What You Need to Know About Maintenance of Crane Tires

Wheel hubs and tires are important components of the driving system of a crane. They work together to support the weight of the entire vehicle and cushion the impact load transmitted from the road surface. The adhesion between tires and the road surface provides the driving force and braking force for the vehicle, producing lateral force to balance the centrifugal force during turning, so as to smoothly change direction. The automatic self-aligning moment generated by the tires also enables the wheel hub to maintain straight-line driving ability.

Cranes tires with excessive wear and shallow grooves are important safety hazards for driving. Over-worn tires not only put the vehicle at risk of puncture but also deteriorate the stability of vehicle control. Specifically, in rainy weather, when driving at high speed, water cannot be completely drained off from inside the tires, resulting in a slippery effect and causing the crane to lose control. Underinflated tires can cause overheating and uneven wear or rapid wear of the tire shoulders and sides due to uneven contact with the ground, thus shortening the service life of the tires. Meanwhile, increased rolling resistance and fuel consumption can affect vehicle control and, in severe cases, lead to traffic accidents.

Tires are important safety components of cranes, and almost all driving performance is related to them. Therefore, tire maintenance should be enforced in conjunction with vehicle maintenance. Tire maintenance is graded and timed similar to vehicle maintenance, divided into daily maintenance, primary maintenance, and secondary maintenance.

Primary maintenance operations for crane tires

• Tighten tire nuts, check whether the valve stem leaks air, and whether the valve cap is complete. Damaged or missing parts should be repaired or added immediately;

• Remove rocks and debris from the tire treads and patterns. If there are deep wounds or holes, apply adhesive to seal them. Especially for radial tires, if they are not repaired in time after being punctured, moisture enters the tire body and corrodes the steel wire cord that shortsens the service life of the tire;

• Check the wear of the tires. If there are abnormalities such as uneven wear, bulging, or deformation, find out the cause and eliminate it;

• If it is necessary to check the inside of the tire, disassemble it. If there is any damage, it should be repaired in time;

• Check whether the crane tire collides with other components, whether the spare tire rack is intact, and whether it is securely fastened. If it does not meet the requirement, it should be eliminated;

• When necessary (such as severe single-side wear), a tire rotation should be done to keep the tread wear even.

Secondary maintenance operations for crane tires

In addition to executing the various tasks of primary maintenance, the following items should also be carried out:

• Disassemble the tire, measure the variation of tread wear, circumference and section width according to tire standards, and use them as a basis for rotation and matching;

• Tire disassembly inspection:

    ① Check whether there are any internal injuries, peeling, bulging, and deformation on the crown, shoulder, sidewall, and inside of the tire;

    ② Check whether the inner tube, cushion, and valve stem are bitten or folded, and whether they are intact;

    ③ Check whether the wheel rim, retaining ring, and lock ring are deformed or rusted, and paint them as appropriate;

    ④ Check whether the bolt holes on the wheel rim are excessively worn or cracked.

• After eliminating the faults found during the disassembly inspection, the tire should be mounted and inflated;

• High-speed vehicles should conduct a dynamic balance test on the tire;

• Rotate the tires according to regulations;

• If abnormal wear or damage is found, find out the cause and eliminate it.