Infinity Tyres, Nigeria’s leading tyre, battery and auto parts marketing company, has called on vehicle owners to know what it takes to care for their tyres, saying there is a lot to gain from knowing the appropriate gauge required for tyres during each trip.
The Brand Manager, Infinity Tyres, Rajendra Vishwakarma, made the call while delivering a paper titled, Tyre Care & Maintenance, at the 2018 annual training and seminar for automotive journalists in Lagos, saying the air pressure in the tyre determines the ability of the vehicle to carry its load during any trip.
Maintaining that the ability of a vehicle to carry more loads depends on the amount of pressure in the tyres, Vishwakarma said the wear pattern and life of the tyre are determined by the gauge of the
tyre.
Vishwakarma listed other aspects of driving that with direct impact on tyres, aside the tyre pressure, to include braking distance which tends to change with inflation, saying improper air in the tyre can also cause driver fatigue and tiredness while
driving.
The tyre management expert said aside suspending vehicles from the ground, other functions of the tyre include: supporting vehicle weight, transferring traction and braking forces to the road surface, changing and maintaining direction of travel and absorbing road shocks.
While stressing that inflation in the tyre is one of the most important parameters in the performance of the tyre, he maintained that incorrect pressure can cause premature failure of tyre, uneven wear, vehicle stand-still on roads, hard steering, more fuel consumption, less grip of the tyres on the road,and could as well lead to increased breaking distance and huge financial losses.
Vishwakarma advised vehicle owners to check inflation pressure on every tyre after every trip or 2000 kms due to adverse road
conditions.
“Allow tyre to cool down for at least 15-20 mins before checking & inflating. It is important to ensure that pressure gauge used for checking are in good condition. Check any possible leakage from valve or bead area. Always close the valve with valve cap after inflating,”, Vishwakarma said, even as he disclosed that the size of the tyre plays very important role in the stability of the vehicle.
He, however, stressed that recommended tyre sizes should be used as advised by the vehicle manufacturer, warning that “Same size of the tyre should be used on the same axle.”
