One of the most important parts of maintaining a large commercial vehicle is ensuring the tires are always in good condition. A lack of maintenance makes it more likely you will experience blowouts and flat tires while out on the road, which could lead to an accident, or at the very least some significant inconveniences. Tire maintenance also helps you to improve fuel economy and overall performance in some of the truck’s most important systems.
With this in mind, here are a few tips from our commercial tire shop in Ocala, FL for proper maintenance of commercial tires:
- Wheel alignment: One of the biggest factors in tire longevity and health is wheel alignment. If the wheels are improperly aligned, they’ll show signs of uneven wear, much faster than they would with proper alignment. If you’ve noticed a feeling of the vehicle pulling from side to side, if the steering wheel feels as though it’s off center or if you’ve noticed unusual vibration when driving on a highway (especially when driving straight), these are all potential signs that you need to check your wheel alignment.
- Tire pressure: You should make it a point to routinely check the tires on your vehicle before long trips so you can make sure they’ve been inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended air pressure level. Proper air pressure in your tires will go a long way toward making your trips more fuel efficient, and will also help you keep the tires in good condition, as improper inflation levels can cause premature wear.
- Tire rotation: It’s a good idea to rotate tires on trucks every 6,000 to 8,000 miles to make sure you’re getting an even distribution of tread wear and to help the tires last as long as possible. With large trucks, generally the rear tires will wear out faster than the front tires. Make sure you follow the proper rotational pattern when dealing with large trucks—it won’t necessarily be the same as with a standard four-wheel passenger car.
- Driving habits: There are some adjustments you can make to your driving habits to keep your tires in good condition for a longer period of time. If you tend to accelerate too quickly, slam on the brakes rather than easing on them or drive over the speed limit, it’s more likely you’ll wear down the tires faster than if you drive smartly.
- Clean: Keeping the tires and wheels clean isn’t just a good idea for aesthetics—it also helps to preserve the health and integrity of those parts. You can get a lot more life out of your tires if they’re not constantly bogged down by grease, road salt, grime and debris.
- Inspections: You should perform thorough pre-trip inspections before every trip you make with your truck, and include the tires in those inspections to check the pressure and signs of wear on the treads of sidewalls.
If you need more information about the steps you should take to preserve your commercial vehicle’s tires for as long as possible, a commercial tire shop in Ocala, FL can help. Reach out to J & M Trailer Repair to learn more about what we can do for you.