PT.

THIESS CONTRACTORS
INDONESIA
BSF PLANT DEPARTMENT
Prepared by: Alfred Ferguson

THE TYRE TEAM

INTRODUCTION

Each year, our company spends many

thousands of dollars to replace off-the-
road tyres. Unfortunately, many of these
tyres may have failed prematurely due to:
a) Inadequate job site maintenance.
   b) Lack of understanding or a general
indifference towards tyre costs.
 
• Together with fuel, tyres often represent one
of the single biggest expenses at almost any
mine site or construction project. To maintain
our competitive edge, tyre cost must be held
at the lowest possible level.

• Keeping tyre costs under control can be a

challenge; but it can be achieved if all of the
personnel involved with tyre will work as a
team. Each person of the “tyre Team” can do
his contribution to achieve this goal.
• With the current worldwide tyre crisis our
efforts should be doubled.
 HAULAGE TRUCK DRIVERS
Truck tyre performance is dependent upon load,
speed, grade, haul length, road surface and
driver habits.
 
Driver education means more than learning to drive
a truck. Drivers can make a major reduction in
the tyre expense by following these rules:
 
1. Avoid “jack rabbit” starts and locked-brake
stops. 
2. Avoid driving on the berms of the road.
3. Avoid backing over rocks at the Excavator and
waste dump areas.
4. Never turn front wheels, particularly on
loaded trucks, when the vehicle is stationary.
Such stress on the tyres can literally shear the
tread from the carcass
5. Keep tyres off “windrows” when haul
road is being bladed.
6. Reduce speed when running
over undulations and spillage
over haul roads and report
immediately to concerned
superiors.
7. Avoid tyre spin.
8. Be sure rock ejectors are
working properly and report
any deformed, damaged rock
ejectors or sharp rock ejectors
which become hazard to tyres.
9. Where possible, avoid waterholes
where submerged tyre hazards may
exist.
10. Keep windshields, rear view
mirrors, and headlights clean for
good visibility.

The bended rock ejector that damaged the tyre on the right
HAUL TRUCK DRIVERS

• All Haul truck drivers

shall always do a daily
visual, walk-around
inspection on all tyres
during pre-start checks to
avoid this to happen.
• There are times during
tyre checks that these
damaged/injuries are
concealed (12 or 6
O’clock position) and
visible during pre-start
checks.
• Truck drivers for many
times have called our
attention on tyre
separations and cuts
which were attended
immediately.
 HAUL TRUCK DRIVER
• And this one can be prevented
to happen also by good pre-
start inspection.
• Both tyres that were flat had
damaged steel cords on the
tread more than 75% of the
steel plies.
• Some drivers have complained
to us before about this type of
problem and probable double
flat tyres were averted.
• There are instances when the
area of damage is concealed
(12 or 6 o’clock during tyre
checks) & was visible during
pre-start checks.
HAUL TRUCK DRIVER

• Narrow road
results to
trucks left
tyres side
swiping
berms.
HAUL TRUCK DRIVER

• Speeding
on curve
roads
results to
load
spillages.
BULLDOZER OPERATORS

1. If you are in the loading area,

always keep the loading pad
clean from rocks.
2. If you are in the waste dump,
always keep the area where
Haul Trucks are backing and
maneuvering free from sharp
rocks that are hazard to tyres.
3. If you are in the hauling road, do
not leave big rocks on the way
of the trucks while repairing
undulations or spreading
surfacing materials.
WHEEL DOZERS OPERATORS

1. Even if you
are a sheep
foot
compactor /
dozer
operator,
you have a
BIG
responsibilit
y to clean
loading
areas from
sharp rocks
that can
damage
tyres.
 GRADER OPERATORS

The motor grader is one of the

most important elements in
any good tyre maintenance
program. Key factors include

1. Constantly patrol all haul

roads. Promptly remove any
spillages that are always
present on curves, uphill climb
for loaded trucks and where
undulations are present.
2. Blade and maintain crown for
adequate drainage.
3. Never leave
high windrows
that must be
traversed by
the haul trucks

