If you have a semi-truck or are thinking of becoming a driver-owner, you need to know how much your operating expenses will be, and that’s a lot more than just rest stop fees.
As most people know, bigger trucks need bigger and more expensive tires.
So, how much does a semi-truck tire cost?
The average price for a semi-truck tire is $500 a piece, but very cheap semi-truck tires are available for as low as $150 per tire. It’s vital to consider tire quality and safety when you’re looking at cheap and discount tires, especially when doing commercial work on the roads.
If you take road safety as seriously as I do, you probably don’t want to be rolling on the freeway in a truck that weighs tens of thousands of pounds empty on tires that might not be high quality and reliable.
Let’s look at the cost of semi-truck tires and how to choose the best tires for your budget.
Semi-truck tires are rated similarly to car and light truck tires. Tire ratings reflect the load index scale that assigns a number based on the allowable weight load per tire.
A tire with a rating of 70 is common on cars and small trucks. A 70 rating is for 739 pounds per tire.
The biggest and most heavy-duty tires have a rating of 150. Each tire rated 150 can handle 7,385 pounds.
Tires are also rated for speed. This scale ranges from L, which has a maximum speed of 75 mph, to Y, for high-speed cars that can travel at or about 186 mph.
Reading the sidewall, you can learn everything you need to know about a tire. Semi-truck tires commonly have a size close to 275/70R22.5.
You can break down the numbers on any tire’s sidewall if you know what each section means.
The first number always refers to the tire width. A semi-truck tire with 275/70R22.5 on the sidewall is 275 mm wide.
The next number is the aspect ratio, which on this tire is 70.
This ratio means that the tire’s sidewall height is 70% of its width.
The letter R stands for radial, telling you it’s a radial tire. Finally, the 22.5 is the diameter in inches. This number tells you the diameter of the tire you need to buy.
The letter on the right that follows the diameter number is the tire’s speed rating.
A semi-truck with 18 wheels requires a huge investment to replace the tires. Some trucks have ten tires, and some have as many as 36.
Tires for those trucks usually need to be replaced in pairs to keep the sides and the ride even.
Let’s use an 18-wheeler as an example. Replacing all the tires simultaneously at the average cost of $500 per tire would cost $9,000.
You don’t necessarily have to replace all tires at the same time, but you can.
All tires having the same amount of wear is the safest way to run a semi-truck.
Some tires can cost over $1,000 or more, so that would be at least $18,000 for the tires. The cost of labor to replace them can add up too.
If you went the bargain route and paid only $150 for each tire, the cost would only be $2,700, or less than one-third the cost.
But do you want to be in a semi-truck with cheap tires? Safety and peace of mind are worth a lot more than money.
The vital question is, “how much does a semi-truck tire cost?” Don’t forget to ask yourself, “how do I buy a quality semi-truck tire?”
When buying a semi-truck tire, the process is similar to when you’re shopping for car tires. You look for quality and durability instead of the lowest price if you want a safe and comfortable ride.
Look for these things to get quality semi-truck tires:
Follow some simple practices to keep your tires working at top efficiency while preventing a dangerous tire blowout.
Underinflation is the top cause of worn tires. Therefore, ensure that semi-truck tires reach the proper PSI for safer traveling and longer-lasting tires.
Legally, if the tread depth of semi-truck tires gets below 4/32 of an inch on steer tires or 2/32 of an inch on the trailer and drive tires, they need to be replaced. Even one groove more worn than that causes problems.
There’s no magic time to rotate tires, so pick a time and stick to it to ensure your tires are rotated and wearing evenly. Uneven treads can cause big problems.
Worn tires will be slightly smaller than those with less wear. This situation can strain the axle and drivetrain and wear other tires even more unevenly, leading to earlier and expensive tire replacements.
If you start with cheap tires, they won’t last as long and could wear thin and risk a blowout before you expect problems.
Never go over the speed rating on your tires or the weight limit. Either situation can strain tires enough to cause a blowout.
Replace semi-truck tires before problems start.
A good rule of thumb for when to replace semi-truck tires is after six years unless the tread wears enough before that to warrant replacement.
Many commercial drivers and fleet owners save money every year by having tires retreaded instead of buying new each time they need to replace tires.
The tire is heated and reshaped like in a new tire molding process. Only tires with solid casings are candidates for retreading.
