Compared to passenger tires, commercial truck tire tread has been known to wear in some peculiar ways. This might be because the customer is using the wrong tire for his or her application, because of ignored maintenance or, in some cases, even by design.

A classic example of tread patterns wearing differently can be found when looking at the difference between closed-shoulder and open-shoulder drive tires, says Cooper Tire’s Phil Mosier, manager of commercial tire development.

“Open-shoulder drive tires are typically used in a more local service or on/off-road service because of the traction required for those operations. However, if this type of pattern is used on a long-haul tractor, it may have a propensity for irregular shoulder wear,” Mosier explains. “This is also seen in the difference between regional steer tires with a solid shoulder and long-haul steer tires with a decoupling rib in the shoulder. Because tires in long haul operations wear very slowly, there is more opportunity for irregular wear to happen. The decoupling rib allows the shoulder ribs to wear more evenly by keeping the tire’s footprint flat on the ground.”

Trent Schwenkfelder, president of Idaho-based Commercial Tire, says a truck’s steer tire wear has led to some customers questioning the quality of the tire.

“The decoupling groove on a steer tire is designed to battle lateral forces as the tire is rolling and is designed to wear away,” Schwenkfelder says. “Wear at this point on a tire can sometimes create confusion and concern for our customers.”

However, sometimes the cause of an odd wear pattern has a much simpler answer. Marco Rabe, Continental’s head of research and development for commercial vehicle tires in the Americas region, says if a customer is asking about improper wear, ask if they’ve checked the tire pressure lately.

“While everyone probably knows that tire inflation is important, many people still underestimate how large this effect can be,” Rabe says. “Tire inflation will change the tread pattern in the contact patch of the tire. In other words, a tire that is not properly inflated is also not making proper contact with the road, reducing its ability to perform as it was designed. It’s best to keep your tires inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended inflation pressure. This will optimize tire performance, as well as provide the best mileage and fuel efficiency.”

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