Tire pressure, HELP !!!

[05 LS8]

For those that don't know...
The door sticker is the correct answer, no matter what tires you have. It is the pressure the car was designed for that gives the best compromise between handling, comfort, safety, and mileage (not in that particular order.)

You can increase the pressure to the max listed on the tire, and you will get better mileage. However, comfort and safety will suffer. Comfort will suffer because the tires won't give as much when you hit a bump. Safety will suffer for a few reasons. Among them are: The higher pressure will leave less tire footprint on the road, so you will have less stopping force, and less force holding you to the road. The higher pressure will also change the bounce characteristics of the tire so that it no longer matches what the suspension is tuned for. You hit a bump, and the wheel(s) may lose contact with the ground for a longer period of time than they would at the correct pressure.



It is nonsense to say that the pressure on the door applies only to the stock tires. Don't believe me on this, look it up.

You are right for the most part. But.... Smaller contact patch its not always bad. On the contrary, its better in the rain in some cases. Slightly smaller contact patch puts more of the vehicle's weight on smaller area, therefore pushes the water out of the way better/faster. It also keeps the tread grooves more open so they can channel the water out from under the tires.

I personally don't go by the numbers on the door jam. I love apexing corners and having higher tire pressure increases handling of the vehicle. If you actually increase the tire pressure it "rounds" the profile of the tire by decreasing the amount the tire deflects when loaded with the vehicle's weight.

If you are apexing corners at high speeds, the tires are more prone to coming off the wheel (trust me it can happen) when they don't have the right amount of tire pressure. I normally keep mine around 40-42psi and the max is 44psi. The car rides a little harder but i'd rather have the car handle better.

 

[joegr]

I have two sets of tires on my truck (summer and winter). Both are identical dimensions and both have different tire pressure than listed in the door. ...

This is exactly where some people get tripped up. Nowhere on the tire does it list the pressure you should use! The tire only lists the maximum pressure that the tire can hold without bursting. The max pressure is not the pressure that you want to use.

 

[#1fordfan]

Thanks joegr

 

[#1fordfan]

Ah... OK... I get the humor now.

:lol:

some guys actually get it!!!!!!

Some don't!!!