Opinion ID: 1687228
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: firestone's summary judgment

Text: Firestone's principal summary judgment evidence was its expert witness' deposition. This expert was the same expert the Barajases relied on in their partial summary judgment against Kelsey-Hayes. Firestone also relied on the Barajases' summary judgment evidence. Firestone's expert testified that Firestone's original design for a 15 degree bead seat taper wheel was for a 22.5-inch wheel suitable for an 18-wheel semi-tractor trailer rig. Later Firestone designed a 15-degree bead seat taper wheel with a 16.5-inch nominal diameter. This design was a dual wheel for use with two tires side by side. This design could be used only with 8- or 9-inch tires, and only for dual wheel application. Firestone's summary judgment evidence also showed that Kelsey-Hayes modified Firestone's original 15 degree bead seat taper wheel design to design its own wheel. The Kelsey-Hayes design used the 15 degree bead seat taper. However, Kelsey-Hayes made its 16.5-inch nominal diameter wheel narrower so it would fit only 6- or 6.75-inch tires, and made it with a hump bead. The Kelsey-Hayes wheel would fit only a single wheel by itself. Kelsey-Hayes manufactured its own narrow 16.5-inch hump bead wheel.