How Important Are Your Truck’s Tires?

Your truck runs on the tires you provide.  In order for all other components to function efficiently and effectively, the tires on your big rig need to do their job, too.  At J&M Trailer & Truck Repair, we know tires, as well as having expert technicians in all other facets of truck and trailer repair.  Why do you need good tires?

Eighteen Wheels (and Tires)

Typically, tractor-trailers are heavy and weighted because they haul a lot of goods.  They also tend to drive many miles.  During that trip, the weight in the trailer necessarily needs to be as evenly distributed as possible for the safety of all concerned (uneven freight can cause tip-overs) and to get the freight to its destination safely.  Big rig trucks traverse the nation’s highways every day.  The highway pavement receives a lot of wear and tear from big rigs, which can wear the roads down and make them a little bumpy here and there.  Putting 18 tires under a truck is a good idea since truck drivers typically go long distances and, if one of those 18 tires blows, normally a truck driver can keep going safely to their destination and/or until they can get a new tire.  It is safer for them, other drivers around them, and also for the contents of their load to have all 18 of those tires.

Tires for Big Trucks

The tires utilized by over-the-road tractor-trailer drivers play specialized roles and they can perform different tasks depending on the position in which they are mounted.  For instance, the front pair of tires helps maintain control of the truck’s steering, while the tires on the trailer help shoulder the weight of the contents.  The tires on the rear of the tractor unit, the drive-axle tires, not only have to help carry the heavy load but do so while also sending the torque of the huge diesel engine to the pavement.  It has been estimated that truck drivers put about 300,000 miles on tires and that about 25 million new truck tires hit the roads each year in the United States.

A big rig driver needs to pay close attention to the wear and tear of the tractor-trailer’s tires.  Pay attention to the tread and get new tires as needed for the best operation and safety of the 18-wheeler.

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