In this article from Junk Car Removals, we will dive into the world of tire pressure and help you understand the right Car tire PSI for your vehicle. This number is important but many people underestimate it. It can either guarantee your safety or put your life in danger! So, let’s dive deeper to know their importance and find the right PSI number for your car tires.
What Exactly is the Car Tire PSI?
PSI is the short form of Pound per Square Inch. It is considered to be a unit of pressure that is explained in pounds of force that exists per square inch of an area.
If we want to put it in a nutshell, we can say that for small car tires, the PSI is about 25-32, medium-sized car tires are around 30-35 PSI, and pickup trucks need something about 38-40 PSI. Keep in mind that it also depends on the driving speed of the vehicle as well as the load. But, we need to be more specific about these numbers because the more accurate they are, the safer we are!
Are the tires on your vehicle too hard? Or are they too flat?
Inflating tires regularly is crucial. Sometimes people get obsessed and end up over-inflating the tires and occasionally, some people forget to inflate them at all! This becomes a problem in both cases since inappropriate inflation affects the safety of driving. It can also affect the fuel consumption of the vehicle. But how can you be sure that your tires are too hard or too flat?
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When tire pressure is too hard
When the tire pressure is too hard, the efficiency of traction on the road on curves decreases. Plus, when you want to break, it takes more distance for the car to stop. You can also notice the vibration of the vehicle when driving at high speed which indicates you’ve over-inflated your tires beyond your car tire PSI. It can sometimes lead to the explosion of the tires!
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When tire pressure is too weak
In this case, the suspension feels smooth and you’ll get the sense that the tires don’t have enough fraction with the road. When the car tire PSI is under the suggested number, the engine consumes more fuel. When driving fast in such conditions, your car gives you the feeling of jumpiness as if you are driving on a road that has an uneven surface. This situation, too, can cause tire explosion if your tires are weak. This is because the sidewalls of the tires keep twisting, creating increasing heat, and resulting in the expansion of tires. (You can also check out our other article to know how long car tires last.)
What should I know about car tire PSI when inflating my car?
The right car tire PSI value can vary from car to car based on how you use the vehicle. It depends on the load on the car, as well as the speed you run it. Normally, when you inflate the tires yourself, you’ll see that the air pressure’s standard value is normally around 32 PSI. But this value IS NOT CORRECT! This is also not suitable for all vehicles.
The right value for your Car tire PSI is the standard one that is recommended by the car manufacturers.
Keep in mind that this is not the case for you if you’ve modified your vehicle and changed your tires with larger ones. If you did so, you should talk to the expert who changed your tires about the correct car tire PSI. It’s important to start using this new standard since the factory settings won’t be good enough for your modified car, especially if your new tires are among low profile ones.
Check the tire pressure weekly because if the pressure is too weak, your tires would be prone to damage more than regular ones.
The correct car tire PSI for your car
Many vehicles contain a sticker on the inside of the driver’s side door (it can be a card as well). If you can’t find this item in your car, you can also check the owner’s manual of the vehicle. They usually print this info on those manuals.
As mentioned above, the normal tire pressure for small tires is somewhere around 32 PSI when they are not hot. It’s best to check the pressure of the vehicle’s tires early morning when the car hasn’t been driven for a while.
How can I check the tire pressure?
When you find the right car tire PSI for your vehicle, you can get it checked in auto part stores or use the help of a mechanic. You can also do it yourself at home. In order to do so, you need an air compressor, a tire pressure gauge (it can be digital or regular), and something for writing the gathered data on.
As we discussed above, make sure your tires are cold since changes in the temperature of tires can change the tire pressure. Keep in mind that the car tire PSI recommended by the manufacturer is the cold inflation pressure.
To check the tire pressure, first, you need to remove the valve cap and press the gauge inside the valve stem. You should press it inside the valve stem until the hissing sound that you hear, stops. Then, read the number on the gauge and write it down. This number is the tire pressure of that specific tire. Do this for other tires as well and write them down. Then, compare the numbers with the ideal PSI on the owner’s manual of your vehicle.
Now, if any of the gathered data differs from the recommended PSI, use the air compressor and fill that tire up. Rest the tires for about half an hour so that they’re cold enough for the next reading. The next reading ensures that you’ve filled the tire up to the standard PSI value.
If you’ve over-inflated the tires, let the air out a bit. You can do so by pressing the gauge deeper into the valve stem.
That was all you needed to know about car tire PSI and its right value. Have you ever tried to inflate the tires of your vehicle yourself? Comment below and share your experience with us! Don’t forget that you can always get cash for unwanted cars by calling us right away!