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7/29/24

Inspecting and Maintaining Tires Will Minimize Roadside Service Calls




It is well documented that the No. 1 cause of roadside service calls is tires. No wonder, there are 18 tires on a typical line-haul service vehicle, more tires than any other vehicle component. You can have the best vehicle maintenance program on the planet, but once that truck leaves the terminal, a number of tire issues can occur that can lead to a roadside service call.

Tread area punctures are the top cause of air loss. A tire failure depends on the size of the puncturing object, in combination with the specific penetration location. If that nail penetrates through one of the tread grooves, chances are higher the nail will break through the tire casing, causing air loss. Tires do not normally have a sudden air loss when a vehicle picks up a puncturing object; they lose air slowly. It may take a few days to lose enough air pressure where the tire sidewalls begin excessive flexing, which generates additional heat build-up.

The tire footprint becomes longer as the tire pressure is reduced, meaning more rubber on the road—which also leads to increased heat. Heat is a tire’s worst nightmare. When a tire continues to generate excessive heat, the rubber actually begins to chemically break down, which will lead to a tire failure. The fact that someone just checked all 18 tires at the morning vehicle walk-around has no bearing on picking a up a nail five minutes down the road.

Sidewall damage/snags are another cause of tire failure. Right side or curb side trailer tires are especially prone to sidewall issues. Vehicles that turn frequently in city driving have the highest incidence of tire sidewall damage. Driver education can play a major role in reducing trailer tire sidewall damage. Drivers who have been on the road for many years will have fewer trailer tire sidewall damage issues than a new driver.

When a vehicle is pulled over for a roadside inspection, tires are high up on the inspector’s checklist. Inspectors are looking for tires with tread depth below the minimum 4/32-in. for steers and 2/32-in. for drives, trailers and dollies. They also are looking for exposed belts and/or fabric along with flat tires. By definition, a tire is flat when the measured air pressure is 50% or less of the maximum tire pressure molded onto the tire sidewall.

If any of these tire conditions are present, the vehicle is flagged as being “out-of-service.” A roadside service call is the only solution for getting the truck up and running again.

There is no excuse for a fleet to have an inspector flag its vehicle as being out-of-service because of a tire-related issue. These types of tire conditions should have been caught during the daily vehicle walk-around. Drivers must be trained to visually inspect tires, take tread depths and even measure tire pressure. It sounds like it is routine, but it’s not. Working with your tire professional on a tires 101 training class will go a long way to reduce roadside service calls.

Visual tire inspections should include running a hand over the tread and sidewall to look for signs of irregular wear and punctures. If a tire is getting close to the legal tread depth, a tread depth gauge measurement is strongly suggested. Make sure to check that the tread depth gauge measures 0 on a flat. Don’t take a measurement at a treadwear indicator location or on top of one of those stone ejectors located at the bottom of many grooves. If you do, you could be off 2/32-in. or 3/32-in.

Measuring tire pressure using a calibrated pressure gauge is very critical. Air carries the load, and tires with low air pressure will lead to excessive heat and premature tire removals. Tire gauges are simple devices, but will quickly lose accuracy. Even a new stick gauge is only accurate to +/-3 PSI brand new, out of the box.

A serious tire program, which includes comprehensive driver training regarding tires, will go a long way in reducing-tire related roadside service calls.

Learn more at: http://www.fleetequipmentmag.com/reducing-tire-related-roadside-service-calls/

Find Truck Tires here.










7/26/24

CRASH TEST Pickup Trucks – Ford F150, Toyota Tundra, RAM 1500, Nissan Titan


The majority of pickups recently put through the passenger-side small overlap front test struggled to maintain their structure, but two trucks — the 2019-2020 Ford F-150 and the 2019-2020 Nissan Titan — earn a good rating. ► These results are valid only for models sold in the USA

✅ Source: IIHS

7/23/24

Driving Defensively for CDL Drivers


This training video is for Commercial Drivers License CDL holders and teaches them how to drive defensively while operating big rig, semi trucks and other large delivery vehicles.

7/20/24

Cognitive Distraction


Think you know all about distracted driving? Think again! New research reveals that voice-activated in-car technologies dangerously undermine driver attention.

7/17/24

Catalytic Converter: How It Works | Science Garage


Exhaust has a lot to do with performance. Catbacks, Mufflers and resonators get all the attention, but the Catalytic Converter is super cool too! It’s an amazing design that changed the way we think about driving. Catalytic Converters have helped gas engines a viable means of transport while drastically reducing emissions. Bart cuts one open to see what's inside, and he explains the reactions they facilitate to turn exhaust from nasty to nice. Bart teaches us how cars work by blowing stuff up and cutting things in half. It’s a science show for the car lover who’s easily bored. Join Bart as he explains the science behind everything automotive. This is cars down to the atom. This is Science Garage. Some of our best videos ever are coming out soon, stay tuned so you won't miss a thing!








7/14/24

Choose the right Brake Pad! | SCIENCE GARAGE

There’s three main types of brakes you’ve probably encountered- Organic, semi-metallic and ceramic- then the one you’ve heard of that uses carbon fiber: Carbon Ceramic. So which one is best for your car? Join Bart as cuts open some brake pads to find out!

Thanks to Pep Boys for sponsoring this episode! #pepbros4life https://www.pepboys.com/

7/10/24

Peterbilt at the NTEA Work Truck Show | Explore the Future of Work Trucks!


Join us at the NTEA Work Truck Show in Indianapolis. In this exclusive video, we showcase the latest innovations, designs, and technologies that are shaping the future of work trucks. From powerful engines to advanced features, Peterbilt provides exceptional craftsmanship and cutting-edge solutions for professionals. This is the official YouTube Channel of Peterbilt Motors Company, a division of PACCAR Inc. Visit us at https://www.peterbilt.com/.






7/07/24

What If You Forget To Change Your Oil?


What if you forget to change your oil on time? Can you damage your car's engine by not changing the oil late? Do you really need to change your oil every 3,000 miles? Obviously, you should change your oil regularly, but exactly how much damage you will cause by changing the oil late? This video looks to answer this question. We'll discuss what happens to oil viscosity as it ages, and what happens to oil additives in over time.

7/04/24

Understanding the Most Hated part of your Truck | Banks Entry Level


Many diesel owners believe their vehicles would be better off without the Diesel Particulate filter but are they right? In order to meet new emissions standards, the DPF was introduced in 2007 as a way to lower the amount of soot and ash being exhausted from diesel vehicles. The engines were generating the same particulate output but now those emissions were being contained and neutralized instead of escaping into the atmosphere. Banks Special Projects Lead Erik Reider shows us how the DPF works by breaking down diesel combustion, diesel exhaust, and the process of regeneration (regen). Erik shows how to get the most out of your vehicle and DPF by using high-quality oil and tuning cleanly. A clean tune increases power without increasing emissions and therefore does not over-tax the emissions systems including the DPF. As manufacturers improve modern turbo diesels, the engines produce less in-cylinder emissions which means the after-treatment systems like the DPF, the DOC, and the SCR can be made less restrictive. Understanding how the DPF and regens work is a major part of tuning diesel engines safely and keeping the emissions system functioning properly. For a clean tune that doesn't harm your DPF check out Banks Derringer: https://bankspower.com/collections/ch... To monitor your DPF and see when you are in regen, check out the iDash: https://bankspower.com/products/banks...

7/01/24

How to Deal with Roadside Emergencies


                                  Some tips on how to deal with roadside emergencies.