We’ve all seen it happen—the semi-truck driver going 65 down the freeway when suddenly all you see is a cloud of smoke and tire pieces flying all over the road. Tire failure is a common occurrence in the trucking industry, but the fact that it’s common doesn’t make replacing semi truck tires any less annoying or expensive.
Thankfully, there are a few steps you can take that will not only increase the lifespan of your tires, but will help ensure safety and better fuel economy, too. As your local source for semi truck tires in Ocala, FL, we have a few tips that will help you make sure you’re getting the most out of your semi truck tires:
- Perform a visual check: This may seem like a given, but just do a quick walk-around of your truck and check for unusual signs of wear or the sound of leaking air. Catching problems early will allow you to make tire repairs rather than tire replacements.
- Check your tire pressure at least weekly: Low tire pressure is the number one cause of blowouts. Maintaining the proper tire pressure will not only help increase the lifespan of your tires, but it will also help ensure safety. For best practice, have air pressure requirements in place as well as standards for drivers to check tire pressure at least weekly. Regularly checking tire pressure will also help you detect whether your tires are having trouble maintaining tire pressure and may need to be replaced.
- Implement a rotation schedule: To get the most use out of your tires, it’s important that your tires be rotated regularly. The best way to ensure that your tires are being rotated when they should be is to implement a rotation schedule. Use your past maintenance records to help determine how often your tires should be rotated. Be sure to also take into consideration the work application of the truck, the terrain, average gross weight and any other related variables.
- Ensure that your tires are balanced: Tread wear causes the distribution of weight around the tire to change, which leads to an imbalance over time that will not only decrease the lifespan of your tires, but can also cause serious damage to your semi truck. Best practice is to balance your tires every time you have the tires rotated.
- Get regular alignments: When your tires or axle are out of alignment, your tires will wear unevenly, which will significantly reduce the lifespan of your tires. It’s important to have your tires realigned to the manufacture’s specifications to ensure that you’re getting the most miles out of your tires and a better miles-per-gallon rate.
Of course your tires will need to be replaced eventually, but by following these tips, you can ensure that you are getting the most out of your semi truck tires. When it’s time to replace your tires, stop in at J & M Trailer Repair, your local source for semi truck tires in Ocala, FL!