To ensure your fleet’s vehicles can safely travel long distances, having a plan to maintain all the tires in your fleet is essential. Fleet tire management is critical because it ensures the safety of your drivers and that cargo gets delivered. Engines always get the top priority for vehicle maintenance, but let’s not neglect the tires!
Fleet tire management can seem complicated as you might not know which components to keep in check. This article will highlight all the necessary steps to conduct tire management. Consider this as your checklist on maintaining and optimizing your fleet tires.
Checking Tire Pressure
Routinely checking your tire pressure is an important step in fleet tire management. Maintaining a proper inflation level in tires makes them last longer.
Overinflating tires makes them more likely to be punctured or damaged. On the other hand, underinflation causes internal structure damage. Therefore, keeping an optimal level of inflation is ideal for good tire management.
Tire pressure can also reduce even if your vehicle is parked, so it’s essential to routinely check the pressure to make sure it’s at the optimal level. Checking your tires weekly is ideal as it decreases the chance of any damage and early tire removal.
Driving Carefully
Being on the wide-open road can make anyone want to drive faster. However, truckers should drive carefully to maintain their tires. This includes running over any object on the road that may seem minuscule compared to your vehicle. Often, drivers might encounter potholes or discarded pieces of tires on their journey. Try to avoid driving over these objects to help your tires last longer.
Conduct Tire Rotation
Fleet vehicles aren’t balanced when hauling or towing a heavy payload, which means that your tires wear down at different points. Tire rotation is helpful because it makes sure that you replace all your tires at approximately the same time.
It is recommended to follow the rotation schedule set out by the tire manufacturer; this could range from 6000-12000 kilometres.
Inspecting Tires
You should inspect your tires after each trip. There are several items on the road, many of which you might not feel as you drive over them. It is vital to conduct tire inspections after each trip to check for such items. Neglecting to check your tires after each trip might cause a tire blow-out.
Maintaining Tire Treads
Treads are one of the most critical components of your tires. Give them careful attention when doing a tire inspection. A good tread maintains road safety and traction. Always check your tire treads for any cuts or tears.
Doing a pre-check of your tires before driving is also a good idea as it reduces the risk of any extra damage. If you’re not sure what to look for during a tire inspection, tire professionals are always willing to do the work for you.
Additional Help
If you feel you might need additional help with maintaining your tires, you can take your fleet vehicle to any truck repair shop in Calgary to get more information and helpful tips on fleet tire management. Truck repair shops can also provide trailer inspections for all heavy-duty trucks and offer any necessary tire repairs.
If you follow the steps mentioned above, your truck’s tires will be well-maintained and last longer. Remember to set a routine to inspect your tires regularly to keep them at an optimal level.
