As a semi-truck driver, you know how important road safety is. Nothing is more terrifying than getting into an accident in such a large vehicle, potentially injuring yourself and other drivers. Believe it or not, tire blowouts cause an estimated 30% of semi-truck accidents.
In other words, semi-truck tire repair and preventative maintenance are key. By staying on top of tire truck maintenance, you can reduce the chances of being involved in an accident by almost one-third.
So, what responsibilities should you take? How can you practice better preventative maintenance and who can you call for emergency repairs?
Read on for five essential tips for semi-truck tire repair and preventative maintenance.
1. Stay On Top of Tire Pressure and Wheel Torque
Tire pressure and wheel torque are two factors that you should monitor as frequently as possible. Maintaining proper tire pressure and torque will prevent unnecessary damage while you drive.
If your tire pressure is too low or too high, it will negatively impact your truck’s performance. Tire pressure impacts the load that your truck can safely support and how well your tires can get traction on all types of roads, including wet or snowy roads. While tire pressure monitoring systems and continuous tire inflation systems are a big investment, they can prevent serious accidents.
Before embarking on a long drive, you should also take a moment to check the lug nuts on your wheels and see if they need adjusting. If the torque is too high or too low, your tires can’t function properly, which can lead to some scary breakdowns on the road.
2. Rotate and Align
One of the first things to go on semi-truck tires is the tread. However, this isn’t going to happen at an even pace if you don’t rotate your tires. Because semi-trucks and trailers are so large and carry such heavy cargo, different tires are carrying different weights and, as a result, wear down at different rates.
Rotating your tires regularly (about every 6,000 to 8,000 miles) will help to prevent uneven wear. While it can seem like a hassle, it can save you from having to replace your tires at different times.
Front-end alignment is also crucial and you should have your alignment checked a few times a year. When your tires aren’t aligned the right way, it can cause your truck to be pushed out of a straight line, which can make vehicle control difficult.
3. Practice Good Driving Habits
This one can seem like a no-brainer, but when you’re driving long hours and long distances, it’s easy to forget the importance of good driving habits. First and foremost, you should always stay up to date on the latest longhaul trucking rules and regulations. Not only will legal compliance keep you out of trouble with the law but it will also keep you safe, as these regulations are designed to do.
In addition, remember that your tires are designed to perform in specific ways. Stopping or accelerating abruptly or driving too fast can cause your tires to wear down at a faster rate than they should.
4. Don’t Neglect Small Tire Problems
Whenever you hit the road, make sure that you have a basic semi-truck tire repair kit. Having basic tools like wrenches, tire patches, insert needles, spiral probes, air pumps, brushes, and rasps will enable you to make quick repairs as needed.
Keep in mind, however, that small repairs you make yourself aren’t a long-term stand-in for professional repairs. For example, if you have to make use of a spare tire that doesn’t match the rest of your tires, you shouldn’t drive on that spare any longer than you have to. Mismatched tires, DIY patched tires, and other quick fixes can cause their own problems if they’re relied upon for too long.
Finally, know the basics of semi-truck tire performance. Keep an eye out for early signs that you need tire replacement, like treads that have a depth of over 4/32 of an inch or have been in use for over five years. This kind of knowledge and vigilance can keep you and others safe on the road.
5. Know Who to Call for Emergency Repairs and Tire Replacements
What happens if you do have an emergency when you’re out on the highway? What if you have a blowout that prevents you from safely driving to the next exit and finding a nearby repair shop? When you have an emergency on the road, it’s important that you know who to call for emergency roadside repairs.
Emergency roadside repair services that work for personal vehicles aren’t often equipped to handle semi-truck tires. Your emergency roadside professionals should have years of experience working with semi-trucks and semi-truck tires so that they have the right expertise for the job.
Keating & Sons is proud to offer mobile tire services for semi-truck drivers. Whether you have a roadside emergency or you need a tune-up at home, we can help.
Call Keating & Sons for Semi-Truck Tire Repair and Replacement
Semi-truck tire repair and preventative maintenance is a key part of reducing accidents involving commercial trucks, which can be some of the deadliest. With the help of mobile truck tire repair services, you can keep your truck in great shape and stay safe while making long or short-distance hauls.
Keating & Sons offers 24-hour emergency roadside service for semi-truck drivers. From tire repair to fuel delivery and beyond, we’ve got you covered. Contact us to learn more about how we can keep you safe and your truck up to date.
