How to Make Sure Your Semi-Truck Tires Last
When you’re servicing your heavy-duty semi-truck, tires should be at the top of your checklist. While routinely changing oil, transmission fluid and coolant is great for your engine, you don’t want to overlook your tires. The average semi-truck drives nearly a million miles before getting an overhaul, and the tires bear the brunt of the wear. Truck warranties can cover some tire costs, but by properly maintaining your tires, you can avoid spending thousands of extra dollars in repair costs over the life of your commercial truck.
Get the Right Tires For Your Heavy-Duty Truck
While the average car driver can get away without paying attention to what tires they have, truck drivers can’t. Depending on the number of wheels on your truck, the weight of the load and the quality of the road you’ll be using, the tires you need may vary. Considering all of the above is the first step to making sure that your truck’s tires last as long as possible.
Check Your Semi-Truck’s Tires Frequently
Truck tires are designed to handle the roughness of the road but work best under optimal tire pressure. This ensures that the tires have the right contour to absorb the weight of the semi-truck and its haul against the pavement. Low or high tire pressure not only reduces the lifespan of your tires but can cause other problems, including reduced gas mileage.
Frequently checking your tire pressure is one of the simplest ways to make sure they last longer. However, it’s often one of the most overlooked parts of routine truck maintenance. If you have scheduled maintenance on your heavy-duty truck already, ask your service crew to check the tires, or fill them up yourself whenever possible.
Don’t Overload Your Commercial Truck
Overloading your semi-truck can cause a number of problems, including wearing down your tires. The extra weight puts more pressure on the tires, increasing the friction with the pavement. This causes the tires to lose their texture, and can even increase braking distance. By keeping your load under 85% of the truck’s maximum you can achieve the best results.
Work With Your Semi-Truck Dealership
Dealerships like Nextran Truck Centers offer a number of services that can help you extend the life of your tires. From making sure you have the best tires for your vehicle to working with manufacturers directly with initiatives like Isuzu Connect, dealerships can help ensure that you’re getting the most mileage out of your tires. Dealerships can perform maintenance that is tough to do on your own, and often provide better deals on services and parts than through external mechanics.
Making Your Commercial Truck Tires Last
There are already plenty of factors that go into maintaining your truck. Over the course of a semi-truck’s lifespan, you could save thousands of dollars by making sure your tires last. To learn more about what you can do to make your tires last longer on your fleet, contact Nextran Truck Centers. With 16 locations across Florida, Georgia, and Alabama, we’re here for all your trucking needs.
