Tiips to improve tire life- spread axles

Does all of this advice cross over to pulling a triaxle? I haven't had the tri out in a few months, I was thinking about it last week when I was driving. I noticed both LH and RH front axle tires were scrubbed off more than the other axle tires. There was no lift axle, I tried to take the corners wider and to be gentler backing.

Just because I don't own it, doesn't give me the excuse to abuse it.

 

You'll get a little more scrubbing on a triple than on a tandem but not much because a triple pivots on the center axle where a spread pivots on whatever axle is heavy and dates the other. Wider turns is always a good idea along with the gentler backing. I really hate to see guys that spin tight u turns with a loaded triple.

 

Your problem isn't your tires, your problem is your drivers. And if I need to tell you how to pull a spread axle, you shouldn't be pulling a flatbed. If you don't know how to turn you definitely don't know how to secure your loads on a flatbed . go become a door swinger where you can go unnoticed. Not to be cruel, but to tell you exactly how to operate a spread axle flatbed correctly...it would take hours to explain all the details. Drive safe and enjoy the ride.

 

What does turning have to do with securing?

Your out to lunch.

 

I was told by my company that the front tandem tires are different than the back tandem. 2 weeks ago i picked up a trailer with the tires peeling and pitting on the edges of the front tandem. The mechanic replaced them with a rounder outside edge tire. The back axle tires are more square because they don't get dragged as much as the front. It's just what i was told.

 

Because if you're a true flatbedder not only do you know how to secure your loads properly, but I wouldn't have to be telling you how to pull a spread axle either. Example: when you see someone with a spread making a tight u-turn, he's not what I would call a true flatbedder. A true flatbedder would do a three point turn otherwise he'll shred his tires making that kind of a move or not get himself into a situation where he'd have to make that kind of a turn because he'd know he's gonna rip up his tires. Usually those drivers you see doing that are door swingers that go flat bedding because they can make so much more money. And those are usually the same drivers who don't protect the tarps on sharp objects and end up tearing a $1000 worth of tarps, but that's a whole other conversation. Sorry if I sound a little bit mean and nasty, but if someone was properly trained on how to pull a flatbed the first lessons would be how to operate with a spread axle trailer. As in how to load it and how to make sharp turns with it. That's what gets me disgusted when these guys are sent out there and have zero to none of the proper training. I've helped so many newby flatbedders in my 40+ years that it just sickens me that they are out there not only risking their lives, but the lives of other motorists due to poor securing from a lack of training. I take safety very seriously.

 

Not all flatbeds are spread axles.

 

I'm gonna go with Mac on this one.

What exactly is a 'True' flat bedder? Because I am of the opinion,.. we are all truckers. You either have an aptitude for figuring out what needs to be done or you get someone to explain it.

I was thrown to the wolves in this business. I had enough common sense to figure it out. A bit of trial and error here and there. But thats trucking.

Avoiding/minimizing tire scrub and securing a trailer are very different skill sets.

Hurst

 

@sewerman

Sorry for beating around the bush but what I really wanted to ask is

Does it make you feel better about yourself by putting yourself and a pedastool

And belittling others?

 

I went through a bunch of tires learning the hard way how to and how not to manuver a spread. No one said anything to me. But if you have enough common sense to figure out this equipment is what makes you money then you'll figure out you need to take care of it.