Unfortunately many drivers don’t pay a whole lot of attention to their tires, and that means that they could be riding around in a dangerous situation.  You see, tires are our only connection between the car and the road, and if they aren’t properly maintained - and that includes tire pressure, which is one of the most important things that you can do - you could be driving very dangerously.

Now, the old test of looking at the tire to see if it looks under inflated: no, that doesn’t cut it anymore. You actually have to measure the pressure, at least once a month.  You need to get your tire-pressure gauge out and check the pressure when the tires are cold.

But what is proper pressure? Well it’s not what’s on the side of the tire in most cases, and it’s not some generic setting.  Actually, the proper tire pressure setting comes from a decal that’s typically inside the driver’s door.  With some cars it may be in the glove box or console, and on others it’ll be inside the fuel filler door.  Whatever, you adjust the pressure to the manufacturers specification.  That’s what gives you the safest car.  Now if you want to get a really good pressure setting, this is called a Cyclops.  It has two hoses on it so you adjust the pressure either up or down in two tires at the same time and it gives you an exact setting.  Pretty neat tool.

All right, now, lots of you, 80 percent or more of you are driving on under-inflated tires.  Now if you look at this tire right here, look at the tread, it looks like brand new. You wouldn’t think there was anything wrong with it, yet if you go inside it we have hands-full of rubber that has disintegrated from the inside of the tire.  This is from driving just a few miles with it about ten-pounds under inflated like this tire is right now, and had it gone a little bit further, well this is what we would have had, and believe me this is not fun.

 

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