Not every driver knows what pressure should be in the tires, even if sometimes he watches it. Most assume that the tire pressure during the change of seasonal wheels will set the pressure that will last the whole season. And practically no one knows that tire pressure needs to be regulated depending on the situation. This article is intended to bridge the gaps in such an important issue. Today we will talk about what should be the pressure in the tires of atomic vehicles VAZ, KIA and passenger-and-freight GAZelle.
How important is proper pressure inside car tires?
Of course, the driver, when choosing tires, looks at the manufacturer, reviews about a particular model and price tag. For safety on the road, the tire must be of high quality and from a trusted manufacturer. But even the most expensive tires, created using the latest technology, will not fully work out their functions if they are set to the wrong pressure. This, in turn, affects factors such as:
- driveability;
- safe maneuvering on the road;
- uniformity of tire wear;
- occurrence of “hernia” on the cord;
- increase in fuel consumption.
For example, if the wheel is pumped over, then upon collision with a curb or other obstacle, the tire may explode. If the pressure is set incorrectly, the car will enter into turns worse.
How often to check tire pressure?
Experienced motorists always carry a pressure gauge with them - a device for determining tire pressure. If there is one, then it is recommended to use it once every two weeks and before each long trip.
If there is no pressure gauge or you do not know how to use it correctly, then check the tire fitting at least once a month to determine the pressure in the wheels. The verification service is very inexpensive and takes a minimum of time.
Not only experienced drivers can determine that the wheel is lowered. Therefore, each time before starting the car, conduct a visual inspection of the tire. If you have low-profile tires, you will not be able to determine the presence of descent by eye.
How to use a manometer?
About what pressure should be in tires, we will tell below.
Now, once the topic has begun to develop, let's see how to correctly measure the pressure in the tire, having a manometer. The instructions for use are on the back of the package, so do not rush to throw it away. But even in its absence, problems should not arise, simply unscrew the valve cap on the tire, fasten the pressure gauge tube, wait until the reading stops at one mark ( pressure gauge needle, electronic numbers).
It would seem that there is nothing complicated, but there are a number of factors that affect the accuracy of the testimony. Tire pressure is measured under the following conditions.
- Only on cold tires! If measured on hot, then the error of the reading will be from 10 to 20%. The driver, of course, wants to lower the tire, but this can not be done, as the pressure becomes deliberately low. We recall physics, friends: when heated, the body expands, and when cooled, it narrows. This also applies to air, the molecules in the hot tire are expanded, and the pressure indicator will be overestimated. Measure 4-6 hours after the trip.
- If there is a need to check the pressure during the journey, that is, on a hot wheel, then use the advice: if the pressure exceeds the limit by more than 20%, lower the wheel by 5%. If the pressure is less than the norm of a cold wheel by 10%, then pump it up by 10%. After the tires have cooled, measure again.
- It is necessary to measure pressure on all wheels, since it can be different.
Use the manometer as often as possible in the winter, as indicators can drop from 0.3 to 0.5 atmospheres.
How to find out the recommended pressure?
Many motorists are armed with an automatic compressor to be able to pump up tires at any time, without resorting to the services of a tire fitting specialist. In modern compressors, a special pump is installed, which will not allow pumping the wheel, the operation of the device will stop when the pressure returns to normal. But the compressor cannot tell when to loosen it a little.
Also, you can not rely solely on the operation of the compressor, because it can not know what pressure should be in the tires of a particular brand of car. There are other factors affecting the correct inflation: the weight of each car is different, as well as its technical characteristics.
About what pressure should be in tires, it is written in the service certificate for the car. Also, these parameters are indicated on the counter located next to the driver, or on a sticker near the gas tank.
Recommended tire pressure: is it worth relying on?
The manufacturer of automobile rubber indicates various parameters on its lateral side: size, speed limits, maximum weight, as well as recommendations for pressure standards.
But do not follow the specified parameters. Pressure should be determined by the following factors:
- wheel radius;
- the weight of the car itself;
- season: winter or summer;
- road surface;
- wheel load (for example, at r14 the average reading should be 2.2 atmospheres, and at full car load all 2.4).
In addition, the pressure is often set different for the wheels of the front and rear axles (this applies mainly to VAZ cars). And it is determined by the type of leading.
Experienced motorists recommend keeping pressure at the standard mark recommended by the factory during standard use, since the grip of the sole of the wheel with the road will be the best, which means that driving will become as safe and comfortable as possible.
We propose to consider the question of what pressure should be in the VAZ tires.
VAZ car tire pressure
We present a list of recommended tire pressures for VAZ cars. We did not begin to search for parameters for such models as "Kopek". Let's start the review with 2104.
- VAZ 2104 with a wheel size of 175/70 R13: pressure in the front - 1.6 atmospheres, in the rear - 2.2.
