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SafetyProduct

Well-managed tyre maintenance programmes not only reduce the risk of on-road incidents, but save on the cost of ‘rolling rubber’.

Considering the length and mass of the vehicle they carry on a comparably minuscule surface area, truck tyres have a pretty demanding job. Without proper maintenance, they will fail and quite possibly cause the truck to careen out of control with devastating consequences. Truck tyre manufacturers make it their business to assist customers in all matters concerning tyre maintenance, not only to improve CPK, but to ensure safety on the road.

The key focus when it comes to optimising the safe performance of truck tyres is on regular preventative maintenance, both in the service bay and on the road, says Ken Martin, Dunlop Tyres Director Truck. "Drivers and tyre bay personnel have a vital role to play in performing the physical inspections and routine checks that will identify any operational damage or irregular wear that may indicate potential tyre failure. They are at the first line of defence in accident prevention." 

The high frequency of tyre failure on trucks is due to apathy and ignorance, believes Continental Tyre's Rodney Idris: "One of the major difficulties is the apparent apathy towards tyres that we often experience. Being safety critical items, they have to be checked and maintained on a regular basis, just like all other mechanical components on a vehicle."

Understanding rubber is crucial
It is important for all trucking personnel to understand what forces tyres are subjected to, Idris explains, in order to take tyre maintenance seriously. "The modern pneumatic tyre has to withstand huge stresses and forces during its normal operation with loads causing deflection, speed causing the rate of deflection, cornering causing lateral forces, as well as the pounding taken from adverse road conditions." 

Probably the most important aspect of tyre maintenance, says Martin, is inflation pressure management. "Ultimately, it's the air in the tyres that carries the load, so maintaining the correct pressure is a critical component in vehicle safety. Over-inflated tyres affect the handling and steering of truck/trailer combinations and eventually produce severe centre-line wear that can lead to tyre failure. Under-inflated or overloaded tyres produce sluggish steering response and severe shoulder wear."

A more critical factor affecting safety is the excessive heat generated which progressively degrades the casing integrity of the tyre, Martin adds, "leading to separation of the tyre components with the ultimate result a premature and potentially catastrophic tyre failure."

Idris agrees with Martin on the inflation issue. "In transport, it is vital that the correct tyre and the correct cold inflations pressures based on the loads carried be used. This really is the starting point for safe and economical tyre use," he says.

Implementing controls
Like all OEMs, tyre companies invest heavily in research and development, employing the latest technologies to enhance product performance and safety. The latest innovation from Dunlop represents a significant advance in tyre safety, says Martin. "The introduction of a next-generation, cooler running base compound to the cap and base construction process reduces the tyres operational running temperatures in excess of 10% with an obvious impact in tyre safety and performance. There are no shortcuts or cheap routes to stopping the carnage on our roads and from Dunlop Tyres' perspective, the best investments any fleet can make in safety is thorough tyre training for drivers and service personnel and specifying the very best tyres for their operational requirements."

For Idris, "tyre safety will be improved if drivers check their tyres daily and tyre care and maintenance programmes are implemented into operations in a structured fashion in order for an operator to 'grow' with the programme."
 

The lack of tyre management not only results in costly and often fatal tyre failure, but also limits the overall life off the overall ‘fleet rubber’.