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Always examine your tires for bulges, cracks, cuts or penetrations. If any such damage is found, the tire must
be inspected by a Tire dealer at once. Use of a damaged tire could result in tire destruction, property damage
and personal injury.
Drive carefully
All times wear our faster when subjected to high speeds as well as hard cornering, rapid starts, sudden stops
and frequent driving on surfaces, which are in poor condition. Surfaces with potholes or rocks and other
objects can damage tires and cause vehicle misalignment. When you drive on such surfaces, drive on them
carefully and slowly, and before driving at normal or highway speeds, examine your tires for any damage, such
as cuts or penetrations.
Do not overload
The maximum load that can be put on a truck tire is dependent upon the speed at which the tire will be
used. Consult your Tire dealer and this data book for complete information on the allowable loads for your tires
in your application. Tires which are loaded beyond their maximum allowable loads for the particular
application will build up excessive heat that may result in sudden tire destruction, property damage and per-
sonal injury.
Do not exceed the gross axle weight ratings for any axle on your vehicle.
Drive at proper speeds
The maximum speed at which tires can be operated is indicated in the tire manufacturer's data book. This
speed varies for each type of tire and depends on the type of application. Consult your Tire dealer for
assistance in determining the maximum speed for your application. EXCEEDING THIS MAXIMUM SPEED WILL
CAUSE THE TIRE TO BUILD UP EXCESSIVE HEAT, WHICH CAN RESULT IN SUDDEN TIRE DESTRUCTION,
PROPERTY DAMAGE AND PERSONAL INJURY. In any case, you should not exceed reasonable speeds
indicated by the legal limits and driving conditions.
High speed driving can be dangerous and may be damaging to your tires.
WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CORRECT INFLATION PRESSURE IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT.
However, at these speeds, even with correct inflation pressures, a road hazard, for example, is more difficult to
avoid and if contact is made, has a greater chance of causing tire damage than at lower speed. Moreover,
driving at high speed increases the possibility of an accident, as a greater distance is required to bring your
vehicle to a safe stop.
Balancing
Under normal conditions, truck tires do not need to be balanced. Common practice is to check tire balance
if a ride complaint is made by the driver. Before removing the tire-wheel assembly from the vehicle, check for
radial and lateral run out. Excessive run outs can be caused by bent wheels and rims or improper mounting. If
balance is still required, a simple static balance with bubble balance or a wall mounted axle bearing and hub
type gravity balance should be sufficient.
Rotation
Tires should be rotated only when necessary. If the tires are wearing evenly, there is no need to rotate. If
irregular wear becomes apparent or if the wear rate on the tires is perceptively different (from axle to axle),
then the tires should be rotated in such a manner as to alleviate the conditions.
Storage
All tires should be stored in a cool dry place indoors so that there is no danger of water collecting inside
them. Serious problems can occur with tube-type tires when they are mounted with water trapped between
the tire and tube. Due to pressurization, the liquid can pass through the inner liner and into the casing plies.
This can result in sudden tire failure. Most of the problems of this nature have been due to improper storage,
which allowed water to enter the casing. This is a particular problem with tube-type tires because of the
difficulty in detecting water, which collected between the tire and tube. When tires are stored, they should be
stored in a coo] place away from sources of heat and ozone such as hot pipes and electric generators. Be sure
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