When you are a contractor with a fleet of several trucks, the purchase of tyres represents a significant part of your company’s budget. Here are 3 tips that will help you improve your investment and make your tyre budget go further.

1. Checking air pressure

Checking the air pressure in your tyres is one of the most important maintenance actions a driver can take to impact your tyres’ condition positively. Air pressure will have an impact on the performance of your tyres, the life of your tyres as well as improving the driving experience of your drivers. Under-inflation or over-inflation has a significant impact on traction, fuel consumption and handling.

Overinflation can cause a number of problems, including poor handling, while underinflation will cause budgetary problems and extra time to deal with the problems. As the air inside the tyre carries the load of your truck, under-inflation will cause your tyre to sag when driving on the motorway, which can increase the internal heat. This will also affect your fuel economy, forcing your truck to work harder when underinflated.

Tyres are designed to operate at specific pressures depending on the load they carry.

Recommendations: Check your tyre pressure at least once a week.

2. Visual inspection of your tyres

A regular visual inspection and hand check of your truck’s tyres can give you a lot of valuable information about their condition.

Checks to be made include unusual wear patterns, such as cuts or scratches not caused by driving. It is very important to note immediately when the tread of each tyre starts to show unusual wear patterns. If detected early enough, they can be counteracted or corrected to extend the life of your tyres. A tactile examination for cuts, cracks, blisters and bulges can also provide useful information.

In addition to your daily truck inspection, perform a visual inspection of all your tyres at least once a week. This inspection can save you a lot of money in order to avoid damage to all your truck tyres.

3. Alignment of your truck

Wheel alignment may seem like a somewhat expensive proposition, but it is an investment that can pay off in the long run to increase the life of your truck tyres. Over time, proper alignment will increase the life of your tyres as well as reduce the appearance of tread wear. Keep in mind that proper wheel alignment includes aligning the drive shafts so that they are perpendicular to the chassis and, in the case of tandem axles, parallel to each other.

Misalignment of the wheels can affect fuel economy. In addition, if one wheel of a tractor/trailer is not aligned, the total drag of the vehicle increases. When the tractor and trailer do not follow parallel to the direction of travel, braking will increase.

Recommendations: Check your alignment at least twice a year. Spring and autumn are often quieter times for these repairs.

4. Factors to consider when choosing new truck tyres

Take into account a number of factors when choosing truck tyres:

– Safety and durability on the road;

– Durability and fuel efficiency;

– Truck maintenance;

– Truck tyre maintenance;

– The type of transport determines the right tyre;

– Routes to be covered, both national and international.

If you are looking for truck tyres, do not hesitate to consult Star Truck Tyres. They will assist you in choosing the right tyres for your truck based on your vehicle’s type and purpose.

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