Stupid tire pressure question - Follow the label?

[JeffKeryk]

I have always aired my tires up pretty high, oftentimes in excess of the recommended pressure, mainly because I counted on lower rolling resistance to offer a little better gas mileage.
Also because too much is just enough, right? And I know better, right?
This is partially driven by the messed up TPMS sensors in our GS. The dash tire light goes on and off by itself, so I am checking pressures almost weekly.

I am starting to follow the label on the door jam nowadays (cheat just a little....). Will I be OK? J/K...

Your thoughts?

 

[4WD]

I tend to run “plus one” sized tires and still follow the OEM sticker … have for many years …

 

[JeffKeryk]

I tend to run “plus one” sized tires and still follow the OEM sticker … have for many years …

Do they wear evenly?

 

[nomas]

The label on the doorjamb is for your tires in that particular application . If you want to bump it a pound or two I don't see how that could hurt .

 

[4WD]

Do they wear evenly?

Yes … I get them rotated around 7k and get between 40k-50k but that’s several years since I don’t pile the miles on
(so even a Michelin will start to chip or dry root)

 

[MasterSolenoid]

I go by the door jamb sticker.

My method:
1) Use a good 'digital' tire pressure gage.
2) Check PSI every time the outside air temperature changes 10 degrees (fill out a spread sheet)
This is a good way of finding a slow leak.
3) I will fill one lb. over OR under depending where the air temperature is headed.

 

[edyvw]

I sometimes bump 1 or 2 just bcs. lazy to chase pressure in the fall or spring when we have 30-40 degrees temperature swings.
Once November comes, i set pressure 2psi higher when temperature drops to low 40’s or high 30’s.

 

[double vanos]

I go by the door jamb sticker.

My method:
1) Use a good 'digital' tire pressure gage.
2) Check PSI every time the outside air temperature changes 10 degrees (fill out a spread sheet)
This is a good way of finding a slow leak.
3) I will fill one lb. over OR under depending where the air temperature is headed.

Altitude plays apart as well, I think. My tires properly inflated at sea level (Houston) will have higher pressures when I get to my house in Az (5300 ft), all cold checks. On a side note, when buying things sealed up (like potato chips) the bag is always inflated at high attitude. K cups seal seem almost flat compared to high up -seal is bulged and tight at the higher elevations. I’ve made the trip from Az mountains to sea level houston quite a few times and this seems the case.
My 0.02 cents worth which, when added to $75, will get you a cup of coffee on Rodeo drive…

 

[eljefino]

Air doesn't leak in, so I go a couple pounds over to account for temp swings.

A tire deflects over small bumps better and more quickly than the car's suspension, so it "pushes back" by "pushing forward." Go too stiff and you might hurt your MPG in addition to the bad wear and harsh ride. Or you might not.

 

[Luftmasse]

My tires allows me to go up to 51 PSI. And on all of my vehicles, I pump them to 40 PSI (Cold). Even with TPMS. This is my preference of course.

TPMS sensor has a battery inside that goes bad over time.

 

[Duffyjr]

This time of year around here the temperature swings can be fairly high. Last Monday the low was 50 and the high was 92, that can be a 8 psi difference. I just added air last week and put a couple PSI over the 30 the sticker says since it' going to start getting cooler. This is where I really like the TPMS in my Lucerne, it gives a readout for each tire

 

[2005jettatdi]

For decades I have gone by the number on the tire and then 2 or 3 pounds below that. The door number is for the ride, not necessarily mpgs or even wear. My tires always wear evenly at the higher pressure.

 

[RhondaHonda]

I follow the label except in my Raptor I run 36 front and 34 rear for a better ride. The label calls for 38 all around.

 

[Tifosi]

Don't follow the label on the door jam or the fuel door, follow what is in the owner's manual. Because some car manufactures put the recommended tire pressure of a fully loaded vehicle on the chassis label instead of a vehicle with normal or light load. So always double check with the OM first.

As for personal preference, since my cars are garaged, I always set them to 2 psi over the pressure in the OM.

 

[ryster]

Don't follow the label on the door jam or the fuel door, follow what is in the owner's manual. Because some car manufactures put the recommended tire pressure of a fully loaded vehicle on the chassis label instead of a vehicle with normal or light load. So always double check with the OM first.

As for personal preference, since my cars are garaged, I always set them to 2 psi over the pressure in the OM.

My owner's manual says to follow the label on the door jamb.

I always set my tires 2-3psi higher than what the door jamb label says, especially in the winter. Tire pressure will change 1psi for every 10degree drop in ambient temperature. Temperature swings around here can be crazy in the winter. 20degrees in the morning all the way up to 50 in the same afternoon. That 3psi bump is enough to keep the TPMS light from illuminating on colder mornings.

 

[Deamos]

This thread is timely; I was just wondering about it.

Yesterday I had the misfortune of picking up a bolt in one of my tires (thanks to St. Louis construction zones), and after having the tire patched and plugged by a local tire shop, they set all the tires to 36psi.

I had just (over this past weekend) topped everything to 35psi as the door label indicated, so I was wondering where they got their number. The ride seems fine, maybe even a little better. Even having topped the tires to 35 from 32/33psi felt like it made a noticeable difference on the CX5.

However, it made me wonder why the shop inflated to 36psi. Though with the temps, that may have been what the other tires were showing.

 

[OVERKILL]

For decades I have gone by the number on the tire and then 2 or 3 pounds below that. The door number is for the ride, not necessarily mpgs or even wear. My tires always wear evenly at the higher pressure.

The number on the tire is the max safe pressure of the tire and in no way relates to what is appropriate for the vehicle. On the other hand, the number on the placard is based on the manufacturer's testing for handling, maneuverability, ride comfort, braking performance...etc and is the result of what balance of those characteristics they've decided on.

The tires on my SRT have an indicated max pressure of 51psi because they are Z-rated. The vehicle calls for 33.

 

[manicrodder]

The 2007 H3 with 18" door placard says 30 psi. Tires wore like crazy. I use 38 now and wear is even.

 

[mattwithcats]

On my Smart, the door label pressure resulted in cupping of the front tires, the outside edge wore out before the center.

Adding 4-5 psi eliminated the cupping…

 

[mattwithcats]

On my other car, the OEM tires were 35 psi max inflation pressure “S” speed rated 185/65R15’s…

I currently have 205/60R15 “H” speed rated, with 51 psi max…

The door says 19 psi…

I am putting in 37 front, 44 rear…

Wear is even, no handling problems. A little rough over the bumps, however…