Check Tyre Pressures After The Bad Weather

Friday, 29. January 2010

I’ve pointed out the importance of correct tyre pressures in the past but during the recent bad weather many motorists are believed to have dropped their tyre pressures in order to increase the grip on roads covered in ice and packed snow. It is important, if you did this, to re-inflate to the correct pressure. In fact, according to compressor manufacturer Ring Automotive, you should check your tyre pressures regularly and make sure that they are properly inflated because under inflated tyres allow more surface area to come into contact with the road which will result in greater drag increasing fuel consumption as well as increasing CO2 emissions. Under inflated tyres also wear out quicker and can reduce the tyre life by up to 20% and with a less firm tyre wall grip may also be compromised. Something else I haven’t mentioned before is that when you have a label in the car, or a table in the handbook, that gives recommended tyre pressures, normally split between loaded and unloaded, the pressures are for the tyres originally fitted to the car by the manufacturer. But if you have alternatives fitted they may have a completely different structure so it is important to check with the manufacturer as to what pressures they should run on when fitted to your car. How’s that for an interesting piece of advice? By Graham Hill