Several tire manufacturers recently announced increases in tire prices by as much as 15% in the near future, prompting many fleet operators to seek new ways to extend useful tire life.
Tire experts agree that a primary cause of premature tire failure and poor tread life is underinflation. Not only does underinflation cause excessive heat build-up in the tire, creating dangerous driving conditions, it also shortens tire life by rapidly increasing tread wear. The detection and prevention of underinflation can also help to reduce occurrences of accelerated tread wear, zipper ruptures and devulcanization, according to Tire Sentry.
With recent advances in microchip technology, electronic tire pressure monitoring is now affordable for both large and small fleet operations. The Tire Sentry system uses advanced RF microchip technology to continuously monitor tire pressure from inside the cab. This wireless remote sensing system enables low tire pressure to be automatically detected by using electronic wheel sensors (electronic valve caps) to warn the driver/operator when any tire has lost as little as 10% of its normal operating pressure, the maker said.
Electronic tire pressure monitoring can be a particularly useful tool to support, or enhance most any preventive maintenance program, while also providing several benefits associated with good tire maintenance.