Your Car Tires Need Your Kind Attention

Tires are arguably the most important component of your car. Yet they are probably the most ignored part. A vast majority of us take our car tires for granted, few of us have basic knowledge about tires and even fewer of us realize their importance. Being the sole point of contact between the road and the vehicles tires play a crucial role in the way your car behaves. They bear the immense torque applied on them during sharp turns keeping your vehicle stable. They act as shock absorbers in bumpy terrain keeping you comfortable inside the vehicle.

ALSO READ: Decrypting The Tyre Sidewall

The type of tires best for your vehicle is important to know. Most cars have the specifications written in the owner manual or at some other part of the car like inside the dashboard or on the door panel. If it’s not found in these places one can always search the model number online and see the specifications.

Type of tire optimal for your car depends on the weight of the car and parameters specific for the car. Correct diameter, radius, rims, weight of car tire etc are all very important for optimal performance and safety. Tires are specifically designed for the weather conditions. Ideally one must use the correct car tires for specific weather but it is usually not practical. All season tires are an alternative. They work reasonably fine in most conditions but usually fail in extreme cold. People living in cold areas must get winter tires for their vehicles.

It is important to understand the physics involved in tire mechanics. Tires provide the very basic friction needed to move the vehicle. This friction is created by the surface area of tire in contact with the road. Just enough friction is needed to produce optimal performance of the car. Factors that alter this friction have a tremendous impact on the car’s performance. Tire pressure plays crucial role in this matter.

Related: Here Is Why You Should Never Ignore Tyre Pressure Of Your Car

A low pressure flattens the tire which essentially means the surface area of contact of tire with the road is increased. Increasing friction translates into increased power your engine must produce in order to overcome that friction. This leads to significantly increased fuel consumption. Increased friction also accelerates the wear and tear of the tire leading to quicker decay and decreased tire life. An increased tire pressure on the other hand decreases the surface area of contact. This is a potentially dangerous situation as it compromises the stability of the car making the tire bounce off the road easily. It may also cause the tire to burst especially at high speed due to even more increased pressure owing to the thermal effect. Tire pressure is temperature sensitive, increasing in hot environment and decreasing in cold. It is therefore extremely important to check tire pressure regularly at least once a month to make sure optimal level is maintained. Most car tires have optimal pressure readings written on them, one must follow these instructions.

Tire related articles like this and the previous entries are posted on the blog so that people can understand them better. Better understanding of your car tires is not just about saving on the unnecessary expenditures of repairs and replacement parts, but also about the safety of you and your loved ones.