This is why semi truck drivers still do something called 'tire thumping'

Sometimes, sticking to old school methods is the best option when you’re driving and maintaining vehicles, but it turns out there’s a reason why semi truck drivers still do something called ‘tire thumping’.

Semi trucks can have up to 18 tires and it takes a lot of time to test each of the wheels with a proper tire pressure checker, so they use a different system to check their tire pressure.

If you ever see a semi truck driver at a rest stop hitting each of their tires with a stick, a hammer or a crow bar, they’re not doing it for fun.

If you get good at ‘tire thumping’, you can tell just from the sound of the tire when it is struck what the pressure is within 5psi – impressive!

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Have you ever seen semi truck drivers at gas stations or pit stops hitting their tires with a hammer?

Turns out this is not a weird form of self-sabotage, these semi truck drivers are checking their truck’s tire pressure.

This behaviour is called ‘tire thumping’, which is the process of hitting each of your truck’s 18 tires to hear for difference in the tires and tell if each of them has a similar pressure.

Watch this handy guide by Tim Favreau on YouTube to see how to best do ‘tire thumping’.

It is a lot quicker and easier than using a tire pressure checker and you can use things you have lying around like a crowbar or a hammer.

Tire pressure sticks do exist and they can also be used in the process of ‘tire thumping’, but you can use a whole range of tools.

Semi truck drivers need to make sure they have tires with the correct pressure for the same reasons all vehicle drivers need to, saving fuel and stopping tire blowouts.

So, as it turns out, this weird-looking ritual is actually a genius on-the-go test for truckies.

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