Over 40 PSI is a dangerous level for most vehicles! You should make sure, however, that your tires are appropriate for your vehicle. A question in many minds is when is the appropriate time and frequency for checking and inflating vehicle tires. A quick google search will reveal a variety of different opinions and suggestions. Some say that you should check your tire pressure every 2 nd visit to the gasoline station, while others say once every months is OK.
Most tire and vehicle manufacturers, on the other hand, will say that you should check your tire pressure at least once every month , or every second trip to the gas pump. Your tires will lose around 1 PSI each for every month that goes by. Unfortunately, not one answer will fit every situation.
There are several factors that influence how often you should check your tire pressure, including:. If you have a leaky valve or a small puncture, you will lose air pressure much more quickly. This is one more reason why you should frequently check the tire pressure on all of your tires.
Finding out the tire pressure of your tires is incredibly easy. All you need is a pressure gauge click here for additional items you should have in your vehicle. Just make sure that you are checking your tires when they are relatively cold. If you check your tire pressure after a long drive, you will get an inaccurate reading since heat will temporarily increase the tire pressure reading.
Unfortunately, not all pressures gauges are created equal. Some are better than others. We recommend shelling out a couple extra bucks for a digital reader. The pop-up, stick-type versions are notoriously inconsistent and unreliable. A reliable gauge will be well worth the investment. You can also check your tire pressure at most gas stations or auto repair shops. Discount Tire offers free tire pressure checks and inflation.
Poor fuel economy: Underinflated tires can lower gas mileage by about 0. Department of Energy. Decreased tire lifespan: Underinflation can decrease the lifespan of your tires and make them more vulnerable to damage—all leading to you having to buy more tires, more often. How to Check Tire Pressure A small decrease in tire pressure is hard for the naked eye to detect, but it can still have a big impact on your driving.
Find your recommended tire pressure. Check your tires before driving. Get out your tire pressure gauge. Unscrew the valve stem cap on a tire. Attach the tire pressure gauge to the valve stem. Replace the valve stem cap. Repeat the process for each tire and note your tire pressure readings. Inflate your tires, if needed. Up Next. Truck tires are an extension of you and your work ethic.
Make sure you get the best tires for your truck, with this guide from Firestone Complete Auto Care. Thus, we highly recommend that you check your tire pressure regularly, especially before a long drive or heavy load driving. Also, temperature affects the tire pressure a lot, and we will explain it in the next section. For the non-nerdy readers, just remember this rule of thumb and keep in mind that you will need to monitor your tire pressure during different seasons or a sudden temperature change.
For those who want a deeper dive into how psi's are determined, here's the science behind it. The equation we use to calculate the relationship between tire pressure and the temperature is called the Ideal Gas Law. It is a good approximation of the behavior of many gases under many conditions. Appx1 It works well for most low-pressure gases. First, we take the Ideal Gas Law equation and apply it to our circumstance:.
Given the n and R are both constants, and the gas volume in the tire is also a constant, we can take those constants out of the equation, and suddenly we get this straightforward one:.
Put all that into the equation,. Both overinflation and underinflation affect your tire performance a lot, and serious problems might occur. So how will a bad tire pressure affect driving safety? We will explain in detail below. The grip is mostly associated with the size of the contact patch between the tire and the road. An over-inflated tire radically decreases the contact patch while an under-inflated tire does the opposite.
A larger contact patch gives you more grip, and this is the exact reason why lots of racers will intentionally decrease their tire pressures to create a larger contact patch on a dry race track.
However, despite the fact that an under-inflated tire will cause more fuel consumption and improper tear and wear of the tires, for most daily commuters, it might cause an even scarier problem, which is hydroplaning. Hydroplaning is a hazardous event when a layer of water builds between the wheels and the road surface, leading to a loss of traction that prevents the vehicle from responding to control inputs.
Hydroplaning occurs when the pressure of the tire pushing on the ground is equal to the water pushing back up on that tire. The size of the contact patch, given the force or the weight of the tire, is the same, directly affects the average pressure the tire's putting down on the road. Tire maintenance is one of the most important things you can do for your car from a safety and cost standpoint. The easiest way to care for your tires is both quick and inexpensive: maintain the correct tire pressure.
Driving on under-inflated tires is one of the biggest causes of tire failure, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and not having enough air in your tires present many other problems. They wear out more rapidly, handle poorly and reduce fuel efficiency. In addition, over-inflated tires are more susceptible to damage from road irregularities, and this also creates a bumpier ride.
Knowing how to check tire pressure is critical to your safety and keeping your tires in good working order. Put the pressure gauge into the valve stem, making sure the gauge is evenly and firmly pressed onto the stem.
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