Regular maintenance and repairs are an integral aspect of truck ownership. You want to be sure that your truck performs safely at all times and won’t let you down. That means being proactive when it comes to looking after key parts such as tires.

Commercial truck tires have a more punishing schedule than domestic tires and if any aspect of their maintenance has been overlooked, such as not checking inflation levels regularly, or measuring tread depth, it could have safety and performance consequences.

Fitting the best quality tires available is a sensible strategy. If you search for durable aftermarket international truck parts you will be able to find all the components you need to keep your truck on the road and in good shape.

With regard to tire problems, in particular, here is a look at some of the main issues and how to avoid them.

Maintaining the correct tire pressures is critical

A common issue that impacts more truck drivers than necessary is when their vehicle is running on tires that are incorrectly inflated.

When your tires are incorrectly inflated it creates a range of safety and driving performance problems.

Your truck will not be able to perform to its full capabilities when the tire pressures are wrong. In addition, when tires are not properly inflated it leads to uneven wear. That means you could end up replacing tires at a faster rate due to poor maintenance and failing to check pressures regularly.

It is worth remembering that a typical truck tire will lose about 2% of air pressure every 30 days. Changes in temperature and worn valve stems are also contributory factors that can lead to underinflation.

Check your tires every week. Maintaining the right tire pressure will save you money and make you safer on the road.

Are you running on mismatched tires?

Another common problem that can be avoided is when you are running on mismatched tires.

Having trailer tires in dual positions that are mismatched will result in premature wear and increased maintenance costs.

Check the tread depth for each tire to see if they closely match. You should also avoid using tires from different manufacturers. Using tires that are made by the same manufacturer and have an equal tread depth and wear profile will help avoid problems with this issue.

Look for signs of mechanical problems

Your truck tires could provide vital information about a potential mechanical fault that you are not yet aware of.

Uneven tire tread wear is often an indication of an underlying problem with your truck. This is usually a sign that suggests you might have some mechanical problems with your truck that need attention.

Don’t ignore what uneven tire tread wear might be telling you. Check the state of your tires on a weekly basis at least. If you get into the habit of conducting pre-trip inspections you could spot an issue before it becomes a major problem just by checking your tires.