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Old 07-25-2006, 04:41 PM   #1
patodonn
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Tire Temperatures

Got one of those handy infrared thermomoters at Radio Shack..Works fine, lots of uses for it....one of those is to check tire temps when stopping at a rest stop or truck stop.

What is the temp at which we should become concerned about tire overheating and subsequent damage? The temps on all RV tires and the rear tires of the TV seem to be pretty consistent with each other. After towing a couple of hours, I've seen values as low as 100 degrees, and as high as 135 degrees, depending on ambient temps that day. Also, on sunny days, the tires on the "sunny" side always run about 5-10 degrees warmer than those on the "shade" side.

As long as they all are reading pretty close to each other, I don't worry about one individual tire being low on pressure or having some sort of problem, but, at what tire temps should we become concerned enough to say "better slow down a bit or wait for cooler road conditions?"

Thanks,
 
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Old 07-25-2006, 05:32 PM   #2
txkrumm
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There are a number of factors you need to consider when talking about tire temps. I think if you buy a quailty tire, keep your pressure at the vehicle spec, and maintain your wheel alignment, your tire temps will stay in the safe zone.

I would have to say that the biggest factor in tire heat is friction, If you can reduce the friction you can keep the heat down. Low pressure will give you the most friction,( more tread on the road, more side wall flex). I would bet if you jumped out of the truck after a long drive and measured the temp. in several different places, IE; sidewall, inner tread, outer tread, center tread) you would come up with different temps. (probably slight). We also can't rule out ambient temps, they also play a part. Road surface plays a part too, a white concrete road will be cooler the black asphalt surface.

Now, to answer your original question, " I have no idea what a safe running temperature would be. I am just going to keep the basics where they should be.

If we have any tire engineers out there, I would also like to hear the answer.

Steve K.
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Old 07-26-2006, 04:03 AM   #3
Glenn and Lorraine
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Keep the tires properly aligned and inflated and don't worry about tire temperature. As Steve pointed out it's friction that causes tires to heat up. Using a laser is fine but do not expect to get the same reading each time you check the tires. In fact it is possible to get 4 different temps on the 4 different tires after running down the hiway.

Also NEVER EVER check tire inflation after driving. The best time to get a proper reading is first thing in the morning and not after running down the Interstate at 70 MPH. As not all gages are the same, I use the same tire gauge each time. Buy a good gage and take it to a reputable tire shop and have them check it against their's. At our tire shop we had a master gage that was correct to within a 1/2 pound + or - and all our daily use gages were checked on a regular basis.
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Old 07-26-2006, 05:27 AM   #4
Gonfishin
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PJ, I periodically check mine while fueling. I am more looking for anything out of the ordinary. As long as they are all within 5 to 10 degrees I feel comfortable.
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Old 07-26-2006, 03:34 PM   #5
firetrucker
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I agree that the temperature is going to be dependent on a lot of factors, and inflation has a major effect. I've even seen asphalt get hot enough to get sticky, and that's a recipe for increased tire temperature, too.
I started using the infrared thermometer, but have reverted to laying my hands on the tires whenever I stop to get a quick evaluation of their condition. With a little experience, our senses are very capable of measuring the temperature quite accurately and repeatably.

That laying on of hands, or measuring with a thermometer, should also include the cover over the bearing. Temperature is an important insight to bearing problems.

I've submitted a question to a Goodyear forum to see if there's a temperature that indicates extreme tire stress or potential damage. I'll post that when I get a reply.

Bob

Bob
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Old 07-27-2006, 07:24 PM   #6
firetrucker
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I got a less than helpful reply from the Goodyear forum, but I guess it's a place to start.

"During the manufacturing process, tires are cured in mold typically at temperatures above 230 degrees F. Engineers working with tires in all types of applications from mining tires to racing tires usually get conserned when they see temperatures in the casing (measured with probes)at or above the curing temperature. If the internal components of the tire get to these temperatures, the components that have been knitted together at these temperatures may begin to come appart. The problem with infrared thermometers is that they measure temperature at the surface only."

I guess the next step is to do some Google searching.

Measuring the condition of bearings by looking at the bearing housing with an infrared thermometer is a common diagnostic tool, so I suspect it can be done with tires, too.

Bob
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Old 07-28-2006, 12:14 AM   #7
Glenn and Lorraine
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Bob, With 14 years in the tire business I understand what Goodyear is saying is that the tires can withstand temps up to 230 degrees F before a possible failure may take place.

