Bus Tire Maintenance Tips – Part 2

Good Practices for Your Bus Tires

Tires need your care to perform at their best. Here are more bus tire maintenance tricks from Colorado West Equipment.

Avoid Mixing Tire Types, Brands

Be cautious about mixing tires. The best way to go is to match brands, types, and tread designs on each axle and avoid mixing tire brands and models. Each tire has its flex characteristics.

The same goes for dual tires, as irregular duals will make one tire to work harder and heat up, causing premature wear and possible failure on the highway. A rule of thumb is that the diameter of both tires must not have more than half an inch difference, while there should be no more than a three-fourths inch difference in the circumference of the two tires.

Inspections

Drivers and technicians have a shared responsibility to inspect tires for possible damage and to make certain that they are in a state to function properly while the bus is in operation.

Manufacturers’ recommendations vary on the frequency with which tires should be inspected, but each recommends a daily check during the driver’s pre-trip inspection. Beyond that, Double Coin encourages technicians to check tires during an operation’s required preventive maintenance tasks or at the appearance of irregular wear.

We recommend checking tire pressure during inspections as time spent checking inflation pressure is a good opportunity to inspect the tires as well. Usually, medium tires can lose up to 2 psi per month from cold, heat, and leakage.

Inspect them daily, weekly, and monthly. Just keep in mind to perform an inspection every week on the tires’ air pressure, as well as a visual inspection of their tread and sidewall. Technicians should measure tires’ tread depth monthly.

Taking into consideration these pointers will equip both drivers and technicians with the knowledge to help prolong the life of a tire and avoid problems when buses are on the road. If you need more information about this topic or need any assistance with your bus fleet, do not hesitate to contact the best bus dealer in Denver: Colorado West Equipment is here to help you!

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Closed for New Years: Monday, January 2.

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