Submitted by: Travis Evans

The importance of maintaining proper tire pressure cannot be overstated. Tires at the correct pressure will last longer and perform better than tires that are not maintained. Under-inflating or over-inflating tires can cause problems with safety, uneven tread wear, flat tires or blowouts, or even gas mileage. Our service providers recommend investing in a portable tire gauge and keeping it in the glove compartment for easy access, and checking tires regularly.

Tire pressure varies depending on the vehicle and tire. For most cars, vans, SUVs, and smaller passenger trucks, you will want to maintain a PSI (pounds per square inch) of about 27 to 40. Larger vehicles will have larger tires and may be rated up to 45psi. The exact rating for your tires is on the sidewall. When purchasing new tires you should take note of the rating for the life of the tire. Inflating the tires to their proper rating will keep the tires functioning at peak performance, it will maintain their lifespan, increase your safety, and should maintain the correct level of fuel efficiency.

Under-inflated tires are a common problem in how fast tires will wear out. Watch for signs that your tires may be under-inflated. The tread will wear down on both sides equally, but the tread in the middle of the tire will not seem affected. This is an indication that there is too much contact on the road with the outside of the tire. Make sure you check your tire pressure regularly as consistent under-inflation and low tire pressure can be a sign that you have a slow leak in your tire that needs to be repaired. Be aware that when the temperature drops outside, your tires will also lose pressure, about 1psi for every 10 degrees drop. Under-inflated tires are more prone to damage, flats, and even blowouts. As the tire heats up driving, if there is not enough air inside to displace the heat, tires can become fatigued and fail.

Over-inflated tires are not as common, but can cause an equal amount of damage to the tire. Too much wear noticed in the center of the tire shows that the air pressure is consistently too high. Only the center of the tire is hitting the road, and this will wear the tread out much faster than normal. Improperly inflating tires or not using a gauge is a common mistake, which can have a high impact on your tires. Over-inflated tires can cause internal damage to the tire or become more prone to flats as well, as the typical hard surface of the tread has been compromised.

Other handy tips to remember: Always make sure that you check your tire pressure on cold tires. This doesn t necessarily mean in cold weather, just not after you have been driving on them. Heat will change tire pressure, so the most accurate reading is done when your car is parked and hasn t been driven immediately before. Make sure you use a reliable gauge as well, don t only rely on the gauges at the gas station air pump, as they may not be checked regularly.

We re always here to answer all of your tire pressure questions, and our highly trained technicians can address any concern you may have about uneven tire wear, or how to maintain the best performance on your tires. Keep your tires properly inflated for your optimal performance, life, and fuel efficiency!

About the Author: Travis Evans is a an auto industry expert, and blogger for TireWholesaleDirect.com. Tire Wholesale Direct helps you get

tires direct

online today!

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

isnare.com/?aid=1832819&ca=Automotive