0 To ballast or not to ballast – what’s best for your agricultural tyres?

Should you ballast your tractor tyres, and what is best to do so?

You may add fluids to your agricultural tyres for extra traction and to lower the centre of gravity of your vehicle. If your tyres slip on wet surfaces, adding some fluid should help to improve agricultural tyre performance.

Reasons to ballast agricultural tyres

There are several reasons to ballast agricultural tyres. Perhaps the three most common are:

• Modern 4×4 tractors have a higher centre of gravity, because of their taller tyres. Especially on hilly surfaces, the higher the centre of gravity the more liable you are to slip or topple. By adding ballast, your tractor could work more effectively and safely.
• Also, if you have a bucket loader. If you accidentally overload the bucket, the rear tyres could lift. That producing a heart-thumping moment. Adding ballast to the rear tyres on your agricultural vehicle makes tractor operation safer in these circumstances.
• With a heavy rear plough attached, adding ballast to your front tyres will increase steerability.

However, when you add ballast, ride quality can be adversely impacted. It is particularly true if you drive on the tarmac at higher speeds. When ballasting your tyres, you’ll need to consider what work you are doing, what terrain is being driven on, and what fluid is preferred.

What’s the best ballast fluid for agricultural tyres?

Farmers are super resourceful and cautious with money. That’s a great combination, and, when it comes to ballasting tyres, has led to some innovative solutions. Here are a few, with the pros and cons:

·      Water

The cheapest ballast material. However, water freezes. Now, while this shouldn’t pose a problem in most Queensland winters, if we have prolonged cold spells like we did in 2014 (when the temperature fell as low as -6.1ᵒC in Oakey) you could find that water ballast damages your tyres. This damage could include the tyre coming off the wheel rim.

·      Calcium Chloride

To get over the problem of freezing water ballast, you might want to add calcium chloride. It will take the freezing temperature down to around -50ᵒC. On the downside, while a calcium chloride solution is cost-effective, it can rust your wheels. Any money you save on ballast fluid pales into insignificance against the cost of a new set of tractor wheels.

·      Antifreeze

Although not the cheapest fluid to use as ballast, antifreeze removes the disadvantages of calcium chloride while retaining the resistance to freezing. However, it is toxic. For this reason, if you are thinking about adding antifreeze to water, use propylene glycol and not ethylene glycol.

·      Beet Juice

Beet juice is a liquid tyre ballast. It’s heavier than water (so you need less of it), non-toxic, and non-corrosive. However, these benefits come at a cost: beet juice is not cheap.

·      Foam

Foam-filled tyres possibly provide the best ride. However, if you need to change the tyre, it will need to be cut off the wheel. Also, the pressure cannot be changed on foam-filled tyres, so you won’t be able to adjust to varying conditions. The expense of filling with foam also means you are best to fill new (or nearly new) tyres to get maximum life.

What is your favourite ballast fluid?

The above fluids are the most common used for ballast on agricultural tyres. I’ve also heard of farmers using windscreen washer (it’s cheap and shares many of the qualities of antifreeze). Whatever your favourite ballast fluid, you’ll need to use a filling device – and making use of gravity removes the strain of pumping fluid into the tyre, after deflating the tyre and removing the valve core. By locating the valve at different positions (e.g. 4 o’clock or 2 o’clock) you will automatically regulate how much fluid you are adding to the tyre.

What is your favoured ballast fluid? Have you got any tips for other farmers in Queensland? Contact us and let us know.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 Continental Tyres in Brisbane – the tyre of choice?

Is Continental the safest tyres for Australian drivers?

Continental tyres in Brisbane have been sweeping up Best Tyre awards over the last few months. Awards have been flooding in from around the world. The best and safest performance tyres in Australia is the latest. It comes hot on the heels of success as producing the winner of the 2016 tyre test, as selected by the UK’s number one private hire and chauffeur magazine, Professional Driver. And between these two accolades, Continental tyres is given first place in Auto Bild magazine’s sportscar summer tyre test.

Which of Continental’s tyres is going gold and platinum? And how they selected as Australia’s best performance tyre? Let’s start with the tyre selected by Auto Bild.

The SportContact 6 tyre – “fast, crisp, faultless”

Auto Bild’s sportscar testers had nothing but praise for Continental’s SportContact 6 tyre. They tested the tyre on track, driving on both wet and dry asphalt. The tyre put through ten disciplines in both conditions and pitted against stiff competition from nine other tyres.

