Tire Pressure

In the past, I have always put 35 pounds of pressure in my car tires and
have had great luck in achieving maximum tire tread life. Of course, 35
pounds has been the maximum pressure indicated on the tires.

However, I recently purchased a 2004 Dodge Stratus and the tires indicate
44 pounds maximum pressure. The sticker on the car says to run 30 pounds
pressure maximum.

My question is, for maximum tire life, should I use the maximum 44 pounds
or 30 pounds? I assume that if I run 30 pounds the ride will be smoother.

"bernsax" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
> In the past, I have always put 35 pounds of pressure in my car tires and
> have had great luck in achieving maximum tire tread life. Of course, 35
> pounds has been the maximum pressure indicated on the tires.
>
> However, I recently purchased a 2004 Dodge Stratus and the tires indicate
> 44 pounds maximum pressure. The sticker on the car says to run 30 pounds
> pressure maximum.
>
> My question is, for maximum tire life, should I use the maximum 44 pounds
> or 30 pounds? I assume that if I run 30 pounds the ride will be smoother.

*My* gut says 30 isn't enough, but who knows.

I would start with 30-35, and keep a very critical eye on treadwear. If it
wears faster on the outside, increase pressure. If it wears on the center,
decrease pressure.
--
Jim in NC

> On 9/16/2006 11:31 AM ... bernsax wrote:
> In the past, I have always put 35 pounds of pressure in my car tires and
> have had great luck in achieving maximum tire tread life. Of course, 35
> pounds has been the maximum pressure indicated on the tires.
>
> However, I recently purchased a 2004 Dodge Stratus and the tires indicate
> 44 pounds maximum pressure. The sticker on the car says to run 30 pounds
> pressure maximum.
>
> My question is, for maximum tire life, should I use the maximum 44 pounds
> or 30 pounds? I assume that if I run 30 pounds the ride will be smoother.
>

The wife's car is a 2003 Stratus. At 30PSI the tires are wearing evenly
(with 35K miles on them). At 44PSI surely they would wear in the center
treads and decrease overall tire life. Also, harder tire pressures add
wear to suspension components and reduce wet traction.

> On 9/16/2006 11:31 AM ... bernsax wrote:
> In the past, I have always put 35 pounds of pressure in my car tires and
> have had great luck in achieving maximum tire tread life. Of course, 35
> pounds has been the maximum pressure indicated on the tires.
>
> However, I recently purchased a 2004 Dodge Stratus and the tires indicate
> 44 pounds maximum pressure. The sticker on the car says to run 30 pounds
> pressure maximum.
>
> My question is, for maximum tire life, should I use the maximum 44 pounds
> or 30 pounds? I assume that if I run 30 pounds the ride will be smoother.
>

The wife's car is a 2003 Stratus. At 30PSI the tires are wearing evenly
(with 35K miles on them). At 44PSI surely they would wear in the center
treads and decrease overall tire life. Also, harder tire pressures add
wear to suspension components and reduce wet traction.

"bernsax" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
> In the past, I have always put 35 pounds of pressure in my car tires and
> have had great luck in achieving maximum tire tread life. Of course, 35
> pounds has been the maximum pressure indicated on the tires.
>
> However, I recently purchased a 2004 Dodge Stratus and the tires indicate
> 44 pounds maximum pressure. The sticker on the car says to run 30 pounds
> pressure maximum.
>
> My question is, for maximum tire life, should I use the maximum 44 pounds
> or 30 pounds? I assume that if I run 30 pounds the ride will be smoother.
>

Always go by the sticker that is on the door jam and not by the tire
manufacture.

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

maxpower wrote:

> Always go by the sticker that is on the door jam and not by the tire
> manufacture.

Why would the auto manufacture know more about tires than the tire
manufacture? The auto manufacture cares about ride quality and
handling. Not tire wear. Recall that Ford stipulated different tire
pressure than Firestone to improve handling but possibly leading to some
of the blowouts.

"miles" > wrote in message
news:6Z3Pg.4181$AP2.3049@fed1read10...
> maxpower wrote:
>
> > Always go by the sticker that is on the door jam and not by the tire
> > manufacture.
>
> Why would the auto manufacture know more about tires than the tire
> manufacture? The auto manufacture cares about ride quality and
> handling. Not tire wear. Recall that Ford stipulated different tire
> pressure than Firestone to improve handling but possibly leading to some
> of the blowouts.

The tire has no idea what the vehicle weights or anything else about the
vehicle. Always go by the rating on the vehicle.
Firestone made a poor quality tire.

