3 Warning Signs You Need To Invest In New Truck Tires
When designing truck tires, manufacturers consider that trucks carry heavy loads over long distances daily. Thus, tire manufacturers make and build truck tires to be more durable than sedan tires.
But truck tires are not impervious to regular wearing out due to factors such as weather changes and friction from the road. Hence, at some point, you will need to replace the worn-out tires on your truck.
So, here are three signs stating you need a new truck tire.
1. Low Treads
The treads (grooves) on a tire provide added traction to the road so that a vehicle doesn't slip or skid while driving. However, treads tend to wear off over time; thus, the more they wear off, the less traction your truck has on the road.
The penny test is the best way to determine if your tire treads warrant replacing your truck tires. The penny test involves dipping a penny into the tire treads with President Lincoln's head downside up. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head above the tread lines, your tire treads are severely worn out.
If your treated are worn down, you should invest in new truck tires.
2. Winter Is Coming
Regular truck tires tend to lose pressure during winter as temperatures fall. The pressure loss is due to the air in the tires condensing when temperatures are below zero. As a result, it is ill-advised to use regular truck tires during winter.
Instead, it is advisable to switch to snow truck tires. Truck tire manufacturers design and build snow tires specifically for winter conditions. Hence, snow tires will not lose pressure even if temperatures fall below zero. Furthermore, the tread design on snow truck tires enables them to provide good traction on roads covered with snow, ice, or slush.
Therefore, as the winter season approaches, it is high time to invest in new snow tires for your truck.
3. Bulges
A truck tire comprises several layers of rubber fused together. However, there are instances when the rubber fusing process doesn't go as planned, and rubber layers don't fuse together. As a result, the tires come out of production with a cavity (defect) between the rubber layers.
But when you drive on the defective tire, air accumulates in the cavity creating a bulge. Thus, you will notice a big bubble/bulge on your tire.
Driving with such a tire is dangerous because it can pop anytime. If it pops while driving on the highway, you will lose control of your truck and possibly cause a collision.
Hence, if you notice a bulge on your truck tires, it is a sign that you need to replace it with a new tire immediately.
To have your truck's tires inspected, visit a local auto service.