It may seem like we have been talking a lot about tire inflation the last couple of months, but all of us at Gatto's believe it's very important. I'm sending along this article from the Tire Retread & Repair Information Bureau because it hits a couple of safety points that you may not have occurred to you.

Some of their information is aimed at drivers of 18-wheelers, but I believe that a tip that is useful for a professional driver, is also useful for a driver who drives in a professional manner (see how I made that work? Pretty clever, eh? But, seriously...)

UNDERINFLATED TIRES NOT ONLY WASTE MONEY AND REDUCE TIRE LIFE BUT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT MORE PROBLEMS

By
Harvey Brodsky and Pete Marrero

We all know (or should!) that tires that are driven underinflated create unnecessary drag on a vehicle, which in turn reduces the number of miles the vehicle will deliver for every gallon of fuel used.

And most readers of our news releases understand that much of the tire debris on our highways (also known as Road Alligators or just Rubber on the Road) is caused by underinflated tires.

But here’s another reason why it is important to keep your tires properly inflated. Tires that are driven long distances at high speeds while underinflated can generate excessive heat and when they fail can be responsible for fires that can destroy the vehicle and its contents, and sometimes even lives.

We hope the above scares you, because it should.

Responsible motorists – whether driving an eighteen-wheeler or a small four-wheel car – should check the air pressure in their tires on a regular basis. Tires should be checked least once a month for a four-wheeler and at least once weekly for an eighteen-wheeler. And NOT by kicking the tires, because if you think you can tell how much air is in your tires by kicking them, you should just kick the fuel tank of your vehicle to see if it needs fuel.

A tire gauge should be used. If you drive a four-wheeler a small gauge will work fine, but you should change the gauge about once a year since most gauges will lose their accuracy after being banged around or dropped a few times. A small tire gauge will not cost much and is a good investment. Do yourself a favor and buy the BEST gauge in the store. It will more than pay for itself.

If you drive an eighteen-wheeler you should have a tire gauge that can be calibrated and you should check it regularly! Even though you may pay a bit more for a gauge that can be calibrated, it is a good investment and will pay big dividends!
Properly maintained truck tires that are driven with the correct amount of air during their first life will be more retreadable and this alone should be a motivation to keep your tires properly inflated and to check them often. All major brand truck tires are designed for multiple lives; to not retread them is a waste of money and is also not helping the environment.
 
For more information about the importance of proper tire maintenance contact us for a free CD and a great booklet. Our toll free number is 888-473-8732 from anywhere in North America, or you can send an email to: info@retread.org.

Our web site, www.retread.org, contains a wealth of good information about proper tire maintenance, proper tire repairing and also about the economic and environmental benefits of retread tires.

Have a look. You will be glad you did.

Many newer cars have a tire pressure monitoring system, which will allow you to see the pressure in your tires right on your dashboard. If you aren't sure if your car has this feature, or if you're not sure how it works, we'll be happy to show you on your next visit to Gatto's.

Drive carefully,

Pam