Hope our last two write-ups were informative enough. From now on we will be providing tips on tyre care and maintenance in the form of simple questions which would enable motorists to obtain optimum performance from their car radial tyres. Hope you will find these tips interesting and useful too

“It’s in the Air”
The science and the technology that went into producing even the best quality Pneumatic Tyres will go waste if the tyres are not inflated to the recommended pressure – pressure commensurating to the load carried. The best performance of tyres can only be achieved when the tyre is inflated to the designated pressure based on the load per tyre.

How much air pressure should I put in my car radial tyres?
Proper air pressure is the most important part of tyre care and maintenance. Always maintain tyre air pressure as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. You can find this tyre air pressure recommendation in your vehicle owner's manual book, posted on the edge of the driver's door, on a door post, inside of the glove box door or on/inside fuel lid. Please note that tyre inflation pressure of front and rear tyres of your car may /may not be the same.

What is the right way of checking air pressure of my tyres and what should be the frequency?
Always check tyre air pressure when tyres have cooled down to ambient temperature either after the vehicle has stopped or before it has been driven for less than 2 km. Use good quality tyre pressure gauge. Check the pressures of your tyres, including the spare one once in a fortnight and before any long journey or if travelling with a heavy load. Never bleed air when tyres are hot. Ensure that only dirt-free valve caps are fitted.

What are tyre under-inflation / over-inflation and their impact on tyre life?
Tyres are under-inflated when air pressure is less than the recommended pressure by vehicle manufacturer and over-inflated when air pressure is more than the recommended limit. Under-inflation can cause tyre to flex more and there- by generating more heat which can deteriorate the characteristics of the tyre's rubber. It can also make your tyre to wear out faster on shoulders. In severe cases it can cause the rim to slip on the tyre bead, resulting in damage to the tyre, rim and tube (in case of tube type tyre) and also adversely impact fuel efficiency. Over-inflation may cause tyre to burst during impact and also cause unusual handling characteristics viz. bumpy ride or tyre noise. It can also make tyres wear faster.

My tyres (tube type /tubeless) are losing air pressure very frequently and there is no puncture. What should I do?
There could be many factors behind this and may involve wheel rim, tyre, tube and valve. It is recommended that you should get your tyres inspected by our tyre experts for investigation and corrective actions.

Does nitrogen inflation in place of normal inflation help?
Yes. Nitrogen being inert, non-combustible and non-corrosive gas gives us the following advantages:
• Nitrogen's air permeability is significantly lower than the normal air resulting in tyre pressure staying     constant for a longer time.  
• Improves fuel economy 
• Reduces tyre oxidation/ wheel  corrosion 
• Reduces running temperatures of tyre