Many large vehicles use retreaded tires regularly like fire trucks, airplane wheels, and even school buses.
The cost of retreading a tire is somewhere between one-third and one-half the price of replacing the tire. You can usually retread tires twice before they need to be recycled and replaced.
Retreading a $500 tire will cost about $165 to $250.
To decide whether retreading is an option for you, remember that retreaded tires can wear faster than new ones. If you retread frequently, you might spend more than if you buy new tires every six years.
The average price of a semi-truck tire is about $500, but you can get cheaper tires or pay more for even higher quality.
The cost of retreading a tire is about $165-$250 but won’t last as long as a new tire.
I hope you found this information helpful when comparing the options for getting new tires on your semi-truck.
Resources:
7 Areas to Consider When Buying Semi Truck Tires
How Mismatched Tread Depths Can Ruin Your Commercial Truck Tires
https://www.quora.com/How-often-do-you-change-semi-truck-tires
So you want to write for Fleet Equipment?
https://www.reference.com/world-view/much-semi-tires-generally-cost-e50a1f22a9335ddd
7 Areas to Consider When Buying Semi Truck Tires
Written by Dane Eyerly in Maintenance
Semi trucks, also known as semi-trailer trucks, are big rigs that are designed for transporting freight. Ensuring that you have the proper tires for them is essential to their performance, but you should be aware of how much they cost.
On average, the cost of semi truck tires ranges from $400 to $600 per tire. While this is the standard range, costs may increase depending on the size and the make of the tire. Add-ons to increase performance will also affect the cost.
If you’ve got a semi truck and are interested in seeing the budget you should have for tires, read on to find out what costs you will be facing.
Semi truck tires can be an investment, but they are necessary for comfort and performance. Semi trucks must withstand long trips with cargo, and they need to be appropriately decked with the right kind of tires to do so.
Here are some of the costs that you may have when purchasing tires for your semi truck:
You’ll notice variations in the cost of semi truck tires, and these will be determined by various factors. The pricier tires will include features like high-fuel efficiency and increased performance and durability, but you’ll see other elements affecting the prices.
As you’d expect, the size of the semi truck will have an impact on the tires you’ll need. The larger they are, the more expensive they’ll be. You will most likely have to purchase different sizes and types of tires for your semi truck if you have a big rig.
Semis are made from a combination of units, and those units can require different tires. You can have a drive wheel, steer wheel, or trailer wheel in semis, and your tires will need to be able to accommodate the differences between these. The cost of them will fluctuate, especially if you will need to mix and match.
As mentioned before, it may be a better idea to invest more in a set of tires for your semi than less. Tires on semis should be built by manufacturers to last about ten years, but they should generally be replaced between three and six, especially if they have plenty of wear and tear. This is to make sure that you’ll prevent breakdowns related to tire damage.
You’ll also notice variations in tire prices depending on the warranty they offer. It’s always recommended to opt for the longest warranty to make sure you are covered for the most amount of time. This will affect the price you’ll pay, but it will keep you safe and protected from extra expenses in case any unforeseen issues affect the tires.
Semi truck tires are an important investment to make, but you’ll get the most out of them if you know the most essential factors to keep in mind. Here is what you should be aware of when you go to buy your semi tires:
Semi truck tires have wide cost ranges, from as low as $300 to as high as $1200 per tire. These costs will be affected by the size of the tires, the performance you’re seeking from them, and the warranty they offer. To get the most out of your budget, you should know exactly what you’re seeking to get before you purchase tires for your semi.
Where to Send DOT Medical Card?
Did you recently get hired as a commercial driver and still trying to navigate your way through the DOT system? If so, you are not the only one who finds the process a bit confusing, especially when...
Continue Reading
link to Where to Get a DOT Medical Card?Where to Get a DOT Medical Card?
Being a commercial driver is a rewarding career path especially for getting out from behind a desk and onto the open road. And if recent headlines are any indication, there is a demand for drivers of...
Continue Reading
Do you want to rent or buy a one and a half apartment, but don't know what is hidden behind this name and how to choose the best option?
There are many offers for this type of housing on the real estate market. You can buy it relatively inexpensively.
One and a half apartment - what is it, who will suit it and how to properly furnish it?
