ALEXANDRIA, Vir. — The Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) of the American Trucking Associations has published an analysis guide about the main causes of tire failures.

The latest revised version of the "Radial Tire Conditions Analysis Guide, a Comprehensive Review of Tread Wear and Tire Conditions" is now available.

It’s a fully-illustrated, colour handbook designed as a reference source and training aid, the TMC says. Photographs and detailed descriptions of common radial tire failures and their causes are included in the book, which also offers advice on how to correct and avoid those problems.

"The guide should be a must have for every trucking fleet serious about proper tire selection, care and maintenance," said Harvey Brodsky, managing director of the Tire Retread Information Bureau (TRIB). "There is a wealth of information, including procedures for better tire inspections and a very helpful glossary of terms."

The book consists of three sections: Tire casing conditions (dealing with conditions found in radial tire casings); improper/failed repairs (addressing casing conditions found in the tread area of retreaded and repaired tires); and radial tire wear conditions and causes (which examines radial tire wear conditions and causes on steer axle, drive axle and trailer axle tires).

TRIB says careful examination of tire failures can reveal what causes them, allowing a fleet to take corrective actions. For instance, structural failures may be a sign of overloading, improper tire maintenance or mismatching of tires, says Brodsky. On the other hand, tire damage can reveal driver abuse such as hitting curbs. To order a copy of the book, call TMC at 800-ATA-LINE or visit http://tmc.truckline.com.