What tire pressure should I actually use?
#1
08-07-2004
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#2
08-07-2004
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What tire pressure should I actually use?
I was always told growing up that the tire is the maximum it can handle and the number on the door jam of the truck is the number you should run because that is the proper pressure after taking the load of the truck in consideration for the tire to wear evenly...if you are running 44psi i would imagine you are wearing the center of your tires out very quickly....
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08-07-2004
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Originally Posted by FireRanger
Ok, the tire sidewall say 44psi. The truck says 30 something PSI. Which should I actually use and why? I've been keeping them at the 44psi indicated on the tire just because thats what the tire says.
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Originally Posted by 03F150Sport
Originally Posted by FireRanger
Ok, the tire sidewall say 44psi. The truck says 30 something PSI. Which should I actually use and why? I've been keeping them at the 44psi indicated on the tire just because thats what the tire says.
I've heard the identical same thing too.
#5
08-07-2004
#6
08-07-2004
it is going to be a little diff. depending on the tire. on a general rule i would say that what your truck says would be the best to start off with. after you have had your tires for a little while check how they are wearing, if the middle is wearing more the decreas pressure, if the sides are wearing more then increase pressure.
i know that on my stock tires and my Revo's that i am running 30psi and getting even wear, so i would recommend the 30psi until you can start checking your tread better. also remember that if your tread is already jacked up then take that into consideration
i know that on my stock tires and my Revo's that i am running 30psi and getting even wear, so i would recommend the 30psi until you can start checking your tread better. also remember that if your tread is already jacked up then take that into consideration
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08-09-2004
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#13
08-26-2004
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explain to me how lower pressure hurts traction in the snow?
everytime i go to the dunes i drop my tires down to 18psi and get gobs of traction, the snow would be no diferent.
the enginers at ford motor company have figured out what tire pressure your tires should be at, this is printed on the door sticker, the gas tank door and on the visor on all of the newer products.
i'll be honest i have played around with the pressures on my 04 with the 31's and i think the truck rides like crap with them maxed out at 50psi, i tryed them at the stock setting 30 psi front 35 psi rear, got a lot of "highway hop" from it in the rear, last i set them both front and rear to 30 psi (4x4 rangers call for this setting from the factory) and it rides the best this way with the oversized tires.
think of your tires as basketballs, the more you inflate them the higher they bounce!
the tires and pressure setting are designed to handle the GVW and adding more pressure is pretty much useless, thats like the old golf ball through a garden hose saying!
everytime i go to the dunes i drop my tires down to 18psi and get gobs of traction, the snow would be no diferent.
the enginers at ford motor company have figured out what tire pressure your tires should be at, this is printed on the door sticker, the gas tank door and on the visor on all of the newer products.
i'll be honest i have played around with the pressures on my 04 with the 31's and i think the truck rides like crap with them maxed out at 50psi, i tryed them at the stock setting 30 psi front 35 psi rear, got a lot of "highway hop" from it in the rear, last i set them both front and rear to 30 psi (4x4 rangers call for this setting from the factory) and it rides the best this way with the oversized tires.
think of your tires as basketballs, the more you inflate them the higher they bounce!
the tires and pressure setting are designed to handle the GVW and adding more pressure is pretty much useless, thats like the old golf ball through a garden hose saying!
#14
08-26-2004
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Originally Posted by 04 EDGE
explain to me how lower pressure hurts traction in the snow?
everytime i go to the dunes i drop my tires down to 18psi and get gobs of traction, the snow would be no diferent.
everytime i go to the dunes i drop my tires down to 18psi and get gobs of traction, the snow would be no diferent.
Now, for all intents and purposes, those of us varying very little when it comes to what tires we get after our stock tires, I don't think it makes much difference if you drop it down 10 or so PSI or not. So in reality, unless you're severely dropping the pressure, I see no benefit to it, with the exception fo the fact that I don't believe it helps any in the snow.
Now, with the sand, that's a different story. A guy I used to wheel with was telling me how he'd drop the pressure in his tires down to 10psi, and have tons of traction.
Unfortunately, sand and snow are two very different things. Because of the coldness and wetness of the snow, I don't think you get the traction that you do with sand.
Bear in mind, I'm probably just talking out my ***, as I certainly don't remember any of the details any more. But, it is very different on sand and snow.
