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What, in your view, are the “basics” of tire success?
Guy Walenga: “A few years ago, we came up with a little acronym that sums up a lot of important things about tires.
“‘S’ stands for ‘Select the right tire for the job.’
“‘M’ stands for ‘Maintain your tires and vehicles.’
“‘A’ stands for ‘Align your vehicles on a regular basis.’
“‘R’ stands for ‘Rotate tires, if necessary, to equalize wear.’
“‘T’ stands for ‘Track the performance of your tires.’”
Aren’t those things so basic they’re obvious?
“Maybe, but that doesn’t mean those things always get done. We get busy, and we forget. People get promoted, and new people move into their old jobs. Over a period of time, things that were once routine begin to be neglected.
“We get newer, higher-tech products and techniques, and sometimes we forget the value of making sure the basics were done right to begin with.”
Can we look at each letter in a little more detail?
Select the right tire for the job
“Tire selection is critical. Nowadays we have so many different tires, with different tread patterns and different characteristics, that we can be pretty precise in selecting the right one for each job.
“There are steer tires for long distance line haul work, for regional work, for P&D work, and for on/off road operations. The same is true of drive and trailer tires. And that just covers new tires. You then have a host of other choices for retreads.
“The key idea is that the right tire and the right retread is the one that’s going to give you the best results.”
How can we select the right tire?
“Gather your resources. We publish all kinds of literature to help you select the right tires, including catalogs and Data Books. Plus, you have a great resource in your tire dealer and your BCS representative. Ask for advice. Ask what fleets similar to yours in vocation, equipment and location are using.
“And add all that to your own previous experience with tires. Don’t just buy what ‘everybody else’ is buying or whatever is least expensive. In the long run, the cheapest tires are sometimes the most expensive.”
Maintain your tires and vehicles
What are some of the basics of maintenance?
“Make sure your tires are mounted properly. Ask your Bridgestone representative or dealer for a set of our mounting charts, and use them to make sure every tire is concentrically mounted: You may find that some balance problems vanish when the mounting is correct.
“Balance tires and wheels if you need to, but don’t get carried away. Follow TMC’s recommendations on minimum and maximum balance weights.
“Install tires properly on your vehicles. Follow correct procedures, depending on whether you’re installing hub-piloted or stud-piloted wheels and whether you’re installing singles or duals.
“Make sure every tire is properly inflated, not just when it’s installed, but as often as you can. Nothing will make your tires last longer, wear more evenly, be more consistently retreadable or provide superior fuel efficiency than maintaining correct inflation pressure.
“Inspect your tires regularly. Note any irregular wear condition or unusually fast wear. That may be related to the next letter.”
Align your vehicles on a regular basis
“Alignment doesn’t just mean your steer axles. A total vehicle alignment is best, because drive and trailer axle misalignments can create conditions that make it look as though the problem is with your steer axle.
“Irregular wear can be your truck’s way of telling you it’s out of alignment. Learn to recognize the symptoms. Again, your tire dealer or your BCS representative can help, as can resources from TMC and vehicle manufacturers.”
Rotate tires, if necessary, to equalize wear
Is “rotating” tires a good idea?
“It can be. You can use rotation to even out the wear between wheel positions – on drive tires, for example. There may be nothing irregular about the wear, but if one axle wears tires faster than the other, rotation can extend tire life. You may simply need to swap positions, or you may need to cross-rotate to get the best result.
“If you’ve been having irregular wear, it may be possible to ‘scrub’ some of it out by rotating tires. You’ll want to try to find the cause of the irregular wear, of course, but you may be able to extend the life of irregularly worn tires through a rotation scheme.”
And the final letter of “S.M.A.R.T.”?
Track the performance of your tires
“In the end, the only thing that matters is how well your tires perform for you. We’re constantly surprised to find people who don’t keep any records, who rely solely on their memory when it comes to tire performance.
“That’s not scientific at all. Your dealer or your BCS representative can help you set up a tire recordkeeping program. You don’t have to track every single tire – just a representative sample. What you’ll learn can help you make better tire choices, improve your maintenance practices and most important of all, save you time and money.”
Which is kind of a working definition of being “SMART,” isn’t it?
“Absolutely. In trucking, every penny counts. And in today’s environment, that’s more true than ever. Tires have always been a very big part of
fleet operating expenses. Tires and tire care play a significant role in fuel efficiency, another huge issue today. And, a well cared-for casing is the foundation on which a dependable retread is built.
“So, it’s very ‘S.M.A.R.T’ to focus on these basic aspects of tire selection and care, because best practices with your tires can have a significant effect on your bottom line.” |