Testers praised the tyre for its handling, and precise steering response calls it “Fast, crisp and faultless on a wet track. The stuff champions are made of.”

Continental have reformulated the composition of the tread and redesigned tyre construction to give us mere mortals driving on Australia’s roads the same performance benefits. The range spans 50 rim sizes, from 19 to 23 inches.

ContiPremiumContact 5 – the No. 1 choice for UK professional drivers

Professional drivers want safety and efficiency from their tyres. Continental’s ContiPremiumContact 5 tyre delivers both. That’s the conclusion of  Professional Driver magazine. It names the tyre as the winner of its 2016 tyre test. It said the tyre is strongest in wet grip and fuel economy and provided the drive that is “easily the most comfortable”.

The tests conducted took tyres through their paces, examining performance, quality, safety and comfort. The 3D edges give the tyre more contact with the road when braking, and its eco-contour reduces energy loss and thus minimises fuel consumption.

Scott Benbow, the Product Marketing Manager at Continental, said, “This win for the Continental ContiPremiumContact 5 is an excellent endorsement for our product range, and commitment to constantly improving our tyres performance. Suitable for a wide range of cars from compact to luxury, the ContiPremiumContact 5 boasts extremely short braking distances on dry and wet roads. Utilising the superb handling characteristics from the ContiSportContact 5 and the low rolling resistance characteristics from the ContiEcoContact 5, it offers a top choice for professional drivers.”

ContiSportContact 5 P – The performance tyre for Australians

Now to Continental’s latest award, currently celebrated here in Australia.

MOTOR magazine tested a huge range of brands and tyres in its 2017 tyre test. Its objective was simple: find the best tyre choice for Australians. Tests at Sydney Dragway included:

• Slalom runs
• Dry braking
• Wet braking
• Gymkhana
• Wet lateral G-exam

Continental’s ContiSportContact 5 came top of the pile. Impressively, it proved to be the best tyre for braking in both wet and dry conditions and scooped either second or third place in the other three test categories.

Test driver Warren Luff described the tyre as “Consistent from front to back, and lively with a bit of an edge”, commending it for its “great wet weather performance”.

Continental – an investment in your safety

It has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into tyre research and development and is producing innovative tyres that slash braking distances and fuel consumption while increasing passenger comfort and safety.

These tyres are proving to be the choice of professionals. They are beating other tyre manufacturers in test after test around the world. If you consider Continental’s track record of safety, performance, and economy, it’s easy to see why they don’t sell at budget prices. Then again, what price do you put on road safety?

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 How to stop your commercial vehicle tyres being stolen

Tips to deter wheel and tyre theft in Brisbane

Commercial vehicle tyres can be an expensive investment. If you own a light commercial vehicle or ute and have ever bought a set of new tyres, you’ll know how expensive they can be. So, you’ll want to protect them.

For example, you’ll take precautions which help commercial vehicle tyres last longer. You’ll make sure they’re inflated to the correct pressure, that you don’t overload your vehicle, and that you rotate your tyres at regular intervals. You’ll also make sure you use a simple tyre cleaning routine to improve safety and increase tyre life.

According to a Carsafe.com.au study, 148 cars are stolen every day in Australia, and one of the country’s hotspots for car crime is Brisbane. What many don’t realise is that your tyres and wheels are at risk of being stolen, while the rest of the vehicle is left behind. So how do you protect your tyres from being stolen?

Here are five things you can do today to stop your tyres disappearing tonight:

1.    Keep your car in the garage

Okay, so this is an obvious tip. But you might be surprised at just how many people have a garage and never use it to house their ute. My advice is to get your vehicle off the street and under lock and key.

2.    No garage? Use a camera

If you don’t have a garage, consider putting a camera in a prominent position. Often, the sight of a camera is enough to deter thieves from attempting to steal your wheels. Today, these cameras don’t have to be expensive and can be linked wirelessly to your home PC.

3.    Alarm your vehicle

It’s not easy to remove wheels from a vehicle, and probable that the thieves will bump it. With an alarm fitted, they’ll be chased off by the shrill sound that wakes up the whole street. To stop the thieves before they start, put a sticker in the window warning them that there is an alarm fitted. Prevention is better than cure.

4.    Plug your lugs

There are a couple of things you can do with your wheel lugs to put off thieves. The first is to cover them. What can’t be seen can’t be coveted. Use a wheel cap to hide the lugs. That little extra effort that the thieves will need to exert could be enough to encourage them to move on. Thieves are lazy. That’s why they steal. If they didn’t mind a bit of hard graft, they’d work for their money.

