MASSILLON, Ohio (May 23, 2008) — Standards Testing Laboratories Inc. now is offering a testing procedure that determines the force needed to remove a tire's bead from its wheel flange.
STL's Bead Unseat machine applies a force to the tire's shoulder to measure the energy required to unseat the bead from the rim. The company said it meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 139.
Testing the force in larger rim diameter tires with lower aspect ratios has been difficult to accomplish in the past. STL said its machinery can test light truck tires up to 30 inches in diameter.
STL also has developed a second machine to test bead unseat strength.