Commercial Tyres
Legislation applicable to tyres is both complex and strict. All tyres, regardless of whether they are fitted to a commercial vehicle or a
car, fall within the constraints of Sections 24 - 27 of the Construction & Use Regulations 1986.
In order for a vehicle to move along the road, energy and fuel need to work together. To reduce their consumption, it's firstly necessary to reduce the forces which oppose the vehicle's movement (e.g. gravity, aerodynamics, mechanical drive train, inertia.) However, tyre rolling resistance, very often underestimated, is responsible for approximately one third of a truck's fuel consumption.
Effective tyre management initially starts with the driver during his Daily Walk Round Check. The early 'flagging up' by drivers of
abnormalities, such as tyre bulge, tyre cuts, uneven wear or low air pressure can play a significant factor where the unnecessary early
replacement of tyres is concerned.
Good tyre management also concerns the chosen tyre contractor, whereby monthly fleet inspections and actions (such as those listed below)
can play a significant factor in tyre conservation and longevity. Burrows Commercials can offer you this.
- Front to rear swaps
- Turn on rim
- Similar tread depths paired together (drive axles)
- Re-Grooving
Fuel Costs
Fuel costs comprise around 21% of a long distance fleet's total costs. Running a tyre at an incorrect pressure such as 6 BAR instead of
9 BAR will increase fuel consumption by 14%. Tyres under-inflated by 20% will also lose around 25% of their tyre service life.
