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Topic: Truck tires and excessive speeds... (Read 10 times) previous topic - next topic
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Truck tires and excessive speeds...
Yahoo Message Number: 152000
It's rare to see an 18-wheeler traveling at what I consider a "reasonable and safe for conditions" speed; even in CA, where the limit is 55 for big rigs, most are traveling well over that speed. It's no surprise that a heavy vehicle+high speeds=a lot of really hot tires. Factor in tire age, condition, inflation, and application, it's amazing that the freeways aren't  strewn with far more "alligators" than they are.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20150331/us-truck-tire-danger-e1ee115fd9.html

Joan
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Truck tires and excessive speeds...
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 152034
Joan,

Good article.   I had not thought a lot about the effect of truck speeds on their tires.  A couple of times I have called a truck on the CB to let him know that he had a trailer tire smoking.
 You are correct; most trucks drive pretty fast.  I usually drive the interstate highways at 65 mph or so.  At that speed the passing trucks make me feel like a turtle.  In CA the 55 mph applies both to trucks and "vehicles that are towing;"  which means me.  A few other states have similar laws which everyone ignores.  IMHO the worst place for "fast trucks" is I-95 south of Washington, DC all the way to Florida.
 On the other hand I have seen a lot of trucks traveling only about 60 mph.  A few companies (Swift?) put mechanical governors on their trucks to limit speed.  I think that this was more common during the "double nickel" days.  Some companies have a policy on the speed at which drivers can go, and  can monitor the speed in real time (Systems like Omni-Trac.)     However, I think that these limits are primarily directed towards fuel economy.  Recently I heard (on CB) a driver complaining about the Omni-Trac system in his truck.  Evidently it tells him when he has reached the maximum driving hours for the day.  He said that if he didn't stop within 30 minutes after the warning he got a phone call from the company dispatcher, a lady, giving him "what for" in language that he would not repeat.

Doug Baker
 
Re: Truck tires and excessive speeds...
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 152036
Have a couple friends that are long haul truckers. You are right about speeds, I have been driving at 60mph and they passed me like I was going backwards. This is especially true in remote areas of Nevada hard for Law Enforcement to continually monitor. Unless they are owner/operators, most truckers get paid by the mile so they put the hammer down when they can get away with it. Safety often takes a back seat to monetary considerations. It is a hard life, I feel sorry for them. As far as safety goes, I have encountered many sports car drivers that read too many issues of Road and Track. They are a far greater danger when they pass you at 100+ mph on a double yellow line road.

bobmooore14