{"id":793,"date":"2020-02-19T05:02:49","date_gmt":"2020-02-19T05:02:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/easterntyres.com.au\/?p=793"},"modified":"2021-01-29T04:30:48","modified_gmt":"2021-01-29T04:30:48","slug":"5-reason-why-correct-tyre-pressure-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/easterntyres.com.au\/5-reason-why-correct-tyre-pressure-matters\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Reason Why Correct Tyre Pressure Matters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tyres in poor condition are like parachutes with holes.\nDon\u2019t use them! They\u2019re a car\u2019s connection to the road, a connection that\namounts to a single palm print per tyre. Braking, accelerating, grip, cornering\n\u2013 all of these things can only be done safely with properly maintained tyres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tyre pressure is a huge factor when it comes to the performance\nof your car. It\u2019s something we too often push to the back of our minds \u2013\nsomething that a mechanic will check at the next service \u2013 but, in reality,\nit\u2019s something we as car owners should familiarise ourselves with and check\nonce a month. Here\u2019s five reasons why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

1. Safety first<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If a tyre is overinflated, its\nfootprint (the amount of rubber in contact with the road) is reduced. The\nsmaller the footprint, the lesser the grip, and your ability to control the car\nis greatly reduced, particularly when it comes to breaking. Overinflated tyres\nare particularly dangerous in the wet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An underinflated tyre can lead to a similar\nreduction in control, specifically to do with cornering. Tyres inflated to the\ncorrect pressure allow for more precise handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

2. Fuel economy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If a tyre is underinflated, its footprint\nis greater. Because it has more contact with the road, there is more friction,\nwhich means the engine has to work harder to spin it. An engine working harder\nconsumes more fuel. Ever had to ride a bike with a flat? Not fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

3. Tyre longevity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If a tyre is over or underinflated, its\nlifespan is greatly reduced. In the case of the former, the tyre becomes stiff\nand rigid and suffers more damage when driven over potholes or uneven surfaces.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the case of the latter, the simple fact\nthat more rubber is in contact with the road leads to faster wear. Also,\nunderinflated tyres generally have greater wear on the outer edges, or\nshoulders, and need to be replaced with greater frequency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

4. The environment<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Great strides are being taken when it comes\nto recycling tyres, particularly in the area of road surfacing. But the number\nof old tyres that make it this far is small. Of\nthe approximately 50 million vehicle tyres that reach end-of-life across\nAustralia annually, 16% are recycled<\/a>. The fate of the remaining 84% is\nlandfill, illegal stockpiling, the bottom of the ocean or quirky patio\nfurniture. The longer your tyres last (in other words, the fewer tyres you go\nthrough in your driving life), the better off the environment is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As indicated above, incorrect tyre pressure\nleads to higher fuel consumption, and the environment isn\u2019t a huge fan of\npetroleum products. Extracting them from the earth is energy-intensive, as is\nshipping them around the globe. Plus, there\u2019s the occasional oil spill. For\nthose electric car drivers sitting back with a smug smile, think again. This\nisn\u2019t Europe, where the electricity used to power electric cars is generated\nfrom renewables or nuclear energy. This is Australia, so your electric car is\nactually running almost primarily on brown coal. Dirty stuff. The environment\nisn\u2019t a fan of that either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

5. Tyre inspection<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Checking your tyre pressure means you have\nto crouch down and connect the hose fitting to the valve stem. While your down\nthere, with your face close to the rubber, it\u2019s a great opportunity to give the\ntyre a good squiz. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look for wear or damage to the tread or\nsidewall. Look for small bulges which are the result of impact damage and\nindicate weakened rubber, and a higher likelihood of a blowout. Also, run your\nfinger along the grooves to look for the treadwear indicator bar, and make sure\nit\u2019s still sitting snugly beneath the tread of the tyre. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you know what the correct type pressure is? Good\nquestion. Usually, the recommended pressures for your vehicle\u2019s tyres will be\nrecorded on the driver\u2019s door jamb. The pressure will sometimes differ between\nthe front and rear tyres, so be mindful of that. Otherwise, check the car\u2019s\nmanual, which should always be kept in the glovebox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Correct tyre pressure isn\u2019t something to be trifled with, so\nif you\u2019d prefer to have a professional take a look, don\u2019t hesitate to come by\nanytime at Eastern Tyre Centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Nitrogen Can Help<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re the type who doesn\u2019t have the time to check tyre\npressures often, or not sure how to operate a tyre pressure gauge at the\nservice centre, then you may want to consider inflating your tyres with\nnitrogen instead of normal air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason is because normal air or rather oxygen molecules\nare smaller than the nitrogen molecules and so the pressure loss with nitrogen,\nwhich has bigger molecules, is much less than normal air. This means that the\npressures in the tyres will remain constant over a longer period and so you\nwould not need to top up the pressures as often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eastern Tyre Centre can fill your tyres with nitrogen<\/a>. It take just 20 minutes and the cost is $10 – $15 per tyre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n