Alcoa Wheels Australia

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3 Tell-tale Warning Signs Your Wheels Are Feeling the Heat

When running a time critical business, conducting necessary wheel safety checks maybe neglected or put on the back burner in favour of tyre maintenance.

We have found that few people understand the integral part the wheel plays in overall maintenance, and so we’ve put together some professional guidelines to ensure your vehicle is running on a safe and reliable foundation.

As tyres age, the heat generated from road friction causes tyres to become brittle. Rubber can crack, split or leak, regardless of how much tread is on the tyre. When it comes to the wheel, significant events such as excessive heat from fire, brake malfunction, wheel bearing failure and other sources can weaken the metal, causing the tyre/wheel assembly to explode. Therefore, it is important to schedule wheel maintenance checks regularly.

According to Howmet Wheel Systems Managing Director, Ross Simmons: “General wheel checks should be carried out at least once a month, with a full detailed check on, for example, tyre age, kilometres travelled, pressure level and tread, four times a year – particularly prior to and after the summer months, as the high temperatures can add stress to the tyres and wheels.”

The Tell-Tale Warning Signs to Look For

Here are the three main ways to tell if your wheel has been excessively exposed to excessive heat:

  1. Charred or burnt in appearance.
  2. Discolouration of the wheel – appearing dull and greyish in colour and will not polish to a bright finish as a typical wheel would.
  3. Blistered, blackened or cracked looking labels or logos.

NOTE: IF ANY OF THE ABOVE CONDITIONS ARE SEEN, REMOVE THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY, INCLUDING THE WHEEL, FROM SERVICE IMMEDIATELY AND PERFORM DIMENSIONAL CHECKS PER SECTION 3-4 IN THE ALCOA® WHEEL SERVICE MANUAL. THIS INCLUDES ANY HEAT DAMAGE TO THE TYRE, DISCOLORATION TO THE WHEEL AND/OR BRAKE DRUM, AND ANY BURNT OR CHARRED LABELS.

Alcoa Wheel showing tyre bead heat indicator
Normal tyre bead with no heat damage.

Even if a wheel does not appear to be obviously burnt, inspect the labels, tyre bead, and brake components for evidence of charring, melting, blistering or burning. Also check for discolouration to the brake drum.

Alcoa wheels manufactured from January 2009 will have a 2.5cm clear round heat indicator sticker located at the wheel flange next to the roll stamp, as well as a similar sticker located on the tyre side drop well close to the valve.

Alcoa Wheel showing heat indicator sticker at the wheel flange

“Don’t be mistaken by a clean wheel either,” says Simmons. “A wheel that has been exposed to excessive heat may appear to be in good condition if cleaned.”

The heat indicator sticker will activate and blister or have a blackened appearance when exposed to excessive heat.

Alcoa Wheel showing tyre bead heat indicator after heat damage
Heat activated indicator sticker showing exposure to excessive heat.

“If any wheel has been exposed to excessive heat, do not attempt to mount and inflate a tyre showing any of the 3 warning signs, it must be immediately and permanently removed from service,” Simmons recommends.

Conducting regular wheel maintenance checks is not only necessary for your business but extremely important to your safety and the safety of your employees.

To download the full Service Manual for Alcoa Wheels visit the Wheel Service and Manual Fitment page on our website,

or to speak with a technical expert on conducting wheel maintenance for maximum safety and efficiency,

call us on phone-icon 1800 955 191 – we are always here to help.

Make Sure It’s An Alcoa® Wheel
Two Alcoa Ultra ONE Wheels next to each other facing straight and side on

To spec your wheels, ring phone-icon 1800 955 191 to talk with our wheel experts, or fill out a contact form and we will reach out to you to answer your questions and discuss your specifications.

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March 15, 2021

Tipping in Favour of Bigger Payloads With Lighter Wheels

When the Fenix Newhaul JV (Fenix Resources and Newhaul) partnered up to move 1.3 million tonnes per annum of high-grade ore from their Iron Ridge project to the Geraldton port, they needed reliable and durable equipment for the project.

At some 490km, the haul distance is longer than other mines. And a longer haul distance means more maintenance and increased costs.

Elevated operating costs across the mining industry due to those long distances on tough roads and in harsh conditions makes optimising payload capacity an important decision.

Bruce Rock Engineering are no stranger to servicing this industry and were contracted by the Fenix Newhaul JV to build for them a fleet of PBS approved side tipping quad axle triple road trains.

With a payload up to 120t carried on 3 trailers per truck, these road trains haul iron ore from their Iron Ridge Mine, 67 kilometres north of Cue (in the Merchison), to the port of Geraldton.

Road train of side tipping trailers with Alcoa Ultra ONE wheels

Designed and tested in the tough conditions of the Pilbara region of Western Australia, Bruce Rock’s side tippers are fitted with Alcoa Ultra ONE wheels for their durability.

