How to Use a Tire Thumper/Beater
to Check if Tires are Properly Inflated

A quick and easy way to check tire pressure is by thumping your tires. Some trucks have many tires and tire thumping is the fastest method for checking tire pressure before hitting the road.

Since duel tires ride side by side, one tire can be flat and still on the wheel or rim and will not appear flat since the tire right next to it will hold it off the ground.

Tire Thumper/Beater assists the truck driver and operator in a quick method of evaluating properly inflated tires.

What is a Tire Thumper?

A quick and easy way to check tire pressure is by thumping your tires. Some trucks have many tires and tire thumping is the fastest method for checking tire pressure before hitting the road.

Since duel tires ride side by side, one tire can be flat and still on the wheel or rim and will not appear flat since the tire right next to it will hold it off the ground.

Tire Thumper assists the truck driver and operator in a quick method of evaluating properly inflated tires.

With enough practice, you can quickly check your tire pressures. You can go through dozens of tires in a minute or two and it saves some time capping tire valves.

If there is air in the tire, the tire thumper will bounce easily and make a loud, sharp thud; and if the tire is flat (no air) it will not bounce much and will give a sound like a dull thud when it is smacked.

Truck tires make a certain sound when they are full.  If there is air in the tire, the tire thumper will bounce easily and make a loud, sharp thud; and if the tire is flat (no air) it will not bounce much and will give a sound like a dull thud when it is smacked.

It takes some getting used to, but the tire thumper can save you time, money, and effort.

While tire thumping is a quick way to check for flat tires, you must always check with a tire gauge if you suspect that a tire is low on air.  The apparatus must be used as a tool to detect changes in sound when thumping tires to quickly point out if there is an issue with a tire.

Tips for Thumping Tires

1. Listen closely to the sound the tire thumper makes when you hit your tires.
2. Light taps do not work. Hit tires firmly.
3. Pay attention to the sound made and compare when full and low.  Practice with a fully pressurized tire and a truck tire that is low.  Compare sounds and hear the difference.
4. A fully inflated tire will cause the tire thumper to bounce back quickly toward you.
5. When using the tool the operator must have both feet firmly planted on a level surface at all times.
6. We recommend that before the tool is used, the operator wears clean, dry, “work gloves” free of any dirt or grease or any other substance to avoid slippage from the operator’s hands.
7. When not in use, the product must be stowed away in a secure area
8. Avoid exposing the tool to heat or frigid conditions for long periods of time as this may affect the durability of the product when in use
9. Ensure tools are properly seated before use to avoid injury
10. Safety strap can be used to reduce the likelihood of the tool slipping out of hand

Please be sure to read OPNBar Extended Instructions & Precautions

Most Common Cause for Tire Failure

The most common cause for tire failure on any vehicle is low tire pressure. Heat builds as the steel belt and polyester cords rub against each other and the rubber falls apart tire failure will occur faster the lower the pressure is from the maximum or recommended pressure for any particular tire.

Tires need to be at 90 PSI to be safe and to get the maximum miles per gallon but there are smaller newer tires that hold up to 150 PSI and are even more susceptible to low tire pressure and will fall apart faster and look low or flat when low on air.

Consumer Reports has long advocated that truck drivers check their car’s tire pressure monthly to prevent uneven tire wear and tire failure. Now, a new study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reinforces that advice by determining that vehicles driving on tires underinflated by more than 25 percent are three times more likely to be involved in a crash related to tire problems than vehicles with proper inflation. And tires underinflated up to 25 percent run the risk of overheating, leading to failure, and at the very least adversely affecting handling and tread life.

The study looked at crash data from 2005-2007–before tire-pressure monitoring systems were required to be installed on all vehicles. The systems mandated for the 2008 model year alert drivers if any tire drops 25 percent or more below the recommended inflation level of their vehicle. Tire pressure monitoring systems are designed to alert a driver of a tire losing air pressure and are not intended to be used as a substitute for monthly tire pressure checks.

The study also found that five percent of all vehicles studied experienced tire problems immediately before a crash, with 66 percent of those representing passenger cars, 17 percent being SUVs, and the rest being pickups and vans. Half of the tire-related crashes involved a single vehicle, and just 31 percent of single-vehicle crashes were not related to tires.

This shows that tire problems are evident in the pre-crash phase, which has a very small window for attempting a crash avoidance maneuver. Rollovers are more common among SUVs that experienced a tire problem before a crash–45 percent rolled over. On the other hand, passenger cars, pickups, and vans experiencing tire problems had fewer than a 25 percent incidence of rollover. Overall, the study concluded that tire problems in the pre-crash phase were more likely to lead to rollover in SUVs than in other types of vehicles.

Tire problems combined with other factors, such as bad weather or an inexperienced driver, can increase the likelihood of a crash.

Aside from properly inflating your tires, it is very important to monitor your tire tread depth condition. This study showed that tire-related crashes were more likely as your tire’s tread wears, with accident rates at just 2.4 percent when tires had near full tread depth to 26 percent when the tires were worn- out (0 – 2 /32″ depth). We recommend consumers start shopping for new tires at 4/32″ tread depth while some all-weather grip is still available. At this point, tire-related crashes approached 8 percent.

A 2009 NHTSA analysis found that 57 percent of vehicles with tire-pressure monitoring systems had tires that were properly inflated.

The study reiterates the need for motorists to properly maintain their tires. Buying a tire pressure gauge and regularly checking your pressure can help avoid these tire problems and the increased risk of a related crash.

Source: consumerreports.org

Equip operators with the proper tools needed and promote safety to help them avoid injury.

The OPNBar tool, for instance, can help avoid some injuries by providing an ergonomic means of opening shipping containers, checking for low-pressure tires, and aiding operators in releasing the tractor from the trailer.

Please be sure to read OPNBar Extended Instructions & Precautions

Related: Study Finds Underinflated and Worn Tires Increase Likelihood of Crash