Truck Tire Maintenance: Safety and Longevity

Tires are the places where your truck meets the road. If you drive for a living, you should be doing everything possible to keep your tires in tip-top shape. It's important to maintain your tires regularly, not only for inspections but your own experience. Tires are more than just a way to transport you; they're also a part of your vehicle's safety system.  In order to ensure you stay on the road, and safe, it is essential to know what to look out for, when it comes to your tire health. 

Why Are Tires Important?

A safe and reliable ride starts with good tires. When driving a truck for a living, your tires would be the foundation of your system. Properly functioning tires ensure that you are able to move safely from point A to point B, and they can affect all other aspects of your drive as well. Tires affect fuel economy, and safety of your truck. In the case of issue, tires can become deflated or blow out, causing issue and potentially loss of control over the vehicle. Some of the reasons to ensure proper maintenance of your tires, would be because tires on your truck are responsible in part for:

• Your driving experience
• Your braking ability 
• Your ability to avoid breakdowns or stoppages
• Your level of control over the truck 

In order to ensure a smooth trip and longevity of your truck, some important aspects to keep track of when it comes to your tire maintenance and routine checks include:

Air Pressure

Under-inflated tires on your vehicle can cause heating and lead to a weakened tire, potentially becoming a safety hazard over time, due to risk of fire and blowouts. Over-inflated tires on the other hand, can lead to stress on the tires due to extra pressure added onto them. The most dangerous aspect of air pressure issues, aside from fire risk, is that a tire can deflate while you are driving and lead to loss of control of the truck. 

Air pressure can also affect the traction and life of the tire, as well as your fuel consumption. An under-inflated tire is any pressure less than recommended minimum for the tire.  Tires under-inflated by only 10 psi would increase fuel consumption by about 0.5 to 1%, which can add up over time. Ensuring that the pressure is even in all the tires can help improve fuel economy, so you should check the air pressure at least once a week.

While you should check the manufacturers guide first, generally the guideline for truck tires is as follows: 

• Steer tires should be about 110 PSI
• Driver and trailer tires should be at about 95 PSI (or between 85-105 PSI) 

Tread

You should to ensure the tread on your tires is not worn out, because the wheels need to be able to grip the road properly. When your truck encounters debris, a tire is likely to blow out, if it is low in tread depth. It is important to visually monitor and check the tread during your regular inspections and maintenance. Checking tread can also let you know if your tires don’t have proper air pressure, as uneven tread wear can be a sign of improper air pressure in the tires.

Rotation

As a truck is driven, tires tend to receive uneven wear and tear due to the road conditions. Tires should be rotated every 5000 to 8000 miles, in order to increase their lifespan, and ensure that the tread is not being worn out unevenly as you go. You also want to ensure that you complete a full three-axle wheel alignment regularly, or every 50,000-100,000 km (30,000-60,000 miles), in order to make sure the vehicle is driving properly.

Cleanliness

Cleaning your tires regularly can help prevent them from deteriorating quicker, and ensure that you are cleaning out any debris or items that may end up lodged.

Driving Habits

Any sudden braking or speeding over potholes will add pressure and damage onto tires, which can add up over time. It is important to follow the road regulations and drive safely, for many reasons. Remember that the heavier your cargo is or the bumpier the road, the more attention your tires may need over time.

Debris

If you are driving for long periods, you are bound to drive over random items or debris, which you may end up taking with you unknowingly. You want to check between dual tires often, in order to see if there is anything stuck, such as a foreign object or debris lodged in between.

Valve Caps

You want to make sure that your tires are not missing valve caps, and that you replace them when needed. While it may not seem like an urgent matter, you may lose air pressure quicker from a missing cap, which can lead to issues with air pressure in your tires.

You can't control the road, but you can control your tires. Just like it's important to check your oil or engine, your tires also require close monitoring and care. The best way to keep your truck tires healthy is regular maintenance. Make sure to check your tire pressure and rotate them on time. In taking extra care of your tires, you will avoid delays, citations and potential safety risks by staying on top of your maintenance.