Even better than a cover is to purchase specialised wheel lugs. To remove these, a thief will need a special tool. The chances of them having this are slim to none.

5.    Take care about parking

With those new set of tyres fitted, you’ll take care not to kerb your wheels. Take as much care about where you park as you do about how you park:

• Instead of saving a couple of dollars by parking on the street, pay for a ticket to put your car in a covered car park that has security cameras.
• If you’re out at night, park under a street light on a busy road which benefits from lots of pedestrians.

Having your wheels stolen is a massive inconvenience and a pretty expensive one. Not as bad as having your whole vehicle taken, but in the frustration stakes, not far off. Wheel theft, like car theft, is an opportunity theft. If you take the right precautions, you’ll make life difficult for thieves. You’ll remove the opportunity.

We’ve got more than 100 years’ experience in the tyre business. You’ll find our approach is personal but professional. We care about your safety, your property, and our reputation. Contact us (by Skype, telephone, or on our contact form), and we’ll help you make the best choice of commercial tyres for your vehicle, driving needs and pocket. And we’ll give you a few tips on how to keep the thieves at bay in Brisbane.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 7 tips to improve performance of agricultural tyres

How to keep your agricultural tyres in peak condition

Your agricultural tyres are some of your most valuable assets. And some of the most expensive. If you neglect your tyre tractor check, you could compromise safety, performance, and increase your costs. A few basic precautions and checks are all you need to prolong tyre life. You could save thousands of dollars over the course of a tractor’s lifetime.

Here are our seven top tips for agricultural tyre maintenance:

1.    Check your tyre pressures

It should be on your weekly maintenance programme. Use a low-pressure gauge to make sure your agricultural tyres are properly inflated. Ensure the gauge is properly calibrated by getting it checked at least once a year.

Always check inflation pressures when the tyre is cold – when the tyre is hot, the air inside expands, and the pressure rises. When the tyre cools down, it will be underinflated.

If your tyres are filled with water or antifreeze, use a special gauge and ensure the valve is at the bottom of the tyre when testing.

The danger of underinflation is that damage will be caused to the cord, and the carcass can fail. Over-inflation should only be used when hillside ploughing, or if you plan to use the tractor on hard surfaces for long periods. To determine the correct tyre pressure, weigh the rear axle with the tractor tool in a raised position and then refer to the load/inflation tables supplied.

2.    Tyre types

In the same way that you wouldn’t fit and mix radial and bias tyres on a car, you shouldn’t do so on your agricultural vehicles, either.

3.    Watch for valve damage

Valve damage is a sign that the tyre is slipping on the rim. It is caused by:

• Underinflated tyres
• Too much lubricant on the bead when the tyre was mounted
• The bead is improperly seated on the rim

If a valve is damaged, get the tyre and wheel checked by a tyre specialist immediately.

4.    Watch for tyre spinning

If you notice that a tyre is spinning, it is probably because the wheel weights are too light. Spinning on rough surfaces will wear the tread bars, and eventually, the tyre will become useless. The best action to prevent this is to add wheel weights, though as a temporary measure you might also:

• Adjust inflation pressure down (but not below the recommended pressure)
• Decrease the draft load

5.    Check your rims

If your tyre is fitted to a rim that is too narrow, it will suffer the same problems as if it were over-inflated. The wear will be concentrated on the centre of the tyre tread. Wear will be increased, and traction will be reduced. The tyre is also likely to suffer sidewall damage, where the wheel rim subjects extra pressure on the tyre. It’s not unusual for tyres that have been fitted on narrower rims to suffer sidewall separation.

Always ensure that your tyres and rims match.

6.    Clean oil and grease from your agricultural tyres

Oil, grease and fuel damages tyre rubber. So, too, does agricultural chemicals. If you use your tyres where they come into contact with any such liquids, make sure they are cleaned before storing your vehicle.

7.    Check your tyres for damage daily

At the end of every day, do a tyre check. Look for cuts, scrape and breaks. Look for exposed cords. If a tyre is damaged, it should be removed, tested and repaired by a qualified tractor tyre specialist.

