To mitigate the potential cost of replacing tires at less than optimal intervals and the potential safety risks in using worn tires, it’s important you learn more about the tire wearing process. Our tire retreading experts have decades of experience within the industry and we can help guide you in understanding more about the factors that influence the performance and wear of the latest tires. In this latest post, we’ll explain more about the factors influencing tire wear.
Air Pressure
We know that underinflating a tire by 15% equals approximately an 8% decrease in expected mileage. This means companies can save thousands of dollars a year through optimal tire inflation. Under inflation of 10 PSI can cause tires to wear out 20% faster than average. Companies must, therefore, educate their drivers on the importance of proper tire inflation to ensure a lasting return on the investment in their tires.
Tread size
Another reason that it’s so important to work with recognized tire retreading experts when seeking out new tires for fleet vehicles is the impact of tread size. The data shows that for every size that a tread is undersized from the recommended width, the mileage for the tire is reduced by 10%.
Alignment
We know from the leading fleet studies that misaligned drive and trailer axles can cause dog-legging, which pulls the vehicle in an irregular motion and causes rapid wear of the tires. Toe alignment also greatly effects tire wear. A setting just 1/16th of an inch off will make the tires travel sideways for about 150 feet of every mile.
High torque
While high torque can increase the power of the vehicle, it can also impact the level of wear on the tires. The latest big diesel engines have upwards of 900 cubic meters of displacement via 6 cylinders and can generate up-to 2,000lbs of torque. This increases the stress, deflection, and deformation of the tire over time. And so it’s critical to consider the balance between high-torque vehicles and optimal tire performance for effective fleet management.
Our tire retreading experts can work with your fleet to determine the factors influencing tire wear. We have decades of experience in the industry and can help guide you in optimizing fleet performance and tire value for the coming years. To discover more about this important operational topic, please call us today.
