Why you should maintain recommended tyre air pressure?

Spending five minutes checking tyre pressure every month can save your money and avoid servicing headaches.

 

Even an average joe knows it is not the tyre that bears the weight of the vehicle rather the air pressure inside. So, it goes without saying that the right tyre pressure plays an important role in the overall performance of the vehicle, including driving comfort, cornering, directional stability, and braking grip.

 

Driving with incorrect pressure can have a negative impact on one or more of the above characteristics. Let us explain why you maintaining recommended tyre pressure is critical.

 

Incorrect tyre pressure invites danger

 

Low or under-inflated tyres can adversely affect the braking distance and result in inferior handling of the vehicle. Moreover, the steering is less responsive too. It can especially be dangerous in circumstances where emergency braking or a sudden evasive manoeuvre is required to avoid a collision.

 

Low tyre pressure prone to blowouts

 

Low tyre pressures let the tyre sidewalls deform excessively, which leads to a lot of heat generation. While moderate heat does accelerate tread wear, intensive heat can result in the loss of tread segments or even blowouts.

 

Underinflation reduces fuel efficiency

 

If your vehicle tyre is not correctly inflated, it will demand high rolling resistance, which as a result, drop down the fuel economy to a large extent. Besides, the under-inflated tyre would see more rapid wear at the outer edges of the tread leading to early replacement of the tyre.

 

Overinflated tyres make the ride uncomfortable

 

Over-inflated tyres are not a big problem for the modern-day tyres which can easily hold high pressures, exceeding the recommended levels. However, if this becomes consistent, it can make the ride quality uncomfortable. Moreover, the tyre will also face rapid wear in the center of the tread, which again demands early replacement, as compared to the tyres with recommended air pressure.

 

High Tyre pressure causes loss of traction

 

Another drawback of overinflated tyres is that they can lose comprehensive contact with the road surface. Though the central tread will remain connected to the road, the sides will not be in proper contact, which will result in the loss of traction.

 

In a nutshell, it is vital to pay as much attention to the tyres as one would pay to the other essential components of a vehicle. The easiest and effective way is to get them checked every time you stop for a fuel refill. Local repair shops can also help you out in checking and filling the right amount of air in the tyres.