Tyre maintenance remains a critical, and often overlooked, aspect of commercial vehicle performance. With rising fuel costs and operational pressures across fleet, agri and haulage sectors, maintaining tyre health is essential for safety, cost efficiency and uptime. This article draws on maintenance recommendations from six leading manufacturers to highlight shared best practices, sector-specific concerns, and actionable strategies for operators.
Maintaining correct tyre pressure is a near-universal starting point across all manufacturers. Underinflation and overinflation are cited as key causes of premature wear, irregular tread patterns and reduced fuel efficiency. Goodyear and Bridgestone both stress that even minor pressure deviations can significantly affect rolling resistance and load distribution, particularly in HGVs and agricultural equipment. Daily or pre-trip checks are advised, using calibrated equipment.
Manufacturers like Prometeon and BKT emphasise the need to align tyre selection and maintenance with vehicle load profiles and speed categories. Overloading or exceeding rated speed indices can accelerate wear and risk tyre failure. Tyre maintenance isn’t just about upkeep, it’s about ensuring the tyre is being used within its intended parameters.
Visual inspections remain a cornerstone of tyre care. Davanti and Alliance Tyres both underline the value of checking for cuts, bulges, foreign object penetration and sidewall damage. For commercial fleets, tyre-related breakdowns are a major cause of service delays. Structured inspection routines, weekly for LCVs, daily for HGVs and tractors, can help catch minor issues before they lead to costly failures.
In agricultural settings, Alliance and BKT note that tyre pressures should be adjusted based on soil type and seasonal load variations. Fieldwork with overinflated tyres can lead to excessive soil compaction, while underinflated tyres used on-road can increase heat build-up and casing damage. Seasonal storage also demands careful cleaning and pressure adjustment.
Bridgestone and Prometeon point to wheel security as a frequently neglected maintenance area. After tyre changes, especially in high-torque commercial applications, wheel nuts should be retorqued within a set mileage (typically 50–100km). Standardising this practice across fleets helps prevent wheel-off incidents.
Many manufacturers advocate for the growing role of Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) and digital inspection tools. These technologies support proactive maintenance by offering real-time insights and predictive alerts, reducing reliance on manual checks. While initial investment is a barrier, long-term savings through reduced wear and breakdown risk are frequently cited.
With pressures mounting across haulage, agriculture, and fleet operations, proactive tyre maintenance is no longer optional. The convergence of digital monitoring tools, sector-specific pressure management, and structured inspection routines reflects a wider shift towards predictive servicing. This aligns with the tyre industry's broader move toward connected systems and lifecycle sustainability, especially relevant for EV and heavy-duty applications.
Tagged with: tyre maintenance, commercial vehicle tyres, fleet tyre care, agri tyres, TPMS, tyre pressure, predictive maintenance
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