Question by SunnyK: Tire Pressure – Pros and Cons?
Okay, so I’ve heard that in order to get the best gas mileage on my car, I should keep my tires “properly inflated”, which for me, is 32 psi on the front and 29 psi on the back (or maybe reversed – I forgot lol). My dad says not to pump them up to that much, but he won’t really say why.
So are there any reasons why it would be good to not keep them properly inflated? Is there any truth behind what my dad is saying, or is that just a common myth that hasn’t publicly been really debunked? :/
Oh, and it’s a 2003 Mitsubisih Eclipse (in steel blue 
)
Best answer:
Answer by Smarks
I would ask him why he says it. Otherwise keep them properly inflated. If it is cold out don’t inflate them to maximum, or when it warms up the tires will expand. -s
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Change a car tire
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SUV Tires To Drive Your Car
SUV tires are used in the SUV vehicles or in the light trucks than the passenger cars. If you are carrying lots of load in the vehicle SUV tires are the best option for your vehicle. These tires work well than the other tires in the rain, snow, mud and in all kinds of terrain. The SUV tires can be of two types-one that are used in the hot roads in the summer and another that can be used in the salty roads in the winter season. You need to find the right tire according to your driving needs.
The SUV tires are mainly used in the multi purposed vehicles and when it comes to the wheels of SUV tires, chrome wheels are the best option. Another kind of wheel that fits with the needs of SUV tire, are the tuner wheels. So, buying of SUV tires is different from the buying of the tires that are used in regular vehicles. You need to know the uses of the SUV tires before buying one.
Buy the best suitable tires for your car according to its uses. SUV tires are mainly needed for the heavy vehicles. If you use them in any light weighed vehicle, the tires can be damaged and can prove to be dangerous for your car.
SUV tires are best for using in the construction areas and it can endure different weight and pressure
SUV tires are best used in the off-road vehicles, as these tires have deeper treads than the standard car tires. The other reason of using SUV tires in the off-road vehicle is that they are directional and they don’t get jammed while driving in the snow or mud.
Check the tire’s size like whether it is standard or over sized, and the plys of the tire as well – whether it is 6 ply or 4 ply before buying the tires.
SUV tires work best on the backroads and in the dry creekbeds. The tires are also very noisy.
The chrome wheels and the tuner wheels fit best with the SUV tires because of their highly loaded capacity. But the problem with the chrome wheels and the tuner wheels is that the wheels can be damaged and corroded in the winter season while driving on the salt spread. You can use wheel skins, in your car tires to avoid damages of this kind.
BIO: Article by Jenny at Inter-Dev SEO Company on behalf of Cheap-Chrome-Wheels.com – Wheels and Tires
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Follow the auto manufacturer’s specifications. That will maximize your ride, handling, vehicle performance and mileage. It will also keep the tires from wearing out prematurely. I’m not sure which manufacturer recommends 32 pounds in front and 29 out back, but if that’s what is on the placard that’s on the door jamb or glove box, I’d stick with it.
Make sure your tires are cool when you check the air pressure and check them frequently. Gas mileage with properly inflated tires is more than 20% improved over underinflated tires while tire life is shortened by as much as 50% when they are over inflated.
Good luck!
tires companies spend alot of money researching the best air pressure for their products…
why wouldn’t you believe what the tire says and keep your tires at that pressure..
less friction your tires produce the less gas your motor is going to burn to give you the speed you want..
low air or too much pressure eat more gas and causes the tire to wear out faster…
if your dad says different… then he needs education on the subject
35lbs is the average for most tires. Reasoning for raising and lowering is sometimes needed. If you plan on going on an extra long interstate ride where speeds can reach 85mph for extended periods of time you want to go up to 40lbs even 45lbs… Heat buildup actually causes presure to decrease, likewise in the winter (Cold Weather) it will expand. That might be where your dad is getting the 32/29 theory… Heavy loads on pickups really need a few extra pounds in the tires.
Keep them inflated at the recommended pressure.
Too much tire pressure may have less rolling resistance, but it is more prone to punctures. The ride quality may also be more stiff. The wear of the tire may be concentrated to the center. The contact patch will primarily be in the center, so say goodbye to cornering grip.
Too little tire pressure may be less prone to punctures and have a better ride qualtiy, but it has more rolling resistance and the handling may feel wobbly and loose……
Over inflation will flex the tire too tight and wear out the center portion, underinflation causes the sides to wear out. Control is also dependent on proper inflation. However under inflated tires have less resistance to heat and can blow out..it is a friction with the road issue and the tire not having a high heat range. POW–it blows out at 65 and off into the woods you go !! People very seldom think to ask about load and heat ranges of the tires they are buying. Overloaded tires with improper inflation can also blow out. Stick with the recommendations–and do your inflation cold–noy after the car has been driven any amount of time..the reading will not be correct due to heat. remember the friction I mentioned?? That heats up tires just by the nature of contact with the road as you roll along. The whole ownership and driving thing is an adult, mature attitude and understanding the hi tech equipment of today. Your dad may be stuck in the 50s when steel belts did not exist. Today’s tires are complex construction with a mix of hi grade rubber products. Most people are looking for a bargain when they buy anythng for their car–you get what you pay for.No way 4 tires for 99 dollars will be a bargain in safe operation and long life.
Regardless of what the other young pups say, you dad knows what he’s talking about and he’s NOT telling you to run them when they are truely underinflated for the load they are carrying. If you look on the side of the tire, somewhere close to the rim it’ll say something like “Maximum load 1,200 lbs at 35 psi” for example. That means that when the tire is aired up to 35 psi (pounds per square inch of air pressure), the tire can safely carry 1,200 pounds at normal speeds without worry of failure. If that tire is only supporting 600 pounds, then 35 psi is considered over-inflated. At that lighter load, the tire may only need 24 pounds to safely carry that load. However, turn around and put 1,200 pounds of load back on it and at 24 psi, it’s severely under-inflated and will likely overheat and blow out and that possibility increases as your speed increases.
Contrary to what one gentleman said, the air pressure in a warm tire increases over that of cold and in cold weather, the pressure decreases. What do you think makes hot air balloons rise? They don’t call them hot air for nothing. Hot air expands and when confined inside of a tire, the result is increased pressure. It’s a good idea to check the pressure in the fall before really cold weather sets in. Over-inflating a tire will have a tendency to wear the center of the tire and under the outsides as previously mentioned. Go by what the sticker on your car’s door jamb says or look in the manual for varying loads. If you have a small car and only you in it, you can go on the light side of recommendations but if you have 5 of your fat friends with you, better go with the higher recommended pressures. Also, the faster you go, the higher the pressure needs to be. If you’re running 85 mph in Montana, better up the pressure to the maximum recommended.