There are several reasons why you might be having problems with your tyre pressure, there are also some misconceptions and misinformation about the proper maintenance of your tyres. One of the most common causes of a blowout are underinflated tyres, they can also make driving more expensive as driving on underinflated tyres tend to consume more fuel. This post is going to serve as a guide for inexperienced drivers to be able to properly maintain their tyres and avoid blowouts.
Importance of checking your tyre pressure
There are a few reasons why proper inflation of your tyres is so important, the first and most important is that it contributes to the overall safety of the driver, its passengers and the public. If you consider the fact that there are only 4 small patches on your car that standing in-between you and the ground you shouldn’t be surprised that they play an important part in assuring the safety of everyone in the car. Improper tyre inflation can also affect the longevity of your tyres, they were specifically designed to ensure optimal contact with the road and if over or under inflated you’ll be putting excessive pressure on the centre tread in which case you could be bringing down the lifespan of the tyres.
Checking your tyre pressure
Checking and adjusting your tyre pressure should be easy to do, the first thing to remember is to wait until your tyres are cold for a more accurate reading. Ideally, you’ll be checking the tyre pressure first thing in the morning before driving. You should consider investing in a mini gauge that can be stored in your glove compartment for easy accessibility. If you are unsure about the recommended pressure for your tyres you should refer to your owner’s manual. Every change in temperature can lead to changes in your tyre pressure so you should make sure that you are checking the tyre pressure often as temperature drops in the fall and winter seasons.
Fiddling with your tyres
If you are a new or curious driver you’ll probably be wondering how things work and would want to fiddle with the likes of the tyre pressures a bit. Unless you are completely confident in your ability to put everything back as you found it you should avoid messing with your tyres. Like we mentioned above, your tyres are one of the most key features on your car so anything that might hinder its performance is always advised against.
Overloading
Overloading your vehicle can be fatally damaging to your tyres, it doesn’t matter if your car is big enough to fit a whole load of stuff if your tyres can’t handle it. To be sure about the maximum capability of your car you’ll have to find your vehicle’s Gross Vehicular Weight Rating and try to figure out if you are over or under. If it is absolutely necessary that you haul heavy loads you should increase the tyre’s weight carrying capacity by raising the pressure to the maximum load which is indicated by the maximum pressure that can be found in your owner’s manual.