For all your agricultural tyre needs in West Brisbane, we’re here to help. We’ve got extensive experience in the supply, fitting, and maintenance of agricultural tyres on all types of vehicle. Contact us (by Skype, telephone, or on our contact form) and make sure your agriculture tyres are in top condition for all seasons.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 How to make commercial vehicle tyres last longer

Tyre management strategies that will inflate your bottom line

Commercial vehicle tyres are one of the highest expenses your fleet incurs. A good tyre maintenance program will help your drivers avoid blow-outs on their trucks. A good tyre management program will help your fleet tyres last longer. And when tyres last longer, your costs fall, and your profits increase.

In this article, we discuss the causes of wear and tear on commercial vehicle tyres that should inform your fleet tyre maintenance and management program.

Who is responsible for the tyre management program?

The choice of tyres and how they are used will depend on the specifics of your fleet’s operations. It requires a good knowledge of driver routes, loads, and driving styles. Motorway work is different to inner city driving. On-road is different to off-road. If a truck is turned around between one driver and the next without a break, tyre wear is different again.

The person best placed to examine how tyres in the fleet are affected is the fleet manager. By testing over a long period, they will be able to design a suitable tyre management and maintenance program that extends tyre life. The data collected will include:

• Total mileage
• Wear and tear
• Tyre costs
• Cost per mile
• Warranties

What causes wear and tear on commercial vehicle tyres?

Shortened tyre life is caused by a range of factors that lead to irregular tyre wear. Taking action to shrink irregular wear and tear will help to reduce fleet fuel costs and extend tyre life. Here are the leading causes of irregular wear and tear on truck tyres:

·      Overloading

Your tyres bear all the weight of the truck and its load. A common mistake is using tyres that haven’t been manufactured for the load transported.

To ensure that you buy the correct tyres for the loads being transported, divide the maximum weight of the vehicle and its load by its number of tyres. If the vehicle and load are, say, six tonnes and it is supported by four wheels, you’ll need to buy tyres with a load rating of 1.5 tonnes.

·      Improper inflation

Improper inflation reduces tyre life and decreases safety. Overinflated tyres wear in the centre. Underinflated tyres wear on the shoulders and can damage sidewalls, with structural damage following.

Daily air pressure checks will ensure tyres are inflated correctly and get your drivers to check for damage to the tyres before, during, and after every trip.

·      Poor tyre rotation

Front tyres tend to wear most on their shoulders. Rear tyres typically wear first at the centre. A good tyre rotation policy can save your life and protect your tyres.

Rotating tyres is a time-consuming operation, so work out the optimum times to rotate without increasing costs. Most fleets coincide tyre rotation with regular service programs.

·      Improper alignment and balance

Misaligned and poorly balanced wheels are a major source of tyre wear. Balance weights can become dislodged or slip, causing the truck to run out of balance. Check alignment and balance at regular intervals.

·      Poor storage practices

How and where your trucks are parked will also impact tyre life. Oil, grease, fuel, water and other solutions degrade tyre rubber. If parked in one spot for too long, tyres can develop flat spots.

Park your trucks on a cool, dry, contamination-free surface.

·      Poor driving

The poor driving technique is another major factor in commercial tyre longevity. Cornering sharply, driving too fast over poorly surfaced roads, and braking heavily all contribute to tyre wear. Signs that a driver needs re-educating as to driving style include regular damage to sidewalls, denting, scratching, and bald patches.

How to increase the life of commercial vehicle tyres

As well as taking precautions against the specific causes of wear and tear we’ve mentioned above, you should also ensure that your truck tyres are cleaned regularly. Each time the vehicle is washed, clean the tyres thoroughly to remove debris, chemicals, mud and fuel.

Ensure that your tyre maintenance and management program doesn’t neglect the inside tyres.

You can also extend tyre life with an effective retread program. Providing the structure of the tyre is sound, there is no limit on how many retreads can be made. However, you should evaluate the cost-effectiveness of retreads as part of your tyre management program.

Keep an eye on costs

An integral part of a fleet tyre management program is cost maintenance. Your records should indicate the cost per mile and include a scrap tyre analysis. Keeping these records will help to decide on which tyres are best for which application, as well as highlighting problem routes and drivers that need to improve their technique.

We’re here to help. We’ve got extensive experience in the supply, fitting and maintenance of commercial vehicle tyres for a variety of fleets in Brisbane and Queensland. Contact us today on +61 07 3333 5510 or (by Skype or on our contact form) and discover the Darra advantage that benefits so many other fleet managers.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 Tyres in Brisbane: what’s the best tyre choice for safety and value?

Should you spend more for premium brand tyres in Brisbane?

