Benefits of deflating

Why deflate your tyres?

There are several benefits of deflating your tyres to a lower pressure that extend beyond generally improving your vehicle’s overall performance.

Increasing your vehicle’s traction
Minimising environmental disruption
Improved ability to travel on softer surfaces
Reducing resistance to obstacles
Improved fuel economy

Watch video on how to deflate your tyres

1. Minimising Environmental Disruption

An inflated tyre will leave a noticeably more significant imprint on the terrain it is crossing, which can be reduced by simply reducing the tyre pressure. This works to protect and conserve our natural environment, meaning everyone can enjoy the off-road experience in the future.

Comparison of driving with and without tyre deflation

With tyre deflators

Without tyre deflators

With deflators

Without deflators

2. Increase your vehicle's traction

A 25-30% decrease in tyre pressure will yield up to 250% improvement in traction, by increasing the depth and width of the tyre on the surface.

3. Reduce resistance to obstacles

Tests have shown a 40% improvement in overcoming obstacles at lower tyre pressures, due to the low pressure tyres being able to conform to the obstacle. Therefore the drive becomes a less bumpy, much softer ride.

4. Improve fuel economy by 10-15%

Fuel usage increases when tyres are at higher pressures because more revs and greater acceleration is required to take the vehicle over the off-road surfaces.

5. Improve ability to travel on softer surfaces

The bigger the footprint, the softer the surface you can travel on as the weight of the vehicle is distributed over a larger surface area. When tyres have very little or no traction they have a greater chance of getting bogged down or stuck in the surface or terrain that they are being driven on.

6. Reduce wear and tear on drive train components

When driving with higher tyre pressure on soft surfaces your vehicle may well develop axle hop caused by losing and regaining traction, resulting in more wear and tear on drive train components such as differentials, gear boxes, axles and bearings.