Correct tyre pressure can help to extend the life of your tyre, improve vehicle safety and maintain fuel efficiency. Pressure is measured by calculating the amount of air that has been pumped into the inner lining of your tyre in pounds force(PSI) or BAR pressure.
Maintaining correct Tyre Pressures
There are three main reasons why maintaining the right tyre pressure is important. The first is safety. Tyres that are under inflated can overheat; and over inflated tyres can lead to poor vehicle handling on the road.The second reason is economy. Over or under inflated tyres suffer more damage than those with the correct pressure and need to be replaced more regularly. Vehicles with under-inflated tyres have increased rolling resistance that require more fuel to maintain the same speed.
The third reason for maintaining the correct tyre pressure is the environment. Correct tyre pressures help to maintain optimum fuel efficiency. This can equate to lower Co2 emissions coming from your vehicle than those with incorrect tyre pressures and that has to be good for the environment.
Remember that tyre failure can occur due to under inflation and overloading!
One of the most dangerous conditions that can exist is the slow leak. Sometimes a small nail, screw or other object will puncture a tyre and then act as an inefficient plug. Air pressure drops slowly over a matter of hours or days, undetected by the driver. Your best defense in this circumstance is to be alert to the symptoms of this condition. Be aware of any pulling or vibration that seems unnatural. And listen for any tick-ticking sound—especially audible at slow, parking lot speeds. If you detect this, get off the road and inspect the tyres on the side of the pull, vibration or sound. A bulging sidewall and/or excessively hot tyre indicates a slow leak. Put on your spare tyre and have your Tyrepower Pro repair the punctured unit. Ask the repair technician if any sidewall damage has occurred (a powdery residue inside the tyre indicates this condition). If so, have the tyre replaced.
How To Check Air Pressure
Properly checking tyre pressure requires an accurate air gauge. Many people believe that they can check air pressure just by looking at the tyre and judging the sidewall appearance. Also, many people use the air guages at service stations, which can be grossly inaccurate due to exposure or abuse. Invest in a quality air gauge.
When checking your vehicle's tyre pressure, make sure the tyres are "cold". Cold air pressure means that the vehicle has not yet been driven one kilometer (remember that driving on a tyre as well as being in direct sunlight increases its temperature and air pressure). If you must drive more than one kilometer for air, check and record the air pressure in all your tyres before you leave. Once at the tyre dealer, measure each tyre's inflation again and then note the difference. Inflate the tyres with low pressure to a level that is equal to the recommended cold pressure plus the difference at the higher temperature.
One of the most dangerous conditions that can exist is the slow leak. Sometimes a small nail, screw or other object will puncture a tyre and then act as an inefficient plug. Air pressure drops slowly over a matter of hours or days, undetected by the driver. Your best defense in this circumstance is to be alert to the symptoms of this condition. Be aware of any pulling or vibration that seems unnatural. And listen for any tick-ticking sound—especially audible at slow, parking lot speeds. If you detect this, get off the road and inspect the tyres on the side of the pull, vibration or sound. A bulging sidewall and/or excessively hot tyre indicates a slow leak. Put on your spare tyre and have your Tyrepower Pro repair the punctured unit. Ask the repair technician if any sidewall damage has occurred (a powdery residue inside the tyre indicates this condition). If so, have the tyre replaced.
How To Check Air Pressure
Properly checking tyre pressure requires an accurate air gauge. Many people believe that they can check air pressure just by looking at the tyre and judging the sidewall appearance. Also, many people use the air guages at service stations, which can be grossly inaccurate due to exposure or abuse. Invest in a quality air gauge.
When checking your vehicle's tyre pressure, make sure the tyres are "cold". Cold air pressure means that the vehicle has not yet been driven one kilometer (remember that driving on a tyre as well as being in direct sunlight increases its temperature and air pressure). If you must drive more than one kilometer for air, check and record the air pressure in all your tyres before you leave. Once at the tyre dealer, measure each tyre's inflation again and then note the difference. Inflate the tyres with low pressure to a level that is equal to the recommended cold pressure plus the difference at the higher temperature.
Finally, after completing the pressure check, make sure the valves and extensions are equipped with valve caps to keep out dirt and moisture. Remember to replace the valve assembly when you replace the tyre; it's your best assurance against a sudden or consistent loss of air pressure.
Environmental Impact
How can routine air pressure maintenance impact our environment? Consider that fewer tyres per year would end up in the landfills and scrap heaps that trouble our ecology. How many tyres are we talking about? We estimate that most drivers lose from 10% to as much as 50% of tyre tread life due to underinflation. That's a significant statistic. Now consider the extra fuel we burn to push cars along on soft, underinflated tyres. Tyres do require extra energy to roll if they are under inflated. While the statistics vary widely and inconclusively, the implications are staggering. So maintaining tyre pressure is a small line item in our busy daily routines, but it adds up to big environmental consequences. We must all care and take action to do the right thing.
How can routine air pressure maintenance impact our environment? Consider that fewer tyres per year would end up in the landfills and scrap heaps that trouble our ecology. How many tyres are we talking about? We estimate that most drivers lose from 10% to as much as 50% of tyre tread life due to underinflation. That's a significant statistic. Now consider the extra fuel we burn to push cars along on soft, underinflated tyres. Tyres do require extra energy to roll if they are under inflated. While the statistics vary widely and inconclusively, the implications are staggering. So maintaining tyre pressure is a small line item in our busy daily routines, but it adds up to big environmental consequences. We must all care and take action to do the right thing.
Besides the routine air check, other circumstances necessitate a visit to the air pump. Seasonal changes or altitude changes create a rise or drop in air pressure (for every 10 degrees change in temperature, tyre air pressure changes approximately 7 kpa). But perhaps the most overlooked factor is vehicle loading for trucks and 4WDs. Since these vehicles can be configured and loaded in many ways, the proper inflation pressure should be determined by actual tyre loads. This is best determined by weighing the vehicle; vehicle loading can change from trip to trip
The Benefits of Correct Air Pressure
Keeping the correct air pressure in your tyres is as important as giving your engine a tune up. The economic benefits are perhaps even greater! With the right amount of air pressure, your tyres wear longer, save fuel, enhance handling and prevent accidents. The effects of not maintaining correct air pressure are poor petrol mileage, loss of tyre life, bad handling (perhaps even loss of control), and potential vehicle overloading.
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