One and a half apartment is an apartment in which the footage exceeds the norm for a one-room apartment, but does not reach the two-room apartment . Housing of this type was in demand in the 60-70s of the XX century.
Clear norms for housing construction were established in the Soviet Union. There was a certain footage for apartments with one, two, three rooms.
The living space in a one-room apartment could not exceed 18 square meters. If the norm was not observed, and the footage exceeded the specified value, then the apartment acquired the status of a lorry.
Where did these extra meters come from? Blocks were used to build residential buildings in the Soviet Union. They were formed with the same proportions and were cubes. So it was possible to quickly erect the same type of buildings of different heights.
Sometimes there was an extra block between two adjacent apartments. So that the place is not empty, it was divided into two parts. So each apartment received an additional 5-7 square meters. This phenomenon has received the name - a one-and-a-half apartment.
This type of property has a unique layout that is different from other types of residential property. This is a separate category of housing.
What is the difference between a lorry and a one-room apartment:
The smaller room in the one and a half apartment has no windows . It is used as a pantry, warehouse or for other household needs. If desired, the partition can be demolished and housing will turn into a one-room apartment with a large room.
The room is considered not the best option for living for a number of reasons:
Lorries have not lost their relevance with the collapse of the Soviet Union. They continue to be built in 2022 . However, in modern development, one and a half apartments have undergone a number of changes.
Now this is the name of one-room housing in new buildings, where the room exceeds 18 square meters in size. When moving in, residents can independently delimit the space into two parts.
The question of how to make a two-room apartment out of a lorry is solved with the help of a false wall or a long narrow cabinet installed across the dwelling. Another option involves a large kitchen and a small room. Such an interpretation correlates with a lorry only in terms of area.
Lorries rent or acquire the following categories of citizens:
If the property is located on the ground floor in a place with high traffic, then it can be rented out for commercial use: a shop, a hostel, etc. It is also possible to rent a warehouse.
To improve the quality of life and use the space productively, it is recommended to get rid of the partition.
This pseudo wall is not load-bearing and can therefore be safely removed. Such redevelopment does not need to be coordinated with the regulatory authorities.
The perception of space depends largely on the finish. This is especially true for small rooms, where every centimeter is important. It is worth considering the interior design in advance in order to create a cozy and comfortable home.
Finish recommendation:
Do not overload the space with bulky furniture . For a one-and-a-half apartment, transformer models, mobile objects are suitable.
A folding sofa can be used as a sleeping place. The most economical option in terms of space is a vertical wardrobe bed.
Kitchen table is better to use folding . It can be easily moved into the room and spread out if guests come to you. In the kitchen, when assembled, it does not take up much space.
Choose cabinets that are small and neat. Bulky furniture visually makes the room narrower than it actually is. It is better to refuse sliding wardrobes - they are too oversized.
Absolutely not suitable for corner furniture, sofas, tables, kitchen sets. Even in spacious rooms, they greatly hide the area. On small square meters, this will be problematic not only from an aesthetic, but also a functional point of view - there will be no free space left.
It is worth limiting the number of household appliances . Leave only the essentials: washing machine, refrigerator, stove. To save space, you can place the TV on the wall.
If a large section of the common room is furnished in a standard way, then what to do with a small area without windows:
Proper lighting is the key to comfort. This is especially true for a branch without windows. It is better to use spotlights, LED backlight. Wall lamps will do.
Don't go overboard with decor. For a small space of the apartment, two or three paintings or posters, several indoor plants or decorative figurines are enough.
Even a small apartment can be turned into a cozy and comfortable place to spend time. To create coziness, they resort to redevelopment or make bright accents in the interior.
Quite often one and a half apartments are turned into studios. To do this, they remove the partition in the common room, and also demolish the wall separating the kitchen.
To implement this project, you must contact the relevant agency to coordinate the work.
The beauty of studio apartments is that visually there is more space than it was before the demolition of the walls. This allows you to create one large comfortable zone for spending time.
The kitchen in such rooms is separated from the main part by a bar counter. A similarity of the border is also a table for eating.
Studio apartment is a well-planned space . Although the boundaries here are conditional, each zone has its own territorial restrictions. To avoid chaos, you need to clearly plan the arrangement of interior elements in advance.
If you don't want to redevelop, you can always freshen up the space with bright and original details. Create a unique design that harmonizes with each other for each location: for a recreation area, for work, for receiving guests.
