New technologies can help fleet operators run OTR tires at peak performance, but even high-tech needs backup from time-tested practices such as proper selection, basic service and committed management
By Russell A. Carter, Contributing Editor
For certain types of equipment in a typical mine production fleet, tires are the principal, and often the only connection between the machine and the dirt, providing the sole means to steer and stop the vehicle and carry payloads in an efficient manner. That means there’s a lot riding on the massive rubber, synthetic fabric and steel doughnuts found on the four corners of haul trucks and loaders, ranging from operator safety and comfort to production efficiency and overall vehicle operating expense. And when supply shortages impact the industry as forcefully as they did in the early 2000s, tires can become a budget buster.
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