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1/12 Tullamarine Park Drive, Tullarmarine VIC 3043When To Replace vs Repair Your Truck Tyres
Running a business has many ongoing costs, tyres are no different especially within the transport industry. It’s imperative that you have a comprehensive tyre maintenance routine that will yield the best results possible all while minimising downtime and maximising your investment.
Fleet Managers & Truck Operators
For fleet managers and truck operators searching for truck tyres near me, one of the most crucial decisions is determining whether to repair or replace a damaged tyre. It isn’t just about cost management—it’s about safety, compliance, and maintaining operational efficiency. At JJ’s Tyre Services, we’ve helped countless businesses make informed decisions about their truck tyre maintenance.
Tyre maintenance requires more thought and care than many may assume. A simple visual inspection is simply not sufficient. Our mobile truck tyre service experts have compiled this comprehensive guide to making the right choice.
Understanding Tyre Damage Assessment
Location Matters
Where is the damage?
First we assess if damage has been done to the tyre and ensure structural integrity. This involves a thorough visual inspection of all tyre components, checking for punctures, cuts, bulges, or irregular wear patterns. We carefully examine the depth and location of any damage to determine if repair is possible or if replacement is necessary for safety reasons.
Tread Area: Often repairable if within industry standards.
Sidewall Damage: Usually requires immediate replacement.
Bead Damage: Compromises tyre integrity significantly.
Shoulder Injuries: Critical assessment needed. The shoulder bears significant stress during turning.
Tread Wear Indicators
Tread wear indicators (TWI as labelled on the sidewall of your tyre) are spaced evenly blocks that are found in the main grooves of your tyres tread. These, as the name suggests, indicate how far along a tyre is before it requires replacement.
Tread is monitored and acted in accordance with the Australian Design Rule (ADR23). JJ’s Tyre Services use a tread depth gauge to accurately monitor your tyres wear.
Common Types of Damage
Punctures: Often repairable if in the appropriate zone.
Cuts: Severity determines repairability
Impact Damage: Requires thorough structural assessment.
Age of Tyre: Can cause cracking. Structural integrity degrades overtime
Correct Tyre Pressure
Depending on application it is crucial that the tyre pressure is adjusted and maintained accordingly to keep your tyre healthy. Sidewall will indicate the maximum pressure the tyre is rated for however this is simply the maximum tyre pressure that can be run not that you should. Tyre pressure is application dependent.
Running your truck at the correct pressure for your application will allow the tyre to make as much contact with the road as possible. Too much pressure and the centre of the tyre as more contact to the road than the shoulder, expect uneven wear. On the contrary, low tyre pressure with more contact on the shoulders, resulting in premature wear of the tyre. Furthermore, this can lead to eventual blowout as sidewalls are placed under excessive load.
Alignment
When your axle is directing your tyres in the wrong direction of travel tyres will appear more worn in the shoulders of the tyre ultimately hurting the trucks uptime. It’s crucial for the sake of prolonging the life of your tyre that all axles steer, drive or trailer be within specification to prevent wear.
Application dependency will determine the regulatory of your alignments and for all preventative work. Poor quality road conditions would naturally warrant more regular checks than a truck on smooth paved roads.
Wheel Rotations
Upon inspection and tread depth measuring we will be able to determine which tyre goes where when rotating but the principle is simple, we place tyres in positions that will cause it to wear in the opposite direction its currently wearing.
This is cost-effective and suitable for drive and steer axles, further extending tyre life.
Hit the road sooner rather than later
Contact JJ’s Tyre Services for 24/7 mobile truck tyre repair service. Our expert team brings professional service directly to your location, keeping your fleet moving efficiently and safely.