Jack couldn’t stop offshore companies from counterfeiting its T-Bone Tire Repair Kit, so it upped the ante by making it better. The kit now includes stronger steel tools, an improved needle, an octagon-shaped lube bottle that can be opened with one hand, and a lifetime warranty on everything, including the plastic case. www.BlackJackTireRepair.com
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Slime Quick Spair aersol tire repair and Tire Top Off compact compressor
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Getting consumers involved
Peace of mind is a huge issue for consumers, and so Slime showed two new products for more worry-free motoring. A can of Quick Spair sprays enough sealant and air into a flat tire to drive to a repair facility, without using a compressor; the product washes out with water during repair and is TPMS-safe. Coming to market a little later, the Tire Top Off compressor is about the size of a paperback book and contains an integrated tire gauge. It can fill a flat 15-inch tire in 14 minutes, but it’s primarily meant for customers to top up a few pounds when a TPMS light comes on. At an estimated retail of $15.00, it could be a great item to promote on your counter around Christmas or Father’s Day.
www.slime.com
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