When it comes to tire inflation, having tires over- or underinflated could spell trouble for a fleet. Tires must have just the right amount of flex. Too much pressure makes the tires more susceptible to being punctured, and too little pressure causes heat buildup and internal structural damage. Either way, no good comes from the wrong amount of pressure.
“Tire condition should be inspected on a regular basis,” says Phil Mosier, manager of commercial tire development for Cooper Tire. Cooper Tire specializes in the design, manufacture, marketing, and sale of passenger car, light truck, medium truck, motorcycle, and racing tires. “And, daily pre-trip and post-trip inflation pressures should be taken.”
Regardless of whether or not a fleet uses TPMS, fleets should still have recommended practices for manually checking tire pressure. This ensures the monitoring system, if specified, is operating accurately.
Furthermore, know when to check the tire pressure. While a vehicle is in operation, it is common for the tires to increase in pressure due to heat, therefore checking the tire pressure should not be done while the vehicle is in operation or within about three hours of tire rest time. The optimal times to check the tire pressure is in the morning or when the tire is cold.
As far as maintaining tire pressure goes, Mosier says, “The two main ingredients to this maintenance are time and diligence.”
Having everyone within the organization on board with performing scheduled and routine maintenance checks is the best way to ensure all tractors and trailers have the proper inflation pressure according to a fleet’s specifications.
Keeping tires at the proper level of inflation means more miles on those tires before they wear out.
“The more miles a tire runs means lower operating costs for the fleet," Mosier explains. "Whether over- or underinflated, the tire’s footprint or contact patch will cause the tire to wear fast and/or create irregular wear which causes the tire to be removed prematurely.”
To keep tires in optimal working condition, here is Mosier’s list of do’s and don’ts for checking tire pressure:
Do:
- Use a quality air pressure gauge
- Check pressures often on all tires
- Match inflation pressure to the loads expected to be carried
Don’t:
- Decrease pressures until the tires have had at least three hours to cool down
- Assume the tires need to be inflated to the maximum inflation listed on the sidewall