#15
08-26-2004
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Originally Posted by dr sk0t evil
Originally Posted by 04 EDGE
explain to me how lower pressure hurts traction in the snow?
everytime i go to the dunes i drop my tires down to 18psi and get gobs of traction, the snow would be no diferent.
everytime i go to the dunes i drop my tires down to 18psi and get gobs of traction, the snow would be no diferent.
Now, for all intents and purposes, those of us varying very little when it comes to what tires we get after our stock tires, I don't think it makes much difference if you drop it down 10 or so PSI or not. So in reality, unless you're severely dropping the pressure, I see no benefit to it, with the exception fo the fact that I don't believe it helps any in the snow.
Now, with the sand, that's a different story. A guy I used to wheel with was telling me how he'd drop the pressure in his tires down to 10psi, and have tons of traction.
Unfortunately, sand and snow are two very different things. Because of the coldness and wetness of the snow, I don't think you get the traction that you do with sand.
Bear in mind, I'm probably just talking out my ***, as I certainly don't remember any of the details any more. But, it is very different on sand and snow.
#16
08-27-2004
use 30PSI front and back. that is what ford says to put in our trucks. not only does it say that on our truck but i work at costco in the tire center and it also says that ford wants us to put 30psi front and back.
i have been doing this since i have had my truck and i have even tread wear.
you should not be running your tires and full PSI. that is what the tire can handle not what your tire should be at!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i have been doing this since i have had my truck and i have even tread wear.
you should not be running your tires and full PSI. that is what the tire can handle not what your tire should be at!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#17
08-27-2004
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You need flotation in sand and you don't need floatation in snow. You want to cut through the snow to the pavement. There is nothing to cut through to in sand so you want to stay on top. In general, in mud and snow, wide is wrong.
I don't know why you put 30 in the front and 35 in the rear, if anything it should be the other way around. The front is much heavier than the rear. 50 would be rediculous. Like I said, I run 42/37 when I am doing long trips or daily driving. I go down to 32/30 when I go camping. I do not have the stock tires on my truck. I spent some time playing with the pressures and monitoring the contact patch. I adjusted the pressures so that the entire footprint of the tire was touching the ground. You can do that by driving from wet pavement to dry.
I do find it interesting that you say Ford says run 30psi so you should do what they say, and at the same time you modify everything that Ford engineered to be a certain way. Not meant to start a flame war, just an observation. Remember what happened when the people in the explorers ran the manufacturers suggested tire pressures?
And think about this, you know your truck weighs more in front than it does in the rear, why do they say to use the same pressure front and rear? In the end, realize that it is a suggested pressure meant to cover all situations. You can adjust your tire pressures to suit your use of the vehicle.
I don't know why you put 30 in the front and 35 in the rear, if anything it should be the other way around. The front is much heavier than the rear. 50 would be rediculous. Like I said, I run 42/37 when I am doing long trips or daily driving. I go down to 32/30 when I go camping. I do not have the stock tires on my truck. I spent some time playing with the pressures and monitoring the contact patch. I adjusted the pressures so that the entire footprint of the tire was touching the ground. You can do that by driving from wet pavement to dry.
I do find it interesting that you say Ford says run 30psi so you should do what they say, and at the same time you modify everything that Ford engineered to be a certain way. Not meant to start a flame war, just an observation. Remember what happened when the people in the explorers ran the manufacturers suggested tire pressures?
And think about this, you know your truck weighs more in front than it does in the rear, why do they say to use the same pressure front and rear? In the end, realize that it is a suggested pressure meant to cover all situations. You can adjust your tire pressures to suit your use of the vehicle.
#18
08-27-2004
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I bumped the stock BFG A/T pressure up to 45 for the ride up to Niagara and posted my best milage ever @ 19.4 MPG. The ride was bouncy, but nice. Hey if I want a smoother ride I get out of the truck and into the Honda. With the higher inflation the rear end does feel like it is bouncing more, but I never carry any load and there is a lot of sprung weight on that back leaf suspension. The rear end never leaves the gound, just has that feel. Tire wear seems even, I am just approaching 6K most all highway.
#19
08-27-2004
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#21
08-27-2004
Originally Posted by Dave and Julie
I do find it interesting that you say Ford says run 30psi so you should do what they say, and at the same time you modify everything that Ford engineered to be a certain way. Not meant to start a flame war, just an observation. Remember what happened when the people in the explorers ran the manufacturers suggested tire pressures?
In the modifying comment are you talking about all of the stuff that i do to my truck??? if so then i find that to be a stupid comment!