Decorate your walls with paintings or wall murals. If you want to visually expand the space, you can use images with a receding perspective: roads, paths, doors, etc.
This will open the entrance to another location from your room. This will expand the space and aesthetically enrich it.
The combination of different wallpapers and colors looks original . Decorate one wall with wallpaper with bright patterns, and paste over the others in a neutral way. Such a contrast will give the interior a special zest.
In the 60s and 70s, other types of housing were built, similar in layout to one and a half apartments. Among them are small families, dormitories and small-sized Khrushchevs.
Gostinki is a type of living space, presented as a one-room apartment with a small footage or a common room without partitions with a bathroom. This type of housing construction was common in panel houses.
Dormitories differ from one and a half in area. The room does not exceed 18 square meters. The kitchen and bathroom are small.
There are two types of guest rooms:
The lorry is one and a half times larger in area and has a clear layout. The hotels are a cross between a hostel and a one-room apartment.
The dwelling differs from the dormitory in isolation from the neighbors, however, the small area does not allow classifying the living room as a full-fledged apartment. This is a variant of budget housing, which can be purchased on the real estate market for little money.
Small families are called one-room apartments with a small footage . Their area is from 13 to 30 square meters.
This type of construction was common in panel houses. The kitchen in them is small, and the bathroom, as in the lorries, is shared. A balcony is provided.
A house with such apartments is like a hostel - a long corridor with doors. However, all rooms are isolated from each other.
Unlike a one and a half apartment in a small family, as well as in a hostel, there is no dividing wall in the common room.
Often people confuse a two-room Khrushchev house with a small footage with a lorry. However, in terms of area, this housing greatly exceeds the one and a half option. The total area of Khrushchev is 40 or more squares, while a lorry has no more than 23-25.
One-and-a-half apartment is a small dwelling with a room divided into two parts. Often used for rent to individuals or organizations.
Similar to dormitories, small families and small Khrushchev houses. Suitable for single people, students and young couples.
The quality of life in such an apartment is strongly influenced by interior decoration and furnishing . To create a comfortable and cozy home, you should take into account all the nuances and correctly plan the space.
Before starting construction work, you need to calculate and buy the required amount of building materials. One of the most popular materials is brick. For ease of transportation, it is folded onto pallets in different ways. It is from this that the number of bricks on the pallet depends. This data is necessary for the correct purchase.
There are several types of bricks that are used in construction. The most popular of them are:
Red brick is the most popular and demanded building material, which is produced by molding and then firing the product in a special kiln. It has good quality features.
Sand-lime brick is an equally popular material. It is made from quartz sand with the addition of lime. The formed product is processed in an autoclave with steam. The building material is suitable for building cladding. Its disadvantage is instability to high humidity and temperatures above 200 about C.
Firebrick is an excellent choice for building stoves and fireplaces. It withstands high temperatures without sacrificing quality.
Facing brick has a percentage of hollowness, which gives the material heat-saving properties. Items are available in red or yellow.
Two types of pallets are used in our country. They differ in size and carrying capacity. The first type can withstand a weight of 750, and the second - 900 kilos. For international transport of material, a reinforced model with a load capacity of up to 1500 kg is used.
It is logical that the amount of brick that fits on a pallet depends on the size of the brick itself and the pallet. Pallet capacity depending on the type of brick is:
Red. Hollow brick is lighter, so it fits on a large pallet of 420 - 480 pieces. It all depends on the percentage of hollowness. Working bricks on a pallet are placed from 200 to 400 units.
Silicate. The quantity of this brick varies from 240 to 380 units. Facing or slotted is slightly lighter, so it fits on a pallet of up to 700 pieces. Since the mass of the brick itself is much larger than that of the red one, pallets for its transportation are used of a reinforced type.
Fireclay products for laying the oven are placed on a pallet in the amount of 415, 385 or 625 pieces. It all depends on the size and type of products, as well as the type of pallet.
The cladding material has different characteristics. A standard size brick is placed in the amount of 275 pieces on a pallet. Hollow material can fit up to 480 units. All these data can be clarified with the manufacturer, and you can accurately calculate the number of ordered pallets, and select transport for transportation.
Bricks up to 1 meter high are placed on one pallet.