- VAZ 2105, 2106, 2107 with a standard size of 175/70 R13: front - 1.7 atmospheres, rear - 2.0.
- VAZ 0108, 2109/99, 2114/15, 1118 Kalina with the dimensions 175/70 R13: front - 1.9, rear - 1.9.
- VAZ 2110/11/12 - here you can install the wheels R14 175/65 and R14 185/60, but the pressure on all four wheels should be at least 2.0.
We talked about what should be the pressure in the tires in passenger cars of the VAZ brand with minimal indicators. It is necessary to navigate and load cars. If you downloaded it as much as possible, then the pressure must be increased from 0.1 to 0.4 atmospheres!
And what should be the tire pressure in winter? Nothing changes here, support the recommended indicators. Stably check the parameters with a manometer, since under the influence of the cold the air narrows, thereby lowering the pressure in the wheels.
GAZelle: what should be the pressure in the tires
The most common truck on Russian roads is a GAZ car, or, as we are used to, a GAZelle. This is a real "workhorse", which is ready to work seven days a week, with overloads and other difficult operating conditions.
What pressure should be in tires of this remarkable car? The factory recommended the following indicators.
- GAZ 7505, 3302, 33023: standard wheel size 185/75 R16. It is recommended to maintain pressure on both front and rear wheels in a 3.0 atmosphere.
- GAZ 3221: wheel size 185/75 R16. The factory recommended maintaining minimum values on the front wheels of 3.0 atmospheres, and on the rear wheels - 2.8.
Tire pressure recommendations for GAZelle drivers
It is one thing to be guided by the recommendations of the manufacturer of the GAZelle automobile, it is another to heed the advice of experienced drivers of this truck, who have passed both fire and water on this "horse". And that’s what they suggest.
If the car is not loaded, it is enough to maintain a pressure of 2.8-3.0 atmosphere. If you need to carry cargo (partial or full load), it is recommended to inflate the wheels from 2.2 to 3.4 atmospheres so that the contact patch of the tire and the road surface is optimal.
Using the advice of drivers or following the instructions of the plant is a purely personal matter.
KIA Tire Pressure
KIA is one of the most popular automobile brands of the middle price segment on Russian roads. A variety of models, good factory specifications, excellent customer reviews and build quality - all this affects the choice when deciding to buy such a car.
Consider the question of what pressure should be in the tires KIA.
- For the Rio model from 2000 to 2011, regardless of the size of the tire, the factory recommended that the minimum pressure on all four wheels be 2.1 atmospheres.
- KIA Rio since 2011 - 2.2 atmospheres, despite the size of the tire.
- KIA Picanto from 2004 to 2011 - 2.1 atmospheres with any wheel size.
- KIA Picanto since 2011 - 2.3 atmospheres.
- KIA Venga of any year of manufacture and regardless of the size of the tires - 2.2 atmospheres.
- KIA Soul of any year and with any tire size - 2.3 atmospheres.
- KIA Mentor-2 of any year and with any tire size - 1.8 atmospheres.
- All KIA Cerato with any tire size - 2.1 atmospheres.
- KIA "Sid" - any year of production and all wheel sizes - 2.2 atmospheres.
- KIA "Optima" - 2.3 atmospheres.
- KIA "Sportazh" until 2005 - 1.8 atmospheres.
- KIA "Sportazh" from 2005 to 2010 - 2.1 atmospheres.
- KIA "Sportazh" from 2010 - 2.3.
We will not write in detail about what pressure should be in the winter tires of KIA cars, because the values are equal for each season. Just check the indicators more often, using a manometer or visiting a car service.
Do I need to spend nitrogen on tires?
Today, car services offer instead of regular air to pump pure nitrogen into the wheels. This supposedly affects tire pressure. Experts explain that nitrogen-inflated tires respond less to temperature changes, and thus the driver will not often need to check the pressure and pump up the wheels.
But, as practice has shown, this is an extra waste of money! Tires with nitrogen, as well as with ordinary air, weaken in frost and expand when heated.
When can I lower the wheels?
Surely many drivers have heard from experienced riders that sometimes it is useful to lower the pressure in the tires a little. And what is it for? Should I lower the tires to the lower limit of the recommended parameters?
- Some people let the tires down in the winter, explaining this by the fact that the grip of the wheel with the road thereby becomes better. But experts do not advise doing this, since at low temperatures the indicators themselves become lower than normal. Maintain the recommended pressure in the winter period, because at the moment the machine starts to move, the rubber will warm up, and with low pumping, as already mentioned, wear will begin much earlier. A heated tire has optimal grip, so wheel descent is useless.
- By lowering the wheels for off-road driving, the driver facilitates the patency of the car, as the tire begins to work like a tractor caterpillar. But this again affects wheel wear.
An inexperienced motorist does not know to what indicators it is possible to reduce the pressure in the tires of a car. What should it be according to the recommendations, such and support: experiments rarely lead to good results!