OK to reduce tyre pressures?

peking97 · 08-09-2017 11:59am #1

My fronts are specced at 38 psi according to manufacturer and I normally stick to this but have noticed that the tyres are wearing more in the centre of the tread which normally indicates overinflation. So my question is:- Is it ok, from a safety point of view, to reduce pressures slightly, say 2 psi, to see if this evens out the wear?

shietpilot · 08-09-2017 12:21pm

Yeah, I wouldn't be worried about it.

jca · 08-09-2017 1:25pm

Make sure the gauge you're using is accurate and the tyres are cold when checking the pressures.

peking97 · 08-09-2017 2:03pm

jca wrote: »

Make sure the gauge you're using is accurate and the tyres are cold when checking the pressures.

Yes, I always check when cold and crosscheck with guage and pump. I don't use forecourt compressors. But the question remains, is it ok from a safety point of view?

RootX · 08-09-2017 2:24pm

38psi is above average for passenger cars I would have thought, is that what the car manufacturer recommends for your wheel size?

peking97 · 08-09-2017 2:42pm

RootX wrote: »

38psi is above average for passenger cars I would have thought, is that what the car manufacturer recommends for your wheel size?

I thought the same but yes it is. Car is Renault Laguna Initiale 2L 150 bhp 2011. Info is from plate fitted on driver's door.

(Tyres are 215/50/17 95W)

Cee-Jay-Cee · 08-09-2017 9:51pm

My car is supposed to have 36psi front and rear in 225/45/18 tyres but it's miles too hard at that pressure. I run them 32psi front and 30psi rear and they're perfect and considerably more comfortable and the tyres look perfectly round and not under inflated.

Cerebrum · 10-09-2017 9:57am

35psi front, 30psi rear is recommended for the 215/50 R17

peking97 · 10-09-2017 2:26pm

Cerebrum wrote: »

35psi front, 30psi rear is recommended for the 215/50 R17

Do you, by any chance, have a source for that info please?
Would it not depend on the loading? (Weight of the load at each wheel).

jca · 10-09-2017 2:47pm

peking97 wrote: »

Do you, by any chance, have a source for that info please?
Would it not depend on the loading? (Weight of the load at each wheel).

Sweet Jesus just let the tyre pressures down by 2 psi it's hardly life or death is it?? Talk about over analysing something...
No, I don't have a source for such dare devil tactics.. you'll just have to wing it.

Cerebrum · 10-09-2017 2:57pm

peking97 wrote: »

Do you, by any chance, have a source for that info please?
Would it not depend on the loading? (Weight of the load at each wheel).

I didn't exactly go saving links to favourites.

It was on a forum for Laguna III, for the 2.0 110kw/150bhp.

Tried and tested at those figures, for the above given tyre size and we'll assume the driver doesn't weigh 150kg or anything.

shietpilot · 10-09-2017 4:27pm

The couple of PSI will make no difference. Between 20 and 40 PSI is very safe for any passenger car. Drift cars run 10 PSI and rarely have trouble with the tyres debeading

Cee-Jay-Cee · 11-09-2017 7:35pm

Cerebrum wrote: »

35psi front, 30psi rear is recommended for the 215/50 R17

For your car maybe but not for all cars fitted with that size tyres as its dependent on the actual car.

Cerebrum · 11-09-2017 7:38pm

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

For your car maybe but not for all cars fitted with that size tyres as its dependent on the actual car.

As I mentioned at 15:57hrs yesterday, the info came from a Laguna III forum for that tyre size etc.

OK to reduce tyre pressures?

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