A lifetime of tire talk provides valuable learnings

There’s something that I’ve found constantly tiring throughout my trucking career. Tires, and paying for more tires.

Actually, my interest in tires took hold before I even got into trucking, back on the farm.

The boss and I were hauling two big hay wagons from the back fields, over the hills, and I was enjoying being in the lead position. Suddenly there was a banging on my tractor windows. Startled, I looked over and there was the boss running beside me and yelling.

Between breaths — and with a red face — he was swearing at me in his unique way: “How could you not blinking tell the tire was flat? I tried flashing my blinking lights, but you didn’t blinking stop!”

Those were his actual words, since as a devout Baptist he wasn’t one to use swear words. I was in a small rattly tractor dwarfed by the huge trailer with a flat rear tire so no, I didn’t see or feel it.

Now, 40 years later, I’m still dealing with tires.

I have an insatiable curiosity. Back on the farm it wasn’t so clear, but as time went on I realized this about myself. I ask questions. I wonder, why? I listen to those who talk. It took me a while to learn that the truckers who talked the most had the least to say, but that’s for another day.

The first time I noticed tires was when my dad put radial tires on the ’74 Dodge Monaco. I noticed because others always thought our tires needed air. I didn’t yet know what bias or radial meant, but I could tell the difference.

After my first full year of trucking when I had a dedicated truck, I really ramped up my learning regarding tires.

No hard and fast rules

I’ve heard all kinds of theories about tires. Brand loyalty above all else, the best type of tread, to only virgin tires, that recaps are OK, etc.

When it all comes down to is that with today’s tires, no hard and fast rules apply.

Here’s an example: At one point I was a Michelin-only guy. Then I had a truck that didn’t get good results with those tires. A Goodyear rep was trying hard to get back in our shop and offered me a good deal in exchange for my feedback on the tires. I went from barely getting 200,000 kms on my steers to more than 300,000 kms with the same routes, loads, etc. I didn’t even have to change my drives before I sold the truck – more than 400,000 kms, with no issues.

When I bought that truck, it had cheap virgin steers and drives. I wanted them off before I bought it, but the salesman swore they would be good. Bad move.

I got 40,000 kms on my steers. Ugh. Then I went to Michelin and then Goodyear. That was a character-building truck.

Cheap tires can cost more

Cheap tires have never worked out for me. It seems smart to spend less up front, but it never seems to work out in the end. Quite often the cheap tires wear fast and drive like they’re made of wood.

Another time I was convinced the type of tread mattered little. I’ve known guys who run rib tires even on their drives. I did it as well for a time and while I didn’t have traction issues, I found that with a high horsepower truck they burnt off too fast. On a lower horsepower truck, they were ok.

Cheap tires have seen some improvements lately, but I’m still not a fan.

In November 2022, I had four recaps put on my rear drives and then this spring I had four virgins put on the front drives. I recently changed all eight again. The recaps were worn out and the virgins had about 25% of their tread left. Almost the exact same tread pattern, but the recap had a slightly more open design. So, at the same original cost, the recaps provided a better return on investment.

The return on investment is always important in an industry where pennies per mile is critical.

Tire tips

Tires are one of the biggest costs in trucking. After all these years, this is what I believe when it comes to tires: Be open to ideas. Hard and fast rules rarely work. The proper tire for the correct application is important.

A good, honest tire salesperson is hard to find, and worth their weight in rubber. Listen to them, ask questions, and follow their advice. Keep good records so you can give them feedback for the next set of tires.

Correct tire inflation and gentle acceleration and deceleration are easy ways to extend your tire life.

I still don’t know how my boss 40 years ago expected me to feel a flat tire at the rear of a big hay wagon. But kudos to him for winning the Mad Farmer Dash.