Well, if your tires wear in the center faster than on the edges, the pressure is why. You run way too much air in your tires. That's W-A-Y, as in way too much air pressure if you are in the habit of filling them to the number that is stamped on the tire.
PS, George is asking for trouble.
A tire that is filled to the maximum recommended tire pressure will give a harsh ride but that is the only real disadvantage. I know that tire brochures and intro to auto shop show pictures of tires with the center of the tread worn more quickly than the shoulders, but realisticially, this only happens if you are spinning the tires. If you're willing to put up with the harsh ride,you will get better fuel economy, cornering, and tire life.
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One will not get better tire life. They will get a harsher ride, and perhaps better fuel economy, but the tires will most certainly wear faster in the middle of the tread.
There is no reason to put more than 30 psi in the vast majority of passenger car tires. The new low profile tires might take higher pressures, but the
15" tires that I took off of my BMW take the same pressure as the 17" tires that I put on, so I don't know for certain that the tire sidewalls play a role or not in the tire pressure. Logic says it should, but as a practical matter, my car didn't reflect that logic. Even if the low-profile tires take more than 30 psi, they shouldn't need more than about 35 psi, and nowhere near the pressure that is stamped on the tire -- which is the max pressure at the max load.
I've always gotten even tire wear. I'm just that kinda guy...
Yeah, I told him that! 2000 lbs of rocks in a 500 lb capacity van?
Uh, I DON'T think he was driving REAL fast...
You sure about cornering, Ray? I do notice fuel efficiency (the Chrysler has an Economy setting the the 'computer', when I see fuel economy slipping consistantly by .2 MPG I know it's time to check the tires!
If I notice .5 or more, it's time to REPLACE the tires!)
This is almopst 25% under maximum, which seems to me a LOT! on a 44PSI tire, that is. And if you look at the REALLY low profile thire, they are often over 55 PSI.
as far as max pressure at max load, I weigh a bit...
Jeff,
Tire tread life will definitely improve with higher tire pressure. With a higher tire pressure, there is less tread squirm, which is a major contributor to tread wear. The factory recommended tire pressures usually result in faster shoulder wear so higher tire pressures will negate some of the shoulder wear. When you take introduction to auto shop in high school they show drawings or pictures of tires that have had the middle of the tread worn prematurely due to excess tire pressure, but running close to max on a passenger or light truck tire is not enough to cause that kind of wear.
Uninformed conjecture.
The new low profile tires might take higher pressures, but the
Tire pressure is a balance between ride comfort, handling, load carrying capacity, and tread life.
Handling does improve with more tire pressure on street tires. It also keeps the bead seated on really hard cornering. That is a classic trick for SCCA showroom stock racers. We once did a ride and drive with new Corollas at New Hampshire Speedway, hired instructors from Skip Barber to come and demonstrate how well the new Corollas were supposed to handle. The first thing they wanted on every car driven on the track was 45 PSI in all the tires.
I couldn't find the original link, here's one way..
Which model? 'hachiroku's'? Sure wish I'd been there!
Excellent! Thanks, FJ!
We now return to our regulalrly scheduled Conservative-and-Liberal Bashing! ;)
No, nothing that exciting. I don't remember what year it was, other than it was the year that ABS was introduced on the Corolla. We did do some fun stuff, like lay down about 50 feet of vinyl carpet runner, pour a couple of gallons of dish soap, and then spray the runner with water. Take a car without ABS, go about 30 MPH, put the tires on one side on the runner, and then slam on the brakes for some donuts, then do the same with a car with ABS, just stop in a straight line. Of course, everyone wanted to drive the cars without ABS. We also did some high speed runs on the track and some autocross in the infield.
If you weighed enough to use the max pressure figures printed on the tires, you wouldn't be able to fit behind the steering wheel. Frankly, you wouldn't fit through the bathroom door.
Again, with the possible exception of the very narrow sidewall tires, passenger cars should carry 30 psi in all four tires for the kinds of driving that the vast majority of Americans do. If one knows how much air to put in, then fine. But if one is not familiar with a car -- rental for example, or a friend's car -- and discovers that the tires could stand a little more air, you can't go wrong with 30 psi. It'll get where you want to go and won't hurt the tires.
Absolutely true, and that point generally arrives at about 30 psi in the vast majority of instances.
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