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What are the Best Tips for Putting Air in Tires?

Dan Cavallari
Dan Cavallari

Putting air in tires on a car, truck, or even a bicycle can mean the difference between excellent performance and extremely poor performance. The level of air in tires affects the handling of the vehicle as well as the fuel efficiency in cars, trucks, and motorcycles, so properly inflating tires is a crucial step toward making a vehicle run as it should. When putting air in tires, it is important to first check how much air pressure should be in that particular tire, as over-inflating the tire can lead to separation from the rim, and under-inflation can lead to poor performance and punctures.

Before putting air in tires, the user must first remove the valve stem cap. It is important to put this cap somewhere safe and replace it as soon as the user is finished filling the tire; the valve stem cap keeps dirt and grit out of the valve itself, which in turn prevents clogging or slow leaks. Plastic caps are the most commonly used caps on cars and trucks because the plastic will not seize or rust to the valve, which could prevent the user from removing the cap in the future.

A vehicle tire.
A vehicle tire.

When putting air in tires, one should consider how much pressure to put in the tires. Each tire is stamped with its air requirements. Many gas stations have air pumps for use by the general consumer, but few of them come with accurate gauges for measuring the air pressure. It is a good idea to keep a small pressure gauge in the car to measure how much air is being forced into the tire both to prevent blowing the tire off the rim and to prevent under-inflation, which can lead to flat tires, uneven wearing of the tire, sluggish steering, and poor fuel efficiency.

A woman filling her tires up with air.
A woman filling her tires up with air.

If the user puts air in tires that go flat quickly — generally within a few hours — a thorough inspection of the tire is necessary. A puncture may be causing a leak, which must be repaired immediately. A tire with a leak can cause inconsistent steering, which may lead to an accident. While tire repair kits are available at auto parts stores, most motorists bring their vehicle to an auto shop to get the leak repaired. Such a repair is generally inexpensive and quick, but if the puncture is in the sidewall of the tire, repair costs and time can be more significant.

Discussion Comments

Sporkasia

My car, as with most newer cars, lets me know when my air pressure is low, and I can check the air pressure at any time by simply pushing a button. This takes all the guess work out of air pressure levels, and ultimately will allow me to get more wear out of my tires. Also, I can keep my tires at the appropriate air pressure for optimum gas mileage.

Animandel

When I read in the article that the valve stem caps actually protect the tire I was surprised. I can't count the number of times I have lost those little caps. Now that I know they actually have a purpose I will be more careful.

Drentel

My way of checking air pressure is the eye test. It's not a good method. Sometimes a tire will look a little low on air and I'll stop by a store and add air. Then I get home and the tire looks over inflated. I can go back and forth this way for days, and there are four tires on the car, so you see my problem.

I try using the gauges at the air pumps, but like the article said those can be, and are often wrong. Fortunately, I received a gift of a talking air-pressure gauge recently. Now I can check my tires at home and a voice tells me exactly where I stand on air pressure. It has saved me a lot of back and forth trips to the air machine.

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    • A vehicle tire.
      A vehicle tire.
    • A woman filling her tires up with air.
      By: fer77
      A woman filling her tires up with air.
    • A man checks the air pressure in a car tire.
      By: Africa Studio
      A man checks the air pressure in a car tire.
    • A bicycle pump with an air pressure gauge.
      By: lamio
      A bicycle pump with an air pressure gauge.
    • Many gas stations have air pumps.
      By: fhmedien_de
      Many gas stations have air pumps.
    • When adding air to a car tire, it is important to use only tire inflators that are specifically made for cars.
      By: edu1971
      When adding air to a car tire, it is important to use only tire inflators that are specifically made for cars.
    • If a tire loses air often, there may be a puncture causing a leak.
      By: Martin RICHIARDONE
      If a tire loses air often, there may be a puncture causing a leak.