The Six Critical Factors Impacting Your Fleet’s Tire Health
You want to get as many miles out of your fleet’s tires as possible, right? But tires average fleets 1.9 cents per mile, which definitely adds up down the road. So, Bauer Built took a strategic look at the circumstances creating the greatest impact on tires, which in turn, cost you money, and has defined the six most critical factors essential to maximizing tire life and reducing maintenance and replacement expenses.
Low Air Pressure
Under-inflation is the number one cause of premature tire wear, and is the biggest problem in the industry. With today’s advanced radial casings, eyeballing it just doesn’t work anymore. And depending on the load, a truck tire can be as low as 60 PSI before it “looks” underinflated. But checking with a tire gauge takes time and isn’t particularly accurate. Yet, if your tires are off by only 10 PSI, you can sustain a 7% to 15% loss of tread while causing premature casing fatigue.
High Air Pressure
Over-inflated tires also escalate tread wear while increasing the likelihood of having impact breaks. Too much air pressure also raises the probability of casing damage by 5%.
Missing Valve Caps
If you have low air pressure, you probably have a missing valve cap. These caps keep debris out of the core and act as a secondary seal if the valve core leaks. A $5 valve cap can help prevent a 50% chance of a 10 PSI or greater loss of air.
Dual Mismatch Air Pressure
Dual mismatched air pressure from tire to tire can result in permanent irregular tread wear patterns within just a few weeks. In addition, the tire with more air pressure becomes over-fatigued from bearing more of a vehicle’s weight.
Dual Mismatch Tread Depths
Dual mismatched tread depths or differences in tire heights will also, within weeks, result in irregular wear patterns. Again, the larger tire is more fatigued, which not only affects the tire, but will also result in an acceleration of premature casing failure.
Irregular Wear
Irregular tire wear is costly to your fleet. However, correct toe and axle alignment, along with the proper air pressure, of course, can prevent 95% of irregular wear. With a minimal investment in equipment, toe drive and trailer axle alignments can be performed regularly.
To optimize tire life and wear, it is imperative to monitor the health of each and every tire in your fleet – an overwhelming task, no doubt. But Bauer Built’s Fleet Added Value services not only help you maintain all the tires in your fleet, but understands the factors which will keep your tires on the road longer.
Contact us today to learn more!
Categories: Bauer Built Blog, Tire Care Tips
