Monday, August 22, 2011

Minimize Costs By Examining Tire Pressures Consistently

By Brian C. Arkwright


"Many folks take good care on their cars. They may bring it to the car wash weekly to ensure it stays free of dirt and salt. They are the type of folks who consult the owner's handbook to find out when a service is due and make sure it's booked into the workshop at the perfect time. You can find others who are so committed to their cars that their goal is to have them in showroom condition even down to the upholstery and carpets. Probably the wheel trims and sidewalls are kept clean, but what about the tire pressures? In this article let us discuss the value of maintaining adequate tire pressure. It is also important to check on wheels every now and then.

In terms of tire pressure you must be careful that there is not too much or too little pressure in the tires. Another thing you must do is to examine the owners manual on the car to obtain the right tire pressure. You should not confuse the tire pressure stamped onto the tire itself with the correct on-the-road tire pressure as they are very different. Pressure noted on the tire is the maximum safe inflation for that particular type of tire. So be sure you check your users manual to discover exactly how much pressure your tires should have.

Placing too much pressure in your tires lessens the amount of tire tread that is touching the road surface. As your car has less contact and traction with the road surface, it can be less responsive to steering wheel inputs. This gets most noticeable in wet situations or on snow and ice when the likelihood of an accident are greatly increased. You will then risk life and limb of yourself and some other car occupants. If you are lucky and escape injury, you will most likely end up with a hefty bill to repair the damage to your car.

Also you don't want to have way too little pressure in the tires as this will begin to show on the sidewalls of the tires. A tire with low pressure in it will not survive as long if you always drive with it in this state. Furthermore, excess heat builds up in the tire because of the continual flexing of the side walls and may spark a blow out. This could develop into a tow bill.

You can even end up getting better fuel useage by simply keeping your tires inflated properly. As mentioned previously, lesser pressure tires put a greater area of rubber onto the asphalt and it makes your engine work tougher to push against the increased resistance. The result is that you start using more gasoline per mile travelled. Any additional drag due to the running on wrongly inflated tires can cut your miles per gallon figure by as much as 10 per cent which will hit you in the pocket.

The baseline readings for the proper tire pressures are normally measured from 'cold' or more strictly at the ambient temperature. Look for your tire pressures after your car has been standing for several hours after a period of driving. This can give time for the tires to cool down and help you to take a more accurate measurement. Any tire pressures should be checked once a week. Try this and continue with the tips given above and you will get far better mpg, reduce costs and stay safe on the roads."




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