Our tire experts conduct tests for many international government standards for tires, including: FMVSS, CMVSS, and ECE.

• Endurance (Stepped up load) 
• High speed Durability
• Tire Strength (Plunger Energy) 
• Bead Unseat / Wedge Bead Unseat
• UTQG – (Treadwear, traction, temperature) 
• Inflated Measurements
• Labeling

Our laboratory performs all compliance when testing for OEM.  We often are required to perform additional testing, including but not limited to:

Our laboratories can perform tests for OEM and customer specifications for a variety of tire types and industry uses, including but not limited to: 

• Rolling Resistance
• Accelerated Aging
• Toyota Wedge Bead Unseat
• Tread wear (On Vehicle) 
• Traction (On Vehicle) 
• Establish Benchmark Testing
• Footprint
• Air Permeation

Accelerated aging and tire conditioning are common procedures performed by the experts at STL. The data pulled from these types of testing is used to evaluate the long-term and test condition effect on tires that are exposed to a multitude of extreme climates and conditions.

• Inflating tire with 50% oxygen / 50% nitrogen mix including purges and refills 
• Heat Aging / Cooling
• Endurance Protocols after aging

Hydrostatic Burst Testing uses water pressure to determine the weak point location of the tire.

Comparative testing on customer specified tires against other manufacturers, or old vs. new products allows for customers to make strategic, informed decisions.  STL can perform testing to give you information for marketing purposes or it can accelerate your R&D process to get a new product to market even faster.

Our tire & wheel test laboratory is fully equipped to handle tires up to 62 inches in overall diameter and 20 inches wide. Several stations that can accommodate this tire size are capable of reaching testing loads ranging from 20,000 – 40,000 pounds.

A tire’s rolling resistance impacts fuel economy through a combination of several factors including heat loss, friction coefficients, tread compounds and more. With rising fuel prices and the role that tires have in improving fuel economy, rolling resistance is a type of test that is growing more and more popular with not only tire companies, but with companies who own and maintain large vehicle fleets.  And STL is using our own software in our testing.  This software is available to any customer wanting to upgrade their own machines.

STL can perform rolling resistance on the following types of tires:

• Passenger
• Light Truck
• Medium Truck
• ATV / UTV
• Motorcycle
• Tow Motor
• Golf Cart

STL is fully equipped and capable of running a variety of impact test evaluations. Some of these test evaluations are:

• Road Hazard Impact – SAE1981-201609 
• This test is designed to evaluate the frontal impact resistance of wheel and tire assemblies used with passenger cars, light trucks and multi-purpose vehicles. The test is specifically related to vehicle pothole tests that are undertaken by most vehicle manufacturers.
• Cornstalk Impact – (sidewall puncture resistance) 
• This test is commonly used to evaluate the sidewall strength of tires used for agricultural purposes.  STL also performs this type of impact test for off-road racing development and performance.
• Dynamic Impact – Cleated Wheel / Belgian Block 
• This test is performed on a 67” roadwheel with several “cleats” or “blocks” installed on the roadwheel surface. The cleats are used to impact the tire and wheel assembly repeatedly throughout the entire test.  The test is used to simulate highway joints and to evaluate the structural integrity of the tire.

Load vs. Deflection data and graphs can be generated in the vertical, lateral, and longitudinal directions to evaluate the effects of load and inflation pressure on the deflection. The results can be used to calculate the spring rate or stiffness of the tire. The maximum size for OD is 62” with a maximum sidewall width of 33”. Loads can be up to 100,000 lbs.

Shearography is a laser based technology similar to holography.  It is a non-destructive inspection method used to find anomalies in a tire.  This is done by taking a measurement of the tire at standard ambient pressure and at a vacuum.  This process allows any air bubble or separation to be detected. This tool can be used before and after testing or for production purposes.  

STL can provide this service on several types of tires including but not limited to:

• Passenger
• Light Truck
• Medium Truck
• Super Single

For over 50 years, STL has provided the industry with tire sections, also known as Omega sections, and cutbacks, also known as step downs. These are commonly used for product displays or product analysis to show all the elements of the tire. STL can provide these services on several types of tires including but not limited to:

• Passenger
• Light Truck
• Medium Truck
• Super Single or wide base
• OTR

STL also provides: 

• Angle Blocks
• Tensile, Instron Belt & Ply Cord Pulls
• Cord Prep / Removal 

While Standards Testing Labs does not have the in house capability to conduct material analysis, we can provide this service through contracted companies that we have had excellent relationships with for years

STL provides additional services not mentioned above:

