Continental Tyres is advising operators to make sure their vehicles are fitted with suitable rubber for winter weather. It urges those planning to travel to snow-covered areas to ensure their tyres and vehicles comply with the respective local legislation, or else the driver may incur financial penalties and may even be prevented from entering or travelling through that country.
Depending on the job the operator is undertaking, Continental advises that in winter, all truck tyres should
have a minimum tread depth of 4mm. That applies to all axle positions on a tractor unit. To ensure maximum safety and vehicle performance, the manufacturer recommends fitting winter tyres to - in order of priority - the drive axle, steer axle and then any remaining axles, such as lift or trailer axles.
Continental and other tyre manufacturers continue to lobby government to change legislation and allow a super single rear tyre for trucks. Continental will be running customer trials with its Tyre Pressure Monitoring system before the end of the year. The system is already established in the US.
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