Tire Maintenance Magic: Enhance Performance & Lifespan

Truck tires are the second largest expense after fuel. Buying a new set of truck tires can cost more than $2,500, and then there’s the cost of fixing and replacing damaged tires, especially if you need help on the road. All these expenses can add up and take a big chunk out of the budget – which is why proper maintenance, smart choices, and expert insights are necessary to extend the life of truck tires.

Understanding the Money Puzzle

Motor carriers, which are companies that move goods using trucks, face a challenge when it comes to paying for tires. Tires are a big deal because they cost a lot of money, and they’re only second to fuel costs. Think of it this way: fuel gets the truck moving, and tires make sure the truck moves safely and smoothly. So, figuring out how to manage tire expenses is just as important as managing fuel costs.

Dealing with Tight Budgets

Buying a truck tire is expensive, and the price can go above $2,500. On top of that, you have to think about fixing and replacing tires if something goes wrong while you’re on the road. This means that a lot of the money that’s set aside for running the trucks goes towards tires. This situation pushes us to find smart ways to spend less on tires and make them last longer.

Finding Ways to Save

Being Smart Ahead of Time: While there are costs for fixing tires and getting help when you’re stuck on the road, a lot of these costs could be avoided if we took some simple steps to prevent problems in the first place. Even if we don’t need help right away, we can still make our tires last longer by being careful.

Combining New Ideas with Strong Tires: Modern truck tires are made to last longer. They give more grip on the road and use less fuel than older tires. But even with these new and improved tires, we still have to be careful. Things like not putting enough air in the tire, carrying too much weight, and getting damaged by things on the road can still mess up even the best tires. Sometimes the problems happen quickly, and other times it takes a while, but the result is always the same: we need to buy new tires.

Choosing the Right Tires:

More Than Just the Price: When we’re looking for tires to buy, it might be tempting to go for the cheapest option. But choosing the cheapest option usually means we’ll need to buy new tires again sooner than we thought. The good news is that we can look at reviews and ratings online to help us decide which brand of tire to buy. It’s like asking other people who have already tried the tires for advice.

Picking the Right Tires for the Job: The kind of tires we choose should match the kind of work we do. If we carry heavy loads, we need tires that can handle the weight. If we drive on rough roads or during snowy winters, tires with a special pattern on the tread are better. But if we care more about using less fuel and don’t need a super strong grip, then a different kind of tire is the right choice.

Don’t Miss:

Learning from Others:

Asking for Help: It’s always a good idea to ask people who know more than we do. Other truck drivers can tell us which brands of tires last the longest, which companies have good warranties, and which tires to stay away from. Learning from their experience can help us make better choices.

Taking Care of Your Tires:

Checking Every Day: To make our tires last longer, we need to check them regularly. Even if we can’t see any problems, we might find something wrong if we look closely. Sometimes the sides of the tires can get damaged, and this might not be easy to see unless we look. This kind of damage can lead to bigger problems later, so it’s better to catch it early.

Being Careful with the Tread: The part of the tire that touches the road is called the tread. It’s important to keep an eye on it because things like nails or screws can get stuck there. Even strange things like lighters or keys can end up in the tread. Checking the tread and removing anything stuck in it helps prevent punctures. If we wait too long, things stuck in the tread can cause bigger problems.

Fixing Leaks and Keeping the Right Pressure:

Finding Hidden Leaks: Air leaks from tires can be tricky to find. One way to check is by using water – if we pour water on the tire and see bubbles, that means air is coming out. Even a small leak can cause problems, so it’s important to fix them as soon as we find them.

Fixing Problems Fast: When we find a leak or any other problem, we need to fix it quickly. The longer we wait, the worse it can get. Fixing a small issue now can save us from having bigger problems later.

Inflating Tires Right:

More than Just a Guess: Getting the right amount of air into the tires is important. We can’t just guess – we need a good tool called a tire gauge to measure the air pressure in each tire. The pressure can change when tires get hot, so it’s better to check them before we start driving. Also, the sun can make the air inside the tires heat up and increase the pressure, so we shouldn’t make adjustments based on the first measurement alone.

Balancing the Pressure: When we have two tires next to each other, like in a tandem setup, it’s important to make sure both tires have the same amount of air. If one tire has less air, it can cause problems. It can get too hot and even burst. But if one tire has more air, it can also cause problems by damaging the tire inside. So, it’s important to keep the pressure balanced between both tires.

Having the Right Tools:

Being Prepared: It’s a good idea to have tools that can help with tire problems. For example, having an air hose that can be connected to the truck’s air system can be helpful. This hose can be used to put air in the tires wherever the truck’s engine can be started. It can also be used for other things, like cleaning the radiator or powering tools that need air.

Keeping Watch for Better Results:

Checking Regularly: Tire problems can happen at any time, so it’s smart to check them often. Even a quick look when we stop can help us spot any issues. For example, we can look at the tires on one side of the truck when we’re walking to the restroom, and then look at the other side when we’re coming back. This way, we can catch any problems early and avoid bigger troubles later.

Caring for Tires Pays Off: Taking care of our tires isn’t just something we have to do – it’s something that helps us in return. When we make our tires last longer, they also help us by being safe and efficient on the road. It’s like a partnership where we take care of our tires, and they take care of us.

For more information and articles from the trucking industry, follow us on Facebook or subscribe to our Truck Driver News newsletter.