The trailers are engineered to keep payloads up and maintenance down, and boast quick and easy operation with simple, accessible hydraulic systems that help keep trailers on the road and down time to a minimum. With tare weights ranging from 6.5-8.5 tonnes, the tippers have been customised to suit what Fenix Newhaul JV were looking for.

Bruce Rock’s road train trailers are built and rigorously tested to weather some of the harshest environments encountered by the heavy hauling industry, especially the mining sector, and this is factored into every aspect of their design and build – right down to the wheels.

Lightening the Wheel to Increase the Load

Howmet Wheel Systems, the Australian Distributor for Alcoa® Wheels, who have recently released their lightest wheel in the market, the Ultra ONE® wheel, were approached to supply the 18kg wheels for the trailer build.

This is a great fit with Bruce Rock Engineering’s dedication to manufacturing trailers and other custom transport equipment with some of the lowest tare weights in Australia.

The only way to boost payload capacity is to take weight off the trailer, and using lighter wheels that meet gross axle weight rating requirements can make a difference by a couple of hundred kilos, depending on the number of axles (and therefore, wheels) on the rig.

“Optimizing tare weight of our trailers is a cornerstone of what we do at BRE,” says Keenan Verhoogt, Bruce Rock Engineering’s Tyre & Mechanical Manager. “Using lighter, stronger materials like Alcoa’s Ultra series of wheels means significant productivity gains for our customers”.

Added Strength to Match Added Payload

Combining lightweight, strength and durability is behind Howmet’s commitment to helping fleet owners and OEMs optimise their bottom line. Alcoa Wheels are forged with MagnaForce® alloy – the strongest alloy on the market yet – making them 17 percent stronger than the industry standard alloy, which allows for lighter wheels without compromising on their strength.

The wheels’ patent-pending ‘Hub Bore Technology’, which reduces the hub-to-wheel contact area by up to 64% versus other aluminium wheels on the market, means there is less surface area exposed for corrosion to form, therefore adding to the equipment’s reduced maintenance labour cost, with wheel removal becoming quicker and easier, too.

Teaming up with OEMs like Bruce Rock Engineering to bring reliable equipment to market supports Howmet Wheel Systems’ drive to help fleet owners and OEMs optimise their and their customers’ bottom line.

This article has also been published in Big Rigs National Road Transport Newspaper (Issue: 5 March 2021)

Make Sure It’s An Alcoa® Wheel
Alcoa Ultra ONE Wheel with hub cover casting a shadow

Our customers range from large OEMs like Bruce Rock Engineering to small-medium fleet owners. When buying a new trailer for your operation, consider Alcoa Wheels as a long term option.

To spec your wheels, ring phone-icon 1800 955 191 to talk with our wheel experts, or fill out a contact form and we will reach out to you to answer your questions and discuss your specifications.

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March 5, 2021

The Wheel That Became World Lightweight Champion

Weighing in at just 18kg, the new Ultra ONE® wheel from Alcoa Wheels has been heralded the New Lightweight Champion in the world of commercial vehicle wheels.

With MagnaForceTM and Hub Bore Technology added, the new Ultra ONE® wheel is now not only the lightest, but also the strongest heavy-duty truck and trailer wheel in the market.

The 22.5” x 8.25” wheel is available in Standard US 10-285 Fitment and can be finished in all current surface options: LvL ONE® (premium finish on both sides), Polished, and Dura-Bright®.

The New Lightweight Champion

This is the story of how this ‘not just another aluminium wheel’ is helping fleet and trailer owners shed kilos for increased payload and fuel efficiency by setting a new industry standard as the world’s lightest heavy-duty truck and trailer wheel.

Taking Things to Another Level

It was in 2009 that a new wheel took the market by storm, having reached the lightest weight then of 20.36kg. The flagship Alcoa 22.5” x 8.25” wheel had been reduced by 4.5kg’s over 20 years!

Alcoa Ultra ONE Wheel Chart showing lightest wheel in the market

Called the Classic (88367X) range, this was the latest wheel technology in the company’s committed work towards increasing wheel strength and load ratings.

 “The lighter the wheels, the greater productivity for fleets. Each kg we can reduce for trucks hauling heavy loads across long distances every day helps them lower costs and move more goods.” 
– Ross Simmons | Managing Director, Howmet Wheel Systems Australia

As the inventor of the forged aluminium wheel in 1948, Howmet Wheel Systems, the Australian Distributor of Alcoa Wheels, has continued to innovate. As they say, ‘Innovation is in our DNA’, and a new alloy was born: MagnaForceTM alloy. This patented 6063 alloy is exclusive to Alcoa Wheels. Up until then, Aluminium wheels were forged using the industry standard 6061 alloy for commercial truck wheels — and had been since 1968!

In 2013, for the first time in 45 years, aluminium alloy had become the strongest yet, offering a 17% increase in strength over existing alloys. What did that mean for the industry? Higher load rating on a lighter wheel with no compromise on strength. Only Alcoa Wheels are forged with MagnaForceTM alloy.

