Tyre rotation - drive to trailer, anyone do it.

I was told by a guy yesterday he takes his drive tyres off around 50 to 60% worn, and rotates them to the lead and trailing sets on his tri axel trailer.
He claims by 50% they have gone hard. At that point his type of driving has them at 37,000 mile. Once on the trailer he gets another 18,000 from them.
His driving sees highway and twisty mountain roads about the same.

Does that sound fair?

 

M

My trailer gets steers that are lower than I want to keep up front, retreaded steer, drive, and trailer tires. If winter is coming and drives look iffy, to the trailer they go. Trailer gets hand me downs!

 

Some guys just like to keep fresh rubber on the drives. It definitely makes sense to use the partially worn tires on the trailer, new tires every few months will add up, better to use a worn but otherwise good tire than get rid of it.

 

If I'm reading you right he is changing his drive tires with only 37K on them. That is very low. What exactly is he hauling that he is only getting 37K

 

Ive got 120k on these drives

Thats a quarter, not a dime or nickel by the way.

I will grant im not as off road as he is, but to do as he does for me would be a waste of cash.

 

Running out worn drive tires on the trailer is how most used to do it. Then people learned about how rolling resistance figures into the mix. The easier a tire rolls, the less fuel it will take to move it. In certain applications using worn out drive tires may still be the best practice, but to a long hauler, it usually is cheaper to spec trailer tires, and if the trailer is a spread axle, there are trailer tires that take the scrubbing of turning with a spread axle better. Alignments and proper inflation is the best way to get the most miles out tires.

 

We pull tankers of water. For most part the sources are high in the hills with lots of twisty roads in poor condition, lots of engine braking. 10 to 15% gradient and can go to 18 in paces.

 

Family had a few trucks that we ran the same ribbed pattern tires on all positions. All tall 22’’s and 24.5’s.

This is why they have “all position” tires.
Run steers down between 75-50%. Rotate to drive’s. Runs those to 25% and rotate to trailer. Run those to wear out indicators and remove to have retreaded. Retreaded one’s would be used on drives of other trucks or on trailers. When ever a tire was pulled from service for a repair or replacement to be scrapped with brand new one. The new one would always go on steer position and repeat.

 

It's common, and steer tires are moved to the trailer as well.

 

Family has always had trucks since my Great Grandfather started his Bull Service in Sikeston , Mo. in 1938 but my uncle had told me once that back in the early 70’s when he really got started with building up and branching out more that new tires were around $100 ea. Cost of getting them retreaded was $25. So tire cost was cheaper on its second life. 4 retreads for the price of one new. A very good way to run in most cases. Steel lock ring Budds back then were heavy and prone to cracking so He slowly bought Alcoa’s as replacement’s as time went by. That was the biggest expense over time because they were more expensive back then then now and actually added a few more grand to the new truck price. Not uncommon and that’s why most trucks came with steel inners on drives or only Alcoa on steers.