Check of a few things that truck drivers should know about taking care of their tires.
It’s crucial for truck drivers to know how to take care of their tires, as regular inspections and maintenance are the best way to ensure your truck is safe to drive. Continue reading to learn more about the importance of tire maintenance and what truck drivers should know about their tires.
Pressure Checks
Pressure checks are essential to ensure your tires are working properly. If you typically drive the same truck, you should perform weekly pressure checks, and daily checks should be done on trucks you don’t drive every day. It’s vital that tire pressure is consistent on dual-wheeled vehicles because if the inside dual is underinflated, the majority of the load will be carried by one tire instead of two.
However, an 18-wheel tire check can take a long time, and many truckers don’t want to waste any time on the road- especially if they won’t be paid for completing the task. While it may take 30 minutes to inspect your tires, think about all the time you are saving by preventing an accident while driving. Taking a half an hour each week to check your tires will prevent an on-road failure that can easily result in several hours of downtime.
Tire Treads
Truckers should also ensure that there is adequate tread left on all tires. A key thing to remember is to replace your tires when they have wear bars in the tread. Most maintenance providers will not replace a tire before it’s worn down to 4/32 inches- but it’s recommended to have them replaced before that. Letting your tires get bald or thread-bare puts you in unnecessary danger while on the road.
Tire Sidewalls
Lastly, truck drivers should regularly check sidewalls for cuts and damages. A tire can be cut on the side and appear to work fine, but water or rain can easily reach the steel belts and cause corrosion, leading to failure of the tire. While a trucker may see the cut and not think anything of it, it is actually very dangerous and can result in a major accident.
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