Tire safety tips for tow trucks

If you drive tow trucks, it’s important to make sure your tow truck is as safe as possible. And that means checking the basics of your vehicle frequently. When you log as many miles as you do with your tow truck, it’s important to make sure each tire is safe and ready for the job at hand. There are a few things you can do to ensure the health of your tires. Here are some tips.

Tire safety tips for tow trucks.

1. Inspect your tow truck’s tires.

So, first of all, you’ve got to look at your tow truck’s tires and inspect them. Be a detective. Take the time to do a quick inspection of your tires. You’re looking at the tires and checking for signs of…

  • Tread wear
  • Cracks or bulging in the tire
  • Tread depth that’s not sufficient
  • Tears/Cuts in the tire
  • Things stuck in the tire that shouldn’t be there
  • Anything else that is damaging the tire

If you notice any of these things, don’t just keep it to yourself. Tell the appropriate person so you can get the tire fixed. (Maybe you can go directly to your mechanic, but you may have to alert your boss to get them to take care of it.)

How often do you need to inspect your tires, you might ask? Well, you should inspect the tires every day. Hey, you’re on the road a lot. Things happen day to day and your tires could be a little worst for wear since the last time you looked at them.

2. Inflation.

You also need to make sure that the tires are inflated properly. So, check in the inflation pressure. Gauge the tire pressure cold before your trip and make sure that it is where it should be. Then, if needed, you can make adjustments. The tire pressure is important because if the pressure isn’t right, it can have a negative effect on tire wear and even fuel efficiency.

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3. Make sure to use the proper tire rims.

You also have to make sure that you’ve got the proper rim for your tire. You should only use the tire and rim combination that are approved, and check that the width and diameter are right. If the tire and rim components are not properly matched, they could actually explode. And that can cause injury and even death. So … yeah, make sure that the tire and rim combination is correct and safe. It’s important.

4. Don’t overload the truck.

It’s also important not to overload the truck. If your truck is being overloaded, there could be too much heat that builds up. And in turn, that can cause structural damage to the tire…which can lead to tire failure. (Under-inflation can also cause that.) Bottom line – don’t overload your truck.

5. Don’t speed.

You also need to be mindful of your speed. There are lots of reasons that speeding is dangerous apart from your tires. But if you go over the speed rating for your tires, you can damage them. You can also have premature tire failure. And you don’t want your tires to fail – that wouldn’t be good.

So, that’s some information about the importance of tire safety and some tips to keep your tires safe. Don’t underestimate the importance of doing a tire inspection every day to make sure the tow truck is going to be safe. Tires are more than just fancy shoes for your truck – they’re what keeps the vehicle going. Literally.

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You also want to make sure that you’ve got to tow truck insurance you need to protect your towing business. Our team can help with that. We like to make insurance easy. And we love making insurance easy. Get in touch with our team by giving us a call, messaging us, or filling out our online form. Our team would be happy to go over your tow truck insurance with you.

Source:

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/docs/USDOT_1168_1097_TireAdvisory.pdf

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