sooner. Heavy equipment tires can cost $ 400 to $ 3,000 or more per tire, so every extra hour and mile counts. Caring for your tires— including monitoring temperatures— can save your company thousands of dollars over the course of a year. That puts money back in your pocket.
What to Watch For
First, all tires come with a temperature range set by the manufacturer. Know the optimal temperature for the tires on your equipment and only operate when temperatures are in the safe range.
Check tire pressure regularly, since it’ s directly related to temperature. As air and road surface temperatures rise, so will tire pressure. Overinflation increases the chances of problems and underinflated tires heat up more quickly, so test often on hot days and as temperatures rise.
Keep loads within a reasonable range. Overloaded equipment and heavy loads can strain tires and lead to overheating. Always follow recommended load limits. If the weather is hot, consider keeping weights at the low end or even under recommended ranges. If the load changes, adjust the air pressure to stay within recommended guidelines.
Regularly inspect the tires your equipment is running on. If you see signs of heat damage on the tire surface like discoloration, cracks, blisters or other abnormalities,
TIPS TO MONITOR TIRE TEMPERATURE
Regular monitoring is your best defense against overheated equipment tires and the risks that come with it. Here are some of the best ways to monitor tire temp on the jobsite:
• Know the recommended and maximum safe temperatures for your tires. If it’ s too hot outside or the tires heat up, stop operating until it cools down and the tires return to the recommended temperature.
• Invest in tire pressure monitoring systems( TPMS) that keep tabs on temperature along with pressure. While TPMS detect loss of inflation and can warn you when tire pressure reaches critical levels, they aren’ t a replacement for regular tire pressure checks with a gauge. Caterpillar recommends inspecting tires and testing pressure daily, along with using onboard TPMS to test pressure on an ongoing basis.
• Make it part of daily maintenance checks. While performing routine checks, use an infrared thermometer to test tire temperatures, and do it throughout the day.
• Train your operators. Whether they’ re driving fleet vehicles, off-road commercial equipment, earth movers, mining equipment, construction vehicles or any heavy machinery with tires, all drivers and operators should understand tire temperature monitoring and know how to interpret TPMS data. If numbers get too high, they should know how to respond to those alerts according to company policy.
• Log data and revisit it regularly. Record tire conditions, including temperature and pressure. This will help you understand how your vehicles and their tires respond to the environment so you can avoid problems before they start.
don’ t risk it— change the tire to avoid a blowout or failure. Other visible damage that isn’ t heat related, such as uneven tread spots, excessive wear and foreign objects in tires or tread, are reasons to repair or replace tires no matter the season or air temperature.
On-the-job tire safety comes down to awareness and monitoring. Once you know the risks and rewards and have a monitoring system in place, it’ s easy to keep your jobsite and crews safer, build in efficiencies and protect tire longevity.
www. contractorshotline. com July 12, 2024 19