Tyre manufacturer Michelin carried out safety test to research the effects of underinflated tyres on aquaplaning.? The results were interesting and they revealed that the more underinflated the tyre the less of the tyre is in touch with road which will lead to a significant likelihood of aquaplaning.? At the right pressure 100% of the tyre will remain in contact with road but at 1.5 bar deflation you can expect only 25% of the tyre to be in contact.
In further tests it has additionally been revealed that under inflated tyres will increase braking distances in the wet by as much as 11m and also increases the risk of the tyre failing causing unexpected deflation due to heat build up.
Re costs a tyre with the inaccurate tyre pressure of as an example 20% below optimum pressure will produce a decrease in the life of the tyre by 20%.? This has the potential to mean you will have to replace your tyres 5,000 miles more quickly than if they were at the right tyre pressure.? Under inflated tyres will also have an effect on fuel costs and will cause the engine to have to work harder meaning a rise in fuel consumption.? Tests have demonstrated that a set of tyres under inflated by 10psi will probably boost your fuel consumption by 3p a litre.
It is highly important to have your tyres at the proper pressure because incorrectly inflated tyres can cause a higher risk of over and understeer, longer braking distances and greater likelihood of aquaplaning.? Also wrongly inflated tyres can have significant effect on continuing motoring costs by reducing the life of your tyres and raising the fuel consumption of your car.
The tyre industry in total advocates checking your tyre pressures including your spare tyre once and month and before any long drive. It is important to test them frequently as your tyres can loose pressure for a bunch of reasons including slow puncture, drops in air temperature and natural seepage thru the walls of the tyre.? It's also advised that you should check your tyres when they are cold as when your tyres are hot this could add 4-5 psi to their air pressure.
The advised pressure settings for your tyres will be found in your vehicle manual or frequently it is located within the door or the fuel filler cap.? If you are experiencing unusual drops in tyre pressure it is important to have the check by a tyre professional as this may possibly be a result of a faulty valve.
The wrong tyre pressure could affect the overall balance of your vehicle.? If your tyres have reduced force on the front spindle this can cause your automobile to understeer.? If they pressure is reduced toward the rear axle this can then produce the reverse effect and cause oversteer.
So for better performance, better economy and a safer drive take a look at your tyre pressures. It just takes a minute and could save everyone a packet.
About the Author:
Best4Tyres are a cheap top quality tyre provider offering great prices online for all tyre typres from budget to premium with local fitters. With best4tyres.com you simply pay for your tyres and then pay the fitter the pre agreed charge when you have hte tyres fitted. Everyone wins.