Tiips to improve tire life- spread axles

I have seen flat spots develop on the rear axle's tires because guys forget to re-inflate the dump valve, which causes the back axle to lock up under braking. Not having/using a dump valve tends to tear the edges off the tires on the front axle.

FWIW I got 140K on a brand new set of XTE Michelin super singles. For a portion of those miles I didn't have a dump valve and with a curtain van I back into a lot of tight docks. Turn wide, go slow, use the dump valve & any tire will last longer than if you just cowboy it.

 

Try buying a mixed service tire with a little harder compound. Avoid at all cost tires marked as trailer only such as the goodyear G114 or the newer G314. Many trailer manufacturers put those on new trailers, and on those long haul trucks who drive straight down the interstate they are fine, but on spread axles, end dump trailers and local delivery they will chunk or strip out. Most manufacturers sale mixed service tires, and some are sold specifically for spread axle trailers. Mom and Pop tire shops probably don't stock what you need regularly unless they do business with several trucks with the specific problems you have, but you can go to a truck tire center and probably get what you need or order them on line.

 

To the thread's OP...

Proper alignment
Proper tire air pressure (that means not maxed unless you haul over legal limits).
Lift axle for running empty or very light loads (under 10K)
Avoid excessive speeds (results in irregular wear)

 

Time to get his own authority.

 

on my spread I find all position works well. like the b.f. st 230 16 ply. just don't get any tires with a lot of sipes, they will tear & chunk out. they are good for gripping in the rain, but not good for spread, I found I get more tread life if I put air according to weight calculations. I do not change air pressure, just put in for my max weight. I use this. http://www.yokohamatire.com/air_pressure_calculator. looks like it is going to give me an extra 50,000 miles compared to running 110 as in the past.

 

Don't let them throw out those two tires, I can use those, and I think that one wheel can be pounded back into shape.

 

I am probably exaggerating on the extra miles, still too soon to tell. most likely 20,000 to 35,000. I just checked the tread depth today wearing even, all 8 drives unlike my trailer tires which will need to be replaced this week due to keeping 100-110 p.s.i. center at near limit, outer at 7 32's

 

I typically go by what the side wall says.

Later I have found that different tire brands work better/worse with different air pressure.

I currently found my sweet spot as such,...
110 PSI on Michelin XZA3+ steers
100 PSI on Hankook DL07 drives
110 PSI on 255/70 step deck using BF Goodrich ST 230.

180 - 225k mi from steers.
400 - 500k mi from drives. (Currently have Yoko 517 on front drive axle. While wearing evenly,.. no complaints there. I have my doubts to seeing much more then 300 - 350k out of these tires. They are showing more wear at approx 100k current miles than the Hankook DL07 did)
100 - 110k mi from trailer.

 

Just watched some guy pull out of a parking spot, whip through the fuel island going the wrong way. Complete disregard for the guy walking toward the door that had to stop so he wouldn't get run over. It was a small company, brand new Mack pulling a load of pipe on a 48 with a spread. Guess what happens when he get to the other side of the fuel island....

lol, complete 180 pivot turn in like 4th gear or sth. I so wanted to hear a pop but it didn't happen. I guess he was going so fast it didn't have time to break.

 

if you can close your axle up when you can cuts a lot of wear,close up on lite loads or empty and only open them up if heavy,or learn to load with a closed tandem