Friday 21 February 2014

5 Ways to Maintain Your Truck Tyres and Avoid Damage


Heavy Combination Truck driver training
The maintenance of your equipment is extremely important when you are driving a truck, and truck maintenance is something you will learn about when you take MC Truck driver training Brisbane. When driving a truck, your truck’s tyres are very important and have a lot to do with your safety on the road. Since they are the main point of contact between the road and the truck, they can quickly get a lot of wear and tear, especially if you are carrying heavy loads.

Why is Tyre Maintenance so Important?

Before looking at the ways you can maintain your truck tyres to avoid damage, you may be wondering why tyre maintenance is so important. The tyres are critical to the way that your truck operates. For example, if you have a tyre that is underinflated, it could end up being extremely difficult to steer your truck. Underinflating a tyre can lead to increased stress and heat on the tyre. This can then cause the tyre to rip apart, causing a severe safety problem. Tyres that are not properly maintained may also end up shedding rubber chunks as you are driving down the road, which can be problematic as well. Maintaining your tyres can keep you, and other drivers, safe and it is an important lesson to take away from your MC driver training Brisbane school.

Check Tyres before Driving

One of the best ways to maintain your truck tyres and avoid damage to them is to make sure that you check tyres before you begin driving. More than likely, when you took your Heavy Combination Truck driver training at Brisbane Truck driving School, you learned that it is important to check your vehicle before you drive it. When you check your truck, make sure that you check the tyres. Look carefully at each tyre, looking to see if there are any problems, such as a bulging sidewall, separated tread or a tyre that is misaligned.

Check Tyre Pressure

The tyre pressure should be checked on a regular basis. Ensure that you know the right level of inflation for your tyres so you can find out if they are at the correct tyre pressure. If you find that a tyre has less than 80% of the recommended pressure, the tyre may have a serious problem that needs to be addressed.

Ensure You Have the Right Tyres

Of course, having the right tyres on your truck is also important. You probably have learned that different truck axles may need different tyres, something that may have come up in your Multi Combination driver training Brisbane class. The steering axle requires tyres that can easily grip the road to give you good steering control. Another thing you may have learned in your MC driver training Brisbane is the importance of ensuring that your tyre can support enough weight. While a tyre that supports less weight may be cheaper, if it is not able to support enough weight, you may overload it and end up blowing it out while you are driving.

Follow Good Driving Habits

Your driving habits are also important when it comes to maintaining truck tyres. You can make your tyres last a lot longer by making sure you drive at safe speeds. No doubt, your MC driver training Brisbane Truck School taught you the importance of driving at a safe speed, but you may not have realised that doing so will extend the life of your tyres. Faster speeds may make your tyres wear out faster.

Avoid Obstacles

It is important to avoid obstacles on the road, since obstacles can seriously damage your tyres. Obstacles in the road, such as debris and potholes, can be devastating to your tyres. Not only is it important to avoid obstacles, but be careful when parking as well. Avoid running into curbs, since they can unseat your tyre’s sidewall from the wheel or end up tearing out the sidewall.

If you fail to maintain your tyres, not only can it lead to expensive repairs, but it could lead to an accident as well. While your HC driver training should teach you about proper truck tyre maintenance, above were a few tips to remember when you are ready to head out on the road.