Is there any way to decrease road hazard damage?

Not all of it. Chances are, we will have potholes, rocks and nails always with us. Not to mention the other, incredibly diverse collection of debris on our roads.

But examining your scrap can suggest some ways to minimize road hazard damage in the future.
Over roughly 15 years, Jerry Lokey of TDS in Nashville has been collecting objects found in damaged tires – everything from railroad spikes to Leatherman® tools to unfired bullets.

Over roughly 15 years, Jerry Lokey of TDS in Nashville has been collecting objects found in damaged tires - everything from railroad spikes to Leatherman® tools to unfired bullets.

How is that?

As you examine each scrap tire, check to see what kinds of road hazards you’re encountering. We can divide them into “inevitable” and “preventable.”

For example, one of the most common types of tire damage is to sidewalls, resulting from close encounters of the abrasive kind – with curbstones.

Isn’t that the driver’s fault?

Probably most sidewall damage could be prevented by more careful driving, but when your drivers have to take a truck, especially a 53-footer, through the narrow streets and heavy traffic of a city, even the best are going to scuff sidewalls occasionally.

This can happen on any wheel position, but it’s very common on both steer and trailer tires.

Sidewall cuts like these might not even cause the tire to lose air. But they can result in rusted body ply cords, which could eventually make the tire unrepairable.

What can we do about it?

One thing that can help is a tire with sidewall protector ribs. Bridgestone radials with the letter “F” in their model names, like the R250F and R187F (for steer axles), the M724F and M726F (for drives) and the R194F (for trailers) have a thick rib that can help shield vulnerable sidewalls from cuts and abrasion.

And, both sides of the tire have ribs, so if you wear one away, you can flip the tire over for continuing protection.

There’s even a wide base, all-position, on/off-highway radial, the M844F, with sidewall protection, often used by fleets that do construction work.

Bridgestone radials with the letter “F” in their model designation, like the R250F shown here, have special ribs on both sidewalls to fight damage from curbing, cuts and abrasions.

A lot of our construction site damage is in the tread area.

Some people think that if they don’t go off-road very much, they can use a regular, on-highway tire.

Maybe. Maybe not. It depends on the type of off-road work. If you run across the dreaded “caliche” rock of the southwest, even occasionally, you may want the tough tread and enveloping power of an on/off-highway tire.

Enveloping power?

On/off-highway tires are made more flexible in the belt area, so that as they roll over a rock or other hazard, the tire can change shape and “envelop,” rather than resist the hazard.

Sometimes, as in life, it’s better to give a little and survive, rather than resist and break. So, we see that selecting the right tire can help reduce the amount of “misfortune” you may encounter.

Experience will have to guide you, but even if only 10 percent of your work is off the highway, you may benefit from on/off-highway tires.

On/off-highway radials envelop obstacles to withstand tread cutting and punctures.

On-highway radials have stiffer casings for less heat build-up and better control at highway speeds.

Is there anything we can do about on-highway punctures?

Probably not much. Though there are some things to consider: One is how much time you’re spending in “the nail lane.”

“The nail lane”?

Actually, there are two. One is the shoulder of the road, and the other is the inside, near the median. Many emergency vehicles run in these lanes during emergencies.

Unfortunately, these are the two lanes where most of the nails and other road hazards end up, after being kicked aside by traffic. Both nail lanes are prime places to get a flat. Not much you can do about it, of course, but it may be why some of your vehicles have more punctures than others.

What else can we do to reduce road hazard damage?

Once again, we’re going to recommend careful monitoring of your inflation pressures. As with tread wear, traction, fuel economy and handling, the best air pressure is neither too high nor too low.

How does inflation pressure affect flats?

If inflation pressure is too low, tires can actually be more susceptible to punctures. A good deal of the resistance of modern radial tires to punctures has to do with their steel belts. But air also gives the tire the proper stiffness to deflect road hazards.

Damage like this probably came from a sharp chunk of steel in the roadway, and underinflation may have caused the tire sidewall to bulge too much, making it more susceptible to damage.

And inflation pressure that’s too high?

Just as the tire may not be stiff enough, it can also be too stiff. A tire is not a balloon. The volume of the air chamber is about the same, regardless of the pressure. So, if you overinflate your tires, they become very stiff.

If you then encounter a road hazard, like the edge of a pothole, you can get an “impact break,” where the belts and casing may be torn through, causing instant air loss.

Typically, you see a long opening, parallel to the body ply cords. The power of the sudden air loss actually pushes torn pieces of belt out through the break. These torn, angled pieces of belt produce the “rabbit ear” effect often seen on scrap tires.

This tire may have been overinflated, suffering an impact break as a result of hitting a pothole. Notice how broken cords and torn belts are pushed out through the tread, creating the characteristic “rabbit ear” pattern.

So not all misfortune is really “misfortune”?

That’s right. Proper selection, a solid maintenance program and periodic inspection of tires before they hit the scrap pile can help turn more of them into “victors” and fewer into “victims.”