How Do Tires Effect A Cars Gas Milage

Posted on January 9, 2014 by admin No Comments

Did you know that your tires can effect your overall gas mileage? Most drivers understand that if you maintain proper tire pressure you get optimal gas mileage. Tires that are over inflated or under inflated can cause different things to happen and have different effects on your tires in general.

Over Inflated Tires:

Tires that are over inflated have too little tire surface coming in contact with the road. This makes the engine work harder. Which in return uses more gas to put enough pressure on the road to start the vehicle moving. The proper tire pressure depends on the weight and size of your car as much, or more than, the kind of tires you have. Located on the tire wall is the proper amount of tire pressure for the tire.

Under Inflated Tires:

Under inflated tires have a entire different effect on your car. Under-inflated tires have a greater contact surface with the road. This means there is more friction to overcome when you push on the gas. More friction makes the engine work harder, which uses more gas. Under-inflation of tires also causes the tires to wear out faster, which affects the safety of your car and you!

Tire Tread:

Worn out tires have more rubber in contact with the road than is needed. This raises the rolling resistance of the tire and lowers gas mileage.  Check the tire tread on a regular basis and replace your tires when they are worn out. New tires can save as much as $100 per year in gas, not to mention the other things that can go wrong if a tire mis-hap occurs. According to most states’ laws, tires are legally worn out when they have worn down to 2/32″ of remaining tread depth. To help warn drivers that their tires have reached that point, tires sold in North America are required to have indicators molded into their tread design. Wear bars are designed to visually connect the elements of the tire’s tread pattern and warn drivers when their tires no longer meet minimum tread depth requirements.

So, how many more reasons do you need to keep your tires in good shape?