Tire Tips Sponsored by Michelin Tires  
uneven wear

A:You are running too much air pressure in your tires for the load. When radial tires are overinflated, the shoulders tend to lift. This causes the center ribs to be the main contact for the road surface and makes them wear faster. If your tires were underinflated, they would wear more rapidly on the shoulder.

Q:What’s the best way to check the air pressure in my tires – and how often should I do this?

A:First, you need to determine the amount of air pressure necessary for the load you will carry. Get your truck weighed and adjust the pressure for the load. You should vary the pressures when you have a full load versus an empty load. You should also do a pre-trip inspection before each trip and check air pressures at that time. Check your tire air pressure as part of the pre-trip inspection. To do that, you need a good air pressure gauge, so invest in one and get it calibrated regularly. Be sure to check your inside dual with an extension for your gauge or a special gauge made for checking inside duals. You should check your tires when they are cold – that is not hot from operating. Never “bleed” air out of a hot tire.

Q:I have been running the new wide single tires on my rig, both tractor and trailer, and have wondered if I can put duals on one side of an axle and a wide single tire on the other if I have a problem. Is this possible?

A:Yes -- you can mount a set of duals on one axle end and a wide single on the other end in the event of a problem with the wide single. Of course, this set-up is not ideal and may affect the fuel savings you realize with the wide singles.
Q:Nearly every day, during my drives for a large trucking fleet, I see “gators” on the side of the road. Are these chunks of tread largely from retreads?

A:Recent extensive studies by the Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) and the International Tire Retreaders Association (ITRA) show that the gators you see are from tires that are, for the most part, underinflated. That applies to new and retreaded tires. Drivers who maintain the proper air pressure in their tires won’t have this problem.