Tire pressures

[frankenfester]

So im trying to decide if the pressure I'm running is too high. Ive been told many things by many people (always 32psi, run 4 under the max, etc)
I have 165/55r14 Federal formoza FD1 rubber and have been running (max is 44psi) 40 psi. Is this a bad idea? Should I adjust it to a lower psi? The only thing I noticed on my 1700mile trek back to canada was that the front tires wore a l8ttle easier than normal and that when we were in rain there was slightly more of a hydroplane.
Any suggestions? Ideas? What do you guys run in your tires and what are the maxes on the sidewall vs what you run?

-James

[mikeyjd]

I run 60 psi all around (35max sidewall) They have been wearing noticeably better since I upped the psi from 45.

[FestYboy]

realy Mikey!?!?! you're nuts.

James, keep them where you're at, perfectly safe and improves MPG/rolling resistance. if you want to experiment, a max of 50 could be tried, but unless it's an LT tire, i would STRONGLY NOT recomend you run higher than that.

[rmoltis]

Yeah you should be fine.

Wear patterns will change from over inflation if you go more than necessary.
I've even seen people who over inflated their tires so much that a bubble formed on the sidewall
Like a balloon being inflated.

Now if you have low profile tires you need to run them at max pressure.
Because they are not designed to ride on their sidewalls around corners.
They need to stay on the tread on the tires.

Whereas the stock tires are designed to utilise their sidewalls for cornering when necessary.

But 40 with 4 psi room for tire warm up and thermal expansion should be within a safe range.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

60psi? 50psi? 40+ psi? What are you all smoking?

I run my fleet (some 13" on the front, otherwise all 12") at 36psi front, 32psi rear, never rotate, and get even wear patterns, with up to 70,000 miles before they go bald. My tires usually dry out and start cracking before they wear out.

[rmoltis]

60psi? 50psi? 40+ psi? What are you all smoking?

I run my fleet (some 13" on the front, otherwise all 12") at 36psi front, 32psi rear, never rotate, and get even wear patterns, with up to 70,000 miles before they go bald. My tires usually dry out and start cracking before they wear out.

No one is smoking anything.

If max pressure is 44 40 is a fair psi.

Every brand and type of tire has different ratings.

For example I can't run my set of tires over 32 psi
because of the type and size and how they are stretched.
I think they are rated for 35.

Psi is all relative based on the type and brand of tire.
As long as it is in the intended range of psi you should be fine.
Just accommodate for thermal expansion.

And if you want higher tire pressures.
Buy high load heavy duty tires.
they can accomodate up to 80psi max in some cases.

[sketchman]

They smoking good stuff.

I've always run overinflated tires. Hypermilers run high pressures with no issues. 40psi is normal for me. The Escape, Escort, Festiva, Neon, Yaris; all are/were overinflated. They wear fine and feel much better. Clutch engagement is less jittery, and curves feel way better at speed.

[scitzz]

60psi? 50psi? 40+ psi? What are you all smoking?

Higher pressures reduce rolling resistance, which can get you better gas mileage.

Running around outside the asylum again with my tappy talky appy

[Zanzer]

I run 40psi with zero issues. Nice even tire wear, good handling, and a pretty decent 37mpg...which is phenomenal based on my driving habits


And at the moment, I'm smoking a Marlboro :mrgreen:

[drddan]

40 lbs here also!

..and at the moment, I wont say what I am smoking

[navdoc101]

I run 40 in 44max tires also.

[kayweb]

I run 50 on my accord now, it has a hell of a lot more torque than the festy so i've been experiencing the joys of load-on understeer but mileage has increased. (I get 38-40 mpg highway in a car rated at 29, though i've been doing a lot of city driving lately :/)

[Bert]

I must say I generally run at higher pressures (ie 35-40) than recommended on the sidewall but I wouldn't dream of inflating to 50 or 60 lb. Even the OEM rims on my full size pickup truck stamped on them says not to install tires that inflate beyond 50 and so far it is only LT (light truck) tires (that weigh considerably more than their equivalent P (passenger) type that I've run that high. According to the sidewall, LTs can safely be inflated to 65. LTs give you a pretty stiff ride and are certainly not available for Festys. Curiously utility trailers still use bias-ply tires which can carry more load than radials and they are available in 13s and will take higher pressures.

[frankenfester]

Yeah the sidewall max on mine is 44psi under load. And they are lower profile on those 14" Estrellas. So the 40 I run seems to be doing well. I just wasn't sure if running a little lower might decrease the hydroplane I get when traveling over 60 in the rain.

-James

[nitrofarm]

I run 60 psi all around (35max sidewall) They have been wearing noticeably better since I upped the psi from 45.

Mike there are so many things a tire guy will tell you that's wrong with this statement. P metric tires aren't designed for these high pressures. 60 psi is LT Tire territory,and your tire is going to wear and handle like poop. With that much pressure your tire is going to crown and now you loose your contact patch. Resulting in prematurely wearing the center portion of your tire. If you want better mileage get skinny tall tires.