Maxion Wheels debuts steel wheels, wheel cover, telematics

Maxion Wheels has introduced two steel wheels, an aerodynamic wheel cover and a wheel connectivity solution.

Weighing 64 lb., Maxion Wheels says its newest truck wheel is the toughest and lightest standard 22.5×8.25 commercial vehicle steel wheel in the market. Available in 2020, the wheel weighs less than its predecessor, yet is stronger as a result of optimized design, engineering and flow forming technologies.

With a 7,400 lb. wheel load rating, Tough and Light features a new circular hand hole shape, deviating from the traditional Maxion Wheels’ D-shape. Changing the hand hole combined with design optimization analysis reduced wheel structural stresses by more than 10 percent, resulting in an even more efficient and durable wheel when compared with the previous generation, the company says.

“Maxion Wheels’ commitment to leading the commercial vehicle market with cost-competitive lightweight wheels is a key force behind our latest weight reduction breakthrough,” says Donald Polk, president, Maxion Wheels, Americas. “Improved fuel efficiency and fewer emissions are just two benefits that come from the lighter wheel. Multiply that by 18 and you have a serious top-line payload opportunity and a bottom-line cost benefit.”

Maxion Wheels also launched the Last Mile Delivery wheel, a steel wheel repurposed for light- and medium-duty urban transport vehicles.

The company says its AeroWheel is a drag-reducing, patent-pending aerodynamic concept wheel cover for the steer axle of trucks and buses. Using computational fluid dynamics, the cover proved to significantly reduce drag thereby improving fuel efficiency, Maxion says.

The company also announced it is partnering with ZF OPENMATICS to help fleets perform more safely and efficiently by collecting essential vehicle data at the wheel through its MaxSmart technology.

Maxion Wheels’ wheel sensor technology is paired with ZF OPENMATICS’ intelligent sensing and telematics expertise to offer a fully-integrated mechanical and sensing solution to help prevent potentially dangerous and costly tire and wheel-end failures, the company says.

Mounted directly to the truck wheel rim, the durable Bluetooth tag tracks vehicle load, tire humidity, temperature and air pressure, as well as wheel position, speed and vibration across nine axis. Information is collected in real time and wirelessly transmitted to the vehicle’s telematics onboard unit before being transferred to the ZF Cloud.

The sensor will undergo feasibility studies during the first half of 2020, followed by real-world testing and validation, the company says.