Of course, reducing tire expenditures via lifecycle cost control is nothing new. But given recent changes in the truck-tire market, the thinking about how to do so has evolved. What hasn’t changed is that tires remain expensive assets—and thus valuable ones as well.
“The cost of tires represent a significant portion of a fleet’s operating expense—typically, second only to fuel,” remarks Rick Phillips, senior director of sales-Commercial & OTR Products for Yokohama Tire Corp.
“Consequently,” he adds, “a well-managed tire program actually reduces cost per mile and provides a competitive advantage for the fleet. This requires two kinds of investment. The first is in a quality product, and the second is an investment in maintenance.”
Indeed, to hear truck-tire experts, getting the most out of these high-dollar rolling assets is all about control, from start to finish. And that control should begin even before a tire is fitted on a truck wheel.
SMART BIRTHING
First things first, fleet owners should thoroughly consider exactly which tire to buy for a given application, whether the tire is being purchased as a replacement for an existing vehicle or as an OE fitment on a new truck or trailer.
Donn Kramer, director of product marketing innovation for Goodyear Commercial Tire Systems, says that buying a new truck affords the “best opportunity to get the best performance possible across multiple tire attributes.”
He recommends fleets consider tire makers’ claims for a given tire regarding its potential contribution to fuel economy, its casing’s retreadability and estimated total lifespan, and its original miles-to-removal expectation. “Start with the tire specified by the OEM,” Kramer advises, “but speak with your tire dealer about attaining that tire at the best possible price.”
Continental’s Fanning points out that it “costs some $500 more to buy a premium replacement drive versus paying a $20 upcharge to get that same tire when ordering a new truck.”
Aaron Murphy, vice president of China Manufacturers Alliance (CMA), which markets Double Coin truck tires, says that fleets should “understand that paying a premium at the OE level—that is, not settling on the standard tire available—might mean a bit more initial investment when purchasing the equipment, but the overall cost per mile will be driven down by having the correct tire in the correct application.”
According to Guy Walenga, director of engineering-commercial products & technology for Bridgestone Americas, the first consideration when buying a tire should be whether or not the fleet plans to retread it later. “Most, but not all, fleets do retread,” he points out, “so they should look for a brand that delivers a casing that’s reliable for retreading.
“From there,” he continues, “the decision should focus on buying tires for individual wheel positions for each vehicle application. The goal is to start out with the best possible product that won’t compromise either original tread life or the mileage that can be obtained by retreading.”
“Quality tire products cost more up front than some of the cheaper alternatives, but have proven to provide a lower cost of ownership over the cycle of the tire,” maintains Yokohama’s Phillips. “There is a reason a ‘cheap’ tire is cheap and that’s the reason you won’t find it in major fleets with well-managed tire programs.”
Phillips contends there are four basic elements to a quality tire. To begin with, it must provide “long-lasting, trouble-free original tread life. Technology has improved tread compounds and design elements that, when put in the right application, greatly increase new tire performance.”
Secondly, expect low rolling resistance to enhance fuel efficiency. “For every dollar spent on diesel fuel, a good bit is consumed just to overcome the rolling resistance from the tires,” he points out.
Next, consider how dependable the casing is for retreadability. “The casing a fleet chooses is the foundation of its tire program,” says Phillips. “A quality casing not only promotes original miles and fuel efficiency, but also extends the lifecycle of the product through retreading.”
“Lastly,” he adds, “a good distribution network that is able to provide quality service 24/7/365 is imperative—as tire-related downtime essentially adds to overall tire cost.”
“Some tires, when placed in applications or wheel positions where they are not primarily intended, can see a reduction of up to 50% of the original tread mileage,” CMA’s Murphy points out. “That’s lost money on the road. But spec’ing tires isn’t always about the most popular or highest/lowest price of the tire. Some fleet use is very specific and requires specific tires to match [the fleet’s] needs.
“Steer, drive and trailer position tires all have unique tread designs,” he adds. “Siping and decoupler grooves and any other irregular-wear fighting features that help specific tires perform optimally during their initial life, prior to retreading, should be considered.”
GREEN VS. GREEN
Not so long ago, tire suppliers spoke of how fleets could best approach the trade-off between selecting a tire designated for long tread life and one designed to enhance fuel efficiency. But now they indicate that compromise may be less of an issue for many fleets due to engineering and manufacturing advances as well as changes in the regulatory environment for fleets.
“The primary focus of progressive fleet managers and truck owners is to optimize the tire’s performance and its original tread life,” says CMA’s Murphy. “If there are government regulations that require the use of low rolling-resistance (RR) tires, then a fleet manager may have no choice but to purchase low RR tires.