4. Whenever
possible,
eliminate dips
and depressions
(undulations) in
the haul roads
that could
cause excessive
tyre deflection
 EXCAVATOR OPERATORS

1. Properly center the load

in the bed of the truck.
2. Do not overload haul
trucks.
3. Watch out for the bucket
tooth that it will not hit
the sidewall of the tyres.
4. Self-cleaning the loading
pad when there is no
Dozer available will
reduce tyre damage from
sharp rocks.
Overloading results to rock spillages which will
damage tyres
 EXCAVATOR OPERATORS

• Excavator operators
must not load
material if the truck
position is not on a
level ground.
• A safe and clean
loading pad must
always be prepared
by the Excavator
Operator.
 EXCAVATOR OPERATORS

• Excavator operators
must not load material
if the truck position is
not on a level ground.
• But sometimes the
coal seam requires for
this to happen.
• According to Bill Dixon,
this is acceptable.
 EXCAVATOR OPERATORS

• For safety
reason
positioning
like this one
should be
avoided.
 EXCAVATOR OPERATORS

• Excavator
operators
are
responsible
for a clean
and safe
loading
area.
EXCAVATOR OPERATOR

Bad practice:
Overloading results to
spillages on the loading
floor.

Good practice:
Cleaning the loading pad
in between trucks.
 THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

• To assist in keeping the tyre

operation costs to the
minimum, the engineering
department should consider
the following:
• 1. Where possible, the
maximum grade of haul
roads should not exceed 7%.
• 2. Haul roads should be
wide enough to allow two
trucks to pass and still avoid
any spillage.
• 3. Road crown should be
the minimum that will still
allow adequate drainage.
• 4. Curve radii should be as
large as possible, and super
elevated to match
anticipated truck speed.
• 5. If at all possible,
operations in standing water
should be avoided.
TYRE DAMAGES – OPERATIONAL CAUSES

• Tyre size
40.00R57
Liebherr T-252
pos 6 hit by
grader blade.
• Trucks drivers
should be aware
of keeping safe
distances when
passing or
overtaking
Graders.
TYRE DAMAGES – OPERATIONAL CAUSES

• This Liebherr T-
252 tyre hit by
the grader
blade can’t be
repaired
anymore and
to be scrapped.
• The tyre still
have 56.7%
tread left and
TCI lost $7,000
on this damage
which could
have been
prevented.
TYRE DAMAGES – OPERATIONAL CAUSES

• Tyre size
27.00R49
Bridgestone
VMTP E2A from
RD3057 pos 3
hit by a sharp
big rock with
remaining life
of 91%.
• The damage is
over the repair
limit.
• TCI lost $5,594
on this damage
which can be
prevented.
TYRE DAMAGES – OPERATIONAL CAUSES

• This tyre was

fitted to RD3057
pos 3 as
replacement for
the damage tyre
on 6/7/04.
• After running for
4 months it was
damage again on
7/12/04.
• The same truck,
same position
and same big
s/wall cut by
sharp rock.
TYRE DAMAGE – OPERATIONAL CAUSES

• This sidewall
cut which is
repairable was
removed for
repair to save
the tyre.
• Removal of
tyres with
repairable tyre
injuries was
done during the
unit PM
servicing to
reduce
downtime.
TYRE DAMAGES – OPERATIONAL CAUSES

• This tyre
33.00R51 fitted
on CAT785B
RD7510 pos 4
had a big s/wall
rock cut.
• Since this type
of damage is
irreparable we
have to run it to
destruction.
• This type of tyre
injury can be
prevented by
good driving
practices.
TYRE DAMAGES – OPERATIONAL CAUSES

• Tyre size
27.00R49
from Kom HD-
785 with
tread cut
burst.
• The cause of
damage was
running over
a sharp big
rock
• This damage
can’t be
repaired and
the tyre was
scrapped.
SCRAP WORN OUT TYRES – Good driving
habits
• Worn out tyre
is the outcome
of good
driving habits
and good tyre
maintenance.
• With the
current tyre
crisis
worldwide all
drivers should
aim for this
goal –
maximum
utilization of
tyres.