Went to tyre dealer on the way to work to check pressures. Front right less than a pound down (40 psi) and the rest spot on. Been months since the Bridgestone Adrenalins were fitted. Gotta love that Nitrogen!
What do you keep your psi at?
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I fill my tires w/ helium, I get great mileage that way!
capri racver, unless i missed it, i didnt see what you set youre tyres too?
38 F and R on OEM Bridgestone RE92As. I doubt I will have to fill up aftermarket rubber so high to get a decent ride/wear. On my previous camaro anything over 32 was unnecessary on Avon M550s. It varies a lot by tire type.
Helium is a bad idea Tommy, it leaks out too quickly and doesn't make the car lighter. In fact it would only reduce traction if it did cause vehicle lift of any amount. Poor idea, but funny thought
Helium is a bad idea Tommy, it leaks out too quickly and doesn't make the car lighter. In fact it would only reduce traction if it did cause vehicle lift of any amount. Poor idea, but funny thought
Fair question, particularly since I do a lot of argu.... discussing this point.
Prefer a vehicle that is pretty crisp in the steering department, and I don't mind a less than plush ride. I use 3 to 5 psi above the vehicle placard if I am running the original tires size - which is most of the time. I also like the idea that I got better tire mileage, better fuel economy, better tire durability, better wet traction, and, when I needed it, better snow traction.
On the vehicles where I am not using the original tire size, I calculate what pressure gives me the same load carrying capacity of the original tire size / pressure combination - and that becomes the pressure I use 3 to 5 psi more than.
i am the same way. my car specs 32psi all around. im running 38psi.
How do you like the Adrenalins???
We can't get them in the US. They look like a great performance tire and come in some sizes that are hard to find sticky rubber in like 205/55-15.
Joe
Depends on the car- my old 99 Contour specified higher pressure in back, and didn't ride right unless it was correct.
In my Grand Prix, I keep them at 40. The max cold pressure for the tire is 44.
In my Grand Prix, I keep them at 40. The max cold pressure for the tire is 44.
Adrenalins are pretty good. Fantastic turn-in. Some tracking on my front driver (assymetrical tread pattern) but probably not a problem on a newer/tighter car. Whether they are worth the extra $$ over the Yokohama C-drives I havn't decided.
2002 VW Jetta: Manual states to use 28 PSI in front and 26 PSI in rear. I filled all to 32 PSI. Ride quality went down, but the car handled better.
2003 Saturn ION: Manual stated 30 PSI in all tires, but handling and treadwear improved by using 34 in front and 32 in back.
1997 Lexus ES300: Manual stated to use 26 PSI on all 4 tires. Filling to 30 PSI made for ideal ride quality and treadwear.
2002 Toyota Solara: Manual stated that for 205/65/15 tires, use 29 PSI. I used 32 PSI, which is also the pressure recommended for 205/60/16 tires.
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee: Manual states to use 33 PSI in all tires. I use 36.
2007 Pontiac G6: Manual states to use 30 PSI in all tires. Dad uses 32 PSI because it improves handling and fuel efficiency, but has little effect on ride.
On all other cars in my family, we simply did what the door sticker said, it usually said to use 32 PSI, so sometimes, we put that in cars that took less pressure, simply because we sometimes don't read the user manual or door sticker.
When I work on a car that belongs to someone who doesn't check their own pressure, I usually run 3-5 PSI above the door sticker. However, in large vans and trucks I run 35 PSI unless the door sticker says more. I do that because of all the short lived tires that happen when the car's manual states to use 26 PSI.
2003 Saturn ION: Manual stated 30 PSI in all tires, but handling and treadwear improved by using 34 in front and 32 in back.
1997 Lexus ES300: Manual stated to use 26 PSI on all 4 tires. Filling to 30 PSI made for ideal ride quality and treadwear.
2002 Toyota Solara: Manual stated that for 205/65/15 tires, use 29 PSI. I used 32 PSI, which is also the pressure recommended for 205/60/16 tires.
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee: Manual states to use 33 PSI in all tires. I use 36.
2007 Pontiac G6: Manual states to use 30 PSI in all tires. Dad uses 32 PSI because it improves handling and fuel efficiency, but has little effect on ride.
On all other cars in my family, we simply did what the door sticker said, it usually said to use 32 PSI, so sometimes, we put that in cars that took less pressure, simply because we sometimes don't read the user manual or door sticker.
When I work on a car that belongs to someone who doesn't check their own pressure, I usually run 3-5 PSI above the door sticker. However, in large vans and trucks I run 35 PSI unless the door sticker says more. I do that because of all the short lived tires that happen when the car's manual states to use 26 PSI.
Im curious. How are you guys replacing OEM tires with something else and then using the OEM pressure recommendation as a guide?
Tires arnt all the same. They respond differently to different pressures.
Ive found that the only really accurate way to set pressure is to fill the tires up a little higher then what you expect to end up at. Drive around for about 5-10 minutes. Then stop and either fell the tread on the tires or use an IR temp guage. If the center is warmer then the outside the pressure is too high. Is the outside is warmer then the center then the pressure is too low.
I usually wait about 1-2 hours before changing the pressure one way or the other to give the tire adequate time to cool.
Tires arnt all the same. They respond differently to different pressures.
Ive found that the only really accurate way to set pressure is to fill the tires up a little higher then what you expect to end up at. Drive around for about 5-10 minutes. Then stop and either fell the tread on the tires or use an IR temp guage. If the center is warmer then the outside the pressure is too high. Is the outside is warmer then the center then the pressure is too low.
I usually wait about 1-2 hours before changing the pressure one way or the other to give the tire adequate time to cool.
