Summer can be rough on tires and that’s not good news for those of us in the trucking industry. Higher temperatures, both on the road and in the air, can take their toll on tires which are not fans of heat.
Keeping your tires cool is the name of the game. As an all owner-operator trucking company, we here at Paramount Freight Systems are happy to share some tire maintenance tips to help truck drivers during these warmer months.
There are four areas that need to be addressed when it comes to tires.
Air Pressure
As a truck driver, you want to make sure that your tires are always properly inflated. A slight decrease in air pressure, even as little as 10 percent, can have a big impact, especially when you multiply that by the number of tires on your truck. For example, if you continue to run a tire underinflated by 20 percent, its tread life will be reduced by 30 percent. This not only impacts the life of your tires, but also fuel consumption.
Maintenance
This is where having a good tire maintenance program in place can help. Make sure that you are monitoring your tire pressure on a regular basis and looking for signs of wear and tear on all of your tires.
Speed
You may feel the need for speed when you’re out on the road, but you’re not doing your tires any favors with high speeds. Not only do high speeds result in higher thermal and mechanical fatigue of the tire casing, but it also results in lower retreadability and possible premature failure. And as a reminder, your rolling resistance increases with every mile per hour over 55 mph. Increasing your speed from 55 to 65 actually results in a 22 percent increase in fuel consumption for your trip.
Rotation
Tire rotation should certainly be a part of your tire maintenance plan. This will extend the life of your tires and will help with a smoother ride and better fuel efficiency. Also, proper wheel alignment not only helps your tires, but can also help with the aerodynamics of your truck and trailer.
Here at Paramount Freight Systems we want to help Owner Operators and Lease Purchasers be successful. That’s why all of our Owner Operators and Lease Purchasers receive discounts on fuel, parts and tires. We hope you found these tire tips helpful.
Paramount Freight Systems is a three-time winner and five-time nominee of the Best Fleet to Drive for Award. If you are looking to join an all Owner Operators and Lease Purchasers fleet, then Paramount Freight Systems is where you want to call home. If you’re interested in being home more often and want to run line haul lanes, contact us!
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Rolling, rolling, rolling! Keep those #tires rolling with these #truck tire #maintenance tips: http://t.co/QqVejibF92
— Paramount Freight (@DrivePFS) August 21, 2015
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Categorized in: Maintenance, Owner Operators and Lease Purchasers, Truck Drivers