Must-Know Tips for Preventing Truck Wheel End Issues

Semi-truck maintenance is an essential part of traveling long distances with oversized hauls. So here are some tips for preventing truck wheel end issues and how to properly maintain them.

Why Wheel Maintenance Matters

So, why is wheel end maintenance so important? For starters, a single truck wheel can cost upwards of $1000 per axle. Practicing wheel maintenance can help extend the life of your tires, increase travel safety and fleet productivity, and decrease downtime.

Must-Know Wheel End Issue Tips

Semi-truck wheel maintenance is essential for performing long-distance travel and ensuring proper delivery. So here are must-know truck wheel end issue prevention tips every truck driver should learn.

Stay Aware of Lug Nut Tightness

The average paint thickness on a wheel is approximately 3.5 mil—this helps prevent lug nuts from coming loose while driving. However, loose wheel nuts can result in the wheel coming off the axle, which is the last thing drivers should deal with while on the road. So installing a lug nut indicator system creates a quick solution to prevent catastrophic wheel-offs.

Replace Cups and Cones Together

For optimal semi-truck wheel end issue prevention, replacing bearing cups and cones simultaneously while replacing tapered roller bearings is ideal. It’s tempting to keep the less used half and replace the damaged pair with a new set. However, even the “good” old components have distinct wear patterns, creating a problem.

Mixing old parts with new ones can create edge stresses along the semi-truck races, leading to premature bearing failure. Furthermore, purchasing parts from different manufacturers can cause problems. They may have different bearing ratings, bearing widths with inconsistent tolerances, and incompatible internal bearing profiles.

Replace Damaged Bearings Immediately

Learning to identify bearing damage can help determine replacement windows. Common signs of wear include metal particles in hubs, bearings, and lube and hub caps. Dry or caked lube, spinning or turning cups and cones, bearing surface wear, and dents or raised metal on races or rollers are also indicators.

Furthermore, knowing the warning signs of damaged bearings is essential. Failure to follow noted cautions can create injury risks. Failure to replace bearings can result in wheel separation and lead to bodily injury as well.

Van Horn Truck Parts offers exceptional trail and truck aftermarket parts at affordable prices. Our semi-truck axle parts ensure safety and performance during long-distance hauls. Contact us today if you have any questions about our trailer and truck parts.