Tire fill manufacturer Arnco says Appalachian Tire Products Inc., the largest independent tire store chain in West Virginia, is using its QuikGel flatproofing liner at mines throughout the state.
"We were getting 50 to 60 flat tires a week on each four-man personnel carrier at the Rock House coal mine in Gilbert, W. Va.," says Jim Richards, who manages Appalachian Tire outlets in Danville and Williamson, W. Va.
"But we couldn’t use flatproofing fill because the axles on the carriers were not strong enough to handle the added weight."
QuikGel has yielded positive results, he adds.
The liner provides protection from punctures up to 5/16-inch in diameter, note Arnco officials.
