Warn Industries' Integrated Wheel End Technology Provides Vehicle OEMs Cost Competitive Fuel Efficiency Gains

    CLACKAMAS, Ore., Aug. 20 Warn Industries' new Integrated
Wheel End (IWE) technology provides vehicle manufacturers with the ability to
utilize On Demand and Automatic AWD systems while increasing fuel economy.
    IWE represents the next generation of wheel end disconnect technology in
four-wheel-drive vehicles.  It is compatible with On Demand and Automatic AWD
as well as traditional shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive systems and uses
fewer parts with less friction than other existing technologies.  As fuel
economy standards become more stringent, vehicle manufacturers are forced to
develop new ways to provide four-wheel-drive performance in tandem with fuel
efficiency.  Wheel end disconnects alone will account for as much as a full
mile per gallon improved fuel efficiency compared to axle or differential
disconnects on full-sized vehicles.  This offers a tremendous competitive
advantage to vehicle manufacturers attempting to meet the corporate average
fuel economy (CAFE) standards.  CAFE is a sliding scale average fuel
efficiency standard established by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.
The current light truck standard, a classification that includes sport utility
vehicles, is 20.7 miles per gallon.  Congress is currently considering several
bills that would raise this level over the next several years.
    Previously, four-wheel-drive vehicle manufacturers were required to choose
between driver convenience and fuel economy.  Driver convenience meant a full
time four-wheel-drive system, which created excessive friction when all the
drive components rotated all the time.  The driver had no interaction with the
system.  The alternative is a part time system with fewer rotating parts and
less friction but it requires driver intervention to initiate four-wheel-drive
operation.  "Our depth of experience designing and manufacturing hub locks and
other drive line components gave us a giant step up on the competition in
developing an answer to this dilemma," said Tom Giacomini,
Warn's Chief Operating Officer.  "That experience, combined with our
engineers' ability to work closely with the OEM product development people in
Detroit resulted in achieving a solution first."  Warn's IWE technology
combines the advantages of state of the art wheel bearings, ABS and AWD system
compatibility, and new wheel end disconnect designs.  The result is fewer,
more robust components allowing for on demand four-wheel-drive when needed.
IWE's cost competitiveness with the technology it replaces provides OEMs an
improved solution at minimal cost.  Warn continues to refine the IWE
technology for ease of use and application across a wide range of vehicle
types.  Independent of the vehicle application, IWE is inherently compatible
with all types of AWD systems through employment of simple control logic.

    About Warn Industries
    Warn Industries is the world's most recognized brand in off-road products
such as hub locks and vehicle recovery winches.  The company designs,
manufacturers and markets a full line of off-road equipment and accessories
that enhance the performance of four-wheel-drive vehicles.  Warn's OEM
Division employs a full development engineering staff in Portland, Oregon and
an applications engineering staff in Livonia, Mich., to maintain close working
relationships with vehicle OEMs, such as Ford, General Motors and
DaimlerChrysler.  Warn also continues to develop an international presence in
Pacific Rim countries, with Kia, Hyundai, Nissan, and Ssangyong.  The
combination of deep experience, collaborative product development, and proven
customer commitment makes Warn a highly trusted partner in the OEM category.
Warn employs more than 500 people in and around Portland, Ore., and Livonia,
Mich.  For 50 years, whenever durability and dependability have mattered,
customers have chosen Warn products.  From hub locks to winches, the Warn name
means performance when it counts.

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