Buying semi truck tires is harder than buying car tires because there are many things you have to consider before you walk into a store. You must know the correct tire size, because placing the wrong size onto your semi truck will cause it to not drive properly. Also, there are many different tire styles that you will see. You need to research what kind of tire will match the situations you will encounter on the road. Once you figure out these issues, you will be able to walk into a store and buy the tires you need with ease.
Determine which tires you want to replace. You need to know if they are in the drive or steer position. Drive tires are tires that are placed on wheels that pull the truck. Steer tires, which are usually the front tires, are the ones that steer the truck.
Read the outside tire wall of the tires you want to replace. The first number always determines the width of the tire. If your tire has a "/," the number after it determines the sidewall aspect ratio. The "R" means that it is a radial tire, which means that the fibers inside the tire are threaded sideways on the tire.
Replace tires in pairs for balancing purposes. Tires lose rubber, so used tires will not be as thick as new ones. If a new tire were placed on one side only, the truck would be slightly off balance because the other tire would be thinner.
Determine the tire tread that best fits your needs, as there are different treads for different purposes. There are long haul treads that maximize traction for heavy loads. Some treads are designed in a straight line to minimize wind resistance, which results in increased fuel mileage. There are also rigid tire treads designed to take the abuse of highways and city roads.
