Tire Pressure

[NDallasRuss]

What do you usually inflate your car tires to? 32psi, 34, whatever your manual says is proper inflation, right?

While waiting to check my tires and level them off this afternoon, I watched this person* inflate a tire on their Subaru to 60psi. That seems a little excessive. They put their $0.75 into the machine and put air in the tire until their time was up.

*I will refrain from providing any demographic information to keep from possibly perpetuating any stereotypes.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

220, 221...whatever it takes.

 

[docktordoak]

Sometimes the donut is up to 60 psi, doesn't sound like it was the spare though.

 

[NDallasRuss]

Sometimes the donut is up to 60 psi, doesn't sound like it was the spare though.

No, it wasn't a donut. Just a regular car tire.

 

[Gonolz]

I think it is like with a penis, you can pump it up like that for certain purposes, just not for 4 hours or more or you need to call your mechanic.

 

[Huck Said]

Don't go by what's on the sidewall of the tire. There's small metal placard inside the drivers door that you can see when the door is open. I put 35 psi in my Outback. 60 seems dangerously high, that it makes the tire a lot more prone to a blowout and even if that doesn't happen the center of the tread would wear prematurely and offset any benefits they thought they were getting by over inflating them.

 

[Lemon Thrower]

anything more than 40 and your tire will wear down prematurely.

+1 on the metal placard on the inside frame of the drivers door, like Huck said

 

[DFSNOLE]

Many of the low profile tires require more than 35psi.

 

[NoleFan2U]

Even this female knows to check the placard in the drivers door well!

 

[coloradonoles]

As the temperature cools you can lose between 3-5 psi in your tires. It's good to check regularly in the Fall and Winter.

Anybody use Nitrogen in theirs? It's big up North (no pressure drop) but doesn't seem worth it down South.

 

[Nolomite]

220, 221...whatever it takes.

Nice quote!

 

[runkpanole]

I try to keep mine in the 35 area, so a little higher than recommended. 60 seems like you have a death wish.

 

[F4Gary]

100psi in the motorhome tires. Drivers door placard for the others. Sometimes a little more if I'm autocrossing the Vette.

For every 10* temp change, you gain or lose 1 psi.

Nitrogen is for suckers.

 

[ohio#1nolefan]

I recently had my car serviced and afterwards they told me I needed an alignment. As I drove down the highway the frontend was vibrating and basically driving very rough. I drove it for a couple weeks then took it to the alignment shop. So I'm sitting there and the mechanic comes out and says "umm...is there a reason why you have almost 70 psi in your front tires"? I was like...uhhhh..are you serious? I immediately called the dealership that serviced it and questioned them about it. His response was "sometimes the air gauges don't work properly". My response "so a mechanic that does this daily couldn't realize that he was putting in double the normal amount of air"?

 

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

I recently had my car serviced and afterwards they told me I needed an alignment. As I drove down the highway the frontend was vibrating and basically driving very rough. I drove it for a couple weeks then took it to the alignment shop. So I'm sitting there and the mechanic comes out and says "umm...is there a reason why you have almost 70 psi in your front tires"? I was like...uhhhh..are you serious? I immediately called the dealership that serviced it and questioned them about it. His response was "sometimes the air gauges don't work properly". My response "so a mechanic that does this daily couldn't realize that he was putting in double the normal amount of air"?

Upselling. All of the dealership people are taught to sell you more stuff (often stuff you don't even need), and to increase their "average ticket revenue." Sad.

 

[NYCNole]

Tom Brady should chime in on this thread.

 

[Gonolz]

Upselling. All of the dealership people are taught to sell you more stuff (often stuff you don't even need), and to increase their "average ticket revenue." Sad.

Yeah, I always wonder who pays an extra $40 for the nitrogen they always offer for your tires. Ummmm, dude, our atmosphere is 78% nitrogen and you want me to pay what for it?

 

[Bartdog]

Yeah, I always wonder who pays an extra $40 for the nitrogen they always offer for your tires. Ummmm, dude, our atmosphere is 78% nitrogen and you want me to pay what for it?

Like when that guy sold Ernie a bottle of air...

 

[docktordoak]

Yeah, I always wonder who pays an extra $40 for the nitrogen they always offer for your tires. Ummmm, dude, our atmosphere is 78% nitrogen and you want me to pay what for it?

Who charges $40 for nitrogen? I just go to the quick-change oil store down the street and they fill mine up for free. I don't even buy oil changes there.

 

[Gonolz]

Who charges $40 for nitrogen? I just go to the quick-change oil store down the street and they fill mine up for free. I don't even buy oil changes there.

I think it was when I was having work done at a Chevy dealership maybe 5 years ago that they offered the nitrogen "upgrade" for $40. I was like WTF? I recall I started a post here about it. Maybe prices have gone down now that people figured it out. I have seen some places that offer it free if you buy your car or tires there, but haven't seen any quick change places offering for free, not even with an oil change.

 

[NDallasRuss]

Who charges $40 for nitrogen? I just go to the quick-change oil store down the street and they fill mine up for free. I don't even buy oil changes there.

I get mine filled with helium - it reduces the "rolling weight" of my car and improves my gas mileage by around 10%.

 

[F4Gary]

Chrome wheels are a bigger problem than air vs nitrogen.