Know The Reasons Why Your Heavy Equipment Tires Are Not Lasting

Even though construction tires are subjected to a lot of wear and tear, if you are replacing them more often than necessary, the terrain might not be the problem. 

The majority of tire failures are actually not caused by a single, noteworthy incident. They happen quietly and gradually because of everyday factors that most crews don’t even think about.

It’s about invisible stress, demanding workplaces, and small habits that make your tires wear out faster than you might imagine. 

Furthermore, the real cause might be something preventable, even though it’s easy to blame the job. 

Know about these four typical reasons why construction tires fail so quickly and how to make each set last longer.

1- Weather and job sites impact the tires massively

Surprisingly, challenging terrain is less likely to damage tires than the sky above and the ground below. 

Tire rubber can be severely harmed by extreme weather conditions like freezing temperatures or intense sun. UV rays dry out the polymers like they are lying in a desert, while freezing temperatures make the sidewalls brittle and prone to breaking with even minor bumps.

What happens if it gets wet? That’s an entirely different story. 

Standing dirt and water cause moisture to seep into the tire beads, weakening the seal and corroding the rims. 

The increased resistance brought on by sludgy terrain can also push your tires over their limit and cause your treads to overheat.

2- Operator’s driving habit and overloading has a huge impact

Overloaded tires may not be audible, but they are wailing inside. If you put more weight on them than they can handle, the structure may deform, causing the tread to heat up and the steel belts to separate from the rubber. 

The road to a blowout is paved with that silent strain.

It’s not just the weight, though; it’s the way it’s managed. 

Tire life in heavy equipment is unintentionally reduced every day by operators who yank the machine into sharp turns, brake abruptly, or accelerate hard. 

When tires fail early, these aggressive behaviors will cost hours of time, even though they might save a few seconds.

Quick Tip: Spend money on operator training. 

You can extend your tire investment significantly with simple reminders about smoother operation and preventing spinouts.

3- Inappropriate tires are easily gets damaged

Although “universal” or “multipurpose” tires may seem like a good idea, they are rarely a good fit for the range of surfaces that your equipment actually encounters. 

For instance, a tire designed for pavement will not last very long on muddy or rocky surfaces. Stones can cut through soft compounds, and shallow treads can clog up quickly, making traction difficult.

Furthermore, mismatched tires cause uneven wear throughout your fleet, particularly if they have different tread patterns or ply ratings. 

Because one side couldn’t keep up with the others, you might have to replace it twice as frequently.

Quick Tip: Pay close attention to tire specs. 

Choose an R4 tire if the majority of the ground your backhoe is on is soft. An L5 pattern will provide greater traction and durability on harder, compacted surfaces. Rubber tracks might even be worth taking into account at times.

4- Insufficient or excessive tire pressure 

The balance between performance and failure is what tire pressure is, not just a number. Tires Excessive flexing from underinflated tires generates heat and damages the inside. 

Over time, this may result in uneven tread wear and structural damage.

Conversely, overinflated tires are equally susceptible but may have less obvious damage. They apply excessive pressure to a single, tiny section of the tread, and at higher speeds, it only takes one sharp edge to remove a chunk.

Quick Tip: Do not simply inflate and go. 

Equilibrate tire pressure with speed and load. 

At 5 mph, a tire that is carrying 11,700 pounds won’t be able to support the same weight at 30 mph. Pay attention to the manufacturer’s instructions to prevent preventable damage.

Takeaway

It’s a fact that construction tires are expensive. More painful than the cost, though, is having to replace them earlier than is necessary. 

Effective fleet managers and operators understand that good tire practices protect your bottom line in addition to rubber.

The steps are straightforward, but frequently disregarded, and include training your crew, using the proper tread, and checking inflation. 

Use tire selections and maintenance that are appropriate for the task at hand to increase your uptime, lower expensive blowouts, and keep those machines running.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more equipment offers and insights into the industry.