Why is it important to regulate tire pressure when transporting cargo?
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Why is it important to regulate tire pressure when transporting cargo?

Why is it important to regulate tire pressure when transporting cargo?

Tires lose about one psi of pressure each month due to natural causes.

Maintaining the correct tire pressure can optimize tire life and minimize fuel consumption. However, there are good safety reasons for this as well, especially if your job or leisure activity requires you to carry and/or tow heavy loads.

For example, you might think that because your double cab has a huge one-ton payload and 3.5-ton towing capacity with brakes, its tires, as specified by the vehicle manufacturer, are more than capable of handling such loads.

It's true. However, tire load ratings are based on the assumption that cold tire pressures recommended by tire manufacturers are maintained because they are critical to evenly distributing your vehicle's heavy payload and drawbar load across their sidewalls and surfaces. protector.

Incorrect tire pressure can not only reduce the load capacity of your tires, but also cause uneven wear, reduced traction and poor handling. And, in the worst case, complete tire failure, which can be catastrophic, especially for heavily loaded vehicles moving at high speeds.

So if you think tires are just black, round and boring, it's worth taking a moment to understand the importance of proper tire pressure for your safety, as well as the safety of your passengers and other road users.

The dangers of under- and over-inflation

Driving on an under-inflated tire can increase fuel consumption due to the greater rolling resistance caused by more of the tire in contact with the road. However, higher fuel bills are the least of your worries if you're hauling and/or towing heavy loads.

Insufficient pressure can also cause excessive sidewall flex (the heavier the load, the worse the flex), while the center of the tread surface can deform to the point where it becomes slightly concave and no longer makes contact with the road. Not only does this concentrate more weight on the outer edges of the tread surface, causing less traction and uneven wear, but in wet conditions, it can cause the tire to skid or "hydroplan" in still water, losing contact with the road, and being completely lost. control.

This excessive bending and deformation can also weaken the tire's internal reinforcement and lead to excessive heat, which together greatly increases the likelihood of a rupture and rapid deflation or "blowout".

Overinflated tires can be just as dangerous and hazardous as the tread surface may instead "bloat" and become convex, leaving only the center of the tread in contact with the road, again reducing traction and causing rapid uneven wear.

Excessive pressure can also increase vehicle wear by transmitting more impact from potholes and other road bumps through the suspension, which can be especially painful under heavy loads. They also create a very stiff and uncomfortable ride.

Why is it important to regulate tire pressure when transporting cargo? Overinflated tires can be just as destructive and dangerous.

Good tire pressure maintenance

Tires at even half the recommended pressure can still hold their shape, especially light truck and 4x4 tires with their strong sidewalls and treads, so visual checks aren't enough if you're serious about maintaining proper tire pressure.

Typically, tires lose about one psi of pressure every month due to natural causes. In other words, if you started with the correct pressure but didn't check it for, say, six months, it could be at least 6 psi lower than it should be.

If that doesn't sound like much, tests have shown that as little as a 6-psi difference from the recommended pressure can cut a tire's life by thousands of miles. And a 14 psi difference can add as much as 14 meters (that's 3-4 car lengths) to stopping distance in the wet.

Tires can also lose pressure due to leaking valves, so always make sure they are replaced when new tires are installed and that all valve caps are also screwed in tightly to keep out sand that can damage the valve seals. They can also help stop small leaks in failing valves.

In any case, you should always check and adjust your tire pressure at least once a month, but ideally every time you stop to refuel and always before you hit the road with a heavy load.

The most accurate and convenient way is to use a quality pressure gauge and a portable air compressor, which come in a variety of configurations and are readily available at automotive stores.

If you can't shell out for both of these items, then buy a pressure gauge and take advantage of a free pump at your local gas station. This way you can be sure that your tire pressure readings are accurate as public pressure readings can be compromised due to lack of maintenance or damage.

Most importantly, always check and adjust cold tire pressures, either before leaving home in the morning or after driving no further than the nearest service station. This is because rolling tires generate heat, and as the air inside gets hotter, it expands and builds up pressure, resulting in false "cold" readings.

Finding the right numbers

The cold tire pressures recommended by vehicle manufacturers are listed on tire decals, usually located inside the driver's door opening, but sometimes also inside the fuel filler flap or in your vehicle's owner's manual.

The tire label usually lists two recommended pressures; one for empty traffic and a higher one for a loaded car. These plates can look more complex on XNUMXxXNUMXs and light commercial vehicles as they often display multiple wheel/tire sizes for the same vehicle. So in such cases, simply match the size printed on your tire's sidewall with the same size on the plate to determine the correct pressure.

Why is it important to regulate tire pressure when transporting cargo? Tire decals are usually placed inside the driver's doorway, inside the fuel filler flap, or in your vehicle's owner's manual.

By reading the information on the sidewall of your tire, you may also find a maximum pressure rating that is much higher than what is listed on the label. This is because it provides a margin of safety for the significant increase in pressure caused by heat.

Thus, if you inflate a tire to this maximum cold pressure rating, it will not be able to absorb the increase in pressure as it heats up, which could result in bursting. Therefore, never inflate the tire to the maximum nominal pressure!

We hope this is motivation enough to pay more attention to tire pressure, especially if you are hauling and/or towing heavy loads, because tires are the only thing separating your heavily loaded vehicle from the road. Think about it the next time you're cruising at highway speed and being loaded to capacity with a heavy trailer in tow.

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