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Since one of your biggest expenses is tires, it makes sense to try to get as many miles out of tires as you can. A tire management program can help you do just that. And it doesn’t have to be any more complicated than a keeping a notebook to record information on each tire.

Good record-keeping is the key. A record for each tire should include a detailed description of the tire, date mounted, position, where bought and price paid. Periodically, make entries recording inflation pressure, tread depth, general condition, unusual wear, mileage and date. Repairs and their costs should also be recorded.

By keeping detailed records, you’ll be able to make an informed decision on brand, tread type and other specifications the next time you’re ready to buy tires. The best way to reduce your total tire cost is to pull your tires and have them retreaded when they wear down to about 6/32”.

By law, you can run steer tires down to 4/32” and tires in other positions to 2/32”, but then you run the danger of damaging the casings and eliminating the opportunity of retreading them. Premium-quality radial tires can generally be retreaded three times before they are ready for the scrap heap. The experts figure the typical owner-operator can save $1,000 a year by running retreads.

Right next to your tread gauge should be a calibrated tire pressure gauge. Check air pressure on a regular basis and adjust pressures to their proper inflation. Under-inflated tires run hotter than they should due to increased flexing of the rubber. That can shorten the life of the casing, damage the steel cords, even cause a blowout.

Tire inflation should be checked when the tires are cold because heat from normal running causes pressure to increase 10 to 15 psi. You should top off or bleed air from tires only when they’re cold to avoid improper inflation. Every 3,500 miles is a good rule of thumb for checking and adjusting the air pressure of all 18 tires.

Studies of fleets have shown that it’s not unusual to find 50% or 60% of tires to be under-inflated. That’s poor management. A tire heats up 5 degrees for every two lbs. of under-inflation. At 20 lbs. under-inflated, that tire is running 50 degrees hotter than it was designed for. Experts warn against re-inflating a tire that has been run at 20% or more below the recommend pressure without first removing it and inspecting for damage.

Tread design and type have a lot to do with how your truck performs, fuel economy, and tread life. Tire manufacturers offer a range of tread patterns, rubber compounds, and tire designs to match particular types of hauling. Goodyear introduced its Fuel Max® Technology last year to help over-the-road truckers get better mileage.

In developing this line of tires, Goodyear determined that tread pattern, depth and compound accounted for more than half of a truck’s rolling resistance. So the company focused on optimizing those factors to improve mileage. Independent tests have shown an 8% improvement in fuel economy compared with standard Goodyear over-the-road tires.

Goodyear also recently introduced DuraSeal® Technology for linehaul trailer tires, which seals punctures and enables the tire to continue in use. A yellow gel-like rubber compound seals tread punctures up to ¼”, says Goodyear. It’s available on the new Unisteel® G316 LHT™ linehaul trailer tire.

Another important part of a good tire maintenance program is to be on the lookout for unusual wear patterns in the tread alignment. Irregular wear can be caused by tire or wheel imbalance, which is corrected by dynamic balancing. Axle alignment also causes irregular wear patterns, especially on steer tires. A total vehicle alignment might be the solution.

A knowledgeable tire dealer can be a great asset for selecting the right tires for your particular type of hauling. Ideally, you’ll find a local, independent dealer who stocks various brands and types of tires and offers tire repair and retreading services. He can analyze tire problems and suggest solutions that will save you money in the long run.

The importance of proper inflation cannot be emphasized enough, though. It’s a dirty, time-consuming job to check and adjust the inflation pressures of 18 tires. But it’s a sure-fire way to extend tire service life and reduce your truck maintenance costs.