Tire wear never has just one source, but regardless of that, one thing is certain: It can cause financial and operational losses and compromise fleet safety. Therefore, we will teach you how to identify the main types of tire wear and, even better, how to prevent it from continuing to happen in your operation.
What causes uneven tire wear?
Why monitor tire wear?
Types of tire wear: the main 8
How to check tire wear?
And how to prevent premature tire wear?
Is it worth investing in technology in these cases?
What causes uneven tire wear?
Good, tire wear can be attributed to several factors, but they all need attention, as they directly influence operational efficiency, maintenance costs and driver safety.
Therefore, understanding what causes irregular tire wear is just the first step, then it is also important to implement prevention measures to increase the durability of these parts.
We'll get to that part, but first, understand what the main reasons behind tire wear are:
- Incorrect pressure: Maintaining adequate pressure is essential to prevent uneven tire wear, which improves fuel efficiency and also ensures vehicle safety.
- Poor condition of roads: Yes, even poor road conditions, such as holes and irregularities, contribute to accelerated wear.
- Sudden braking: Harsh braking can also cause excessive tire wear, compromising the tread and useful life.
- Misaligned vehicles: Out-of-alignment cars also experience uneven tire wear, affecting stability and efficiency.
- Excess load: Overloading vehicles beyond recommended capacities is another cause, negatively impacting performance and safety.
It has become clear that one cause or another is out of control, but monitoring is not. By paying attention to every detail and any sign of wear, you can take action and avoid bigger problems in the future.
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Why monitor tire wear?
Keeping an eye on uneven tire wear is important for several reasons. Firstly, because this could compromise the safety of everyone who travels the streets and roads, as grip decreases and the risk of accidents only increases.
Not to mention the extra costs of replacing parts, which negatively impacts the fleet's budget.
In addition, a car review Full coverage can also offer insights into the performance of the vehicles themselves and indicate potential mechanical problems. While tire wear can indicate alignment or suspension problems, inadequate tire pressure can affect fuel efficiency.
Therefore, by adopting monitoring measures, it is possible to implement corrective and preventive actions, such as alignment adjustments, tire pressure correction and adequate rotation.
All of this not only maximizes vehicle safety, but also contributes to fuel economy and extends the useful life of parts.
Another important point is that driving with bald tires can also result in problems with traffic inspection, as this practice represents a serious infraction, with a fine of R$195,23 and loss of 5 points on the driver's license.
According to Article 230 of the Brazilian Traffic Code, the infraction can be applied to each part that is in poor condition, including the spare tire, in addition to the possibility of the vehicle being detained until the problem is resolved.
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Types of tire wear: the main 8
Now that you are aware of the causes and the importance of monitoring in these cases, let's explore the 8 main types of tire wear.
1. Core wear
This wear is central because it occurs in the center of the tread, due to excessive tire pressure. This not only destabilizes the vehicle, but it also increases the risk of overflow, This is why attention during calibration is so important.
2. One-sided wear
When only one side of the part shows wear, it usually indicates alignment or load distribution problems. If we put suspension failures and excess weight on the scale, wear can become even more serious, So you need to pay attention to these signs.
3. Localized wear
Localized wear is concentrated in a specific area and appears after sudden braking, skidding or blocking. To prevent this from happening, ABS and braking systems must be checked regularly, in addition to instructing its drivers to avoid these behaviors.
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4. Uneven tire wear
If tire rotation and other safety measures preventive maintenance are ignored, problems begin to arise, such as uneven tire wear. Misalignment, suspension problems and low pressure are factors that contribute to this, So once again, prevention is better than cure.
5. Scale wear
The flaky wear resembles a sawtooth pattern and can generate constant noise. Therefore, choosing the appropriate parts is the first step to minimizing this side effect, avoiding medium or low severity tires on rough terrain, for example.
6. Serrated wear
Now, if you notice wear on the edges of your tires, that's what we're talking about, caused by abnormal friction on the roads. Generally, knurled wear is also linked to alignment problems, so the best solution is to have your vehicle tuned up immediately to prevent further damage.
