Mar. 07, 2024
Automobiles & Motorcycles
How long do truck tires last? This is a common question we hear from drivers on the road who want to ensure that they are keeping their semi-truck in top condition and getting the most for their miles. The condition of your tires can impact quite a few things, from how smooth your ride is to your fuel efficiency. Keeping your tires well maintained lowers your risk of accidents on the road, helps you get more miles per gallon when you fill up at the pump, and more. So, how long do semi-truck tires last and how do you know when it is time to get a new set? Follow these tips, from the experts at LubeZone Truck Lube Center.
It’s important to know that if one part of your tire becomes compromised you will need to replace the tire for your safety, as well as the safety of others on the road. Experts recommend replacing your tires in sets, as sets with uneven treads can cause your truck to ride more roughly.
You should never keep tires on your truck for longer than six years, though the average lifespan of a semi-truck tire is anywhere from three to six years if they remain in good condition. If you are going by mileage, experts generally recommend that you replace your tires anywhere from every 25,000 miles to every 75,000 miles. Numerous things will impact how long you can go without changing your tires.
When asking how long do truck tires last, you must pay close attention to several things. First, make sure that you get routine truck tire service near you to check for anything that may be wrong. Tires can develop air bubbles or cracks that damage their integrity. They can also get small holes in them that cause slow leaks, which can lead to blowouts and deadly accidents. If your tires are cracked or get bubbles in them you will need to replace them.
Other elements that impact how long your semi-truck tires will last include:
There are several factors that impact the lifespan of your tires, but first it’s important to know a little bit about the anatomy of your tires and why they’re so important. Your tires are more than just a thick rubber. Semi-truck tires are made up of up to seven different layers that can comprise more than 200 different materials. They’re extremely complex by design, as they carry large and often expensive loads.
Not only are semi-truck tires made up of synthetic and natural rubber, but they also contain chemicals like sulfur and zinc oxide that help with things such as traction and rolling resistance on the road. Additionally, fillers such as carbon black and silica make your tires stronger than just rubber alone, and then metallic and textile reinforcements are added to help provide shape and more strength. Common reinforcements include rayon, wires, nylon, and polyester.
These materials are formulated to create each of the seven layers in semi-truck tires. The seven layers are as follows.
Ensuring that your tires are properly maintained, have the appropriate air levels, and are in good condition is essential to your safety as well as the safety of other drivers. Tire blowouts can cause deadly accidents and the most common causes are tires that have damage, tires that are improperly inflated, and tires that are worn out and too old.
When you come into LubeZone Truck Lube Center, we can check the air pressure in your tires each time to ensure that they meet manufacturer requirements. It is important that your tires have the proper amount of air in them to ride smoothly, get the most out of your fuel mileage, and maintain their shape and form to prevent blowouts.
Having your tires checked by professionals at each routine stop can help you increase their lifespan, saving money on frequent replacements due to premature wear and tear. When asking how long do truck tires last, taking routine checks and maintenance into consideration is key. In addition to tire air pressure checks, at our Baytown, Texas location LubeZone Truck Lube Center offers an alignment service as well.
LubeZone Truck Lube Center is the go-to for semi-truck preventative maintenance. Not only do we perform full-service oil changes in 40 minutes or less, but we can also conduct tire air pressure checks among other services such as oil analysis and air filter replacements. Additionally, we offer Department of Transportation certified inspections and state inspections at select locations.
With eleven locations across four states, and still growing, LubeZone Truck Lube Center facilities are located along major interstates near convenient truck stops, shopping plazas, restaurants, and more.
Product Service Information Bulletin PSIB 06-02
Tire Maximum Service Life for Passenger Car and Light Truck Tires
The tire industry has long recognized the consumers' role in the regular care and maintenance of their tires. The point at which a tire is replaced is a decision for which the owner of the tire is responsible. The tire owner should consider factors to include service conditions, maintenance history, storage conditions, visual inspections, and dynamic performance. The consumer should consult a tire service professional with any questions about tire service life. The following information and recommendations are made to aid in assessing the point of maximum service life.
Tires are designed and built to provide many thousands of miles of excellent service. For maximum benefit, tires must be maintained properly to avoid tire damage and abuse that may result in tire disablement. The service life of a tire is a cumulative function of the storage, stowing, rotation and service conditions, which a tire is subjected to throughout its life (load, speed, inflation pressure, road hazard injury, etc.). Since service conditions vary widely, accurately predicting the service life of any specific tire in chronological time is not possible.
The Consumer Plays an Important Role in Tire Maintenance
Tires should be removed from service for numerous reasons, including tread worn down to minimum depth, damage or abuse (punctures, cuts, impacts, cracks, bulges, underinflation, overloading, etc). For these reasons tires, including spares, must be inspected routinely, i.e., at least once a month. Regular inspection becomes particularly important the longer a tire is kept in service. If tire damage is suspected or found, Continental recommends that the consumer have the tire inspected by a tire service professional. Consumers should use this consultation to determine if the tires can continue in service. It is recommended that spare tires be inspected at the same time. This routine inspection should occur whether or not the vehicle is equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).
Additional reading:
Consumers are strongly encouraged to be aware of their tires' visual condition. Also, they should be alert for any change in dynamic performance such as increased air loss, noise or vibration. Such changes could be an indicator that one or more of the tires should be immediately removed from service to prevent a tire disablement. Also, the consumer should be the first to recognize a severe in-service impact to a tire and to ensure that the tire is inspected immediately thereafter.
Tire storage, stowage and rotation are also important to the service life of the tire. More information regarding proper storage, stowage and rotation is located in other Continental publications, which are available upon request and through its websites.
Tire Service Life Recommendation
Continental is unaware of any technical data that supports a specific tire age for removal from service. However, as with other members of the tire and automotive industries, Continental recommends that all tires (including spare tires) that were manufactured more than ten (10) years previous be removed from service and be replaced with new tires, even when tires appear to be usable from their external appearance and if the tread depth may have not reached the minimum wear out depth. Vehicle manufacturers may recommend a different chronological age at which a tire should be replaced based on their understanding of the specific vehicle application; Continental recommends that any such instruction be followed. Consumers should note that most tires would have to be removed for tread wear-out or other causes before any proscribed removal period. A stated removal period in no way reduces the consumer's responsibility to replace tires as needed.
The Chronological Age of the Tires
The chronological age of any tire can be found on the tire sidewall by examining the characters following the symbol "DOT".
For tires manufactured after the year 1999, the last four numbers identify the date of manufacture of the tire to the nearest week. The first two of these four numbers identify the week of manufacture (which range from "01" to "52"). The last two numbers identify the year of manufacture (e.g., a tire with the information "DOT XXXXXX2703" was manufactured in the 27th week of 2003).
For tires manufactured prior to the year 2000, three numbers instead of four indicate the date of manufacture. Also, during the early 1990's, Continental added a triangle (◄) to the end of the character string to distinguish a tire built in the 1990's from previous decades (e.g., a tire with the information "DOT XXXXXX274◄" was manufactured in the 27th week of 1994).
Please note: This document supersedes PSIB 05 - 02
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