Drive Wheel tires are of prime importance in Semi Truck Trailers. They are located on the truck cab’s rear axle immediately before the trailer and are powered by the transmission to propel the forward movement of the Truck along with the load. The primary goal of the Drive wheel tires is to maximize traction; hence, they are designed accordingly. They generally have a relatively deeper tread depth & are associated with lug-head / lug type /siped tread design. Drive Wheel tires are also prone to stone retention, so selecting the tread design as per the route, load and application are highly recommended. This not only protects tread or casing from stone damage by effectively releasing it but also provides the optimum traction and road adherence required to start and stop the vehicle safely and efficiently in all weather conditions.
Some of the other essential tire conditions that need monitoring/corrections to improve the Drive wheel tirelife substantially are:-
When a vehicle operates on rough surfaces and the tire tread compound is not best suited for the application, it tends to develop numerous cuts on the surface of the tread. Prolong usage may result in the removal of tread from places, giving a rough appearance to the tire. So to avoid multiple cust /chunking in your drive wheel tires, select the tire as per your application.
At times Drive wheel Tires come in direct contact with vehicle components (mud flap brackets, bumpers) and develop cuts or lines 360 degrees around the tire. The continuous spinning of the tires on ice or loose road surface can also result in Tire spin damage. Proper review and driver practice can help to avoid the Damage and decrease the chances of premature failure of Drive wheel Tires.
Sometimes new brakes (not worn in), an unbalanced brake system, frozen brake lines, and driver abuse leads to the development of localized spot of excessive wear across the tread face showing abrasion marks. At times this Damage may travel to the casing of Drive Wheel Tires, thereby reducing the tire life substantially. This situation is easily avoidable by checking brake assembly periodically.
Vehicles that operate on the gravel surface and have either overinflated or misapplication Drive wheel Tiresare subjected to get stones or gravel embedded between tread blocks, and if they are not timely removed, then they may penetrate into the steel belt and damage the tire casing. Removing stones and maintaining proper inflation pressure before returning to service can reduce the chances of stone retention/ drilling substantially.
Heel and toe wear of the tire is one of the common phenomena that drastically reduces the life of the Drive wheel Tire.Under this condition, each lug around the tire is worn high to low from front to back edge. Some of the probable easily addressable causes are mismatched inflation pressure or tire diameters in a dual assembly, High torque conditions and mountainous terrains. High inflation pressures in Tires further tend to aggravate this condition and should be controlled.
Alternate lug wear /cupping of the tire is yet another common phenomenon resulting from mechanical problems and improper inflation pressure. Needless to say, it drastically reduces the life of the Drive wheel Tire.This condition is easily manageable by controlling the mismatched inflation pressure or tire diameters in a dual assembly and maintaining the suspension components.
Fleet owners and customers can log on to Maestrotire and book a virtual meeting with our tire expert to learn more about tire selection and discuss their specific fleet case to Make Drive Wheel Tires of Semi Truck Trailers Last Long!
