Accuride, Alcoa Unveil New Aluminum Wheels

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Accuride Corp. and Alcoa Wheel and Transportation unveiled new aluminum wheels.

Accuride’s 22.5-inch x 14-inch Accu-Lite Duplex aluminum wheels cut 3 pounds, and the other 4 pounds, from the models they replace, the company said.

Besides boosting fuel economy and payload, the wheels trim maintenance costs, Accuride CEO Rick Dauch said.

He also touted customer acceptance of the Steel Armor coating for steel wheels, which was rolled out late last year.

The three-phase coating process employs enhanced corrosion-fighting properties that extend steel-wheel service life by up to two years compared with standard coatings, the company said.

Alcoa’s new 22.5-inch x 14-inch aluminum wheel is 54 pounds, 4 pounds lighter than the previous version, reducing overall vehicle weight and increasing fuel economy, according to the company.

Switching from dual steel 22.5 inch x 8.25 inch to Alcoa’s 14-inch wide base wheels can reduce the weight of a truck by more than 1,400 pounds, the company said in a statement.