Glenn

A couple of additional thoughts.
1. The "maximum pressure" is just that. A safety warning from the tire
manufacturer. If you inflate it beyond that point the expansion of the air
under driving conditions might be enough to damage the tires or even a
blowout. Myself has never wanted to test just how much safety margin the
makers put in this recommendation. As such I feel pretty confident that it
has no relation to either comfort of ride, fuel economy, nor tire wear.
2. I heard (during/after the Ford Explorer tire debacle) a recommendation
from someone knowledgeable to inflate to 4 pounds under the max pressure
rating for optimal safety of infation (not necessarily the best ride nor
best fuel economy).
3. While I'm sure the car mfg. does know the gross weight of the vehicle
(and so do you since they include it on the label plate) and have tested how
it handles at various tire pressures, they don't know whether the car is
driven with little to no extra weight or fully loaded like you were moving
everyday (the traveling salesman selling floor tile with mega samples type).
The more weight you ad to the car, the more inflation you need to add to the
mfg. recommendation. (I think they would agree?)
4. Alignment is, in my humble experience, a more important factor for good
tire wear than even inflation. Yes, very over or under inflation is both
dangerous and will cause rapid wear. But so will excessive toe in/ toe out
etc. Best time to align is with new tires.
Bob

"bernsax" > wrote in message
lkaboutautos.com...
> In the past, I have always put 35 pounds of pressure in my car tires and
> have had great luck in achieving maximum tire tread life. Of course, 35
> pounds has been the maximum pressure indicated on the tires.
>
> However, I recently purchased a 2004 Dodge Stratus and the tires indicate
> 44 pounds maximum pressure. The sticker on the car says to run 30 pounds
> pressure maximum.
>
> My question is, for maximum tire life, should I use the maximum 44 pounds
> or 30 pounds? I assume that if I run 30 pounds the ride will be smoother.
>

"Robert Vogel" > wrote in message
. ..
> A couple of additional thoughts.
> 1. The "maximum pressure" is just that. A safety warning from the tire
> manufacturer. If you inflate it beyond that point the expansion of the
air
> under driving conditions might be enough to damage the tires or even a
> blowout. Myself has never wanted to test just how much safety margin the
> makers put in this recommendation. As such I feel pretty confident that
it
> has no relation to either comfort of ride, fuel economy, nor tire wear.
> 2. I heard (during/after the Ford Explorer tire debacle) a recommendation
> from someone knowledgeable to inflate to 4 pounds under the max pressure
> rating for optimal safety of infation (not necessarily the best ride nor
> best fuel economy).
> 3. While I'm sure the car mfg. does know the gross weight of the vehicle
> (and so do you since they include it on the label plate) and have tested
how
> it handles at various tire pressures, they don't know whether the car is
> driven with little to no extra weight or fully loaded like you were moving
> everyday (the traveling salesman selling floor tile with mega samples
type).
> The more weight you ad to the car, the more inflation you need to add to
the
> mfg. recommendation. (I think they would agree?)
> 4. Alignment is, in my humble experience, a more important factor for
good
> tire wear than even inflation. Yes, very over or under inflation is both
> dangerous and will cause rapid wear. But so will excessive toe in/ toe
out
> etc. Best time to align is with new tires.
> Bob
>
> "bernsax" > wrote in message
> lkaboutautos.com...
> > In the past, I have always put 35 pounds of pressure in my car tires and
> > have had great luck in achieving maximum tire tread life. Of course, 35
> > pounds has been the maximum pressure indicated on the tires.
> >
> > However, I recently purchased a 2004 Dodge Stratus and the tires
indicate
> > 44 pounds maximum pressure. The sticker on the car says to run 30
pounds
> > pressure maximum.
> >
> > My question is, for maximum tire life, should I use the maximum 44
pounds
> > or 30 pounds? I assume that if I run 30 pounds the ride will be
smoother.
> >
>
>

In a few more years when all cars being made will be required to have tires
sensors built in for emissions, you wont have to worry about that because
if the tire pressure is below or exceeds the programmed value it will turn
on the warning lite. So if you have a tire that is rated at 50psi and you
top it off to 50psi and the vehicle is rated at 35psi.....you will be
staring at the yellow lite on the dash until you set them to specs.

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

I see comments like this all this time and cannot understand why anyone
would read the maximum tire pressure on the sidewall and take that as a
reocmmended pressure. It is a "Do Not Exceed This Pressure" warning, not a
recommendation.

I guess tire companies should put "Follow vehicle manufacturer inflation
recommendations but do not exceed XX PSI" on the tire as well! If that will
fit...

"miles" > wrote in message
news:6Z3Pg.4181$AP2.3049@fed1read10...
> maxpower wrote:
>
>> Always go by the sticker that is on the door jam and not by the tire
>> manufacture.
>
> Why would the auto manufacture know more about tires than the tire
> manufacture? The auto manufacture cares about ride quality and handling.
> Not tire wear. Recall that Ford stipulated different tire pressure than
> Firestone to improve handling but possibly leading to some of the
> blowouts.