To provide smooth balance and support, your car’s tires must always have enough air to handle the many surfaces you may drive on. Without enough air to reinforce the tire, you’ll face a higher risk of poor fuel economy, flats, blow-outs, and other issues that may require costly auto repairs. Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to tell if you’re headed for trouble. If you’re concerned about underinflated tires, here are a few simple ways to determine if they need extra air.
A flat tire is the simplest way to tell if inflation is needed. Usually, the best way to detect a flat is to do a quick spot check before you drive. However, you might also have a flat if you find that it’s difficult to reach certain speeds or hear odd sounds coming from under the car.
Using a digital pressure meter, occasionally check your tires see if the air pressure is at the manufacturer-recommended level. If you have a newer vehicle, your car’s dashboard may also display a warning light when your tire pressure has dropped too low.
Tires gradually lose air pressure as the temperature drops. As such, you may want to check your air levels any time your car is exposed to sudden decreases in temperature. While the amount may be minimal, replacing the lost air will improve handling on winter roads—especially if you encounter ice and snow.
When there isn’t enough air to reinforce the tire’s exterior, the rubber will become more susceptible to vibration. If this happens, your steering and handling may suffer. You might also feel shaking when you drive—especially at higher speeds. Since vibration is also related to other common auto repair issues—such as suspension damage—it’s best to have the problem looked at by a mechanic as soon as possible.
It’s estimated that for about every PSI lost in tire pressure, your car will experience a .2% drop in fuel economy. If your wheels are losing a considerable amount of air, you might end up having to fill up on gas more often until you reestablish proper pressure levels.
When adding air doesn’t help address your pressure problems, turn to the wide inventory of high-quality products offered by Oak Hollow Tire Car Care Center in High Point, NC. As an ASE®-certified auto repair shop and tire dealer, this provider will connect you to the best solution for your wheels—including selections from Bridgestone®, Firestone®, and Fuzion®. In addition to tire replacement, these mechanics also offer many other services to help you maintain a smooth ride—including tire rotation and wheel alignment. For more details on their affordable car maintenance and repair options, visit this shop online. To schedule service or inquire about available inventory, call (336) 841-6553.
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Have you ever asked yourself this question: "How do I check the tire pressure without a gauge?"
If yes, then look no further!
This article will reveal seven practical ways of checking the pressure of your tires when you do not have a gauge at hand.
Also, you will know how often you should check your tire pressure, when to tell if your tires are underinflated, and many more.
Why Do You Need To Check Tire Pressure?To Prevent AccidentsLow tire pressure causes the rapid loss of tire tread depth in less time than usual. This is because the tires endure more weight and force than when they are correctly inflated. Underinflated tires may also cause poor handling of the car.
Overinflated tires can lead to a blowout during a ride. Regular pressure checks prevent accidents caused by blowouts and poor maneuverability of the car.
To Improve Fuel EconomyTire pressure checks enhance the fuel economy of your car. Low-pressure tires require more propelling power to get going. This indicates that your vehicle will burn extra fuel to supply the energy needed to move your underinflated tires. So you may notice that you're purchasing gas more often than you should.
Underinflated tires carry the weight of your vehicle more than the other adequately inflated tires. If the tire pressure is too low, too much of that tire's surface area touches the road, which increases friction. Increased traction may cause the tire to overheat, which can lead to premature wear. Regular checks ensure the uniformity of tire wear.
How To Check Tire Pressure Without GaugePound-force Per Square Inch Check (PSI Check)The pound-force/square inch is the unit used to measure air pressure in your tire. It lets you know how much inflation pressure your tire can withstand. The driver's manual usually provides this information. You may also notice it on the driver's side of the doors.
The number usually suggests the lowest pound-force per square inch at which the tire must be inflated. But you may vary it as you think necessary.
The more the vehicle can carry, the more pressure is needed for proper functioning.
The suggested PSI for small cars like minivans and sedans ranges between 27 and 32. But those tires can reach 40 if necessity demands so. SUVs and trucks have a PSI of about 45 and more because their tires need more inflation pressure to carry the vehicle's weight properly.
Take note that some models of pickup trucks have different PSI for the front and rear tires. Check your manual to be sure.