Drivers in Brisbane have a huge range of tyres to choose from. For most, the final deciding factor will be price. But is there a big difference between premium, mid-range, and budget tyres? Why do premium brands cost so much more than budget tyres? And how should you decide which are the right tyres for driving your vehicle in Brisbane?

Premium brand tyres in Brisbane

Premium brand tyres are the names you’ve heard of: Goodyear, Michelin, Bridgestone, Continental and so on. They may look the same as other tyres – round and black – but they can be expensive. So why do premium brand tyres cost so much more than their budget tyre equivalents?

When you buy premium tyres, you’re also paying for the vast amount of research these companies undertake. They spend hundreds of millions of dollars on engineering tyres and developing new rubber compounds. They conduct safety and endurance testing, and evolve their tyres to perform in all types of road and weather conditions – that’s a huge plus on Brisbane’s roads.

When tested, premium brands consistently perform better than their cheaper rivals. You benefit from the better grip, increased driveability, and shorter braking distances. Premium brand tyres tend to outlive budget and mid-range competitors. They give better fuel consumption with lower fuel bills. The tyres are longer-lasting, so you don’t need to replace them as often.

If you drive a lot of miles, and at faster speeds on motorways, then when you replace your tyres an investment in premium brand tyres is likely to pay you back in the long run. The old saying tends to be true… “Buy cheap, pay twice…”

Mid-range tyres

Between the cheapest and most expensive tyres, you’ll find mid-range tyres, which are often manufactured by premium brand names. Often, these tyres are produced under a different name. They’re not manufactured to quite the same standard as premium brand tyres – the rubber used may not be the latest compound, for example.

These tyres usually offer good value to drivers who use their car daily and drive conservatively. You’ll get better fuel consumption and less wear than from a budget tyre, and benefit from a lot of the latest technological advances made by premium brands.

Budget tyres in Brisbane

Budget tyres could be a great purchase. And they might not be. The rule of thumb when you’re buying tyres is the same as when purchasing anything else – you tend to get what you pay for. However, this doesn’t mean that budget tyres are a ‘no-no’.  Some budget tyres offer great value, and it depends on the driving you’ll be doing and what your vehicle is used for.

For example, if you drive at slower speeds in town, travel shorter distances, or want tyres for a second car that is only used from time to time, budget tyres could be the ideal solution. And, if cost is an issue, buying a new budget tyre is a better choice than a brand name that is worn or damaged.

How do you choose the best tyres for driving in Brisbane?

When you need new tyres, there are several factors to take into consideration. These include:

• Type of vehicle
• Driving style
• Road conditions and the type of road you’ll be driving on most
• Budget

Bring your vehicle into our Brisbane tyre shop. Before recommending which tyres will be the best value for you (in the short and long term), we’ll ensure that the tyres are best for your driving style, use, and pocket. Our clients return time after time because we make sure they get the best value tyre that keeps them and their passengers safe on the roads in Queensland.

If you want to talk tyres, contact us on +61 07 3333 5510 (by Skype, telephone, or on our contact form) to get expert advice at our Brisbane tyre shop.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 How to avoid a disaster on a Queensland road trip this autumn

Safety tips for your car, passengers and tyres in Brisbane

Tyres in Brisbane’s changing weather conditions can cause problems if they’re not well maintained. Now that autumn is here, one of Queenslanders’ favourite pastimes is an Easter road trip. Perhaps down to the Gold Coast for some rest and relaxation, or into the outback for a family adventure.

Before you head off, prepare your tyres, car, and yourself. Keep your passengers safe and your car on the road with these tips:

Check your vehicle

Vehicle maintenance should be a routine. But before a trip, give your vehicle an extra vigorous once-over:

• Start with the tyres. Brisbane’s roads can be fickle in the autumn. Make sure your tyres have the correct tread depth. Check the tyre pressure, and ensure every tyre is correctly inflated.
• Next, check your fluids – brake and clutch, oil, transmission, coolant, and water.
• Check your lights – front and rear. Replace bulbs where needed. Pack spare bulbs for the trip.
• Check your windscreen wipers and washer fluid. Pack a spare bottle of fluid.
• Get your head under the bonnet and check your fan belt, coolant hoses, and battery.

Check your emergency supplies

Whether you’re driving down the coast or into the bush, be prepared for any emergency. Here are the essentials you can’t afford to be without:

• A first aid kit
• Water – if you break down in the outback, you’ll need around 4 litres of water per person, per day.
• Food – pack some high-energy emergency rations
• Maps and a compass – Sat Navs have a habit of failing when you most need them
• Blankets – it gets cold at night

Don’t forget other essentials for your vehicle: a toolkit; fire extinguisher; two ropes; two spare wheels.

