How much should you inflate your tires

Question

So, if your tires say max psi 44 pounds....many gradges only inflate to like 35. I find you get spungy handling. They clain this is better becuase it has more give over pot holes and such. I was always told to fill um up to 44. This see,s to give better handling, and better milage. The only time I ever had a blowout was when my tire was low. So my question is, how much do you all imflate your tires, right up to the top or 5 to 10 pounds less? If you inflate right up tot he top its important to check um in the spring becuase if you fill int he winter and the air heats up it can expand about a pound or 2.

Answer 1

according to your manufacture recommendation. Every vehicles have different recommendation. Check your manual for details.

Answer 2

It varies depending on your usage (car or p-up for instance) and your goals (maximum fuel mileage/more - maximum riding comfort/less - maximum tire wear/more - maximum traction/less). In general, I try the tire at maximum pressure (stated on the tire) then watch the tire wear (you'll see right away if the entire tread portion has contact or not - this is my main goal - max. pressure with full tread/ground contact area) and adjust accordingly. I just changed the tires on a pick-up and tried them at the max. recommended of 65 lbs. I was getting too much contact in the center of the tires (also rough ride and "light" steering) so decreased the pressure to 50 lbs. That's just right for me.

It's been my experience that most passenger car tires can and should be at, or near, maximum pressure but the tire tread wear is the very best indicator. If it is wearing in the middle more than the outer edges, decrease the pressure. If it is wearing on the outer edges of the tread more than the center, increase the pressure. All you have to do is look at the tire tread to determine this, you can see how it's wearing. Yes, tires need to be adjusted for the change of seasons, but they should be being checked more often than that. You shouldn't just adjust the pressure when you buy them and then check them in the winter and the summer. They should be, at least glanced at, about every time you get in your vehicle. They lose pressure in the winter and gain it in the summer. This is something well known to big truck drivers - those tires gain/lose 10-15 lbs. recommended pressure 90-130 lbs. depending on the tire and usage. Most all big truck tire blowouts are attributable to underinflation.

Answer 3

35 psi usually, max is 44 or 45 on my tires.

Answer 4

You should do what the folks who made your tires and the folks who made your car recommend and inflate the tires to what is specified in the owners manual or on the Vehicle Information Tag usually found inside the drivers door or door frame.  

If you look at what it actually says on the tire is says"Maximum Inflation Pressure 44 psi" or words to that effect.  This is not a recommendation for yours or any other vehicle, merely a safety warning for the not-to-exceed pressure on that particular tire.  Other tires may have a different max pressure (lower or higher) depending on size and manufacturer.

Under-inflating a tire can cause it to be overloaded which will increase wear and potentially cause the tire to overheat and fail.

Over-inflating a tire can cause uneven and premature tire wear, increased chance of tire damage from road hazards such as pot holes, reduced traction, altered vehicle handling characteristics and increased stopping distances.  

Vehicle manufacturers work closely with tire manufacturers and do hundreds of thousands of miles of testing to determine optimum tire pressures to maximize all aspects of tire and vehicle performance.  Deviating from those recommendations is tantamount to re-engineering the vehicle and none of us have an automotive engineering degree and are qualified to do that.

So my recommendation as a tire industry professional is to inflate the tires to what is recommended by the folks who built your car.  They know better than anyone what works best.

Tire pressures should be checked "cold", I like to check them in the morning before the car has been driven and the pressures set under those conditions.  They should be checked at least once a month and preferably once a week as pressures do change with time and temperature and leaks can happen at any time.

Answer 5

it,s better to put the right amount in your tires. too little of air and the tires will wear on the sides and too much air and the center of the tire will wear out.

Answer 6

The number on the tire is the max recommended pressure, what the car maker specifies is on a sticker located on the drivers door.

Max pressure in the tires will give increased milage and less traction due to less tread contact. Handling is decreased. Tire life is usually shorted due to the extra stress.