[Andy 98RT10]

I have started to put the tire pressure on my car at about 26 psi, instead of the 29 recommended by the owners manual. To me, it feels like the car might be gripping a little better at this psi.

My question is, are there any disadvantages to doing this besides fuel economy? Will the acceleration be worse or better?

Thanks,

Andy

 

[b3rndtt0ast]

tires might wear strange, but drag racers run low psi to get grip, but when you turn the sidewall might collapse? just what i think, no facts.

 

[BAD68GTO]

Andy, that is a great question, I wish more people posted some feedback on this. I just filled mine with 45 PSI cold as the wheels said 51PSI max. SO I take it I am too h8igh? I never read that manual.....

 

[BigCarrot]

Andy, that is a great question, I wish more people posted some feedback on this. I just filled mine with 45 PSI cold as the wheels said 51PSI max. SO I take it I am too h8igh? I never read that manual.....

Ummm yeah, you are waaaay too high! I'd run the stock tires at about 30lbs for the best wear.

 

[BAD68GTO]

Thanks Big, I really appreciate that feedback. This is another great reason to be on the Alley-I can't beat the combined knowledge of all the motorheads here! :clap:

 

[slaughterj]

Andy, that is a great question, I wish more people posted some feedback on this. I just filled mine with 45 PSI cold as the wheels said 51PSI max. SO I take it I am too h8igh? I never read that manual.....

Ummm yeah, you are waaaay too high! I'd run the stock tires at about 30lbs for the best wear.

As a high mileage "expert" on Vipers /images/graemlins/wink my experience with running 30 psi has been that the center wears a bit faster than the edges, which I understand to mean that is too much air pressure. This is based on running through two sets of rear tires (about 21k on each) at 30psi. Therefore, I currently cut back to 29 psi, and will see how that does on even-ing out wear.

 

[BAD68GTO]

Just changed mine to 29 PSI, thanks Slaughter and Big! Any IT questions, just shoot me a PM. Gary

 

[BigCarrot]

How do I check my email? Seriously! /images/graemlins/supergrin.gif

 

[BAD68GTO]

Insert start up floppy, then hit A:\FORMAT C: When prompted, just hit Y to confirm choice.

Seriously, I will take the snake for a drive today and see how different it handles. With the higher pressures I was running, the car did not grip well on turns. I am running stock Pilots now, but I think I will opt for a softer tire when I go to replace them in the future. Gary

 

[GTS Dean]

26psi is too low for normal driving on the street. The handling, in general, will be very lazy. The sidewalls will heat up disproportionately to the rest of the tire from excessive flex. I wouldn't recommend any less than 28psi.

As far as drag racing goes, I've been running about 22psi. This has caused me trouble with bead/rim slippage that manifested itself through a slow leak.

 

[Chuck 98 RT10]

Knowing Slaughter I'm betting he's smoked the rears a few times which would fry the centers at anything in the mid to high 20s psi range.

For the dragstrip most folks run 45-50 front and 20-22 rear. I haven't had the slippage problem Dean has but being that he's been down a lot of dragstrips I'd keep an eye on the possibility.

Road racing tire pressures start out at about 34 front and 32 rear and adjusted from there.

For street I would run 29 on all four unless you plan on buying rears every 3K. Then I'd leave the fronts at 29 and lower the rear to 22.