“However,” he continues, “in today’s manufacturing world, the low RR tires are performing well versus standard RR tires when benchmarking tread mileage. Also, don’t forget that if a low RR retread is required, then the fleet must look at the need to continue to have these casings in use for retreading.”
Bridgestone’s Walenga says that once a fleet’s decided on the right tire for its applications, fuel economy benefits should be examined. “Higher-mileage operations will get more savings from a fuel-efficient tire. A good place to start is with tires that are on the EPA’s SmartWay-verified list.
“Most premium steer and trailer tires are already fuel-efficient, so the real choice between fuel economy and tread mileage comes with drive tires,” he continues. “If they’re not running in California, where fuel-efficient tires are required, fleets can look at weighing the value of a longer-wearing tire.”
Paul Crehan, director of product marketing for Michelin Truck Tires, says to bear in mind that “every manufacturer’s tires on the SmartWay-verified list—across all their product lines for that matter—vary by performance quality.”
In other words, SmartWay verification should be viewed as a starting point when deciding which fuel-efficient tire to purchase. “Tire price points exist for a reason,” Crehan adds. “They are logical. Tire-dealer networks and services vary as well.”
Walenga says that “whenever diesel is over $2/gal., the fleet will come out ahead with the more fuel-efficient choice.”
“The only point at which mileage to tread wear-out trumps tire fuel efficiency is when diesel is priced at less than $1/gal.,” remarks Continental’s Fanning.
“It’s true that getting more miles from a tire will lower the tire cost per mile (CPM),” says Walenga, “but there’s a disconnect as most fleets don’t calculate a tire’s contribution to fuel economy as part of tire CPM. Often, two budgets are being managed separately—tire and fuel—yet only one manager is making the purchase call.”
Goodyear’s Kramer concurs, remarking that “it can be a real dilemma for fleets to merge tire and fuel cost figures. And tire dealers need to recognize there are in reality two tire buyers at most fleets and work to educate both.”
Walenga notes that the Technology & Maintenance Council has rewritten a Recommended Practice so that it explains how to include the cost of fuel saved when calculating tire CPM.
Fleets can also seek out tires that, to coin a description, offer a hybrid solution to the green versus green decision. For example, Kramer reports there are new drive tires that provide “both fuel efficiency and long miles to removal” by combining fuel-efficient rubber compounds with wide, deep treads.
BREATH OF LIFE
Inflation is an absolute must—air is what holds the tire up,” says Michelin’s Crehan. “Stickers can be used to post inflation instructions, and it should be made very clear who is responsible for checking inflation and that they do it on a regular basis.”
“Only good things come out of keeping tires correctly inflated,” remarks Al Cohn, director of new market development & engineering support for Pressure Systems International (PSI), which manufactures the Meritor-branded tire-inflation system.
“Consider what happens when a fleet buys a fuel-efficient tire at a premium and does not keep it properly inflated—it won’t get the performance it paid for,” he continues. “And keeping tires inflated to provide an even footprint on the road will also decrease irregular tread wear, which will help avoid early tire failure.”
Properly inflated tires will also provide less rolling resistance and will quickly discharge any heat generated, keeping internal heat levels stable, Hankook Tire notes. As heat builds inside the tire, the chances of internal damage to the tire grows, the company says.
Over-inflation can create a harsher ride and result in tires that are more easily damaged by road debris, Hankook adds. The same can be said for under-inflation, which increases wear and causes sidewalls to overflex, diminishing the tire’s integrity.
Josh Carter, president of Aperia Technologies, which produces the Halo tire-inflation system, points out that “data that has been captured over the years and extensive on-road studies have shown the savings potential from correct inflation to be significant.”
Carter contends that the “reality of inflation” is complicated as “ambient temperature, sun-heating, load and other operating variables make it hard for even the most diligent driver or maintenance personnel to know how much air a given tire needs added or removed—as over-inflation is often overlooked.”
“We’d love to see inflation checked daily, but realistically at least weekly,” Goodyear’s Kramer advises. “Long-haul trailer tires do not get checked very often. Bear in mind that needed repairs on these tires can be masked if an onboard central inflation system is used and no one actually checks the tires for long periods.”
Diligent care
When it comes to maintaining tires, great importance [should be placed on] monitoring air pressure, driver education, preventive-maintenance measures, and electronic monitoring,” says CMA’s Murphy. “Whether it’s catching irregular wear early, removing tires for retreading at the appropriate time, or keeping air pressure in tires consistent, these pivotal actions are keys to increasing the overall performance of tires and reducing cost per mile.”
“Tire maintenance can be a substantial investment, but the good news is it’s one of the few costs of doing business that is 100% controllable by the fleet,” contends Yokohama’s Phillips. He offers a six-point checklist of essentials for effective tire maintenance, which lines up with what other tire makers recommend:
- Maintain proper air pressure. “If a fleet only did one thing to lower tire costs, ensuring that its tires are inflated properly would provide the most positive results.”
