WHEELS AND TYRES 14 B REGULAR MAINTENANCE I. INFLATION Check tyre pressures when tyres are cold. Correct tyre pressure is necessary to give the best combination of riding comfort, handling, tyre life and better fuel efficiency. It is normal for tyre pressure to increase when the tyres become hot during driving. Do not bleed or reduce tyre pressure after driving. Bleeding reduces the “Cold Inflation Pressure”. Recommended tyre pressures are: FRONT: 34 psi REAR: 34 psi INFLATION TIPS Never "bleed" or reduce air pressures when tyres are hot. Make sure all tyre valves are equipped with valve caps to keep the dirt and moisture away. Under inflation or overloading creates excessive deflection and hence heat, which can lead to faster tyre wear and premature failures. This could result in vehicle instability causing damage to property, serious injury or death. Proper inflation optimizes tyre life and saves fuel also. II. WHEEL BALANCING A balanced tyre is one where mass of the tyre, when mounted on its wheel and the vehicle’s axle is uniformly distributed around the axle (its center of rotation). TYPES OF IMBALANCE (a) Static Imbalance: Vertical movement resulting from heavy or light spots in a tyre in such cases tyre won't roll evenly and the tyre/wheel assembly undergoes an up-anddown movement. (b) Dynamic Imbalance: Lateral movement (wobble or shimmy) resulting from unequal weight on both sides of the tyre and wheel/rim assembly’s circumferential centerline The wheel should always be balanced and aligned in order to provide: (a) Enhanced tyre life. (b) Driving safety and steering control (c) Better performance of the vehicle. Unbalanced tyre may lead to premature tyre wear and driver fatigue due to vibration. Tyres should always be balanced when: (a) They are mounted on wheels for the first time (b) When they are remounted after repair or (c) When there are signs of shimmy or vibrations. A vehicle is said to be properly aligned when all suspension and steering components are sound and when tyre and wheel assemblies are running straight and true. Proper alignment is necessary for even tread wear and precise steering. Uneven front or rear tyre wear can lead to misalignment.
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