The explorers where having problems because of Bad Tires and Bad drivers. Car&Driver did a test in witch they blew the tires out on an explorer and they could not get the thing to flip. they did the test several times and on the last time the driver was not holding on to the steering wheel when it happened. obviously it wasn't a matter of LOW or no tire pressure.
#22
08-27-2004
Thread Starter
The tires blowing out was an equipment problem. The rolling over part was people who don't know how to drive. What is the first thing everyone does when they blow a tire, especially those who have little to know driving sense? Slam on the brake and rapidly cut the wheel to the side to compensate and pull over. Gee, they wonder why the thing rolled over. it would do that regardless of the flat tire or not.
#23
08-27-2004
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The tire pressure recommended by Ford for the explorer was 25psi. Any moron should be able to tell that won't work. Everyone knows that the faster you go the more pressure you need because the tire gets hotter. That's why cause the firestones to fail. Low pressure, high speeds, cheap tires, high loads and high heat, the stupid drivers caused the rollovers. 30psi is a ball park figure, you wouldn't use that pressure with a full load at 70mph I hope. In the motorcycle world there are two tire pressures listed. Even my Audi has two tire pressures listed. For high speeds and or heavy loads they both ask for higher pressures. They both ask for two psi more than light load and low speed.
30psi will, depending on the tire maybe, get you uneven wear. You can't possibly think that the front and rear weigh the same on that truck. The tires are the same and with different loads on them they will have a different contact patch and therefore there is no way the could wear the same.
And yes, I think it is hypocritical to say you must adhere to Ford's design intentions on tire pressures but not for anything else that might make it faster or change its appearance.
30psi will, depending on the tire maybe, get you uneven wear. You can't possibly think that the front and rear weigh the same on that truck. The tires are the same and with different loads on them they will have a different contact patch and therefore there is no way the could wear the same.
And yes, I think it is hypocritical to say you must adhere to Ford's design intentions on tire pressures but not for anything else that might make it faster or change its appearance.
#24
08-27-2004
Dave and Julie whoever you are,
yes, i DO get even tire wear out of 30psi, FRONT and BACK. i understand what you are saying about weight, but understand the words that i am typing. I GET EVEN TIRE WEAR. do you understand that now?!?! and yes depending on the tires, pressure may need to be changed, but on stock and my Revo's 30psi has been perfect
now follow what i am going to quote VERY closely so that you can maybe understand what was said, ok?
i said:
"I run 30psi because that is what gives me EVEN tire wear and that is what you want!!! get that straight OK, it happens to be that 30psi i also what ford recommends"
you said:
"And yes, I think it is hypocritical to say you must adhere to Ford's design intentions on tire pressures but not for anything else that might make it faster or change its appearance."
now i will explain, AGAIN
"I run 30psi because that is what gives me EVEN tire wear and that is what you want!!!"
self explanatory!!!
"get that straight OK, it happens to be that 30psi i also what ford recommends."
In your last post you state that i do 30psi because i "must adhere to Ford's design intentions" well if you re-read what i said, i said that i run 30psi because it gives me even tire wear, it JUST HAPPENS to be that that is what ford recommends, OK!!! what i am trying to say that i could care less what for recommends for the tire, i am going to do what the tire needs. if you still can't understand that then i don't know what else to tell you.
yes, i DO get even tire wear out of 30psi, FRONT and BACK. i understand what you are saying about weight, but understand the words that i am typing. I GET EVEN TIRE WEAR. do you understand that now?!?! and yes depending on the tires, pressure may need to be changed, but on stock and my Revo's 30psi has been perfect
now follow what i am going to quote VERY closely so that you can maybe understand what was said, ok?
i said:
"I run 30psi because that is what gives me EVEN tire wear and that is what you want!!! get that straight OK, it happens to be that 30psi i also what ford recommends"
you said:
"And yes, I think it is hypocritical to say you must adhere to Ford's design intentions on tire pressures but not for anything else that might make it faster or change its appearance."
now i will explain, AGAIN
"I run 30psi because that is what gives me EVEN tire wear and that is what you want!!!"
self explanatory!!!
"get that straight OK, it happens to be that 30psi i also what ford recommends."
In your last post you state that i do 30psi because i "must adhere to Ford's design intentions" well if you re-read what i said, i said that i run 30psi because it gives me even tire wear, it JUST HAPPENS to be that that is what ford recommends, OK!!! what i am trying to say that i could care less what for recommends for the tire, i am going to do what the tire needs. if you still can't understand that then i don't know what else to tell you.
#25
08-27-2004