7. Wear on the edges or “shoulders”
The ends of the tires are responsible for joining the center of the tread to the sides and are subject to wear for various reasons, some of which can affect this region are: inadequate inflation, leaks, overloading and high-speed curves.
8. Wear and tear from sports driving
High-speed maneuvers can also cause rubber degradation and irreversible damage, known as sports driving wear. In this case, driver awareness and training are essential to extend the useful life of parts and ensure safe driving.
How to check tire wear?
Wondering how to check tire wear? A few tips are enough to easily identify these signs and know if it's time to change or do maintenance.
- Check groove depth: The line between the tread grooves indicates wear, if the depth is close to or below 1,6 mm, it is time to replace the tires.
- Check tire age: you will find four digits on the side of the parts, which indicate the week and year of manufacture, tires that are more than five years old may have degraded components and must be replaced.
- Look for cracks and bubbles: Still looking at the side of the tires, you can also take the opportunity to look for cracks or bubbles, which indicate excessive wear or internal damage and the need for immediate replacement.
- Look for uneven tire wear: Also check the grooves across the entire width and tread areas of the parts. If the wear is excessive in specific areas, the vehicle may have alignment or suspension problems.
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And how to prevent premature tire wear?
If, after knowing all the risks involved, your biggest interest is how to prevent premature tire wear, we also have the answers. Some measures are capable of increasing useful life, but preventive maintenance is, by far, the most important of them. Check out the guidelines:
Pressure check
We have already seen that incorrectly inflated tires can compromise drivability, increase wear and fuel consumption, as well as affect road grip. Therefore, the pressure must be checked regularly, always in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and adjusting according to the load transported, if this is the case for your operation.
Periodic rotation or tire rotation
The objective of the well-known tire rotation is to alternate the position of the parts, redistributing wear more evenly. This is essential care, as front and rear tires suffer different deterioration as a result of different loads, situations and forces exerted by the vehicle.
In this way, periodic rotation helps to equalize wear between them, prolonging their durability. It is important to emphasize that this must happen within the time interval recommended by the manufacturer.
Balancing
An essential procedure to keep parts in excellent condition, as unbalanced wheels can cause vibrations in the vehicle, uneven tire wear and damage to suspension components.
On the other hand, by ensuring adequate balance you guarantee even weight distribution and provide a smooth, safe and comfortable drive for your drivers.
Alignment
Moving on to misaligned wheels, they can cause difficulty steering, instability and loss of traction. However, with correct alignment they are aligned parallel and perpendicular to the ground, which increases driving safety and extends the useful life of the parts.
In other words, structuring a fleet maintenance plan and, most importantly, following the manufacturer's recommendations exactly, are fundamental steps to avoid serious problems that could be the cause of accidents.
Defensive driving
We talk a lot about the mechanical part when it comes to tire wear, but we cannot ignore the influence of drivers in this process. Therefore, defensive driving cannot be left aside.
Maintaining a safe distance from vehicles in front, avoiding sudden braking and reducing speed when cornering are attitudes that reduce the load exerted on the tires, contributing significantly to the traffic Safety.
Is it worth investing in technology in these cases?
Of course, the answer is always yes. The right technology can help you monitor driver behavior, for example, in relation to sudden accelerations and braking or even inappropriate turns.
If the fleet management system is truly efficient, like Golfleet, you still have the right solution to monitor the status of your vehicles: the Vehicle Maintenance.
Of course, our software won't literally prevent uneven tire wear on your fleet. But better than that, It will allow you to monitor the vehicle inspection status and contribute to operational efficiency and cost reduction.
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Thanks to its advanced features, you have automatic review plans, schedules, maintenance alerts and data analysis. Everything you need to ensure that no vehicle is left without a proper inspection, from the location to the cost involved.
Don't leave your fleet without the necessary care, take advantage of Golfleet's full potential to keep your operation running smoothly and with safety up to date.
