Safety Tips

SAFETY WARNING

Inflating an unsecured tyre is dangerous. If it bursts, it could be hurled into the air with explosive force resulting in serious personal injury or death. Never adjust the inflation pressure of a truck tyre unless it is placed in a safety cage or is secured to the vehicle or a tyre mounting machine. Never stand or lean over the tyre or in front of the valve when inflating.

SAFETY WARNING

Never re-inflate a truck tyre that has been run at very low inflation pressure (i.e. 80% or less of normal operating Pressure) without a complete inspection of the entire tyre. Immediately have the tyre demounted and inspected by a qualified tyre service professional.

CAUTION

• The only correct method for checking inflation pressure is to use an accurate tyre inflation pressure gauge. Kicking or thumping a tyre will only tell you when a tyre is totally flat.
• Check inflation pressure when the tyres are “cold.” Tyres are considered “cold” when the vehicle has been parked for three hours or more, or if the vehicle has been driven less than a mile at moderate speed.
• Never release pressure from a hot tyre in order to reach the recommended cold tyre inflation pressure. Normal driving causes tyres to run hotter and inflation pressure to increase. If you reduce inflation pressure when your tyres are hot, you may dangerously under inflate your tyres.
• If it is necessary to adjust inflation pressure when your tyres are “hot,” set their inflation pressure to 10 psi (69 kPa) above the recommended cold inflation pressure. Recheck the inflation pressure when the tyres are cold.
• If your tyres lose more than 4 psi (28 kPa) per month, the tyre, tube (if applicable), valve, or rim/wheel may be damaged. Consult a qualified tyre service professional for an inspection.
• A difference of 5 psi (35 kPa) or more between duals is not recommended.
• Use valve caps to keep the valves clear of debris and to help guard against inflation pressure loss.

SAFETY WARNING

Driving your vehicle in an overloaded condition is dangerous. Overloading causes excessive tyre heat build-up and internal structural damage. This can cause a tyre failure, even at a later date, which could lead to serious personal injury or death.

CAUTION

• Always keep the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended inflation pressure in all your tyres, including inside duals. Check their pressure at preventative maintenance intervals and during pre-trip vehicle inspections.
• Never exceed the maximum load rating stamped on the sidewall of your tyre.
• Never exceed the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) or gross axle weight ratings (GAWR) of your vehicle.
• Never exceed the maximum load or inflation pressure capacity of the rim/wheel.
• Consult your vehicle owner’s manual for load recommendations and special instructions (such as for Carrying unusually heavy loads).

Driving on damaged tyres is dangerous. A damaged tyre can suddenly fail causing serious personal injury or death.
Have your tyres regularly inspected by a qualified tyre service professional.

CAUTION

• After striking anything unusual in the roadway, have a qualified tyre service professional demount the tyre and inspect it for damage. A tyre may not have visible signs of damage on the tyre surface. Yet, the tyre may suddenly fail without warning, a day, a week, or even months later.
• Inspect your tyres for cuts, cracks, splits or bruises in the tread and sidewall areas. Bumps or bulges may indicate a separation within the tyre body. Have your tyre inspected by a qualified tyre service professional. It may be necessary to have it removed from the rim/wheel for a complete inspection. Do not delay performing any necessary repair(s).
• Inspect your tyres for adequate tread depth. When the tyre is worn to the built-in indicators at 1.6 mm or less tread groove depth, or the tyre cord or fabric is exposed, the tyre is dangerously worn and must be replaced immediately.
• Inspect your tyres for uneven wear. Wear on one side of the tread or flat spots in the tread may indicate a problem with the tyre or vehicle. Consult a qualified tyre service professional.
• Inspect your rims/wheels also. If you have a bent, chipped, or cracked rim/wheel, it must be replaced.

SAFETY WARNING

Driving on an improperly repaired tyre is dangerous. An improper repair can be unreliable or permit further damage to the tyre. The tyre may suddenly fail, causing serious personal injury or death. A complete inspection and repair of your tyre should be conducted by a qualified tyre service professional.

CAUTION

• The tyre must be demounted from the rim/wheel for a complete inspection, inside and out. Some damage to the tyre may only be evident on the interior of the tyre. Any tyre repair done without removing the tyre from the rim/wheel is improper.
• A patch must be applied to the interior of the tyre and the puncture hole filled with suitable plug/stem filler.
• This helps ensure that the interior of the tyre is adequately sealed to prevent inflation pressure loss and prevents contamination of the steel belts and other plies from the elements (such as water) in the outside world. Using only a plug/stem, or using only a patch, is not a safe or proper repair.
• The truck/bus tyre puncture repair injury limit to the tread area is 6 mm. Larger injuries or damage in areas outside the tread should be evaluated and repaired, if possible, by qualified tyre service professionals.
• Never substitute a tube for a proper repair or to remedy an improper repair.
• Not all punctured or damaged tyres can be properly repaired; consequently, they must be replaced.
• Repair and retread, if possible, tyres having a tread depth 1.6 mm or less remaining in any tread groove.
• Tubes, like tyres, should only be repaired by a qualified tyre service professional.