- Keep vehicles aligned. “It’s just simple geometry. The tires need to be standing straight up, and they need to all be pointing in the right direction—on the tractor and the trailer. If not, the fleet will sacrifice mileage and performance.”
- Tire matching. “It’s important to keep tires matched or mated, especially in a dual application. This not only extends tire life but is also much safer.”
- Driver education. “A good driver can go a long way to influence optimal tire performance, and a bad one can all but negate superior maintenance practices. Many fleets actually penalize drivers for bad habits and reward them for good habits.”
- Adequate pull points. “As tread wears down, it’s more vulnerable to operational failures. Fleets want to get every mile they can out of their tire investment, but removing them from service in a consistent and timely manner will pay dividends down the road when the tire is able to be retreaded and put back into service.”
- Removal from service. “At some point in time, a tire has served its useful purpose and is no longer safe to keep in service. A removal policy should be established based on repairs, age, etc. And the policy should be clear to everyone involved and followed diligently.”
Also, advises Goodyear’s Kramer, be aware that the recent tightening of stopping-distance rules for brakes may result in “panic stops disturbing the alignment settings on tandem axles. If the fleet does not look for and adjust for this, it will lose miles per gallon as well as tread miles. The solution is more consistent inspection of front and rear axle alignment, including performing an alignment check after a panic stop was detected.”
“Alignment is important, but a fleet needs to keep a close eye on the total tire and wheel system,” recommends Justin Wright, product marketing manager-commercial tires for Giti Tire (USA), which markets GT Radial truck tires. “A vehicle can be perfectly aligned and still incur irregular tire wear due to other maintenance–related issues,” he continues. “For example, wheel bearings could be loose.”
“After inflation and alignment, it’s important to stay on top of key components, including wheel bearings and seals,” says Continental’s Fanning. “We found that a fleet suffering irregular wear on steer and drive tires was due to the tractors [having] a lot of play at the wheel end, which was due to worn bearings and seals.”
Fleet owners have for decades measured a tire’s “retreadability” by how many “caps” they managed to put on a casing before it became unsuitable to retread once again. But tire and retread suppliers now contend that fleets should think of casings solely in terms of the total mileage they deliver from when they enter a fleet through whatever number of times they are retreaded before ultimately being considered worn out.
“The primary focus of progressive fleet managers and truck owners is to optimize the tire’s performance and usage during its original tread life,” says CMA’s Murphy. “However, in today’s’ manufacturing world, the low rolling-resistance tires are performing well versus standard tires when benchmarking tread mileage. Also, don’t forget that if a low rolling-resistance retread is required, then the fleet must look at the need to continue to have those casings in use for retreading.”
Bridgestone’s Walenga points out that when fleets buy a new tire or retread an existing casing, “they’re buying the latest tire technology.” He says to bear in mind that the “CPM of a retreaded tire is cheaper to begin with” because the initial investment in the casing has already been made. Walenga adds that fleets “opting to retread quality tires need to maintain them truly as assets throughout their lifecycle.”
“For successful retreading, we usually suggest pulling the tire at the early stage of 6 or 7/32nds,” notes Giti Tire’s Wright. “Go lower than that and you’re taking more of a risk of damaging the casing.”
According to Michelin’s Crehan, a best practice that should be adopted by fleets of any size is to develop a written set of tire-maintenance policies and require that they be followed.
“A high percentage of for-hire and private carriers do not have a documented tire-maintenance manual, so their maintenance programs for tires and wheels are not well communicated to their personnel and to their outsourced tire service providers,” concurs Peggy Fisher, president of TireStamp, which provides tire-monitoring and tire-asset management systems.
“These written policies should cover such key items as casing management,” points out Crehan. He says it’s especially important to write down how casings should be handled, including dictating up to what age a casing may be retreaded or perhaps they can be at any age but only if inspected first. Also, he advises indicating the preference for retreading tires by wheel position as well as for summer versus winter operation.
“The written policies on tire care should kick in as soon as tires enter the fleet and reflect the fleet’s unique operation,” Crehan continues. “For example, how far trucks travel in a given day will affect the policies.
“The structure has to be in place,” he adds, “so that the fleet’s tire department or vendor knows what to do by vehicle application and wheel position. It’s also critical to have a road-service policy and one regarding the condition of tires needed to adhere to any vehicle resale or lease agreement.”
“Most fleets consider premium truck tires to be assets,” Walenga wraps up. “They’re expensive to buy, but their potentially long service life can bring down operating costs.”
And what makes that possible is how thoroughly and thoughtfully that rubber is cared for—if not outright babied—from infancy to old age.