Oh, and, just in case, take a shovel and toilet paper.

Check your vehicle recovery strap

If you get bogged down in the bush, you’ll rely on your recovery strap to get you out of trouble and back on your journey. Since 2003, there have been at least two deaths in Queensland because of unsafe use of motor vehicle recovery straps (Australian Competition & Consumer Commission).

Check the Product Safety Australia website for details about the type of straps you need for your vehicle, and how to use them safely. Or come into our West Brisbane tyre shop, have your tyres thoroughly checked and we’ll help you with your snatch straps.

What if you run into trouble on the road?

If you’ve checked your tyres, hopefully, you won’t have a tyre blow-out. But if you do, here’s what to do:

• Don’t panic
• Hold the steering wheel in two hands and compensate for the pull
• Take your foot off the accelerator
• Don’t brake immediately
• When the vehicle is under control, brake gently
• Pull over in a safe place and stop

Drive safe in floods

Although the worst of the rain should be over, there’s always a chance of flooding. It may take a few days for floodwater to rise. A flash flood could take minutes. Here’s what you should do to stay safe in flooding:

• Never drive on roads which are closed.
• If the floodwater has started to recede, stay off the road until it has been reopened. It could be damaged, and until it’s dry that damage won’t be known fully.
• Even when a road is reopened, drive slowly and carefully – a road that is drying out can be slippery and damage developing slowly.
• Floods cause landslides, so stay wary when driving after flooding. A landslide could happen hours or days after a flood.

Road trip or not, don’t neglect your tyres

Brisbane’s roads can be unpredictable in the autumn. Your tyres may have suffered during the heat of the summer. The rubber could have been impaired. Tread may be worn. As summer drifts into autumn, it’s time to get your tyres checked and rotate them. Rotating your tyres can increase their lifespan.

Bring your vehicle in our West Brisbane tyre shop. We’ll check the tread, and make sure there is no dangerous damage to the sidewalls. We can check the wheel alignment and balance, too. This will make sure that your tyres wear evenly and give you a safer and more comfortable driving experience.

If you want tyre advice, contact us (by Skype, telephone, or on our contact form) to get expert advice at our Brisbane tyre shop.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 Agriculture Tyres – How to avoid tyres harming your Queensland harvest

Agriculture Tyres – Tips to keep agricultural tyres in top condition

Agricultural tyres and equipment have a nasty habit of breaking down at the most critical time. And what time could be more significant than during the harvest season in Queensland? You’ve got to be on top of your game at this period of the year. You’ve got the weather to contend with. And when a crop is ready to be harvested, time isn’t going to be on your side.

One of the most critical (and overlooked) pieces of farm equipment are your agricultural tyres. If one blows mid-harvest, it could ruin what promised to be a great crop. Here are my best tips to keep your tyres in peak condition when it matters the most.

1.    Check your agricultural tyres for damage

You may not have given your combine the once-over for some time. Last year’s harvest could have left bulges, cuts and tears on your agricultural tyres that you’ve forgotten about. Not checking your tyres before you put them to work in the field could prove to be an expensive error.

Check the tread and sidewalls for any damage before you start the engine.

2.    Remove agricultural tyre flat spots

When your combine has been inactive for a while, all its weight will have been in one area of the tyres. This can cause flat spots on each of your tyres.

Top agricultural tyre tip: Inflate your tyres to a little above the operating inflation, and move the combine into the sunlight. It will warm your tyres and help return them to their proper shape.

3.    Check tyre pressures

Think about where you combine will be used. Does your land slope? Is there a lot of tarmacs to be travelled?

Consider the terrain and intensity of work, and inflate your tyres to the correct operating pressures.

4.    Check the wheels

Damage to wheels could throw out their alignment and balancing. It could cause you a heap of trouble, with uneven tyre wear leading to a rapid deterioration of the tread.

5.    Don’t neglect your rear tyres

It’s common for farmers to neglect their rear tyres. You should make the same checks on these that you do your front tyres. Make sure that you inflate them to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

6.    Inspect your tyres every day

The sooner you spot tyre damage and make a repair; the more effective the repair will be. It will be cheaper, too.