Thumb CheckYou can use your thumb to check the pressure of your tire. All you have to do is push your thumb down on the tire to feel the pressure. Underinflated tires will be soft. You will find your tires to be extremely stiff if they are overinflated. The tire pressure is proper if your tire is not too soft or too stiff as mentioned above.
Mass Over Wheels CheckThis method is based on checking the level of deformity of the tire once you mount weight on your tires. What you do is to put weight on the tires, and then notice the level of deformity of the tire.
Tires with low pressure get deformed by 10% - 15% change. If you see that much difference, you need to inflate your tires a little more. As you add pressure, check gradually to see that the tires do not become extremely stiff.
For this method, you need a pavement or a road with a flat surface. You need to apply ink or some other marking substance to your tires. After that, make marks on the road by driving the car slightly. After the drive, pay attention to the trail that your tires made. A comparison of the trail will reveal some differences. Low-pressure tires tend to leave a streak when compared with others.
Inflate the underinflated tires a little more and repeat the test until the moderate pressure is reached.
Cargo CheckThis test works with cargo. Load some cargo on the car and notice how the tires might get weighed down.
Cargo will logically weigh down any low-pressure tire of your vehicle.
If you notice that one side of the car bears the cargo load more than the other, it means you have low-pressure tires that need more air pressure. Find the underinflated tires and add more air to even the distribution of the weight.
But ensure you check and return the tires’ Pound-force Per Square Inch (PSI) to normal by adding more air pressure after you remove the cargo.
Hand Pressure CheckTo check your tire pressure with your hand, push your palm down on the tire to feel the pressure. Low-pressure tires are usually soft and cushiony, while overinflated tires are incredibly stiff.
If it feels soft, inflate the tire with more air. Check pressure with your palm gradually as you add air to it. If the air pressure is too much, press the stem on your tire’s air nozzle until a slight push over the tire is possible.
Eye Observation CheckTo check your tire pressure with this method, you must first park your car on a plane surface.
After parking it, check the tires of your vehicle from both sides. What you are looking out for is a bulge; a round swelling from any side of the tire.
A bulge of more than ten millimeters on both sides shows that your tire pressure is low. You may have to pump the tires before taking the vehicle out. Inflate the tires until it is hard but not extremely hard.
How Often Should You Check Your Tire Pressure?Car manufacturers recommend that you check at least once a month. But safety and other reasons may make you have to examine your tire pressure more frequently.
Ideally, you should visually observe your tire pressure every time you approach your car.
Try to regularly check your tire pressure when you visit the gas station.
If you hit a curb or run over a sharp object, you may also have to check your tire pressure.
How Do You Know If Your Tire Pressure Is Low?Some recent vehicle models have a warning light in the dash to alert you.
The warning light is a component of the Tire Pressure Monitoring System of your vehicle. The light comes on to warn you that your tires could be underinflated.
If your car does not have a caution light for low tire pressure, a regular check will help you know if your tire pressure is too low.
Difficulty in the car's maneuverability or losing speed is also a sign that the tire pressure may be low.
Is It Safe To Drive With Low Tire Pressure?It, it isn’t. It is dangerous to drive with low tire pressure, especially at high speeds. You could lose control of your vehicle. More seriously, driving with low tire pressure could also cause a blowout or an accident.
ConclusionDriving with the correct tire pressure is very important because you can protect your safety and the safety of other road users. It also saves you money because your tires wear evenly, and your fuel economy is optimal.
If you do not have a gauge with you, the reliable steps above-mentioned work just fine.
Guest Author: Tim Miller
I’m Tim Miller, an auto mechanic and the Editor-in-chief at obdadvisor.com. I love writing to share my experiences and expertise. Many articles about car repair, car parts and tools reviews can be found on my website. Get connected with me on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.
What is better - free air or "magic" nitrogen in tires? There are a lot of opinions. Those who pumped nitrogen into tires instead of air recommend that their acquaintances and friends do the same. Many have heard that Formula 1 cars use nitrogen to inflate tires. Yes that there "Formula 1"! Aircraft tires, heavy trucks and supercars also contain nitrogen. Opinions were divided.
