When to Change & Replace Truck/Bus Tyres in India?

Your truck/bus tyres may look fine from the outside but may have been damaged by constant use. Tread depth and manufacturing date are some of the main reasons why people consider changing their tyres to reduce the risk of accidents.

In the following article, we have highlighted some of the critical factors and signs that indicate a change of truck/bus tyres, along with some tips to take care of them to increase their longevity.

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Things Influencing Longevity of a Truck/Bus Tyre
Signs for Replacing of a Truck/Bus Tyre
Different Kinds of Truck/Bus Tyres
How to Take Care of Truck/Bus Tyre
Frequently Asked Questions

What Things Influence the Longevity of a Truck/Bus Tyre?

The tyres are manufactured in various shapes and sizes suited for specific requirements and road conditions. However, their conditions get degraded with time depending upon several factors, and they are:

Speed:

Overspeeding on a regular basis reduces the lifespan of tyres and causes them to get damaged and worn out pretty quickly.

Pressure:

The tyres should be inflated up to the optimum level. Overinflation or underinflation is another significant cause of wearing out of bus/truck tyres.

Weather:

Driving through harsh weather conditions is also responsible for degrading the quality of truck/bus tyres, which consequently lowers the efficiency of the tyres.

Conditions of Road:

Every road is not in excellent condition, and some may present huge potholes. Driving your car in these bad and harsh conditions puts extra pressure on the tyres, causing them to wear out.

Temperature:

If the tyres are exposed to excessively high temperatures on a regular basis, the tyres get worn out pretty fast. Hence, tyres must not be continuously driven on hot roads.

Rash Driving:

Some people have the habit of rash driving and aggressive cornering that puts additional pressure on the brakes as well as the tyres. This is listed as another reason for quick wear and tear.

Inappropriate Match:

Setting up different types of tyres with different technologies can hamper the functionality, balance, stability, and performance of the tyre. Uniform specifications are very important.

Load:

Every tyre can tolerate only a specific amount of load. Therefore, overloading can significantly affect their performance and speed up the process of wear and tear.

Others:

Apart from the other factors mentioned above, the age of the tyres, along with irregular maintenance, can have a deep impact on the tyres, which causes wear and tear at a faster rate.

What Signs Indicate the Replacement of a Truck/Bus Tyre?

Driving with worn-out tyres puts your and others' lives in danger on the road. So, go through the following section and check your truck for the following signs indicating the replacement of the tyres:

Sign	Description
Strange Noises	If you notice any kind of weird noise, such as whining or creaking, coming from your truck/bus tyres, it is high time your tyres are replaced. Ignoring this sign may lead to some other issues as well.
Bulges or Blisters	Observe your truck/bus tyres for any sight of bulges or blisters. These indicate deterioration of tyre quality and demand replacement as soon as possible.
Old Tyres	Different tyres are made with different specifications for different trucks/buses. Hence, it is very important to check with the manufacturer about the correct age and mileage for tyre replacement.
Cracks	Tyres having cracks on the sidewall can be highly prone to blowouts. Avoiding these cracks will only add to the problem. Hence, you should regularly check your tyre’s health.
Tread Depth	A tyre tread inevitably wears down with constant usage. Therefore, you should keep an eye on the tread depth and ensure that they are within permissible limits. If it exceeds the legal limits, the tyres must be replaced.
Vibrations	Excessive vibrations while driving the truck may be a sign of wrong tyre alignment, which makes the truck/bus more prone to accidents.

Different Kinds of Truck/Bus Tyres

Different types of trucks are meant for different work and require different tyres. Hence, having a brief knowledge of various kinds of tyres helps in selecting the best one for your truck/bus:

1. General Truck Tyres:

These refer to the tyres in the lightweight trucks that move around the city delivering packages.

2. Mining Truck Tyres:

These types of tyres are specially designed to withstand the bad conditions of quarries, open pit mining and other mining tasks. It has certain advanced features, such as a 3-layer structure, multi-layer steel belts, etc.

3. Long Haul Truck Tyres:

These truck tyres are seen on those that run at fairly constant speeds over the highways.

4. Heavy Loads Truck Tyres:

Trucks that are designed to transport coarse materials and overweight loads require these tyres.

How to Take Care of Your Truck/Bus Tyre?

The first and foremost point in taking care of your truck/bus tyre is to inspect it properly and look for any kind of danger sign that might put your life at risk. While inspecting, ensure the vehicle is not moving, and the engine is kept off. To have a better understanding, ensure:

Any tyre damage must be looked at carefully by professionals trained to determine whether to repair them.
Avoid putting a lot of pressure on the tyres as it may result in thermal degradation.
The repairs should always be supervised by tyre specialists who have sufficient knowledge of the matter.
Mindfully examine the tyre before initiating any repair work and ensure no degradation has started.

Keeping your truck/bus in optimal working condition ensures the safety of the driver as well as the people on the road. Hence, it is essential to inspect your truck/bux tyres regularly and replace or repair them if needed.

FAQs about When to Change Truck/Bus Tyres

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When should I replace my truck tyres?

As a responsible driver, you should change your tyres once before they cross the 10-year mark. Hence, carefully observe the conditions of your tyres and take the necessary steps.

When should truck tyres be replaced?

Apart from considering the climatic factors, the truck/bus tyres should be changed within 6 to 10 years or within 35,000 to 70,000 km. Even if they look absolutely healthy, they shouldn't be used for more than 10 years.

What is the life of a bus tyre?

The life of a bus tyre is considered to be between 40,000 to 70,000 km.

How many km is a truck tyre change?

As per some experts, a truck tyre needs to be changed when the tyre has travelled a distance between 40,000 and 70,000 km.

How to check tyre life?

There is no scientific method to determine tyre life by some anthropometric measurements. However, the tyres should be changed before they hit 10 years.

What is the life cycle of a truck tyre?

As for the truck tyres, they should be changed every 6 to 10 years to minimise the risk of road accidents and keep the drivers safe.

How do you check tyre age?

The date of manufacture is written on the side wall of the tyre in the form of a four-digit code. Hence, the owner can calculate the age of the tyre from that.

Can I use 20-year-old tyres?

Even though there is no strict age limit for the truck tyres, the tyres should not be used for more than 10 years. A 20-year-old tyre might be highly prone towards accidents.

When should I change my tyres?

You should change your tyres when they have travelled for more than 40,000 km or have crossed the age limit of 6 to 10 years.

Are 6-year-old tyres safe?

If you have stored the truck/bus tyres while maintaining proper conditions, they last from somewhere between 6 to 10 years. Even though the manufacturers advise the tyres to be used only for 5 years, their shelf life can be increased to 10 years with proper care.

What is the age limit for tyres?

As per tyre experts, the tyres should be replaced after 10 years of use after their date of manufacture as a precautionary measure. This applies to the spare tyres as well.

Do tyres expire?

Although tyres do not have an expiration date, they should not be used for more than 10 years, and in some cases, they shouldn’t be used for more than 5 to 6 years. Replacing tyres is solely for the safety of the driver and the truck or bus.

How do you check tyre expiry?

Look for the date of manufacture written on the tyre's sidewall and calculate the expiry date from there. It is an approximation and should not be taken too seriously.

What is the maximum shelf life of tyres?

The maximum shelf life of tyres is considered to be 5 to 6 years, after which they might start degrading.

What is the danger of expired tyres?

Expired tyres leak air faster and demand constant refilling. All of these reasons make them highly prone towards accidents.

Do tyres expire if not used?

The tyres need to be stored in proper places and proper conditions, or else they have a high chance of getting degraded and being rendered unsuitable for use.