• Cleated Endurance
• High-Speed – Free Spin (Run flat, TPMS, Wheel Weight retention
• Rim Slip 
• Inflated Measurements, Outside diameter, Section width, Tread arc width, Treadwear Indicators, Profilometer
• Ink Plot Footprints
• Belgian Block Testing
• Slip and Camber + / - 6 degrees 
• Temperature Measurements, probe and infrared
• Tire Sealant 
• Valve Stems (SAE J1205 / 1206) 
• Adhesions  - (Belt / Tread / Ply & Sample Prep)
• Flat plate/flat spot measurements
• Air permeation 

Our wheel testing lab is capable of running dynamic and cornering fatigue testing to customer specifications and standards. Using these test methods provides performance test data to identify the safety and performance limits of the wheel. All wheels have inherent weakness: testing is designed to identify or expose those weaknesses.  STL provides services on several types of wheels including but not limited to:

• Passenger 
• Light Truck
• Commercial vehicle
• Military Vehicles
• ATV/UTV
• Trailer
• Golf Cart
• Motorcycle
• Motorsports 

• Torsional fatigue is a test that applies a constant moment load to the center disc of the wheel. This test isolates the load inputs from the rim flange and focuses it into the center disc. 
• Cyclic Torsion fatigue is a test that cycles the load into the center disc of the wheel and fatigues the elastic components of the structure. This is a good test for motorcycle wheels that have the drive-power and braking energies applied directly to the hub of the wheel.

STL is fully equipped and capable of running several impact test evaluations. Some of these test evaluations are:

• Drop Impact 
• STL performs testing in accordance to SAE, JWL, SFI and other customer standards.  STL performs Drop Impact Testing on tire and wheel assemblies up to 42” in overall diameter.  
• Road Hazard Impact – SAE1981-2016-09 
• Road Hazard Impact is designed to evaluate the frontal impact resistance of wheel and tire assemblies. The test is specifically related to vehicle pothole tests that are undertaken by most vehicle manufacturers.
• Dynamic Impact – Cleated Wheel / Belgian Block 
• This test is performed on a 67” road-wheel with several; “cleats” or “blocks”, installed on the road-wheel surface. The cleats are used to impact the tire and wheel assembly repeatedly throughout the entire test.  This test can be used to evaluate cladding, wheel covers and wheel weights.  

This test is used to measure strength and margin of safety above the rated wheel pressure, Hydrostatic Burst Testing uses water pressure to determine the strength of the wheels and structural integrity of the rim flange.

This is a manufacturer specific test request that determines the loading limits of an aluminum alloy wheel through the x and y axis the wheel.

With customer supplied equipment, STL can provide Strain Gauge/ Stress Analysis. STL will  work with you in our facility and with our technicians to achieve your desired analytical results.

This is a manufacturer specific test request that determines the energy required to rotate the tire on the rim flange of the wheel. The focus of this test are the variables of the different mounting fluids on the different wheel materials such as painted, aluminum, raw or steel wheels.

Lateral deflection is a test that measures how much lateral force is being applied to a test sample. It also measures the amount of deflection the sample travels under load.  

The human eye has a visual acuity of only 0.003”.  STL uses dye penetrant to aid in the inspections. We use dyes to better see fatigue cracks, pin holes, and porosity of the metals. Dye Penetrant is for of Non-Destructive Inspections (NDI) and is used for steel and aluminum metals. We offer the services of Zyglo inspection with fluorescent exposure, and also red-dye if you require photographs.

STL provides other services such as:

• Horizontal Rotary (Wheels, Axles, Hubs) – 
• This test is a Rotary fatigue designed to fatigue the center of the wheel and its connecting components. It is performed with the load shaft on its side, horizontally, instead on a vertical shaft. The reference stand is SAEJ1095 for bearing and hubs. This test can be applied to wheels as well. 

• Slip and Camber + / - 6 degrees
• Slip testing is designed to test a tire or wheel at a prescribed angle to focus the energies of the test on shoulder of the tire. We have the capability to travel up to + and - 6 deg. This test can be fixed at that angle or can be programmed to cycle through the footprint + or minus 6 degrees.

• High-Speed – Free Spin (TPMS, Wheel Weights) 
• High speed, free spin testing is used to test any application that requires spinning the tire/wheel assembly at very high speeds with no load.  These include, but are not limited to, testing run flat assemblies, tire pressure monitoring systems, valve stem rigidity/stability/mobility, and wheel weight retention or movement.  The machine can also be used to measure tire growth or movement.    

• Salt Spray – ASTM B117