Best tire pressure for performance
- Thread starter donmbmw
- Start date
like i first stated, the correct pressure is probably the right pressure. unless you are racing.
lower pressure gives more grip (to an extent), higher pressure gives more slip.
If you underinflate, the tire will crown and create a reverse effect of grip. you would want higher pressure in the front, for example if your car has oversteer, and vise-versa for the opposite.
for everyday use - best gas mileage, ride, and control, the correct psi is the right psi!
lower pressure gives more grip (to an extent), higher pressure gives more slip.
If you underinflate, the tire will crown and create a reverse effect of grip. you would want higher pressure in the front, for example if your car has oversteer, and vise-versa for the opposite.
for everyday use - best gas mileage, ride, and control, the correct psi is the right psi!
Tire pressure should be adjusted to provide maximum grip. I recommend running a chalk line across your tires and then moving the car a few feet. Then checking the chalk line, it should wear out evenly. If the edges are gone but the center is still visable your tires are under inflated. If the edges are still visable but the center is gone your over inflated. adjust pressure and do it all over again until it wears out evenly across your tire. Some thing I learned a while back.
I disagree with the maximum pressure comments here about tyre pressure.
Used to spend time with the Porsche Club at the local race track when I still owned my turbocharged Silvia. Most of them would deflate their tyres to around 30psi whereas maximum pressure on the Pirelli tyres I was using was around 40-45psi.
Used to spend time with the Porsche Club at the local race track when I still owned my turbocharged Silvia. Most of them would deflate their tyres to around 30psi whereas maximum pressure on the Pirelli tyres I was using was around 40-45psi.
Then I disagree with the entire Porsche club. I have a lot of experience with off-road driving (I have two quads) and on-road driving. You want low tire pressure if you want to drive off-road so the treads really dig into the dirt/snow/mud/whatever. You want high tire pressure when you want the tube to inflat and the tire to be really tight...gives you the stiffest tires for best handling (tires don't mush in as much on the turns, etc.).
Optimal pressure will vary from car to car, tire to tire, and application to application.
Generally speaking, you want higher pressure than the manufacturer's spec when you are on a road course, and lower pressure than spec when you are drag racing. In any event, you don't want to exceed the tire's maximum pressure.
Some cars have unique pressures. The NSX spec is 32 PSI in the front and 40 PSI in the rear, at least with the stock wheels/tires. I have been running that setup with my aftermarket wheels/tires, as do many other NSXers. There are also folks who don't vary the PSI when running aftermarket gear.
Generally speaking, you want higher pressure than the manufacturer's spec when you are on a road course, and lower pressure than spec when you are drag racing. In any event, you don't want to exceed the tire's maximum pressure.
Some cars have unique pressures. The NSX spec is 32 PSI in the front and 40 PSI in the rear, at least with the stock wheels/tires. I have been running that setup with my aftermarket wheels/tires, as do many other NSXers. There are also folks who don't vary the PSI when running aftermarket gear.
Just took this from some postings about racing tyre pressures on unrelated boards:
">The low pressure theroy only applies to slicks or DOT drag race tires such as
>M&H Racemasters. Theese tires have a very thin sidewall construction so that
>they will wrinkle to absorb the shock that would cause a tire with a normal
>sidewall to break loose.
> This is the ONLY reason that you would race with low tire pressure. If you
>try this with radials you will run slower and increase your chances for a
>loss of controll at the top end."
... makes sense. I wasn't taking into account the fact that most of the Porsche club were not using road tyres.
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">The low pressure theroy only applies to slicks or DOT drag race tires such as
>M&H Racemasters. Theese tires have a very thin sidewall construction so that
>they will wrinkle to absorb the shock that would cause a tire with a normal
>sidewall to break loose.
> This is the ONLY reason that you would race with low tire pressure. If you
>try this with radials you will run slower and increase your chances for a
>loss of controll at the top end."
... makes sense. I wasn't taking into account the fact that most of the Porsche club were not using road tyres.