What are the advantages of nitrogen over oxygen in tires, is there any difference at all, or is it a banal pumping out of money? “Sellers of air” name such pluses:
| - stable pressure in tires, as a result of which wear is reduced; - smooth running of the car; - good road grip; - in the event of a tire puncture, the leakage rate is less; - regardless of the temperature in the tire constant pressure; - good fuel economy. |
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At first glance, for little money, how many useful and important properties at once! Modern car owners love all sorts of exotic things, like miracle powders, wiper spoilers that supposedly improve aerodynamics, etc. They also seized on this "innovation" with nitrogen in tires.
If you recall the physics from the school course, it is clear that "air" consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% carbon dioxide and other gases. And the mixture advertised by tire fitters consists of 95% nitrogen and 5% oxygen.
« Stable tire pressure. Since the coefficient of thermal expansion of nitrogen is lower than that of air, the effect of ambient temperature on the tire has practically no effect on the pressure inside it. Nitrogen does not expand at all, unlike air. Therefore, it is nitrogen that is ideal for pumping into tires. »
nine0002 However, anyone with even a little knowledge of physics understands that the statement that the pressure of a gas in an enclosed space is independent of temperature conflicts with the laws of Gay-Lussac (for any gases, the volume expansion coefficient is the same) and Charles (the pressure ratio to temperature is a constant value). We can conclude: all statements that nitrogen will behave differently than oxygen, with an increase or decrease in temperature, are real inventions that are designed for an uneducated person. Of course, there is still a small difference in the volume expansion coefficient, but it is only 0.0001. nine0003 |
Accordingly, the change in tire pressure will be about 0.00025 atm. Is this a significant change? Certainly not. For those who do not believe in science, we can advise you to conduct a small experiment on your own: pump one tire with nitrogen, and the other with air, and alternately immerse it in boiling water, then in ice water. It is unlikely that the pressure will be stable.
« A tire filled with nitrogen never deflates. Nitrogen molecules are very large, much larger than oxygen, and they move extremely slowly through the micropores in rubber. nine0046 »
| Again we turn to physics. |
Perhaps the whole secret is that “large” nitrogen molecules seem to clog the micropores of the tire and do not allow molecules of other gases to pass out? Although the mixture advertised by the sellers contains 16-17% more nitrogen than ordinary air
« The possibility of tire explosion is minimal. Because nitrogen is an inert gas and does not support combustion. At high speeds, the tire does not heat up because there is no combustible oxygen in it. »
| So, let's try to understand all this.
|
A normal tire for a passenger car can withstand pressure up to 9atm. In order for a tire to burst, it must be heated to a temperature of at least 1000 ° C. At this temperature, even a steel disk will melt.
« Fuel economy. A wheel filled with nitrogen is lighter in weight than a wheel filled with air. Accordingly, the load on the suspension is less and fuel consumption is reduced. »
| At first glance, everything is logical. But let's calculate what is the difference in the mass of wheels pumped up with nitrogen and air. |
This means that the nitrogen content in this tire will be 0.0750 kg, and air - 0.0774 kg. That's the whole difference! You just need a jewelry scale to catch such a difference in weight. Naturally, there can be no talk of any difference in weight and fuel economy. nine0003
« Delayed tire aging due to the absence of dust, moisture and oil in nitrogen. This is confirmed by tests conducted by Continental, Bridgestone, Michelin. »
| If you think about it, the impact of the environment (various reagents on the road surface, ultraviolet radiation, bitumen, etc.
|
Is it really possible to save the carcass of tires from oxidation by ordering nitrogen into the tire, as the “air sellers” promise? This is hard to believe, since it is well hidden in the thickness of the rubber and cannot come into contact with air, moreover, the wires of the frame are covered with brass and are not easily oxidized.
« Improving road grip. Nitrogen is more stable than air (which is able to succumb to the environment) . »
| This myth is generally difficult to somehow comment on. There is nothing to discuss, no matter how you look at it. nine0003 |
On the other hand, cunning sellers sometimes deliberately underfill the tires with nitrogen and warn the client not to inflate the tires with air in any case, and also not to check the pressure.
