What's your preferred tire pressure?
- Thread starter himemsys
- Start date
Placard with the Porsche with minor adjustments if it's driven. On both the Mini and the
GTI placard is above ideal (due to CAFE/CO2). I prefer less for handling, safety and ride.
I wouldn't go far off though.
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GTI placard is above ideal (due to CAFE/CO2). I prefer less for handling, safety and ride.
I wouldn't go far off though.
.
I use 2 different approaches to inflation pressure:
1) I like a crisper response out of a vehicle, so I use 3 psi MORE than the vehicle tire placard. I am willing to sacrifice the ride to get that.
2) In cold weather, I inflate to the lowest temperature I expect until I check inflation again. Usually I set the pressures in November, and don't check them again until March. I use the "1 psi (2%) per 10°F" rule.
Side note: Water can freeze as low as 37°F, so I don't check tire pressures when it is below 40°F, so I don't run the risk of freezing the tire valve open!
1) I like a crisper response out of a vehicle, so I use 3 psi MORE than the vehicle tire placard. I am willing to sacrifice the ride to get that.
2) In cold weather, I inflate to the lowest temperature I expect until I check inflation again. Usually I set the pressures in November, and don't check them again until March. I use the "1 psi (2%) per 10°F" rule.
Side note: Water can freeze as low as 37°F, so I don't check tire pressures when it is below 40°F, so I don't run the risk of freezing the tire valve open!
I used to run 35 psi cold in my 08 Liberty and 88 E-150. On a recent road trip I bumped it up to 38 psi in the Liberty in hopes for a slight mpg increase. I plan on keeping it at 38 psi. I might drop it down to 35 psi for the winter months.
I go 1 lb. over the recommended pressures and check them weekly. I see as much as 4 lbs variation between summer and winter so I adjust accordingly.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Why would you think that?
wemay
Site Donor 2023
2-3 lbs over placard.
All depends on the tire and vehicle - the placard is usually dang close. I usually DROP the rear tires a couple psig as I drive alone not near the GVWR limit. I have sand at the bottom of the driveway that paints my tires when I roll over it. I can see if the edges are rolled up or under. Try to keep the fronts with little to no roll under. the rears will usually have a 1/4 of roll up even with them lowered 2 pounds. Cant go lower because in dynamic conditions - like swerving or extreme speed on exit ramps - if the rears are too low you can have dry oversteer rear its head. Too high, complete loss of control in the wet due to the contact patch being rolled up to just a couple inches wide.
Now when you put the second set of rubber on - of a different make and series - , that may require more fiddling.
Another note of interest - back in the Tubed Tire days, pressure were typically under 25 psi front and under 23 psi rear in family sedans. Got that Magic Carpet ride.
Now when you put the second set of rubber on - of a different make and series - , that may require more fiddling.
Another note of interest - back in the Tubed Tire days, pressure were typically under 25 psi front and under 23 psi rear in family sedans. Got that Magic Carpet ride.
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I use the appropriate pressure for the application. The exact PSI varies widely, depending on the tire, and the intended use.
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2025
Because that’s low for such a big tire.
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
It's not about the tire size, it's about the load capacity and desired ride characteristics. The H3 isn't a big vehicle remember, it doesn't need Super Duty tire pressures.
You can have the same tire size on an F-150 and F-350 and the placard pressure will be wildly different. My F-250 spec'd a very similar tire size to my Expedition and the Expedition weighed considerably more, but the Expedition called for like 33lbs and the F-250 80lbs (load range E tires) because of the load capacity the 3/4 ton needed. Of course running 80lbs it rode like a lumber wagon, so I tended to bump them down to match the front tires.
^^^^^I have done this for decades.......
Normally I look at what the tire manufacture specification are on the tire. Then I look at what the psi is recommended for my vehicle. I will adjust it to that and then chalk and drive for a several miles or a day of normal driving and then have a look. I do as well check the temperatures. So once I know what the baseline psi is I can then make adjustments for different driving conditions.
I guess with high profile, high load capacity tires the manufactures felt that running these tires softer was a cheap way to get these SUV's to ride a bit nicer as well. My old 03 Tracker had 205/75R15 tires with 97 load rating, so 6400lbs of tire capacity on 3000lbs of vehicle....
So to keep it from riding like a shopping cart, they spec'd 24psi front and 26 rear. The fronts would squeal in a parking lot turning sharply getting in and out of a parking space at that pressure, so IIRC we ran around 30 in all 4 which was fine and kept it from wandering as much on the hwy as well.
Generally, for around-town driving (which is what I do the most) I've been running 30psi front and 28psi rear. For long highway trips, I'll bump everything up by as much as 4lbs, bringing the pressure to about what's recommended on the doorpost. Lately, I've been running 32/30 just to see how I like it, and I'm finding it quite acceptable, especially for town and shorter highway trips. Seems like a nice compromise.
Ya so here is the "BOMB" I want to drop in this thread........................................ ROLMAO
HOW ACCURATE IS YOUR TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE....
I owned at least a dozen from manual to digital and only 1 is confirmed/certified accurate (within .01-.05%)
Most of my others are about 1-4 lbs variance (except the 1)and that seems to be what most you all are posting you use from the door jam recommendation.
HOW ACCURATE IS YOUR TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE....
I owned at least a dozen from manual to digital and only 1 is confirmed/certified accurate (within .01-.05%)
Most of my others are about 1-4 lbs variance (except the 1)and that seems to be what most you all are posting you use from the door jam recommendation.
I have a good quality gauge, be I don't know how accurate it is. I'm assuming it's pretty close based on checking the readings with a few shop gauges. How does one check the accuracy of a TP gauge?Ya so here is the "BOMB" I want to drop in this thread........................................ ROLMAO
HOW ACCURATE IS YOUR TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE....
I owned at least a dozen from manual to digital and only 1 is confirmed/certified accurate.
Most of mine are about 1-4 lbs variance (except the 1 I know to be accurate)and that seems to be what most you all are posting you use from the door jam recommendation.
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
My digital tends to match what the vehicle display shows.
Absent that have one digital and one old style gauge …
Yes on every forum members always state they have a good quality gauge or that their gauge is accurate but few have really checked with a absolute known accurate device?
And that is also why I said that most gauges IMHO are off 1-4lbs so its ok... because that what you all are adjusting to anyway.
How I test is my Longacre digital or analog is friends that also race and have high end/dollar tire pressure gauges. If we test a tire and all the same psi shown on the gauge then we all know our gauges are still accurate. If any of us gets a deviation it get sent back to the company for adjustments or replacements. Once I know that my Longacre are accurate I then know how much off my other tire gauges are and print labels for each of them to indicate - or + to the reading.
And that is also why I said that most gauges IMHO are off 1-4lbs so its ok... because that what you all are adjusting to anyway.
How I test is my Longacre digital or analog is friends that also race and have high end/dollar tire pressure gauges. If we test a tire and all the same psi shown on the gauge then we all know our gauges are still accurate. If any of us gets a deviation it get sent back to the company for adjustments or replacements. Once I know that my Longacre are accurate I then know how much off my other tire gauges are and print labels for each of them to indicate - or + to the reading.
