OFTEN, when carrying heavy cargo, trucks and vans suffer a substantial amount of wear and tear over their lifespan. But with all this weight, how long do commercial tyres last, and is there anything you can do to prolong them?
Truck and other commercial tyres are usually associated with light, medium and heavy vehicles, usually over 4,500kg. In this article, we take a look at some of the best commercial tyres on the market and how long the average one lasts.
How long should a commercial vehicle tyre last?
It may sound strange, but all tyres have an expiration date. Generally speaking most tyres, if not replaced, should last around 6 years, and most definitely need to be changed once they reach 10 years old, regardless of how much tread they have left.
If you want to know the age of your tyres you can check the code on the sidewall. The last four digits are the week and year the tyre was made. For example if your code reads “2615”, your tyre was manufactured in the 26th week of 2015.
Tyres on trucks that are driven around towns and cities performing delivery tuns, tend to have a much toucher life in that they experience impacts from kerbs and potholes, and often undertake a lot more braking than long-haul lorries. These tyres usually have a lifespan of between 40,000 and 70,000km.
If you’re driving a long haul truck down a smooth motorway at a fairly constant speed, tyres can last for quite some time. If your commercial tyres are well cared for, you could expect upwards of 150.000km before needing to be retreaded. If your company retreads your commercial tyres, they could even get as much as 600,000km out of them.
What are the contributing factors to their deterioration?
For shorter commercial journeys like those delivering food packages and other retail items, the main factors to their damage are everything from mounting kerbs and hitting potholes, to braking regularly and taking sharp turns into different residential areas.
Where long haul trucks are concerned, their main damage comes from sharp objects on the motorways from previous accidents and extreme temperatures of the tarmac. They are also affected by the sheer weight of their loads too, increasing their wear and tear considerably.
If you’re driving extremely heavy loads or work off-road, you’re likely to experience a lot of wear and tear from the uneven or sharp surfaces you’re driving on.
Tyre technologies that can prolong their lifespans
There are a number of innovative tyre technologies out there that improve their overall lifespan. Tyres can last for quite some time and will allow you to get to a garage or company base to get it changed should you experience a puncture.
To even out wear and tear, tyre manufacturers and commercial vehicle companies also recommend you check your tyre pressure regularly. This is especially important if you are making longer journeys. By doing so you can ensure your wear and tear is happening evenly across the vehicle and not cause more damage than necessary.
If you are looking for a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), visit CarCareTotal to find out more.
Another way to prolong their lifespan is to keep your tyres on rotation. For front-wheel-drive vehicles, the tires on the front will naturally wear quicker, so swapping them to the rear will ensure a more even wear and tear and keep you driving safer for longer.
There are so many things you can do to improve the lifespan of your commercial vehicles, and by taking some of these steps you could be continuing on the road for a little bit longer.
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