Make an agricultural tyre inspections part of your daily routine. Check for cuts and bulges. Make sure you check all around the tyre, and inner and outer sidewalls. Check and correct inflation pressures before you go into the field.

7.    Choose the right agricultural tyres

If you need new agricultural tyres, make sure they’re right for the vehicle and the job it’s doing. There is a huge choice of agricultural tyres today. They’re tested for performance, load capacities, and fuel consumption qualities. Michelin’s Ultraflex Technology allows agricultural tyres to be run at lower inflation pressures. It’s been proven to help performance and operator safety and comfort.

Don’t neglect your other vehicles’ agricultural tyres, either. If your trailer is carrying heavy loads, its tyres are just as important as those on your combines and tractors.

The tips above will help you have a great harvest. If you want us to come and check or replace your agricultural tyres or need any tyre advice, contact us (by Skype, telephone, or on our contact form) and get it straight from the experts at our West Brisbane tyre shop. Our technicians are here to help you make the best choice. With extensive experience in the supply and fitting of agricultural tyres, we guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 Forklift Tyres – When is it time to replace your forklift tyres?

Forklift Tyres – The signs that it’s time to change your tyres

Your business relies on forklifts and the forklift tyres. Without them, merchandise doesn’t get shifted from factory to warehouse. It doesn’t get loaded onto your trucks, your customers don’t receive their shipments and you might not get paid. The less downtime your forklifts suffer, the more efficient your operation is. The more money you make.

When monitoring these beasts of burden, it’s easy to concentrate on the engine and hydraulics and forget the forklift tyres. They are perhaps the hardest working of all forklift components. Toyota trucks estimated that the average forklift tyre carries over 9,500 lbs. There are no suspension systems to help spread that weight. Every single ounce of your load relies on a single ring of black rubber.

A while ago I wrote about how to choose and maintain forklift tyres to cut costs. Here, I’ll discuss why it’s so important to know when to replace your forklift tyres. I’ll also describe the warning signs that your forklift tyres are wearing.

The job that forklift tyres do

Forklift tyres carry heavy loads. Even the steer tyres carry more than 1,000 lbs. Tyres that are in good condition:

• Help to soften the driver’s ride
• Contributes to keep the forklift stable
• Reduce driver fatigue
• Decrease fuel consumption
• Reduce forklift maintenance costs

If your forklift tyres are in bad condition, your workplace efficiency could suffer. Increased driver fatigue could lead to safety issues. And then, of course, there are the cost issues: increased fuel bills, and the effect of downtime.

How do you know your forklift tyres need replacing?

There are three main types of forklift tyre. The signs that they are wearing are different for each. Cushion (or press-on) tyres are pretty much shot when a third of their rubber is worn. Pneumatic tyres need to be examined for tread wear. Resilient (or solid pneumatic) tyres can be worn down to the wear mark on the sidewall.

Forklift cushion tyre danger signs

Cushion tyres wear slowly but can be damaged easily. Watch for the following danger signs that all indicate a tyre change is needed:

• The top of the tyre has worn down to the wear line.
• If bits of rubber have fallen off, or there are chunks taken out of the tyre, it needs replacing.
• Flat spots, where one part of the tyre is balder. It is usually caused by tyre spinning, sharp braking, or misalignment of wheels.
• Tearing by sharp objects. It causes imbalance and can tip the forklift.

Forklift pneumatic tyre danger signs

Pneumatic tyres are most commonly used outdoors. Watch for these danger signs:

• Under or over inflation will affect the stability of the forklift and increase wear. It also affects traction, reducing braking power.
• Cuts in the tyre can cause sudden loss of air. It could cause the forklift to tip. If the cord is visible, or you notice frayed cord piles, your tyre needs replacing.
• Bald patches should be checked for at all points on the inside and outer edges of the tyre, as well as its contact surface.
• There’s a two-inch rule that says after two inches of tyre height is gone, almost 20% more stress is put on the vehicle. However, it’s probably better to rely on tread depth.

Forklift resilient tyre danger signs

If there is no damage to resilient tyres they can be used until wear takes the rubber down to the wear lines on the sidewall. However, you need to observe all the warning signs for both cushion and pneumatic forklift tyres, because resilient tyres are a cross between the two.

If your forklift tyres wear too much, your forklift performance will suffer. You’ll use more fuel, and safety could be compromised. The extra pressure on other moving parts (including the engine) could cause unnecessary and expensive damage. Your tyre maintenance programme should be a core part of your safety check routine as well as your vehicle maintenance regime.

