We’ve got some great tips for you for maintaining the life of your OTR tyres.
Ensure Optimal Tyre Pressure is Maintained
If your OTR vehicle is fitted with air-filled tyres, it’s important to ensure that they remain inflated to the recommended air pressure.
If the tyres are over inflated they become more susceptible to wear and damage from punctures. If the tyres are under inflated they become more likely to be worn down by heat build up as this increases stress on the tyre.
The recommended tyre pressure is based on the application, load and requirement of your vehicle. It’s essential that you check your tyre pressure regularly. The best time to do this is when your tyres are cold, this would most likely be before you start work for the day.
Rotate Tyres Regularly
You will see benefit from rotating your OTR tyres regularly, (In the real world you would only rotate your tyres once) due to tyres at different positions on your vehicle experiencing different amounts of wear. Therefore, changing the positions of your tyres will extend their service life, by preventing rapid wear in a particular area. We wrote an article about tyre rotation on our blog last week.
Inspect Tyres Regularly
Before operation of your OTR vehicle, inspect your tyres for any signs of irregular wear. This can reduce the risk of major accidents relating to your tyres. Some things that you should especially look out for are uneven tread wear, deep cracks, cuts, bulges and dry rot. Tyre rot can be caused by ozone and washing tyres with TFR (trafic film remover) is very bad for them. It strips the essential oils that keep rubber healthy.
Careful Operation
The way you drive your vehicle can have a significant impact on its tyres. Driving carelessly can lead to increased wear and may result in more downtime. In order to take more care when driving, you should aim to avoid large pot holes and obstacles like large rocks or debris as running over these will increase wear of your tyres and could also result in a puncture. Traveling at a slower speed can also reduce the impact made on your tyres and reduce the risk of skidding which can damage your vehicle.
Use the Same Tyres
No matter how many tyres you have on your vehicle, they all work together to keep it moving. It is therefore important that the tyres all have the same features; such as construction, tread pattern and tread depth. Having a mixture of tyres will increase strain and decrease their performance. You should never mix construction of tyres such as radial and crossply on the same axle.
Do Not Overload Vehicles
Having too big a load on your vehicle increases the amount of stress on its tyres. This causes damage to them due to overheating which may lead to increased downtime of the machinery. You should, therefore, know how much your tyres are capable of carrying and ensure you do not overload your vehicle.
For further technical advice on our we can help you extend the life of your tyres, call us on 01430 425885.
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