After enduring the intense heat of the summer, it’s critical to ensure your trailer tires are in peak condition going into the colder months. High temperatures can weaken tires, leading to wear and tear impacting both performance and safety.
By following these essential fall tire maintenance tips, you can extend the life of your tires and keep your fleet running smoothly through the cooler months ahead. Whether it’s checking tread depth or monitoring tire pressure, a few preventive steps now can save you from costly repairs and unsafe road conditions later.
Here are five key tire maintenance practices:
1. Routine Tire Inspections
Fall is the perfect time to develop a habit of routine tire inspections. With summer behind us, check for any visible damage like cuts, punctures, and sidewall bulges that might have worsened from the heat.
“In addition to increasing safety, routine tire inspections also play a big role in a tire’s retreadability,” said Tanya Miracle, director, OE Truck channel, Bridgestone. “Proper tire maintenance helps protect casing health, which in turn allows fleets the ability to retread their tires and extend their tire investment.”
Remember to check the tread depth—worn-out treads reduce traction, and you’ll want to replace the tires before the cooler, potentially slicker fall conditions set in.
Miracle recommends all drivers keep a tread depth gauge handy, saying: “With this simple tool, drivers can measure and match tires by tread depth, keeping diameters matched and wear even.”
If you don’t have a proper tread depth gauge on hand, you can use a penny, in a pinch. Insert a penny into the tread with Lincoln’s head upside down—if his head is fully visible, it’s a good time to replace the tire.
If you notice uneven wear patterns on the edges or center of the tire, your tires may have been improperly inflated over the summer. If you notice feathering or cupping, it may be the result of an issue with either suspension or steering components. Be sure to correct those issues now before heading into fall.
2. Rotate Your Tires
Maintaining a regular tire rotation schedule (every 5,000-7,000 miles) helps extend the life of your tires and ensures even wear. Since the summer’s heat may have caused extra stress on your tires, a rotation can help reset the wear pattern, preparing your tires for the changing weather.
For fleets with dual tire configurations, make sure the tires on each wheel end match in size and diameter to prevent uneven load distribution, which could lead to increased wear.
3. Keep an Eye on Tire Pressure
It’s still crucial to monitor tire pressure regularly. Summer heat may have expanded the air inside your tires, so be sure to adjust tire pressure now that the temperatures are cooling. Tire pressure can decrease as the air cools, so underinflation is a risk if you don’t check it frequently.
“Underinflation not only impacts safety but also a fleet’s total cost of ownership. Underinflated tires can cause uneven wear, early removal, and deterioration of casing health,” Miracle said.
Consult the recommended load/inflation tables to ensure your tire pressure is properly aligned with your load and ambient conditions as fall sets in.
4. Invest in Proper Tools for Tire Monitoring
Proper tire inflation is important to tire performance, safety, and longevity. Underinflated tires can generate excess heat and reduce fuel efficiency, while overinflated tires can lead to a harsher ride and uneven wear.
There is no “one-PSI-fits-all” when it comes to tire inflation. It may be tempting to set each trailer tire at an inflation pressure of 100 PSI and call it a day, but it’s best to check your tire company load/inflation tables that identify proper tire pressure for a given load, depending on whether the tire is being run as a single or dual. This will help you keep your tires at the proper PSI for longer durability.
Invest in a good tire pressure gauge, or better yet, consider a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), which gives you real-time tire pressure updates.
5. Manage Heat Exposure and Store Tires Properly
Though we’ve survived summer’s heat, tire damage from high temperatures might still linger into fall. Tire rubber begins to deteriorate when internal temperatures reach around 200°F, so it’s important to store trailers in shaded or cool areas. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can also lead to faster deterioration and increased tire pressure.
Rubber deterioration and tire separation lead to tire failure and a lot of money lost when dealing with the ramifications of an unsafe emergency roadside stop.
When possible, store your trailers in a shaded or cool area to help mitigate the effects of heat on your trailer tires. Also, clean your trailer tires regularly to remove debris and maintain their condition.
As you prepare for the cooler months, keep your tires clean and free of debris, which can help prevent any further damage caused by wear during the summer heat.
The Bottom Line
Now that summer’s heat is behind us, it’s time to focus on ensuring your tires are ready for the demands of fall. By incorporating these best practices—regular tire inspections, rotations, proper inflation—into your maintenance routine, you’ll not only extend the life of your tires but also ensure your fleet remains safe and efficient.
“If any driver or fleet ever needs tire assistance, Bridgestone is always available and ready to help,” Miracle added. “The Bridgestone Commercial Dealer Network is one of the largest in the country, allowing our company to meet Great Dane drivers and fleets where they are with the resources they need.”
Don’t wait for issues to arise—prepare your trailer tires for the cooler months ahead, providing a smooth and safe journey.
Need help preparing your fleet for fall? Contact us today for expert trailer tire maintenance.
