So I’m on a 8x2 with 3 steering axles. I’ve covered 75000km on the nose in 15 months, the front axle has just worn down to 3mm on both sides. I would estimate I’ll probably get another few 000kms before we get them changed at around 80000 I’m guessing by the time they hit the limit?
I’ve never run a set of tyres from brand new before. So my question is; Is that distance about right for a new tyre? Or is it a bit on the lean side?
It’s not high, but at that mileage it looks like you’re on local stop-start work with plenty of shunting, so not too much of a surprise. If they have worn evenly across the width of the tread then you can’t complain too much.
Perhaps try a different pattern/make for next time? Our Michy’s with a ‘proper’ steer axle pattern didn’t suit our job, so we went over to the multi-position XZY and now we can’t wear them out!
One other idea to prolong tyre life - presumably your second steer axle has the same size tyre as the fronts and they have more tread left on them? If so, swap them over, recut the fronts and they should last a while on the second steer.
Ours are 6x2 twin steer units that do distance work, not local, and at 18 months old are knocking on 300,000km. At around 250k they’ve started to need to be replaced. The ones doing the lighter loaded work are doing 300k. The vehicles aren’t caned around everywhere as we get scored on driving and things like hard cornering and heavy braking are recorded. They’re eco-tyres and a quite hard compound with crap grip in the wet.
GCR2ERF:
It’s not high, but at that mileage it looks like you’re on local stop-start work with plenty of shunting, so not too much of a surprise. If they have worn evenly across the width of the tread then you can’t complain too much.Perhaps try a different pattern/make for next time? Our Michy’s with a ‘proper’ steer axle pattern didn’t suit our job, so we went over to the multi-position XZY and now we can’t wear them out!
One other idea to prolong tyre life - presumably your second steer axle has the same size tyre as the fronts and they have more tread left on them? If so, swap them over, recut the fronts and they should last a while on the second steer.
Yeah it is low mileage, lots of shunting. Ok good I’m not un-happy, they have worn evenly and symmetrically which is nice. Me and the gaffer did wonder about swapping the axles over, but that would mean replacing four tyres at the same rather than 2 now 2 later, as he doesnt run re-cut tyres. Swings and roundabouts I suppose.
I was surprised to learn he in 8 years of running this set up on his lorries, he hasn’t had a pair wear out yet, they have all been replaced individually replaced due to punctures/sidewall/split damage 
I nearly cried on his behalf when I heard that!
Conor:
Ours are 6x2 twin steer units that do distance work, not local, and at 18 months old are knocking on 300,000km. At around 250k they’ve started to need to be replaced. The ones doing the lighter loaded work are doing 300k. The vehicles aren’t caned around everywhere as we get scored on driving and things like hard cornering and heavy braking are recorded. They’re eco-tyres and a quite hard compound with crap grip in the wet.
Cheers Conor, we do a lot of site work, so it’s rough terrain at probably 30% of jobs.
Our 8x4 had all 4 steers replaced somewhere about 60/65k at about 1 year old, double shifted! it’s never on a motorway / dual carriageway, spends a lot of time on chalk tracks, farms, lots of manoeuvring, the drives lasted a few months longer
stevieboy308:
Our 8x4 had all 4 steers replaced somewhere about 60/65k at about 1 year old, double shifted! it’s never on a motorway / dual carriageway, spends a lot of time on chalk tracks, farms, lots of manoeuvring, the drives lasted a few months longer
Ok that’s pretty comparable to be able to give me a baseline to work from. Sounds like they have lasted a not unreasonable number of KMs then!
Has your boss had a bad experience with recuts? I know some folk avoid them because of this, but they can work depending on your type of job and tyre fitment/position.
We used to recut anything possible, but experience shows us now it’s only worth doing drive axles, second steer/mid-lift axles and super singles. We stopped recutting tag axles and any trailer tyres under 22.5" rim as they were more prone to scrubbing off and damage, due to less ‘meat’ remaining on the tyre.
I got my 8x2 at 75k and had the front steers replaced.
I get typically about 120k out of the steers now by putting the good ones on the front then moving them to the second steer. The front nearside wears hardest from extra load on roundabouts etc.
My drive tyres last longer and when low I move them to the tag axle, I’ve got a Continental tyre that is still original to the vehicle on the tag at 370k / 7 yr old. It’s a plant body with a crane so gets a fairly hard life but we don’t put cheap tyres on it. I think in all the time I’ve had it I’ve had one puncture and that was on a cheap tyre that came when we bought it, that still had a fair bit of tread left admittedly all it’s life on the tag axle but it’d still done well.
8wheels:
I got my 8x2 at 75k and had the front steers replaced.I get typically about 120k out of the steers now by putting the good ones on the front then moving them to the second steer. The front nearside wears hardest from extra load on roundabouts etc.
My drive tyres last longer and when low I move them to the tag axle, I’ve got a Continental tyre that is still original to the vehicle on the tag at 370k / 7 yr old. It’s a plant body with a crane so gets a fairly hard life but we don’t put cheap tyres on it. I think in all the time I’ve had it I’ve had one puncture and that was on a cheap tyre that came when we bought it, that still had a fair bit of tread left admittedly all it’s life on the tag axle but it’d still done well.
We normally only put good tyres on as replacements, these are just the Bridgestones that came with the truck, and I haven’t been impressed by them to be honest…
How the frec can you compare the tyre wear on a 8X2 rigid,to a 6x2 unit ?
F-reds:
8wheels:
I got my 8x2 at 75k and had the front steers replaced.I get typically about 120k out of the steers now by putting the good ones on the front then moving them to the second steer. The front nearside wears hardest from extra load on roundabouts etc.
My drive tyres last longer and when low I move them to the tag axle, I’ve got a Continental tyre that is still original to the vehicle on the tag at 370k / 7 yr old. It’s a plant body with a crane so gets a fairly hard life but we don’t put cheap tyres on it. I think in all the time I’ve had it I’ve had one puncture and that was on a cheap tyre that came when we bought it, that still had a fair bit of tread left admittedly all it’s life on the tag axle but it’d still done well.
We normally only put good tyres on as replacements, these are just the Bridgestones that came with the truck, and I haven’t been impressed by them to be honest…
Let me guess, R Drive tyres? We’ve found they are a motorway tyre. Not as good as the M729 pattern but ok, whereas they’re terrible round town. The trucks here that do local work are knocking them out between 80-120kms while the ones on contract who spend all day on the A14 are making at least 130k before they need looking at. The M729’s were always an all rounder and would do at least 200k regardless of the type of work. The R Steers have been equally as impressive as the old 297’s though
R drives I’ve had no problem with at all. 75k and still got 9mm on all four.
Just the front R steers have gone a bit quick, and they just look a bit wimpy if I’m honest.
F-reds:
R drives I’ve had no problem with at all. 75k and still got 9mm on all four.Just the front R steers have gone a bit quick, and they just look a bit wimpy if I’m honest.
You’ve got the reverse of our problem then