Should you inflate pressure of your tires to what the actual tires say or to...?

Question

... what the actual vehicle says on the inside of the driver's door?

Answer 1

You fill to what the door of your car says no matter what tire you get.  People don't realize that no matter what size the tire is, under the same weight car and filled with the same air pressure, the contact patch is the same.  Yes I have seen the math and talked with tire experts at auto cross events.  So what you want is to follow the manufacturers recommendation for that car.  Now you can add a few psi to improve mileage on the freeway but you will compromise handling because you shrink the contact patch and lose traction.

Answer 2

i generally do what the tires say especially if the car wants more than the tires can handle. plus low tires use more fuel.

Answer 3

yes

Answer 4

The vehicles door sticker is the proper inflation. The tire pressure value is a maximum the tire should be inflated to regardless of the vehicle. By inflating the tire to the recommended vehicles value, you are taking into consideration the weight of the vehicle, while the value on the tire is taking into considering the maximum load rating of the tire. Two different things. If you use the value on the side of the tire, say 32psi and the vehicle says 28psi the tire will be overinflated for the vehicle and the tire will wear in the center because the tire/wheel doesn't have enough weight on it and it will make contact with the road in the center because the cross section balloons.

If you change the size of the tire on the car, then you need to figure out what is best for the car, but don't immediately use the maximum tire inflation value.

Answer 5

Go with the guys that designed, built and extensively safety tested your vehicle, the vehicle manufacturer.

Answer 6

Look at the tires!

If they are wearing in the center of the tread, then they are over inflated.

If they are wearing more at the outer edges, then they are under inflated.

I tend to run 5 psi more then what is on the door.

Tire pressure is determined by total weigh on the tire. So if the car is fully loaded then it needs more air pressure in the tire.

Never go under the manufactures pressure recommendations when using a stock sized tire. If you use wider (or narrower) tires the learning to read tread wear becomes more important.

Remember the Firestone vs Ford problems on blowing tires? Ford recommended what Firestone felt as under inflation. But Ford wanted a softer ride. The manufactures  recommendations are based on ride comfort. Not tire wear or gas mileage.

LOOK AT THE TREAD!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 7

If a tire is build to sustain a pressure, the tire manufacturer designates the proper inflation for a normally loaded vehicle. Listen to what they say for they have spent millions on research and want the best results so you will buy more of their product when that time arrives.

Answer 8

Either read the inside door sticker or read the owners manual.......

Answer 9

to what the tire says it will be on the side wall of the tire.  The number on the car is only valid for the original set of tires unless they are replaced by identical ones