Easy Ways to Prevent a Tire Blowout
Not only can you lose control of your vehicle when this happens, but the pressure from the tire blowout can be extremely dangerous for anyone nearby.
It’s every trucker’s worst nightmare: you’re driving along, minding your own business, when a deadly tire blowout occurs. Not only can you lose control of your vehicle when this happens, but the pressure from the tire blowout can be extremely dangerous for anyone nearby. Not to mention, a tire moving at high speeds can completely total a car. But tire blowouts are easily preventable, and don’t have to be a common problem. Here are some easy ways to ensure your tires will all stay exactly where they are.
Regularly Inflate
Did you know that 22% of vehicles in truck fleets have a tire that is under inflated by 20 psi or more? This is a serious issue. Underinflation is one of the most common causes of tire blowout–it accounts for 80% of them. Tire pressures should be checked on a weekly basis. If this isn’t possible, there are cheap devices that can be purchased that will tell drivers when their tire pressure is dangerously low.
Balance Tires Properly
An improperly balanced tire can mean you’re buying tires far more frequently than you need to. A diameter mismatch of 5/16 of an inch can end up dragging the smaller tire 13 feet for every mile. After a while, the wear on these tires becomes more apparent and will require more maintenance in the long run. If you want to keep your tires safe and you don’t want a blowout to be more likely, always make sure your tires are balanced.
Regular Maintenance
Alignment is a big factor in how long a tire will last. Even the slightest misalignment can cause a tire to wear more than the others, which provides an unstable foundation for driving. There are plenty more mechanical issues that could cause tire problems, so it’s important to get everything regularly checked out. Don’t let anything go overlooked–tires are one of the most important parts of your fleet.
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