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Keeping on top of your tyres is a crucial part of vehicle maintenance. Understanding your tyre pressure will allow you to know when your tyres need air and exactly how much they need. Poorly maintained tyres can lead to serious issues further down the road including flat tyres, breakdowns and worst-case a collision. To stay safe on the roads it is important to look after your tyres and ensure they always have the right pressure.
PSI is the most common tyre pressure measurement and is the one motorists are most familiar with, especially here in the UK. PSI stands for Pounds per Square Inch and is a commonly used imperial measurement. It measures how much force the air inside the tyre is exerting and displays the reading in PSI units. The higher the PSI reading, the more pressure inside the tyre. A reading of 30 PSI, would mean there is a force of 30 pounds acting on every square inch of the tyre's internal area. If you live in a country that uses the imperial system, you likely won’t need to convert to Bar or KPA, but just in case you need to know, read on.
Bar is another way to measure tyre pressure and uses atmospheric pressure - the pressure exerted by the air around us. When measuring tyre pressure, the Bar method measures the amount of force applied by the air inside the tyre. A reading of 2 Bar would mean that the air inside the tyre is exerting a force equivalent to 2 times the atmospheric pressure.
KPA is another way to measure tyre pressure and stands for Kilopascals, and tells us the amount of air pressure inside the tyre. Think of KPA as a way to understand how much "push" the air inside the tyre is applying. It's similar to how you can feel the pressure when you squeeze a tightly inflated balloon. The more air you put into the balloon, the greater the pressure you feel when you touch it. a reading of 200 KPA, would mean that the air inside the tyre is exerting a force of 200 kilopascals per square centimetre.
All cars have specific measurement guidelines - whether this be PSI, Bar or KPA. Once you’ve identified the unit of measurement, you’ll need the relevant pressure gauge that uses the same measurement. To use the pressure gauge, follow these simple steps:
Most owner’s handbooks will display the recommended tyre pressure in both units, but just in case you need to convert between PSI and Bar, the conversion is pretty simple: 1 Bar = 14.5 PSI
The tyre air machine at fuel stations will display both numbers so you don’t have to convert.
As tyres naturally lose a little air each month, it is important to regularly check your tyre pressure to make sure it is at the recommended measurement. This will keep you safe and out of harm’s way on the roads. If your car is fitted with a TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring system) it will indicate if there is an issue with your tyre pressure by showing a light on your dashboard.
*Same day garage fitting is only available on specific tyres in certain locations. Please enter your postcode on the select tyre page to see if tyres are available for same day fitting.
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