Cornering Grip
It isn’t the size but the quality construction of your tire that’s going to help you take sharp turns safely. If you’re heading up a highway ramp at high speeds and you’re not ready for the tight curve ahead, your vehicle will stay on the road, or not, because of your tire’s grip. Under force, the shape and contact patch of a lower-rated tire will change, reducing your traction.
As well, your vehicle operates safely because of several systems—anti-lock brakes, stability control—that can only work with the traction limits of your vehicle’s tires.
Under-inflation may become an issue because of a driver’s negligence or damage. Any tire loses air over time – usually 1-2 psi per month. About 1 psi also goes away with every 10°F drop in temperature. If the tire has damage, air loss may be significantly larger, causing extreme lack of pressure sooner. Most tires have about 30-35 psi pressure standard, and if under-inflation reaches over 25%, a tire sidewall blowout may occur.
Under-inflated tires’ sidewalls flex more, as there isn’t enough pressure to hold the load of the vehicle, passengers, etc. This causes heat buildup, in addition to the existing high temperature that the tire usually can safely dissipate. This is especially dangerous at highway speeds and in warmer months. And if the temperature becomes too high for the tire to handle, it may fail any moment.
If you have experienced such an issue, the inner liner may help you identify the cause. If there are burnt rubber chunks missing from the liner, the tire sidewall blowout has most likely occurred due to under-inflation. In this case, tire manufacturers and insurance companies may refuse to repay the damage or replace the tire for free.