SAFETY WARNING

If the tyre has internal damage, it may burst with explosive force, causing serious personal injury or death. Always deflate a tyre and wheel assembly completely before loosening any lug nut when removing a tyre from a vehicle for service or demounting. On dual wheel assemblies, both tyres should be deflated and removed before any work is started.

SAFETY WARNING

Removing and replacing tyres on wheels can be dangerous. Attempting to mount tyres with improper tools or procedures may result in a tyre explosion causing serious personal injury or death. This is only a job for a qualified tyre service professional.

SAFETY WARNING

Inflating an unsecured tyre is dangerous. If it bursts, it could be hurled into the air with explosive force resulting in serious personal injury or death.

• Always stand well clear of any tyre mounting operation. This is especially important when the service operator inflates the tyre.
• When inflating a tyre after mounting on a rim/wheel, always use a safety cage and an extension hose with pressure gauge and clip-on chuck.
• Never adjust the inflation pressure of a truck tyre unless it is placed in a safety cage or is secured to the vehicle or a tyre mounting machine.
• Never stand or lean over the tyre or in front of the valve when inflating.

SAFETY WARNING

Never pour or spray any flammable substance into or onto a tyre or rim/wheel for any purpose whatsoever. The residue left by the substance could result in a fire or explosion which may cause severe injury or death.

• Tyres must match the width and diameter requirements of the wheels. Radial tyres must only be mounted to wheels approved for radial tyres.
• Inspect the tyre and rim/wheel. Rims/wheels must be free of cracks, dents, chips, and rust. Tyres must be free of bead damage, cuts, punctures, foreign material, and moisture.
• For a tubeless truck tyre, always install a new valve, or new valve core and cap, each time a new or retreaded tyre is installed.
• For a tube-type truck tyre, always use a new, proper size tube and flap each time a new or re-treaded tyre is installed.
• Use only vegetable oil-based lubricants in mounting or demounting.
• Always ensure rim components fit properly before inflating.
• Never tap component parts with a tool/hammer/mallet while tyre is inflated.
• Never attempt to disassemble multi-piece rims while inflated.
• Never inflate a tyre beyond 40 psi (275 kPa) to seat the beads. Be absolutely certain beads are fully seated before adjusting inflation pressure to the level recommended for vehicle operation.
• Use valve caps to keep the valves clear of debris and to help guard against inflation pressure loss.
• Always stand well away from the work area when tyres are being spin-balanced either on or off the vehicle.

SAFETY WARNING

Driving your vehicle with an improper mix of tyres is dangerous. Your vehicle’s handling characteristics can be seriously affected. You could have an accident resulting in serious personal injury or death. Consult your vehicle owner’s manual and a qualified tyre service professional for proper tyre replacement.

Tyres paired in a dual assembly should be matched in tyre construction and dimension. Improperly matched tyres may result in irregular wear, rapid wear, and premature tyre failure. Failure to match tyres in a dual assembly may result in sudden tyre destruction. For radial tyres, properly paired dimension tolerances are as follows:

• Diameter: within 6 mm of each other
• Circumference: 19 mm of each other

Bridgestone brand truck tyres have maximum recommended speeds. When replacing your tyres, check your vehicle owner’s manual and tyre information placard and consult with a Bridgestone brand truck tyre retailer for recommendations and information about tyre speed capability. The speed capabilities of truck tyres are based on standardized laboratory tests under specific, controlled conditions. While these tests may relate to performance on the road, real-world driving is rarely identical to any test conditions. Your tyre’s actual speed capability may be less since it is affected by factors such as inflation pressure, load, tyre condition (including damage), wear, vehicle condition (including alignment), driving conditions, and duration at which the speed is sustained.

SAFETY WARNING

Tyres should be stored indoors in a cool, dry place where water cannot collect inside them. Tyres should be placed away from electric generators/motors and sources of heat such as hot pipes. Storage surfaces should be clean and free of grease, gasoline, diesel fuel, or other substances which can deteriorate the rubber.
Improper storage can damage your tyres in ways that may not be visible and can lead to a failure resulting in serious personal injury or death.
The spare tyre in your vehicle is intended to be used as a spare when needed. The spare tyre carrier is not intended to be used for long term storage.