PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-566
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 566
JANUARY 2000
to keep your
wheeled vehicles rolling,
drivers, you've got to keep
a
trained eye
on your
tires
.
after all,
nothing
rolls
unless your
tires do.
train your eye to
look for
these
problems
...
PS 566
2
PS 566
3
JAN 00
Tires . . .
Cracks
Low tire pressure leads to sidewall
cracks. Make sure the crack doesn’t go
to the cord or steel.
Low pressure
Make sure all tires, including the spare,
have plenty of air. If one looks low, put
a gauge on it. Add air as necessary
before operation, while the tire is cold.
You’ll get the right amount of air in the
tire when it’s cold. If the tire is warm
or hot, the pressure in the tire will be
higher because of the heat, meaning not
enough air will be added.
Flat-makers
Look for nails, metal or rocks dug into
the rubber. Find any? Report it.
Abrasions
Tires rubbed raw are a sore sight for
good eyes. Abrasions that go through
the rubber to the cord or steel below
mean you change the tire.
Overinflation
Look for tires that are worn in the middle.
Overinflated tires don’t flex enough. The
middle of the tire takes all the weight,
causing rapid wear. When an overinflated
tire hits a large rock or a rut, the cords or
steel belts inside snap and break,
weakening the tire.
Wall separations
Most bulges in the sidewall or tread make
a tire unserviceable. Radial tires, however,
need a closer inspection. Some bulges
on radial sidewalls are not defects, but
the result of how they are made. Let your
mechanic make the decision.
Underinflation
A sure sign of underinflation is a worn
tread at each side of the tire. Under-
inflated tires flex more than properly
inflated tires. The flexing causes heat,
which ruins tires.
Balding tires
When tire tread gets below a certain
height, a tire needs to be replaced. Report
any tire you believe to be worn out to
your mechanic. He’ll measure tread using
the wear gauge in the No. 1 and No. 2
Common shop sets to make the final
decision.
Wrong caster/camber adjustment
A sure sign of misadjustment is wear on
one edge. Tires worn on the inside or
outside edge have caster/camber
problems. Either way, report it so your
mechanic can make adjustments.
Weather-checking
Ozone cracks weaken tires. If you find
weather-checking that covers large areas
of a tire, report it.
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