TMC publishes analysis guide to causes of tire failures

June 2, 2005
The latest revised edition of the “Radial Tire Conditions Analysis Guide: A Comprehensive Review Of Tread Wear And Tire Conditions,” has been published by The Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) of the American Trucking Associations.

The latest revised edition of the “Radial Tire Conditions Analysis Guide: A Comprehensive Review Of Tread Wear And Tire Conditions,” has been published by The Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) of the American Trucking Associations.

A fully illustrated, color handbook, it is designed to be a reference source and training aid. It contains photographs and detailed descriptions and explanations of common radial tire failures and their causes. The guide also offers advice on how to correct these problems and what can be done with the damaged tires.

“The guide should be a must have for every trucking fleet serious about proper tire selection, care and maintenance,” said Harvey Brodsky, Managing Director of the Tire Retread Information Bureau (TRIB), a non-profit, member-supported industry association dedicated to the recycling of tires through retreading and repairing, and to promoting proper maintenance for all tires.

“There is a wealth of information, including procedures for better tire inspections and a very helpful glossary of terms.”

The handbook is composed of three sections:

- Tire (Original Tread and Retread) Casing Conditions - deals with conditions found in tubeless radial tire casings and in original tires; covers bead, sidewall and crown areas and the tire interior. Casing conditions that may be exhibited by retreaded tires are also examined.

- Improper/Failed Repairs - addresses casing conditions found in the tread area of retreaded and repaired tires.

- Radial Tire Wear Conditions and Causes - discusses radial tire wear conditions and causes on steer axle, drive axle and trailer axle tires.

Careful examination of tire failures can reveal what caused the problems and that enables a fleet to take corrective actions, said Brodsky. Structural type failures may be an indication of overloading, improper tire maintenance or mismatching of tires, whereas tire damage or injuries could reveal “driver abuse” - hitting curbs or not avoiding debris, as a for instance.

For information on how to order the Radial Tire Conditions Analysis Guide, phone the TMC’s customer service department at (800)-ATA LINE or visit the website at http://tmc.truckline.com.

For information about tire retreading, tire maintenance and tire repairing, visit the Tire Retread Information Bureau (TRIB) website at www.retread.org; e-mail [email protected]; or phone toll free (888)-473-8732 from anywhere in North America.