So nitrogen in tires, instead of ordinary air, is not an innovation at all, but rather a tribute to fashion, which is usually not consulted with science. On the other hand, the small money that is given to the “air sellers” for nitrogen may well be compensated by the impression made on friends when saying the phrase: “And in my car there are nitrogen tires, like Schumacher’s!”. nine0003
Tire pressure significantly affects driving parameters: comfort, car handling, economy and safety.
It is important to maintain the pressure recommended by the manufacturer and check it regularly. Let's figure out how to do it right.
When driving on asphalt, incorrect tire pressure (both high and low) leads to a decrease in the contact patch with the road. An overinflated wheel clings to the surface only in the central part, which leads to its rapid wear. A poorly inflated tire, on the contrary, "sits" on the sidewalls, leaning on the shoulder areas of the tread and pushing the central part inward. Here's what it looks like:
Both under-inflation and over-inflation in tires create many problems for the driver.
1. Increased wear of the central part of the tire tread.
2. Reduced ride comfort, hardness of potholes and road bumps.
3. Increased load on the vehicle suspension due to reduced damping effect of the tire.
4. Risk of tire damage and herniation due to shock loading (getting into a pit or pothole).
nine0205 5. Decreased control stability due to reduced contact patch.
1. Increased wear of the tread sidewalls (shoulder areas).
2. Severe deformation of the rubber when driving over bumps, which increases the risk of tire damage.
3. An increase in tire temperature, which threatens to delamination of the carcass and can lead to tire explosion at high speed.
4. Increased risk of hydroplaning on wet roads.
5. Risk of tire breaking. nine0205 6. Increased fuel consumption.
Reduced pressure hits the driver's pocket hard: a pressure drop of 20% (which is not uncommon: it is enough, for example, to deflate the wheels to 1.8 atmospheres instead of the manufacturer's prescribed 2.2) reduces tire life by 25-30% and increases fuel consumption fuel by 3%.
There is no universal tire pressure: it depends on the size of the tires, the characteristics of the machine (primarily weight) and road conditions.
Therefore, it is important to follow the factory recommendations, maintaining exactly the tire pressure that the engineers expected when designing the car. nine0003
The recommended pressure for your machine can be found in the operating instructions and on the sticker in the door frame. If, depending on the configuration, tires of several dimensions were installed on the car, then the pressure recommended for them may differ - look in the table for your exact wheel size. The manufacturer may prescribe an increase in tire pressure at the maximum load of the machine. For the spare tire (Spare tire), the required pressure is also indicated on a separate line - note that it is much higher than the standard one. nine0003
So, you have found the required pressure parameters, it remains to decipher them. In physics, pressure is measured in pascals, in real life - in anything: in bars, atmospheres, pounds-force, kilogram-force ... Drivers and tire workers usually use the term atmosphere, but such a unit is often absent on pressure gauges (pressure measuring devices) .
Let's clear up this confusion.
Atmosphere is a non-systemic unit of measurement, approximately equal to atmospheric pressure on the surface of the Earth. Since it has become widely used, it was necessary to somehow equate it with correct physical units. For simplicity, one atmosphere is considered equal to one bar, one kilogram-force and one hundred kilopascals. nine0003
In addition to the technical atmosphere (at), there is also the physical atmosphere (atm), which is slightly larger. Again, for convenience, they are considered equal. But all these assumptions introduce an error, so if you need accurate tire pressure, measure it correctly - in pascals or bars. Moreover, manufacturers usually indicate the pressure in these quantities.
Imperial pounds-force (aka PSI, “psy”), popular in the USA, is more difficult to translate, here you can’t do without a calculator. In the table, we have collected together all pressure units with exact values, and also approximately brought them to each other to simplify calculations:
5 psi | Pressure units | |||||
| Pascal | Bar | Technical atmosphere | Physical atmosphere | PSI | |
| 1 Pa | 1 N/m² | 10-5 | 10.197•10-6 | 9.8692•10-6 | 145.04•10-6 |
| 1 bar | 105 | 1x106 dyne/cm² | 1. | nine0011 14.504 | |
| 1 at | 98066.5 | 0.980665 | 1 kgf/cm² | 0.96784 | 14.223 |
| 1 bar | 101325 | 1.01325 | 1.033 | 1 bar | 14.696 |
| 1psi | 6894.76 | 68.948•10-3 | 70.307•10-3 | 68.046•10-3 | 1lbf/in² |
It is advisable to check tire pressure daily, before driving.
