Hotter temperatures can lead to increased tire wear and blow-outs, experts warn, which makes maintenance during the summer months all the more critical.
“Heat is the number one enemy of the tire, so summer heat can make it a tougher battle to keep tires running at acceptable operational temperatures,” said Penske Truck Leasing Senior Corporate Tire Manager Charles Sena.
Truck tires that are properly inflated on a cool morning will heat up as they’re rolling down the road and will get even hotter as the sun raises both ambient and road temperatures.
“As temperatures increase, air pressures will naturally climb,” Sena continued. “So, tires that were properly inflated at 90 degrees may be overinflated if ambient temperatures reach 110 degrees.”
A rule of thumb, according to Michelin North America Product Manager Jim Garrett, is that tire pressure will increase 1 psi for every 10-degree increase in air temperature. Too much air pressure leads to overinflation and puts tires at greater risk.
“This could cause poor tire performance in terms of wear (increased center wear) and traction (smaller footprint),” Garrett said. “Increased pressure and temperature also puts a strain on previous tire repairs and may lead to more failures.”
