Tyre Pressure News and Information: Economy
Impact of tyre pressure on dual wheels
Mismatched tyre pressures are a real problem for dual wheels. The mismatch results in a change in diameter that makes the larger wheel drag the smaller one and the smaller wheel hold the larger one back. A difference of just 5 psi can change the diameter by as much as 8mm, resulting in the smaller [...]
Drivers in the UK are throwing away more than £440 million pounds by driving with under-inflated tyres.
Research by Michelin reveals that poor tyre pressure maintenance is costing UK motorists more than £440million, wasting more than 370 million litres of fuel and pumping an additional 1 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. All of this is before the cost of premature wear on tyres is taken into account. Michelin’s head of [...]
Managing tyre pressures
Effects of incorrect pressure Incorrectly inflated tyres reduce the contact area with the road, leading to: less grip increased braking distances poor cornering uneven tyre wear If tyres are under-inflated, they have greater rolling resistance, so they waste fuel and wear faster. Driving on soft tyres puts tremendous forces on the sidewall, both in supporting [...]
Tyre pressure and road contact
Correct tyre pressure gives best grip and shortest braking distance. Over-inflation reduces contact and leads to uneven tyre wear. Under-inflation reduces grip and increases braking distance. Cornering is impaired as the tyre tends to roll under the wheel rim. Excess flexing of the sidewall can cause delamination and overheating, leading to a blowout. Under-inflated tyres [...]
Tyre wear and fuel use
Effect of incorrect tyre pressures Apart from the dangers, incorrect tyre pressure leads to increased tyre wear and a significant increase in fuel consumption. Data from Continental Tyres Continental Tyres make the following estimates of increased tyre wear and fuel consumption 3 PSI drop in pressure causes 5% or more increase in fuel consumption and [...]
Tyre wear on under-inflated tyres
Apart from the safety implications, incorrect tyre pressure leads to increased tyre wear and a significant increase in fuel consumption. A tyre under-inflated by 10psi increases fuel consumption by approximately 2.5 percent and reduces the tyre life by as much as 10%. According to some estimates, under-inflated tyres and bad driving practice cost motorists over [...]
Tyre condition survey
The largest ever tyre safety study undertaken in the UK revealed that almost three quarters of all cars on the country’s roads have tyres that are under-inflated. The survey also showed that a quarter of these vehicles have at least one tyre that is either illegal, having a tread depth below 1.6mm, or badly worn. [...]