Gas Saving Tip #3
[ July 2nd, 2008 ] By: Charles Smith Posted in » Tips and Tricks
Keep Your Tires Inflated
Low tire pressure increases your cars rolling resistance. Why? Because more rubber is in contact with the ground, and while this may generally be a good thing for racing, as we all know racing is not about fuel economy. Increased rolling resistance (which equates to traction) makes your engine work harder. Harder working engines consume more fuel so your MPG suffers. It is the same principle that makes road cyclists ride paper thin wheels and tires. So keep your tires inflated.
Keep your tire pressure around the factory recommended levels. However, if you over inflate your tire you may decrease the life of your tire while decreasing traction (what a loss). So keep an eye on your tire pressures! FYI the tire pressure in my WRX is currently around 36psi.
You should be able to find your factory levels stamped on a plate in one of your door frames. Combine that with the fact that most gas stations have free air for tires you really have no excuse to not keep your tires inflated. Happy hunting!
