With temperatures soaring into the high 30’s over parts of Victoria during summer it pays to understand the effect of prolonged heat exposure on your tyres. When you drive on scorching hot days, your tyres can really feel it. In fact, they can actually blow out which can be incredibly dangerous. Let’s take a look below.
What is a Tyre Blowout and Why do they Happen?
In a nutshell, a blowout is your car tyre exploding. In hot weather, tyre blowouts result when your tyres overheat to a critical mass, this is because the increase in temperature causes the air pressure inside your tyres to increase; ie, as the temperature increases, so does the PSI. The temperature inside your tyres is affected both by the temperature of the road AND the speed you are travelling. The higher the speed, the greater the friction, and more friction generates more heat.
How to tell when it’s too Hot to Drive
How can you tell when it’s too hot to drive? Your tyres will tell you! – if they feel hot to the touch, they are too hot. If you are planning a long summer drive, it’s worthwhile checking the forecast so you know what conditions to expect ahead and you can factor in cool-down stops where needed.
What to do to Protect Your Tyres on Hot Summer Days
- Buy your own pressure gauge – Don’t rely on petrol stations for tyre pressure checks; firstly you can’t be confident the gauge is well maintained, secondly you may need to check your tyres when you’re nowhere near a servo. Pressure gauges range in quality so check out online reviews before purchasing, the key feature you’re looking for in a gauge is obviously accuracy!
- Replace worn out tyres. When tyres are worn-out, they are at higher risk of blowing-out. Look for the signs that it’s time to replace your tyres. If you know you’ll spend a lot of time on the roads this summer, consider investing in a set of tyres specifically designed to handle summer conditions. As Australian summers tend to be rainy as well as scorching, opt for tyres that handle well in the wet as well as the heat.
- If it’s too hot, don’t drive! If you’re holidaying through inland Australia in summer, 1. you are probably crazy, and 2. you want to make sure you avoid driving for extended periods on really hot days. Not only does this keep your tyres happy, it also reduces the pressure on your car’s engine.
- Make sure your tyres have the correct pressure. We recommend you rely on the vehicle manufacturer’s guidelines for this. If you’re planning to carry a heavy load, adjust the tyre pressure to compensate BEFORE loading the vehicle up. Better yet, avoid carrying really heavy loads on hot days, this just puts extra pressure on already stressed-out tyres
- Wax up – Invest in a quality wax-based product to help prevent your tyres from drying out over summer. This reduces the likelihood of blowing out.
For all your tyre needs and advice contact Treadworx today.