There’s a lot that can go wrong with commercial truck tires on the road. However, most of the time, your tires will be showing you clear warning signs well before they fail. Paying attention to these indicators can provide you plenty of forewarning it might just be time for some new truck tires or to look at tire retreading.
Whenever you’re inspecting your tires, these are the most critical warning signs to watch out for.
Four Signs It’s Time for Tire Replacement or Tire Retreading
1– Impairment From Under- or Over-Inflation
Improper tire inflation can sometimes be fixed simply by adjusting the air levels, but when driven on for too long, it can quickly lead to significant damage to the tires themselves. If they’ve been under-inflated, you’ll see undue wear around the edges but little wear in the center of the tread. When they’re over-inflated, it’s the opposite, with the middle of the tread worn down. Once the damage becomes visible, they’re unsafe to drive on. Also, under-inflation will degrade the belt package and sidewalls, which can lead to a blowout.
2- Impact of Bad Alignment
When your steering tires are poorly-aligned, it will cause them to both show unusual wear patterns. This generally manifests as either toe-in or toe-out. It’s toe-in when there’s too much wear on the outer edge, and toe-out when the wear is on the inner edge. Either way, this quickly leads to dangerous situations due to a weakening of the affected edge.
3- Result of A Poor or Broken Suspension
If your suspension is having issues, that will eventually present uneven wear patterns. The wear may weave back and forth over the tire or be isolated in one place. There will also be different wear patterns on each tire. If you observe these indications, you’ll need to fix your tires and your suspension before too long.
4- Damage Caused By Hitting Roadway Debris
Left behind or caused by other drivers, roadway debris can cause big problems. Whenever a truck runs over roadway debris, even if it seems minor, drivers should always stop and double-check the condition of their tires. Otherwise, it’s basically playing Russian Roulette. Did the debris cause damage or puncture the tire? You won’t know unless/until they fail.
STTC Can Fix Your Tires for Less
Our tire retreading services are economical both in terms of cost and time commitment and can greatly extend the lifespan of your tires. Contact us to learn more, or come visit one of our many locations!
