Car tire pressure plays a vital role in the safe and economical operation of vehicles. It should be checked regularly, at least once a month, before long trips and if signs of insufficient pressure are detected. Correct pressure increases tire life, reduces fuel consumption and improves vehicle handling, experts explain on the Tekhnoshina website (18+).
What tire pressure is considered optimal?
The optimal tire pressure is set by the manufacturer and depends on the car model. Its meaning can be found in the vehicle manual, on information stickers inside the car, or, if the manual is lost, on the Internet. Exceeding or decreasing the recommended values may adversely affect machine stability and increase tire wear.
Recommendations for adjusting pressure:
- In winter, the pressure can be reduced by 15% to improve traction;
- In summer, on bad roads, a reduction of 10% is allowed to maintain suspension and handling.
How to check tire pressure correctly?
To accurately measure pressure, a pressure gauge is used, which is attached to the wheel nipple. You should check the pressure on cold tires – when they heat up from driving, they increase by 20–25%, which leads to errors in measurements. After stopping, wait 2-3 hours for the tires to cool down. Press the pressure gauge firmly to prevent air bleed and measure the pressure in all tires. For passenger cars, the standard pressure is usually 2.0–2.3 atm, and it must be the same in all wheels to maintain stability.
Features of pressure regulation for Russian roads
For foreign-made cars, the manufacturer indicates the optimal pressure for the roads of the country of origin. On Russian roads with their specific conditions, it is better to slightly reduce the pressure in order to reduce the load on the suspension and increase cross-country ability.
Winter tire pressure
Winter tires require a special approach. In the cold season, you can increase the pressure by 0.1–0.3 atm to improve handling and stability, which is especially important for lateral stability and quick response of the car on slippery roads.