Kestas
Staff member
I used to keep all my cars at 35 psi. Now I'm experimenting with 40 psi, inspired by thoughts from high-milers who try to maximize their gas mileage.
In the car I have now (1999 Malibu), I run stock pressures but I might get my dad's IR gun and try to work out a better number for mileage and tread wear. At stock pressures, this car tends to center wear tires.
In my old Regal, I ran the front tires 6 pounds up and the rear tires 8 pounds up for mileage, and the high tire pressures combined with extremely light steering made that heavy, floaty boat of a car handle like a filet knife.
In my old Regal, I ran the front tires 6 pounds up and the rear tires 8 pounds up for mileage, and the high tire pressures combined with extremely light steering made that heavy, floaty boat of a car handle like a filet knife.
I set my pressure to eliminate rolling over for the front tires, and to make the handling more neutral for the back tires.
For anyone else's vehicle, I set it according to the door sticker.
For anyone else's vehicle, I set it according to the door sticker.
The door sticker on my 1995 Caravan, is a bit outdated though isn't it, and don't the tires have some say in this?
Originally Posted By: Oilgal
The door sticker on my 1995 Caravan, is a bit outdated though isn't it, and don't the tires have some say in this?
Hopefully, this will answer your question:
http://www.geocities.com/barrystiretech/loadtables.html
--> And for those who don't want to wade through all that:
The door sticker doesn't get dated and if you have the same size, it doesn't matter who manufactures the tire, the presssure on the placard is appropriate.
The door sticker on my 1995 Caravan, is a bit outdated though isn't it, and don't the tires have some say in this?
The door sticker on my 1995 Caravan, is a bit outdated though isn't it, and don't the tires have some say in this?
Hopefully, this will answer your question:
http://www.geocities.com/barrystiretech/loadtables.html
--> And for those who don't want to wade through all that:
The door sticker doesn't get dated and if you have the same size, it doesn't matter who manufactures the tire, the presssure on the placard is appropriate.
The door sticker on my 1995 Caravan, is a bit outdated though isn't it, and don't the tires have some say in this?
Originally Posted By: CapriRacer
Originally Posted By: Oilgal
The door sticker on my 1995 Caravan, is a bit outdated though isn't it, and don't the tires have some say in this?
Hopefully, this will answer your question:
http://www.geocities.com/barrystiretech/loadtables.html
--> And for those who don't want to wade through all that:
The door sticker doesn't get dated and if you have the same size, it doesn't matter who manufactures the tire, the presssure on the placard is appropriate.
Thank you for the link to that article. That was really helpful. I got some bad information, from an otherwise good mechanic, about this very issue.
Thanks again. Time to go let some air out.
Originally Posted By: Oilgal
The door sticker on my 1995 Caravan, is a bit outdated though isn't it, and don't the tires have some say in this?
Hopefully, this will answer your question:
http://www.geocities.com/barrystiretech/loadtables.html
--> And for those who don't want to wade through all that:
The door sticker doesn't get dated and if you have the same size, it doesn't matter who manufactures the tire, the presssure on the placard is appropriate.
Thank you for the link to that article. That was really helpful. I got some bad information, from an otherwise good mechanic, about this very issue.
Thanks again. Time to go let some air out.
So, is that article, or are you, suggestings that tread compound and tread design don't have any effect on how the pressure affects contact area?
How about actual tire construction?
If your car comes with a Cooper All-Season that has a load rating of 89 and you switch it out for another tire, lets say ultra-high performance all-season with a load rating of 95, that's the same size. That both tires should be filled to exactly the same pressure to have the same contact area?
From personal experience using the temperature method this doesn't seem to hold true. Sometimes the recommended pressure is right, sometimes its high or low. It's not always right. More times then not, when making a drastic change in tire type, but not size, the pressure had to be altered and tested using the Temperature method.
How about sidewall stiffness? I didn't see much mentioned in the article about that. Test: SSeat two tires on identical rims. One with load rating of 89, one of 105(big jump) and a known stiff sidewall. Decrease the pressure on both as much as possible without breaking the bead. Now measure the depth of the cup in that tire. There's no way in [censored] they're the same.
Now extrapolate this out to running pressure.
How about actual tire construction?
If your car comes with a Cooper All-Season that has a load rating of 89 and you switch it out for another tire, lets say ultra-high performance all-season with a load rating of 95, that's the same size. That both tires should be filled to exactly the same pressure to have the same contact area?
From personal experience using the temperature method this doesn't seem to hold true. Sometimes the recommended pressure is right, sometimes its high or low. It's not always right. More times then not, when making a drastic change in tire type, but not size, the pressure had to be altered and tested using the Temperature method.
How about sidewall stiffness? I didn't see much mentioned in the article about that. Test: SSeat two tires on identical rims. One with load rating of 89, one of 105(big jump) and a known stiff sidewall. Decrease the pressure on both as much as possible without breaking the bead. Now measure the depth of the cup in that tire. There's no way in [censored] they're the same.
Now extrapolate this out to running pressure.
Originally Posted By: Brien
So, is that article, or are you, suggestings that tread compound and tread design don't have any effect on how the pressure affects contact area?
Not sure about the article, but grip can affect whether the tire rolls over or not. A grippier tire with a soft sidewall may need a different pressure, but you are always safe following the placard.
You gotta' remember though, I "Drive it like I stole it."
So, is that article, or are you, suggestings that tread compound and tread design don't have any effect on how the pressure affects contact area?
Not sure about the article, but grip can affect whether the tire rolls over or not. A grippier tire with a soft sidewall may need a different pressure, but you are always safe following the placard.
You gotta' remember though, I "Drive it like I stole it."
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