Stock tires.....Anyone know what is a good pressure to maintain ?
(Not looking for suggested PSI in manual)
Everytime it bring it back to the dealer, they set it at 26 psi (cold)
I like 32 psi, but things start to rattle (like my sunglasses in the holder, cell phone in the tray)
I am looking for a balance of ride, traction (dry) plus fuel economy. Any thoughts or suggestions ???

 

32 is what I like, if thats too harsh for you try 30

 

If you go lower than recommended, pay attention to the how your tires wear. If the outter side wears faster, you should bring up the psi.

 

i do 33-34 on mine.

 

Wow... you guys keep it that low? My car felt like the tires were flat when it was only 26psi. I bumped it up to 35 and things were MUCH better... but still it felt sloppy. So for the last 4 months, I've been running the tires at 40psi each, and the traction is SOOOOO much better. I can totally tell when one tire is anything less. (my Driver's side tire loses about 3lbs a week)

 

i ran the factory tires around 40- 42 psi much better handeling than the recomended

 

Yeah but you are gonna wear out the center of the tire very quickly. And you are way more succeptible to impact breaks in the sidewall. More pressure you have, more chances that a small pothole will cause major damage to the tire.

 

so what your saying is that... say 36-38 is a good balance?

-Ryan
'99 SSM TL

 

You guys said the manual says 26? And You guys are doing 40!? WTF Isnt that BAD!?

 

actually no i didntwear the centers out faster at 40-42 psi. i got 43000 hard miles on them, quite a bit more than i usualy get. and they went autocrossing twice too.

 

u guys are talking about warm temp, not cold right? If you r pumping 40 psi, u r very close to cold temp max of the tire. Be careful with pothole or any sharp hard objects!!!!!

 

Why do the stock tires SAG so much? Even with the 40psi I put in, they still look flat! I've had many people comment that my tires look low (all 4 of them) and I check and confirm that I have 40psi. When I got it from the dealer after an oil change, they had reset them all back to 28psi and the car couldnt handle worth crap.

 

My friends keep telling me that too. Must be the 3500 lbs on 60/40 ratio. (My front tires always look lower than my back)

 

The new tires I'm getting (Michelin Pilot Sport A/S) say that you can put up to 50psi in them. I dont think I want to run THAT high, but because they are way lower profile (235/40R18). But I was also concerned about the weight on these as well. I'm trying to research if they are designed for a lighter car, but anything lighter usually means smaller.... and smaller cars cant fit 18's! So I cant be going too wrong!

 

to counter the 60/40 weight thing, can I just do something like 35 on rear and 40 on front? maybe not that extreme... but you get my point!

-Ryan
'99 SSM TL

 

Try 34 front and 32 rear COLD, that means morning before you drive it.

 

i wouldnt worry about the weight issue. typicaly because of the weight differences you run slightly higher in the front than the rear just due to the difference in weight. but as far as wether or not the tire can handle the weight?your not driving a pick up truck with a bed full of bricks so the rating on the tire will be more than adquate.
just my .02

 

Just to update, I put 40psi in all tires last nite. Seems to be working, a little more traction I guess. I definately notice the ride difference, feels a bit more sporty cause I have more road feel.

-Ryan
'99 SSM TL

 

The whole "more traction" with increased tire pressure is psychological. As you increase the pressure in your tires less and less of your treads will contact the ground. Less contact = less traction. That it why people suggest reducing your tire pressure in the snow for traction.

 

Really? lol... i was actually going to put something like that in my last post, but honestly, I think I do feel a bit more stability with them pumped up. Of course, its hard to tell with these damned stock tires... and god help me I just ordered another set of them!!!

 

26 is not what the factory reccomends, just check the inside of the drivers door.

it has 32 psi cold.

 

I guess "Traction" is not the word I should use then. but as the last guy here stated.... Stability! When go around corners at 80MPH.. I dont want my tires to be soft and mushy. I want a firm tire that will press hard against the road and not flex.

Of course that is the whole point of getting low profile tires too!

 

I do 40 psi cold.. firm and not too soggy ride