Truck Wheels

Truck Tires and Wheels

The greatest innovation since the creation of the wheel. How many times have you heard this idiom in your life? Truck wheels, for example, may easily be included in this category. They provide significant contributions not only to the performance of the truck itself, but also to the safety of the truck’s driver and of all other drivers of vehicles that chance to be operating in the same neighborhood.

The first known wheels date back to the 4th century BC and were fashioned from an adaption of pottery wheels at the time of creation. Later developments such as the use of rubber in the creation of tires, which were first created from solid rubber and then rebuilt as air-filled tires, were also made possible by the application of modern technology.

Tires with pneumatic tires:

The actual tires that are mounted on truck wheels are quite important. Some of the massive juggernauts that ply the world’s highways are truly massive, not just in terms of their length and weight, but also in terms of the weight and content of the cargoes that they transport. Tire performance, as well as health and safety considerations, are greatly influenced by the types of rubber used in the manufacturing process, as well as the pattern and depth of tread integrated into the design of the tire. The actual pressure of a pneumatic tire is also very influential.

The tread pattern is only concerned with traction, not only in terms of the weights that may be towed, but also, and perhaps more significantly, in terms of how quickly and effectively the truck can be brought to a halt in an emergency.

Tire failure may result in an accident in and of itself, therefore it should come as no surprise to see those big “shavings” of tire rubber by the side of the road that indicate a tire that has delaminated while the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed. In the case of a normal automobile traveling at high speeds, such tire failure might be fatal. And it is precisely for this reason that all trucks and lorries are equipped with twin wheels, which maintain the structural integrity of the vehicle while providing enough time to stop and replace the failing tire.

However, aside from the tires, it is the actual wheels that must be manufactured to a very high standard and to a precise specification. Indeed, the major weight of the truck and its load is supported by its wheels, which are themselves supported by the vehicle. Not only must the truck wheels be functional, but they must also be attractive. They must also be well-designed since they must make it simple to use them.

Any failing tire must be changed over (typically on the side of a busy motorway) in order for its spare to be installed.