Tires that are developed for light travel cannot work properly for heavy workloads or long travels. When it comes to heavy trucks, only heavy-duty tires will suffice. They are engineered to provide smoother and reliable road trips across long distances and on difficult roads. This guide introduces you to the key characteristics expected of these tires and additional points that you should know about them.
Key Characteristics of Heavy Truck Tires
Some of the key characteristics that you should expect from the right tires for your heavy trucks are as follows:
Excellent Road Handling
Heavy-duty tires are designed to provide excellent road handling. They have unique designs and characteristics that cause less sway or role. This makes them perfect for handling uneven and difficult roads. Some of the design features that help in this regard include:
- Increase in wheel diameter
- Reduced tire sidewalls
- Overall tire height
The overall result is greater stability on all kinds of roads.
High Durability & Resistance to Wear
Heavy truck tires are highly durable and have high wear resistance. This makes them perfect for:
- Handling the heavy weight of the truck and the workloads
- Travelling long distances regularly
They feature a low heat-generation curve, which reduces their chances of failure.
High Carrying Capacity
Heavy truck tires have thicker tread wheels. They have a greater carrying capacity than normal tires. This capacity can be changed without the need for changing the wheel size. The higher capacity brings further reliability for long-distance travel.
Better Adhesion & Traction
These tires tend to shave higher rigidity. This provides better stability. Another advantage is the improved transmission of power to the road surface. It is this property that provides trucks with better handling characteristics on corners. This further translates into better handling of stiff turns. Trucks carry much more loads and face different types of forces. This property in truck tires plays a big role in providing resistance against those forces.
Besides these features, heavy-duty tires also have better sound deadening properties. This reduces the problem of the sound emitted by truck tires. This is achieved by using specific materials in tire manufacturing that decrease the noise.
Points to Know about Heavy Truck Tires
If you want to get the best out of your trucking experience, it is important to know more about heavy truck tires. The following points can act as tips to help you improve your experience whether you have a single truck or a fleet of trucks.
- Proper Inflation: Under-inflated tires tend to get overheated because of excess sidewall flex. Heat is an even greater problem for heavy-duty tires. Under-inflated tires also affect fuel economy.
- Air Leakage: After a month, most tires are likely to leak up to 1.5 pounds of air pressure. This is caused due to the natural permeation of air across the rubber. So, make sure to check and refill air regularly.
- Tires Matching: If you need to replace even a single tire on your truck, it is important that you replace all the tires together. The condition of all the other tires doesn’t matter. Otherwise, there will be a mismatch in the tread depths and can affect the differential.
- Break-in Period: Heavy truck tires also have break-in periods. When tires are made in moulds, a type of release lubricant is used during the process. This lubricant should wear off before your new tires can start performing to their true capabilities. It is best to drive the first few hundred miles following easy acceleration and braking, and smoother cornering.
Thus, heavy truck tires have many unique characteristics. Make sure to follow the tips given here to get the most out of them. It is also important to get your truck checked regularly by experienced and licensed truck mechanics that are specialized in handling your vehicle. Regular and timely maintenance can go a long way in increasing your vehicle’s lifespan and making you big savings in the long-term.
