With its Magnum+ beads, Martins Industries is introducing a whole new approach to balancing wheels.
With its recent acquisition of M & R Tire Products, the tire equipment and products manu-facturer Martins Industries has now added the Magnum+ line of balancing beads to its vast portfolio of tire products and equipment. Magnum+ tire balancing beads represent a revolutionary alternative to the traditional wheel balancing process. By acquiring M & R Tire Products, Martins continues to expand its product offering to meet the needs of tire and other professionals requiring wheel balancing services.
While balancing beads have been around for quite a while, the concept isn’t well known. Initially, they were used almost exclusively for the large wheels found in the heavy truck industry, which are harder to balance. Still, they can be adapted for all types of vehicles.
The rotational force of the wheel on a moving vehicle causes the beads to position themselves exactly where they are needed inside the tire to balance the wheel. What’s more, the balancing is dynamic; the beads reposition themselves as required to automatically restore wheel balance. If mud or snow accumulates in the treads, the beads move to compensate. The same dynamic also occurs gradually as the tire wears down over time.
Simple solution
“We believe that this product will have a major impact on the tire industry,” explains Martins Industries President, Martin Dépelteau, whose company markets the new product, which has recently entered the market. “Vehicle service shops will barely have to use a wheel balancer to per-form this operation. What’s more, the beads can remain inside the tire for its entire lifecycle.”
Using a simple chart or smartphone app, technicians determine the weight of the beads required based on tire size. As the beads are distributed in bags corresponding to the required weight, the technician selects the appropriate bag, which is then deposited into the tire prior to mounting. The bag quickly disintegrates after the first few wheel rotations.
Four quick steps
The main benefit for tire and maintenance centre administrators is the fact that the process will cost a fraction of the price. No more balancing weight. Inventory and labour times are significantly reduced. Consumers benefit from immaculate wheels in all seasons, as the new solution eliminates the need for unsightly glued-on or clipped-on wheel weights.
Validated approach
As the concept of slipping beads into a tire to balance a wheel is so new, Martins Industries knows that a solid communication strategy is required for installers. “The effectiveness of this approach was validated in Germany by TÜV SÜD, the world’s largest automotive certification agency. They tested the beads for over 10,000 KM. Upon removing the beads from the tire, they determined that they were in perfect condition,” explained Martin Dépelteau.
Magnum+ glass bead bags are currently available from major specialized tire equipment distributors. The balancing bead bags are available in weights ranging from 2 to 23.3 ounces in boxes or convenient pails containing up to 48 bags.
TESTED & APPROVED
Following the acquisition of Magnum+, MARTINS INDUSTRIES employed the services of TÜV SÜD, based in Germany, to test the product in order to reassure customers as to the safety aspects of in-serting tempered glass beads into tires to balance wheels.
The test results confirmed that Magnum+ beads are safe and won’t cause damage to tires, valves or Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS).
- As the beads are unbreakable, they won’t break down into particles or dust.
- They are manufactured from tempered glass; the components cannot freeze or clump.
- The beads are large enough to avoid obstructing valve stems or interfere with the operation of TPMS components.
“While discussing internal tire balancing with our collaborators in the market, we discovered that certain industry stakeholders are skeptical as to the product’s usefulness,” admitted company President Martin Dépelteau. “That is why we decided to prove the effectiveness and durability of the product through third-party validation by an independent testing body TÜV SÜD, the world’s largest automotive certification agency. And voilà, Magnum+ is now the only tire balancing bead universally approved by TÜV SÜD or any other third-party testing organization.”
Launched in 2002, tire equipment and products manufacturer Martins Industries, located in Farnham, Quebec, Canada, has designed, manufactured and sold over 2 million pieces of tire equipment and products at all levels of the tire, automotive, fleet, trucking, off-road and aircraft industries worldwide. The company has distribution centres across the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and Australia, as well as manufacturing facilities in Canada and China.