Understanding Truck Tyre Wear Patterns and How to Prevent Them

Tyres are vital in maintaining road safety since they are the only component that connects a truck to the road surface. Furthermore, they greatly influence the vehicle's overall performance and mechanical condition, making them essential for efficient driving.  

Even though truck tyres are designed to handle heavy-duty applications, they can wear quickly and need replacing more frequently if not properly maintained. In this article, we'll provide guidance on how to identify various truck tyre wear patterns, outline the recommended actions for each type of wear, and indicate when it's time to replace your tyres.  

As a fleet manager, having a thorough understanding of these elements is crucial. It enables you to prevent potential downtime or accidents due to truck tyre damage and increase fuel efficiency, ultimately leading to significant cost savings for your trucking business.
 

The Importance of Regular Truck Tyre Check

Regular inspection can help prevent premature truck tyre wear and possible damage, hence saving you maintenance costs in the long run. Tyre wear and damage can be caused by a variety of factors, so regular inspections are essential to ensure your tyres last longer and perform better.

Common Truck Tyre Wear Patterns and Causes

Alignment-Related Patterns

• Camber Wear/One-sided Wear 
      

  How to spot it: Uneven tread wear, characterized by excessive wear on one side, which can occur on either the inner or outer side of the tyre. 
      Cause: It indicates an issue with the truck's camber angle, which should be parallel to the ground.
      Recommendation: Correcting the camber angle can prevent further wear and enhance the truck's safety.

• Feathering
      How to spot it: The tread ribs develop a saw-tooth pattern across the edges. 
      Cause: Typically results from incorrect toe alignment. 
      Recommendation: Regular alignment checks and adjustments are necessary to prevent feathering. 

• Diagonal Wear
      How to spot it: Localized flat spots that form in a diagonal pattern across the tread.
      Cause: Often results from mismatched dual tyres, improper wheel alignment, loose wheel bearings or steering parts.
      Recommendation: Ensure dual tyres are the same model and size, perform regular alignment checks, and check for loose or worn parts.

Suspension-Related Patterns

• Cupping/Scalloping
      

  How to spot it: A wavy pattern on the tread surface, resulting in a bumpy ride and rumbling sounds. 
      Cause: Worn suspension components such as shocks or struts, and unbalanced tyres. 
      Recommendation: Inspect and replace worn suspension parts and ensure tyres are balanced correctly. 

• Heel/Toe Wear
      How to spot it: Each tread block around the tyre is worn unevenly (high to low from front to back edge.)
      Cause: Significant mismatched tyre pressure or tyre diameters in a dual assembly. High torque conditions, mountainous terrain, and                          overinflation aggravate this condition.
      Recommendation: Monitor and maintain proper tyre pressure levels. Choose the appropriate tyres for your operation.

Pressure and Load-Related Patterns

• Edge Wear
      

  How to spot it: This pattern involves excessive wear on the outer edges of the tyre while the centre remains relatively unworn.  
      Cause: Underinflation 
      Recommendation: Regularly check your tyre pressure and ensure it is set according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

• Center Wear
      

  How to spot it: The tyre tread wears out more in the centre than on the edges. 
      Cause: Overinflation 
      Recommendation: Regularly check your tyre pressure and ensure it is set according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

• Depressed Wear
      How to spot it: A noticeable dip in the tread surface, often localized. 
      Cause: Typically results from underinflation or excessive load on the tyre. This could be caused by worn mechanical parts such as shocks or              loose wheel bearings as well. 
      Recommendation: Monitor and maintain proper tyre pressure levels and avoid overloading. Check for worn or loose parts.

Impact and Incident-Related Patterns

• Chunking
      How to spot it: Pieces of tread rubber break away from the tyre surface, creating gaps. 
      Cause: Can result from hitting road debris or operating underinflated tyres over rough terrain. 
      Recommendation: Monitor and maintain proper tyre pressure levels. Choose the appropriate tyres for your operation.
• Patch Wear/Brake Skid Damage

      How to spot it: Visible signs of flat spots on the tread. 
      Cause: Hard braking and aggressive cornering. 
      Recommendation: Adopt smoother braking and cornering habits.
   

Truck Tyre Inspection Checklist

• Check for uneven wear patterns, they can indicate issues that need to be addressed. 

• Checking tread depth using a tread depth gauge will help ensure sufficient grip on your tyres. 

• Look for any signs of cuts, cracks, bulges, damage, or embedded objects.

• Measure tyre pressure regularly and keep it at the recommended level. Adjust the pressure to accommodate heavy loads and variations in temperature. This is crucial for maintaining optimal performance and safety. 

• Rotate tyres periodically to ensure even wear. Truck tyres require more frequent tyre rotation than passenger cars due to their greater weight and load demands. 

• Ensure all tyres are balanced, especially the dual tyres. 

• Look for signs of alignment or suspension issues, as these can significantly affect tyre wear and overall vehicle handling.

Key Signs of Tyre Replacement Need

• Tread depth below the minimum legal limit of 1.6 mm or visible tread wear indicator but it’s recommended to replace tyres before tread depth reaches this limit. MICHELIN also provides retreading service to extend your truck tyres' life in a cost-effective way. 

• Visible steel cords or fabric 

  Large cuts or punctures

• Consistent air pressure loss despite no visible damage

• Excessive vibration or vehicle pulling to one side while driving
   

When you observe these critical indicators on your truck tyres, it’s advisable to replace them immediately. The steering tyres should be exactly matched. Replace the drive tyres in groups of four or eight. For trailer tyres, install them in groups of four, one axle at a time.
 

Choose the Right Tyres for Your Truck

Choosing truck tyres is essential for ensuring their performance and safety while minimising the likelihood of premature wear and damage. MICHELIN has a wide range of truck tyres for you to choose from. These tyres have a robust construction to withstand rough terrain and are made of advanced rubber compounds to increase the mileage. They will suit your application whether it’s freight transport, construction, or mining. Choose them here.

If you're uncertain about the availability of the tyres you're interested in, we recommend reaching out to your local dealers for assistance. You can find their contact information here.