PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-595

PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly

ISSUE 595

JUNE 2002
PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-595 - Page 6 of 32
Note that if you must
add more than 10-15 psi
to the tires you need to
use a tire inflator gauge,
In Sand?
Some vehicle operator’s
manuals list a lower tire
pressure for driving in
sand. A lower tire pressure
gives more flotation and
traction in sand. However,
be sure to add air back to
those tires before you
drive on pavement.
PS 595
JUNE 02
9
Tires…
Keep Them Rolling with
PM
T
ires catch a lotta grief when you drive in the desert. Heat and terrain team up to
deliver a one-two punch that can KO your mission—unless you are prepared by PM.
Cut the Heat
During normal operations in an average climate, tires get hot as they flex under a
load. But they have a chance to cool off when the mission is done. When the air tem-
perature is high, the tires can’t cool off, and the excess heat weakens them.
Since you can’t do anything about the outside temperature, you can help by not
overloading the vehicle. An overloaded vehicle creates extra heat on the tires.
Take that heat off the tires by reducing the load. Plus, a reduced load will reduce
the chances that you’ll bog down in sand. This goes double for trailers you’re pulling.
Keep them loaded as lightly as possible.
Front (all models)
Standard Tire
Sand tire
Rear
M977, M978, M983
Standard Tire
Sand tire
60 psi
(414 kPa)
60 psi
(414 kPa)
70 psi
(483 kPa)
70 psi
(483 kPa)
40 psi
(276 kPa)
NA
30 psi
(207 kPa)
NA
35 psi
(241 kPa)
30 psi
(207 kPa)
35 psi
(241 kPa)
NA
20 psi
(138 kPa)
NA
30 psi
(207 kPa)
25 psi
(172 kPa)
Highway
Cross
Country-Dry
Cross
Country-Wet
Sandy
Terrain
TIRE PRESSURES FOR HEMTTS (for example)
Avoid Flats
Take it easy moving over rocky,
rough terrain. The sidewalls of radial
tires are thinner than those of bias
tires, and rocks cut them to ribbons.
Wheeled construction and material
handling equipment are especially
prone to tire damage because the
mission often requires them to work
where the going is rough.
Tubeless tires have a special prob-
lem—bead breaking. The bead pulls
away from the rim, letting air escape.
Bead breaking is caused by traveling
over rocky terrain. Check the air
pressure in tubeless tires often.
A little
help
here…?
Avoid “Danger Zone”
when reinflating tires
During stops,
also look for
rocks caught
between dual
tires.
Rocks rub
holes in tire
sidewalls.
to run
over that
brush!
Try not to run over overgrowth or brush that may have
spines and thorns that break off in tires and work their way
through. You’ll have more leaks than you can handle.
595. 08-09 (C)
4/29/02
5:36 PM
Page 1
Back to Top
Back to Top