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Essential fleet wheel maintenance checklist

2025

Why It's Important

Maintaining your fleet is essential to ensuring safety, efficiency, and compliance. That’s why we’ve created a handy checklist of tips to help you stay on top of critical wheel maintenance tasks throughout 2025.

It's estimated that between 150 and 400 wheel detachments occur in the UK annually. Of these, three to seven result in fatal accidents, with many more causing serious injuries, so we can't stress enough how important these tips are. Worn tyres can give drivers less control over the vehicles, putting themselves and others on the road in danger.

What happens when an HGV wheel falls off?

Before we start, it's important to note that this is merely a guide. While we have used reliable sources such as government documents, it's always best to do your own thorough research as to what is best for your vehicles and equipment. 

A thorough tyre & wheel management system ensures:

Tyres are suitable for the vehicle and conditions.

Regular inspections address damage and wear.

Technicians are qualified for inspections and repairs.

Drivers are trained to identify and report issues.

Staff are trained and authorized to act.

Tyres are stored correctly on-site.

Best practices are shared fleet-wide.

The checklist 

    1. Tyre Selection

  • Ensure tyres are appropriate for the vehicle type and operating conditions​.
  • Verify compliance with regulations (e.g., correct size, construction, load index, speed rating)​.
  • Use tyres marked with required type approval (e.g., "E-mark")​.
  • The operator must ensure tyres are responsibly sourced and approved for use in the UK and Europe.
  • Replacement tyres should typically match the original equipment in size, construction, and service specifications.

    2. Tyre Installation

  • Both tyres and wheels should only be fitted by trained professionals using proper tools and techniques​.
  • Make sure everything is as clean as possible.
  • Avoid oil-based lubricants; use recommended bead lubricants​.
  • Check for proper seating and alignment on the rim​.

    3. Wheel Security and Nut Maintenance
 

         3a. Wheel Nut Torque:

  • Tighten wheel nuts to the manufacturer's specified torque using a calibrated torque wrench​​.
  • Re-torque nuts after 30 minutes (stationary) or after 40-80km of driving post-wheel installation​.
  • Do not overtighten, as it may damage wheel and seating surfaces​.

         3b. Wheel Nut Locks:

  • Use high-quality wheel nut locks or retention devices to prevent nuts from loosening due to vibration​.
  • Regularly inspect locks for wear or damage and replace as needed. Do not reduce daily checks.

        3c. Regular Inspections:

  • Inspect wheels and wheel nuts daily for signs of damage, wear, or looseness​​.
  • Replace cracked or damaged wheels and nuts immediately​.

Shop Torque Wrenches

Shop Wheel Nut Locks

    4. Tyre Pressure and Inflation

  • Regularly check tyre pressures (when tyres are cold) against manufacturer recommendations​​.
  • Use calibrated equipment to ensure accurate readings​.
  • Monitor pressure changes using Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) where available​.
  • Tyres should be reinflated if they are between 0-20% under inflated. Check the tyre thoroughly for damage. If between 10 & 20%, monitor for continuing deflation.
  • If re-inflating tyres, use a reliable tyre inflation cage.

Shop Tyre Inflation Safety Cages

Shop Tyre Inflators

    5. Wheel Alignment and Balance

  • Check wheel alignment periodically to avoid uneven tyre wear and improve vehicle handling​​.
  • Ensure wheels are balanced to prevent vibrations and excessive wear​. We recommend using Easy Balance - a wheel balancing compound for balancing truck tyres or bus tyres which can be added to the tyre when fitted. This prolongs the life of the tyre by up to 25%.

Shop Easy Balance

    6. Storage

  • Store wheels and tyres in a cool, dry, and ventilated environment away from sunlight and chemicals​​.
  • Protect wheels from corrosion by storing them off the ground and in a clean area​.

    7. Daily Inspections

  • Check for visible tyre damage, cuts, bulges, and embedded objects​​.
  • Inspect wheels for cracks, distortions, or loose wheel nuts.

    8. Repairs and Retreading

  • Only allow trained technicians to repair wheels or tyres​. 
  • Tyres should be removed from their wheels and carefully inspected by a qualified tyre technician to determine their suitability for repair.
  • Replace wheels showing excessive wear, cracks, or damage​.
  • Use manufacturer-approved methods for tyre regrooving and retreading​ - Only tyres marked as regroovable on the sidewall are legally permitted to be regrooved, whether they are new or retreaded.

    9. Wheel Cleaning

  • Check wheels for layers of grime, dirt, and brake dust which can accelerate corrosion and contribute to premature wear. 
  • Use a dedicated wheel cleaner and brushes, ensuring you're getting the best clean you can. We recommend Vikan brushes, such as the Wheel Rim Brush Head (PVK-5452) combined with BettaShine Wheel Bright (PBS-0221C) for this.

Shop Vikan Brushes

Shop BettaShine Cleaning Chemicals

    10. Driver and Staff Training

  • Train drivers to identify and report wheel and tyre defects during daily checks​​.
  • Educate staff on the importance of proper wheel nut torque and the use of locking devices​​.

    11. Record Keeping

  • Maintain detailed records of inspections, repairs, replacements, and the age of tyres and wheels​​.

    12. Legal Compliance

  • Monitor wheel and tyre condition to comply with UK regulations, including BS AU 50 standards for wheel and nut care​​.
  • Avoid using tyres older than 10 years - this could cause an advisory at annual vehicle tests.
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Got Questions?

Get in touch, and we will be happy to assist you. Our opening hours are 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday. 
sales@parmagroup.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)1728 745700