Air pressure for front/back tyres?

[Dptm]

Just change my tyres recently and was recommended by the shop to pump 220 kpa for front tyres and 200 kpa for back.

Is this normal or advisable?

Edited January 24, 2002 by Admin

[Turbobrick]

The shop probably gave U a rough figure, check along your front door's edge or fuel filler door, should have a sticker showing the recommended tire pressures.

[Dptm]

The shop probably gave U a rough figure, check along your front door's edge or fuel filler door, should have a sticker showing the recommended tire pressures.

 

mine was missing when i bought the car.

is 220 kpa for all tyres a safe bet?

[Huggable]

Normally the tyre pressure for front tyres are slightly more than the rear, for front engine cars.

 

For your case, you can refer to the owner's manual (if you have), or why don't you check out with those who drives the same model car as you?

 

mine was missing when i bought the car.

is 220 kpa for all tyres a safe bet?

[DoctorDrake]

220 is ok. In fact for my Octy, the numbers on the inside of the fuel filler cap say 220 for the front and 200 for the rear.

[Myfocus]

What car is this? did you check the manual?

 

Easy answer: follow sticker on door frame, or manual (my car does not come with the tyre pressure sticker).

 

More comprehensive answer: It all depends ;-). Driving style, comfort level, load carried (mfgr pressures are based on assumptions on number of passengers and boot load carried), tyre characteristics* etc. Example my previous car specified a light load as driver and 1 front passenger at 90kg each plus a boot load evenly distributed over the entire boot area of 150kg.

 

(* tyre characteristics cover a whole spectrum of factors, too long to go into now)

 

My recommendation. Pump up, load up the car with your usual load, drive it in your usual style, look for tyre wear. It should come up to the shoulder. Proper way, use a pyrometer (digital non-contact best), easy/lazy way, use shoe polish, chalk or canvas shoe polish (no brand preference, have only used Kiwi becoz it was easily available).

 

Just as a datapoint (with no validity nor relevance to your car and tyres ;-), my manual recommends 32psi all round. Have found that front 33 and back 30 is ideal.

 

As usual, YMMV (figuratively and literally).

 

 

 

 

Just change my tyres recently and was recommended by the shop to pump 220 kpa for front tyres and 200 kpa for back.

Is this normal or advisable?

Edited January 25, 2002 by Myfocus

[Sky8807]

Tyre pressure affect ride and handling. For a start, you need a tyre pressure gauge and the pressure is best check when tyre are cool/cold.

Try pumping 35psi at the pump and lower to 33 when cold all round. Drive around and get the feel first. If the car is choppy, lower to 32 and test until the ride is comfortable enough.

The lowest you can go should be around 26 - 28 psi when cold. Lower than that you might have tyre wearing on both side which indicate under inflation. Of course by the time you realised that will be a little too late.

However, you can judge by looking at the tyre especially the front set, should have a little bulge when stationary.

[Turbobrick]

Ok, a general reference to start off with is 32psi front and 30psi (cold!)

 

Then check your tire wear along the shoulders and increase/decrease from there.

 

e.g. my recommended pressure is 33psi front and 30 rear but I feel most comfy with 36psi front and 30rear as I corner quite hard and seldom load up the trunk.

[Jasx]

sorrie, but u guys never mentioned the tyre size. ur psi rating applies to all tyre size???

[Turbobrick]

Stock 205/50R16

 

Now 215/45R17

 

[Madarmour]

I thought your tyre size is a bit small for your car. My stock is 205/55 16".

 

BTW, check out this site abt the recommended race setup for scoobys. Pretty interesting and may be helpful for us too.

 

http://www.subrew.com/setup_setupguide.html

 

Cheers!

[Turbobrick]

Err....Mike U mean my stock or present size? The present one is about 2% larger in diameter compared to my stock. Donno why Volvo specs so small footprint for their cars, even the Bimmer hi-po range has 225 or 245 tires whereas Volvos are still using 205 or 215s until the recent S60T5 using 225 all round.

[Madarmour]

I mean your stocks.

[Turbobrick]

Yeah, they were kinda smallish. The US Spec got the 205/55R16 due to lawsuit by the US consumer over the 50 series blowing after hitting potholes.

[Dptm]

Thanks guys for the advice!

Will try 32psi (220kpa?) and 30psi (200kpa?).

However, need to get a tyre pressure gauge (setho something scope!), any model to recommend (not more than $20).

[Turbobrick]

StethoGuage, $16 at Autobacs

[Dptm]

StethoGuage, $16 at Autobacs

thanks, will check it out!

[Turbobrick]

Looks like this except it's a fixed metal head rather than the rubber tube shown in the pic to adapt to the tire valve.