Madrid
Updated:05/05/2022 23:51h
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Driving safety and tire longevity can be improved with a habit that only takes a few minutes: adjusting the air pressure, which must be greater in winter than in summer.
It is also necessary to increase the tire pressure when the load is higher than usual. Nonetheless, many people drive with too low tire pressureeither for driving comfort or dangerous beliefs.
Matti MorriDirector of Technical Customer Service at Nokian Tires, explains how many popular beliefs about tires are, in fact, false.
Is it more comfortable to drive with lower tire pressure?
More comfortable, perhaps, but also more dangerous.
A tire with too low pressure is too flexible, which makes it uncontrollable. This is probably the most dangerous misconception regarding tire pressure.
There’s a reason auto and tire manufacturers have determined a recommended tire pressure level that ensures safe tire performance, even under extreme circumstances.
Does insufficient air pressure cause tire center wear?
On older cross-ply tires, it was possible to adjust the wear pattern using tire pressure. That was more than 30 years ago, but the myth persists. The wear pattern of a modern steel-belted tire cannot be affected by the normal pressure level.
Drive tires are slightly more prone to center wear, because their center surface does more work during acceleration. For the tires to wear evenly, they must be replaced, that is, the rear ones for the front ones and vice versa, always in a timely manner.
Does correct tire pressure increase tire life?
definitely. The lower the tire pressure, the more the sidewall of the tire protrudes. The sidewall is the weakest part of a tire, and the correct tire pressure helps reduce punctures, cuts and breakdowns. If a tire is running with too low a pressure compared to the load, its shape is affected too much during driving. Its structure heats up, which can cause breakage between components.
The life of a tire can be maximized by checking tire pressure regularly. Correct tire pressure makes it easier to control the vehicle, which also reduces unnecessary steering corrections.
Should the front tire pressure be increased when towing a trailer?
This is also a recurring belief, and the answer is no. The pressure on the rear axle is what needs to be increased when driving to a holiday destination with a heavy load in the boot, for example, or when towing a trailer. The increased weight on the drawbar increases the load on the rear axle.
Too low tire pressure causes oversteer in cornering situations. The rear begins to move uncontrollably, making a loaded vehicle difficult to steer.
Can a van need a tire pressure of up to 5 bar?
The more robust structure of a van may suggest that the load capacity of its tires is sufficient, even at lower pressure. However, to reach the maximum load capacity, the van’s tire pressure level must be up to 5 bar or even higher.
Cargo capacity refers to the number of objects and people that can be carried in the vehicle. If there are structural problems with the tires of a van, the reason is usually too low pressure in relation to the load. A higher pressure makes the tire feel stiff at the beginning of the ride, but it is not advisable to emphasize comfort by too low a tire pressure at the expense of tire durability and safety.
Can a tire fall off the rim?
Yes, a tire can come off the rim while driving. When the temperature drops ten degrees, the tire pressure drops by 0.1 bar. Freezing temperatures also cause the steel rim to shrink. In extremely low sub-zero temperatures, a tire with too low pressure can come off the rim if the car hits a curb in a corner at high speed, for example.
When the temperature rises, the tire pressure increases. Tire pressure that is too high is not a cause for concern: better above than below. Too low a pressure increases rolling resistance, tire wear and fuel consumption, as well as reducing navigability. This applies both in summer and winter.
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