The position of truck tires matter

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3 min read

By Kenneth Reily

Heavy
trucks are big vehicles with the main function to transport cargo,
this is mainly done on highways in what is referred to as long haul
transport. A truck will have the cab, which is where the driver will
sit and the cab will connect to the trailer. These trucks haul heavy
loads. Road damage and wear increase very rapidly with the axle
weight, thus they will often have up to six axles, you can also have
double trailer trucks.

The
first axle is the steering axle, which is the most important axle of
the truck. This will need to have the best grip with deep grooves to
be able to channel away water and slush. Stability and good precise
driving is essential.

The
second axle and sometimes also the third, is the drive axle. It is
located in the front of the trailer. These tires will have to
translate the torque to drive the truck. Tires will need to be of
special rubber compound for long service life and need to have low
heat build-up to ensure that the tires will wear evenly and will last
a long time. Also here good grip is needed and low rolling resistance
for good fuel economy.

Finally
you have the trailer tires, which are the last axles on the trailer.
Trailer tires need to take a lot of load and need to be very durable,
you should aim to have good grip on all axles to make the truck is
more stable and to avoid any sway or loss of grip. Puncture resistant
tires ensures also that you don’t have punctures on any of the
tires around the truck.

A
truck, regardless of the position, will need to have durable tires
that have low rolling resistance, while still exhibiting good grip.
The low rolling resistance will guarantee good fuel economy. If you
will experience winter weather during the winter season, you should
equip the truck with winter tires in all the tire positions. Winter
tires
will guarantee that you can drive safely on the highways
without putting anyone in jeopardy. Winter tires should be approved
for winter use and should have the 3MPSF-symbol
on the sidewall. With these tires on the truck you will be able to
more safely drive on the highways when you deliver cargo.

For
better tire economy, truck
tires
are good for retreading as the main wear is coming from
real depleting of the tread hat can be added again, while the other
main parts of the tire should be intact. Retreading of a tire is a
fraction of the price of buying a new tire. Retreaded tires are
nowadays as good as new tires if they are done by a premium tire
manufacturer.

Long
haul tires are made for these long and medium hauls. The ability to
deliver cargo all over the worlds relies as much on the durability of
the truck as well as the durability of the haul tire. You will need
both to deliver a reliable service for long haul delivery.

Published April 4, 2019

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