Other than severe overload, severe under inflation or severe misalignment I cannot foresee any condition that would cause a tire to get that hot.

I repeat my opening statement in my previous post...."Keep the tires properly aligned and inflated and don't worry about tire temperature."
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Old 07-28-2006, 02:02 AM   #8
richfaa
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My tire guy echo's Glennn who is also a tire guy.He also feels that a large number of tire failures are caused by other factors, Over inflation, Under inflation, valve stem failure, etc. He has caused me, over the years to be very aware of proper tire maint. On the alignment of camper tires he says that a tire out of alignment, no matter what it is on, is not a good thing. I too have one of those IR guages,Don't remember where I got these numbers, One of the tire Companies I think..Tire temps should be 110-125 High temp would be 130 Wheel temp 135-140,,Glenn..do the numbers sound right.
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Old 07-28-2006, 02:23 AM   #9
Wrenchtraveller
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As a millwright I do rounds on the equipement I maintain and in the last few years we take a IR tool with us but the old hand touch is just fine and if you can hold your hand on a bearing housing for up to 10 seconds, there is usually no problem. Cooler is better and all the checks I did on my last trip , my wheel hubs were slightly warm and so were the tires. I put 80 psi in the trailer tires and checked them every driving day. They held their pressure well and so far these Missions have earned my respect. I have only got one flat on a fifth wheel and that was years ago so I have been lucky. I read years ago that tandem axles have a much higher incident rate for flats than single axle, the reason being that the first tire flips up the puncturing object , then the second one goes over it while it is standing up.
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Old 07-28-2006, 04:18 AM   #10
Glenn and Lorraine
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Wrenchtraveller

I read years ago that tandem axles have a much higher incident rate for flats than single axle, the reason being that the first tire flips up the puncturing object , then the second one goes over it while it is standing up.
While I never heard that one before it may be true but the main reason you would get more flats with tandem axles is simple. You have twice as many tires on the ground and so twice as many chances for a flat.

Quote:
quote:Originally posted by richfaa

My tire guy echo's Glennn who is also a tire guy.He also feels that a large number of tire failures are caused by other factors, Over inflation, Under inflation, valve stem failure, etc. He has caused me, over the years to be very aware of proper tire maint. On the alignment of camper tires he says that a tire out of alignment, no matter what it is on, is not a good thing. I too have one of those IR guages,Don't remember where I got these numbers, One of the tire Companies I think..Tire temps should be 110-125 High temp would be 130 Wheel temp 135-140,,Glenn..do the numbers sound right.
Rich,
Any tire no matter what vehicle it is on and is likely to travel more than 10 MPH should not only be aligned but balanced as well. The three biggest reason for premature tire wear is over/under inflation, wheel/tire balance and alignment.
BTW-Alignment is generally thought of just the steering axle. This thinking is WRONG. Every axle, front or rear should be checked for alignment.

It's been too many years for me to remember those type numbers. We used the "hands on" method Wrenchtraveller mentioned. If they were too hot to the hand an investigation may be required.

Again I repeat my opening statement in my previous post.... "Keep the tires properly aligned and inflated and don't worry about tire temperature."
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Old 07-28-2006, 04:46 AM   #11
skypilot
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I'm surprised but now one has mentioned that checking the 'hub' will also give an indication if you have a brake dragging -- hot hub could be a brake shoe dragging?
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Old 07-28-2006, 04:57 AM   #12
richfaa
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When I said wheel temp I meant Hub temp, poor choice of words.Always check the hub temp,When I see the big truck drivers doing that I figure it must be a good thing.
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Old 07-29-2006, 06:13 PM   #13
sreigle
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PJ, the numbers you report are about the same as we've seen. We've been using an infrared thermometer for a couple of years. Today we did a long day, 585 miles, in temps ranging from 72 (during a thunderstorm) to 102, with most of the day in the mid-90's. The highest I saw was 135 degrees F. I shoot both the rim and the tire so I can get a clue about the wheel bearings from the rim temperature. Now that I have done this enough to know what is "normal" for our rig, I just look for temperatures out of the normal range or if one wheel is significantly different than the others. A cold one might mean that brake is not working, for example. A hot one might mean a wheel bearing needs attention. The temperatures you mentioned, 100 to 135, are about the normal range for ours.
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