Prepare for the Automotive Service Technician Period 1 exam. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Over-inflation of tires tends to increase wear in the centre of the tread.

Tire pressure directly shapes the tread contact patch. When a tire is over-inflated, the contact patch becomes smaller and more centered. The vehicle’s load concentrates on that smaller center area, causing increased wear there while the edges see less wear because they’re lifted away from the road. So over-inflation tends to wear the center of the tread faster. This isn’t about driving at high speeds or winter tires; those factors don’t by themselves create center wear—the inflation pressure does. Keep tires inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended pressure, checked when cold.

Tire pressure directly shapes the tread contact patch. When a tire is over-inflated, the contact patch becomes smaller and more centered. The vehicle’s load concentrates on that smaller center area, causing increased wear there while the edges see less wear because they’re lifted away from the road. So over-inflation tends to wear the center of the tread faster. This isn’t about driving at high speeds or winter tires; those factors don’t by themselves create center wear—the inflation pressure does. Keep tires inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended pressure, checked when cold.