Alcoa Wheels MagnaForce Alloy Timeline showing 17% stronger alloy
Heavy Duty Without the Heavy

With the new MagnaForce™ alloy onboard, the then lightest wheel, the Ultra ONE® (ULTRAX) was released in 2014 (not to be confused with the NEW Ultra ONE® (ULTX)). Taking almost 2kgs out of the previous 20.36kg LvL ONE® 22.5” wheel, this new 18.55kg wheel enabled fleets to lower truck weight—saving nearly 45kg per 18-wheeler versus the previous lightest option—increasing payload and fuel economy while lowering maintenance costs.

Calculate your payload savings with our Payload Calculator.

The extra strength of the MagnaForce™ alloy meant the wheels could maintain a load of 3,360kg – that of the classic wheel – while lightening the truck and trailer.

Another new technology was added, too:

The hub bore groove technology, designed to reduce metal-to-metal contact in the hub, minimizing the surface area where corrosion can form by more than half (up to 64%, in fact), and thus allowing for easier wheel removal during maintenance.

Not Just Another Aluminium Wheel

In order to meet carbon emission regulations at Truck OEM’s, fleets are switching to lighter-weight wheels more and more to offset the weight of technologies needed to remove air pollutants from diesel engine exhausts.

Lighter-weight, lower-maintenance wheels also help trucks improve fuel economy to help make up for rising fuel prices and move goods in a cleaner, more fuel-efficient way.

In addition to their lighter weight, Alcoa® LvL ONE® finished wheels are six times brighter than competitors’ wheels, giving them strong aesthetic appeal, and because they are corrosion resistant and do not require stripping and repainting, they lower operators’ maintenance and operating costs.

Make Sure It’s An Alcoa® Wheel
Two Alcoa Ultra ONE Wheels next to each other facing straight and side on

To spec your wheels, ring phone-icon 1800 955 191 to talk with our wheel experts, or fill out a contact form and we will reach out to you to answer your questions and discuss your specifications.

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March 1, 2021

The 5 Things Your Wheel Absolutely Must Show to Prove Its Authenticity

When shopping around for new or replacement aluminium wheels for trucks, trailers or buses you want to know that you’re getting quality, not just the cheapest price. 

Not every wheel is created equal, and in the long run a cheaper wheel may not end up going the distance when it comes to increasing payload capacity and lowering maintenance time and costs over the lifetime of your truck or trailer. 

Alcoa Wheels will always give you the same premium quality stamp of approval — literally. 

The integrity of Alcoa Wheels is stamped into every wheel in the roll stamp of authenticity. Knowing your product specifications, as well as the place and date of manufacturing is essential information that sets quality wheels apart from the rest.

Text showing the breakdown of the Alcoa Wheels Roll Stamp

If you want peace of mind that your wheel will withstand the tough and rugged environment that heavy duty vehicles endure … then make sure it’s an Alcoa wheel.

Alcoa Wheels, manufactured and distributed by Howmet Wheel Systems, are meticulously designed and rigorously tested to uphold the company’s dedication to lowering operating costs for truck and trailer fleet owners by engineering wheels that are lighter, stronger and more durable than others available at a lower price.

In other words, we take our stamp of authenticity very seriously. 

Text showing the breakdown of the Alcoa Wheels Roll Stamp
The 5 Things to Look For On A Quality Aluminium Wheel Roll Stamp

You can always rely on the roll stamp to display the 5 most essential information pieces necessary to know what you’re buying.

  1. Where the wheel is made. All Alcoa wheels are manufactured in the U.S, Hungry or Mexico under stringent manufactured guidelines – trusted since 1948. Quality control checks are conducted on each and every batch release.
  2. Date of manufacture. The manufacturing date allows you to track and monitor the 5-year product warranty that comes with every Alcoa wheel.
  3. Load rating information is critical for driver and passenger safety, as well as wheel/tyre longevity.
  4. Part numbers are important when ordering, re-ordering or matching existing wheels – it ensures you get the right wheel for your equipment.
  5. Size of wheel guards against installing incorrect wheel sizes. Alcoa’s strict quality control measures safeguards against size difference. The Alcoa Wheels technical staff can assist in advising on the correct wheel specs for your vehicle or equipment.

NOTE: Wheels bearing the Quality and Safety marks T-DOT and JWL-T indicate they meet or exceed the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) standards for quality and Performance, for fitment to commercial vehicles in that market.

Download and Print Our Handy Guide to Alcoa Wheels Roll Stamps and Labels Below

Make Sure It’s An Alcoa Wheel
Two Alcoa Ultra ONE Wheels next to each other facing straight and side on

Did you know that you can specify Alcoa Wheels when buying a truck or trailer?

Ask for Alcoa Wheels to be included in the quote. To spec your wheels, ring phone-icon 1800 955 191 to talk with our wheel experts, or fill out a contact form and we will reach out to you to answer your questions and discuss your specifications.

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February 22, 2021