Tire Pressure Valve Cap and Overall Tire Maintenance – Why is it Important to Your Vehicle Safety?

By Wil Yeo of Avanigroup.com

Proper maintenance of tire pressure is extremely important. Reason:  Tires are the only contact between your vehicle and the road and it is estimated that under-inflated tires result in 33,000 injuries and 660 fatalities each year on U.S. roads.

The combination of tire valve stem and the associated tire pressure valve cap formed an important component of your tire set. The valve stem allows air to be pumped into the tire and stays where it should be whereas the tire pressure valve cap help to keep out dirt and moisture. A properly designed and manufactured tire pressure valve stem cap also help to keep the pressure within the tire should the tire valve starts to fail.

Safe driving involves having a car that is well kept as well as having a set of properly maintained tires. As tires are the only contacts between your car and the ground, it is without a shadow of doubt that it is extremely important to maintain them properly.

So, what does properly maintained tires entail?

Properly maintained tires basically involve the followings:
• Tire Pressure
• Tire Thread
• Tire Valves and Tire Pressure Valve Caps

Tire Pressure

Pressure Level 

As different tire has different pressure rating, make sure you inflate your tires to the required pressure as recommended by your vehicle's manufacturer. This piece of information is usually available in the car owner’s manual as well as somewhere on the vehicle’s door, usually at the driver’s seat side.

Note that the best time to check the tire pressure as well as inflating the tire is when the tire is “cold”, i.e. not after or during a journey, but after a rest state for at least 3 hours.

Recommended Check Frequency

As a rule of thumb, tires are recommended to be checked once a month as well as before making a long trip. This checking of tire pressure should also include the spare tire as well.

Effect of Temperature and Time on Tire Pressure

Time effect: Tire that are initially inflated fully can actually lose up to 0.5 psi per month.

Temperature effect: Major temperature fluctuation can affect the inflation pressure. In particular, if the ambient temperature is cold, it can effectively lower the air pressure and vice versa.