Truckers Look to Tires In Drive to Trim Costs

Air has always been an important factor in maintaining a heavy-duty, over-the-road truck.

The vast majority of big trucks use air brakes, and their maintenance is a matter of both safety and cost control. With the price of fuel on a seemingly endless climb for the past year and more, wind resistance — the way air moves around a truck — has become an important factor. And one of the most crucial places where air plays a role is inside a truck’s tires.

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ExxonMobil Co.

	Proper maintenance, especially checking the alignment and air pressure, is one of the keys for reducing wear and tear on tires.

“Your truck rides on air,” said Guy Walenga, engineering manager for commercial products at Bridgestone/Firestone Tire Sales Co. in Nashville, Tenn. “The tires are just containers that hold the air.”

But when those containers of air fail or wear out, replacing them can be expensive — especially on an 18-wheeler, where a tire replacement can cost around $350.

According to William D. Wolterstorff, fleet maintenance manager for Sather Trucking Corp. in Round Lake, Minn., while retreading tires or buying retreads is one way to save money, real cost reduction lies in making the tires last longer before and after retreading.

To do that, Wolterstorff recommends following three supremely important steps: “Pressure check, pressure check, pressure check.”

For the full story, see the Jan. 22 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.