But this is only possible with a very measured rhythm of life. In reality, checking at least once a month is already an excellent indicator for the average driver. But before traveling a long distance, checking the pressure and visual inspection of tires and rims should be done in any case. nine0003
It is necessary to measure the pressure in cold tires, that is, before driving. During driving, the tires heat up, which increases the pressure by about 10%. Therefore, never release supposedly excess air from hot tires: after cooling, the pressure will be below normal. If you had to inflate a hot tire during a trip, inflate it 10% more than the nominal value, and check the pressure again when the wheels have cooled down - no earlier than 3 hours after stopping.
Always check the pressure in all tires. Different tire pressures seriously affect handling and can cause the car to pull to the side. Do not forget about the "spare tire": it should always be inflated in case of an unexpected wheel change on the road.
nine0003
For long periods of driving at high speeds (more than 160 km/h), car manufacturers advise increasing tire pressure by 0.2-0.4 bar above the recommended value. This will slightly improve the handling of the car, although it will negatively affect comfort. But such advice is relevant for driving on high-speed autobahns, and not for everyday urban use, especially in Russia.
Before a long trip on a dirt road or a road with a muddy surface (mud, snow), it is reasonable, on the contrary, to reduce the pressure in the tires - this will improve the grip. In summer, it is worth limiting yourself to reducing pressure by 5-10% of the nominal value, and in winter - by 10-15%. nine0003
The pressure in low-profile tires (especially non-standard sizes) must be monitored especially carefully. Low profile tires have two features: a low sidewall (profile) height and a large rim diameter. If the tire has the correct air pressure, only the tread is in contact with the road.
Low pressure causes the sidewall of the tire to bend, causing it to touch the roadway and wear out quickly, up to complete abrasion. And punching a low-profile tire in a pit at low pressure is much easier. nine0003
When inflating low profile tires, you need to focus on the pressure indicated for a full load of the machine and the maximum allowable pressure for a particular tire. It is indicated on the sidewall, next to the inscription max pressure, in one of the accepted units of measurement: kilopascals (KPA), bars (BAR) or pounds-force (PSI).
Modern cars equipped with sensors in tires and a TPMS (Tire pressure monitoring system) pressure monitoring system themselves monitor the pressure in each wheel and signal deviations, which is very convenient. If there is no such system in the car from the factory, you can install it yourself. nine0003
But the old manual measurement methods are still in use. Firstly, any modern car compressor is equipped with a pressure gauge: by inflating the wheel, you immediately control the pressure.
The size of a nitrogen molecule is 0.364 nm, and an oxygen molecule is 0.346 nm. This difference is not perceptible by any manometer. An old tire with cracks will deflate in any case, no matter what it is inflated with. And a high-quality one is able to maintain pressure for years, releasing it only through a valve or a joint between the rim and the tire. 
If you look at the periodic table, you can immediately see that inert gases are in group 8, and nitrogen belongs to group 5. This is one. The most important thing is that the tire bursts, and does not explode, the sound that is heard at the same time is a pressure surge from the shock wave. 
1 cubic meter of air contains 78% nitrogen - this is 1.29kg, and pure nitrogen - 1.25 kg. For example, let's take a common wheel with a 165 / 70R13 tire and calculate the mass of gas in it. The volume of such a tire is approximately 20 liters, the excess pressure will be 2 kgf / cm2, i.e. it is easy to calculate that there are approximately 60 liters of gas in such a tire. 
) on the tire is much larger than the impact of the internal filler. In addition, for particularly scrupulous car owners, it is not a problem to pump clean air into the tire, for this it is enough to purchase a compressor with a dryer and a filter. nine0003 
Anything (the condition of the road itself, the design of the tire, the quality of the rubber from which the tire is made, the distribution of stress in the contact patch) affects the grip of tires with the road surface, but not the gas that is pumped into this tire. 
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