More Than Just Worn Out Tires?

It Might Be More Than Just Worn Out Semi Truck Tires...

Vehicles, and even more so specialized work vehicles, have a lot of complicated moving parts – there are plenty of circuits, hoses, valves, pipes, hydraulic lines, and belts that can wear out over time. But there’s one part that consistently gets overlooked when it comes time to maintain your truck – a part that might get the most wear and tear of all. We’re talking, of course, about your tires.

Tires are incredibly tough, and they have to be. They put up with the punishing cold air and blistering heat from the asphalt, and they experience friction along the rough road surface literally every time your truck is used. And despite all this, they can last a very long time…but it also means that if something is wrong with your tires, it’s going to affect the rest of your unit’s performance.

If your first stop is to a tire shop, rather than a dedicated mechanic, you’ll likely find that you need new tires – because their job is to sell you tires! They’ll point out that your tires are worn, but they won’t tell you why it’s happening. And at many hundreds of dollars per tire, that decision to only put a “band-aid” on the issue can cost you big, down the line. It’s better to identify the underlying issue in your vehicle that’s causing unnecessary stress and wear on your tires, and repair that as well. And that’s where West Tech Mobile comes in!

Our mechanics don’t just replace your tires – they show you how to prevent your new set from wearing down in the same way. Whether it’s from an alignment issue, over- or under-inflation, component wear, tough driving conditions, or just bad driving (from your coworker, of course), we can pinpoint the cause and guide you on future prevention.

For example, if your steering tires are worn, your rear axle could be out of alignment. If there’s diagonal cupping, your steering components could be wearing through. If you see a feather pattern going across the tread, your rear suspension is likely pushing the loads you’re hauling, and your steering tires are compensating. Flat spots from improper brakes, loose wheel nut torque, powertrain wear…there are so many combinations and factors – it’s definitely worth it to get a professional mechanic to look at the whole picture!

We won’t just compare your tires to a wear chart and convince you to get a new set on the spot – we’re all about education. From the correct procedure after having your wheels reinstalled (be sure to retorque the wheel nuts within 100 km) to the importance of having the same size and tread depth, we’re happy to show you how to get the most out of your tire investment.

At West Tech Mobile, we listen to what our customers’ tires are telling us, and that lets us limit your later expenses on suspension, springs, steering components, and more. And of course, it might save you more than money – identifying problem areas with your steering, brakes, or suspension could even save your life on the highway one day.

We can’t stress enough the importance of having good tires on your rig. Visit West Tech Mobile before your next tire swap for a wear analysis on your components, and for an in-depth summary of how to get the most out of your next tire purchase. Give us a call at 403-265-5699 today!