The forklift tyre tips above will help your productivity and safety, and you can always contact us (by Skype, telephone, or on our contact form) to get expert advice at our West Brisbane forklift tyre shop. Hey, we’ll even come and replace them for you.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood

0 Truck tyres – How to buy the best retreads

Truck tyres – Can retreads be as good as new truck tyres?

When it comes to truck parts, its tyres are probably the most important. They’re the sole connection between you and the ground, and they play a massive part in braking and handling. Only with the right truck tyres will you be able to haul your load safe and secure.

In this article, I’ll explain the benefits of using retread truck tyres, how they are produced, and give you a few tips to make sure that when you buy retreads for your truck, they won’t blow out half a kilometre down the road.

What is a retread truck tyre?

Simply put, a retread is a tyre casing that is reused. The old, worn tread is removed and replaced with new.

How is a retread truck tyre made?

Retreads are manufactured by either hot retreading or cold retreading.

On a suitable casing, a new tread is added. The casing itself must be stable and undamaged. Finding a suitable candidate for retreading can be hard because most truck tyres have done hundreds of thousands of kilometres before the haulier is ready to discard it because of worn tread.

Once a suitable casing has been found, any remaining tread is skimmed off. The result is a smooth casing ready for retreading.

When a hot retread method is used, hot rubber is gradually added to the casing in thin strips around the tyre. Once the depth is correct, the whole tyre is put in the press. It heats the tyre to 300 degrees Fahrenheit plus. The press also imprints the new truck tyre rubber with the tread pattern.

In the cold retread method, instead of strips of rubber, a whole ring of rubber is added to the base tyre. We then use a machine called an autoclave to add steam and apply pressure until the new rubber has bonded to the old.

Whichever method is used to retread a tyre, the truck tyre is tested for resistance and resilience to the loads that it will be subjected to when in service on the road carrying your products.

What is the advantage of retreads over new tyres?

The most obvious advantage over new tyres is the cost. A retread uses around a third of the rubber needed to produce a new tyre. The typical truck tyre requires 21 gallons of oil in production – a retread uses only around 7 gallons. The typical cost of a retread truck tyre is around 50% of its new equivalent (though it does vary).

However, there are other benefits that are less obvious. For example, retread tyres are the green option. As we’ve seen, retreads need less oil to produce. As well as this, each retread tyre is a tyre that has been salvaged and recycled. In the United States, three out of every four truck tyres are recycled, and most of these are retreaded.

Every truck tyre retreaded is a truck tyre that isn’t discarded in a tyre dump. That’s safer for all and better for the environment.

The big question: are retread truck tyres safe?

The one-word answer is ‘yes’. A good retread can be as good as a new tyre. If you want proof of just how reliable it can be, look at the airline industry. I doubt that you’d find heavier loads and tougher conditions in which tyres operate. An aeroplane tyre could be retreaded dozens of times before being discarded.

Not convinced? Look at your insurance forms. Nowhere will you see that you need to declare that you use retreads. That’s a big pointer to the safety of retreads right there. If retreads were less safe than new tyres, insurance companies would be all over it like a tramp on a sandwich – any excuse to squeeze a few more dollars from drivers.

How do you buy quality retreads?

To make sure you get the best out of your retreads you should ensure that they are as good as new tyres. You wouldn’t use a sub-par, shoddy new tyre, so don’t accept retreads that are below the standard you’d expect from a new tyre.

Here are a few tips when buying retreads for your trucks:

1.     Don’t buy on price alone

You’ll save money with retreads, but you get what you pay for. As with all tyres, the real cost benefit is in how long they last, and the kilometres they cover before they need to be replaced. Always buy the highest quality retread from the highest quality retreader in Brisbane.

2.     Make sure you see samples and testimonials before buying

Ask to review the retreader’s work, reviewing testimonials from satisfied customers and examples of retreaded tyres.

3.     Take a look at the testing equipment

Ask to see testing equipment, and ask to see it in action. If the retreader doesn’t have any, then you better move on to the next retreader as fast as possible.

4.     Don’t go alone

Take someone with you to inspect the tyre shops and retreading facility. Two sets of eyes are better than one, and especially if the second set is someone from your tyre department.

Follow these four simple steps, and there should be no reason why your truck retreads are every bit as good as the new tyres you used to spend twice as much buying.

Contact us today (by Skype, telephone, or on our contact form) and book an appointment to check out the quality of our retreads.

Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,

Kevin Wood