Insights on proper tire maintenance, safety for fleets
Tire Industry Association chief technical officer details ways to support tie lifecycles
As we head into less temperate seasons, it’s as good a time as any to talk tires. We checked in with the Tire Industry Association’s (TIA) Chief Technical Officer, Kevin Rohlwing, for some expert insights on crucial maintenance and safety practices, as well as some of the key issues TIA has been keeping its eye on.
Inflation Pressure Maintenance: The Most Important Component for a Fleet Tire Program
There’s a direct causal link between improper inflation and irregular tread ware and roadside failures.
“Tire pressure should be checked first thing in the morning when temperatures are the lowest, and at least once a month,”
– Rohlwing advises.
Alignment Is Also a Major Culprit for Tire Wear
Improper front-end alignment causes premature wear on steer tires and improper drive axle alignment affects both steer and drive tire wear.
Proper Tire Mounting is Critical
Correct tire mounting, Rohlwing says, ensures concentric bead seating, which means that the tire is centered properly on the rim. “If the distance between the molded ribs on the lower sidewall and the rim flange varies, the beads are not centered on the tire, which causes irregular wear.
Be Mindful of Mismatched Duals
As a rule, there should be no more than a 4/32 difference in tread depth for dual tires. “The larger tire carries more of the weight and the smaller tire skips to keep up,” Rohlwing explains.
Safety First When Inflating Tires
Using the proper equipment and remaining outside the trajectory of the sidewall are critical steps to take during tire inflation.
Use the Right Equipment to Lift Vehicles, As Well
TIA advocates using lock out/tag out devices and jack stands when lifting the vehicle for tire servicing.
“Technicians are still suffering serious and fatal injuries when a driver moves a vehicle that is being serviced, so the lock-out/tag-out devices warn drivers that a vehicle is being serviced so it cannot be moved,” Rohlwing notes. “Using a hydraulic jack without a jack stand is incredibly dangerous because the jack can fail or slip, causing the vehicle to crash to the ground.
With the jack stand, the load is mechanically locked out so it remains stable.
“Most serious and fatal accidents involving truck tires involve inflation and lifting,” Rohlwing points out, “so TIA is always focused on those areas in our training programs.”
…And the Right People
It seems like a no-brainer, but it’s important to never make assumptions: only people who are properly trained should service truck tires.
“OSHA requires training for employees who demount, mount, inflate, deflate, install, remove and handle truck tires,” Rohlwing says, “which means most maintenance personnel are required by law to have proper training.”
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