Re: [Chrysler300] TIRE PRESSURE

[Michael Moore <mmoore8425@xxxxxxx>]

I should have checked before I wrote this! 

The tire pressure check is required by the (California) Air Resources Board in order to reduce excessive emissions caused by running underinflated tires. Shops have to have a reference list of "recommended" tire pressures available.
Mike Moore
 

On Apr 7, 2011, at 11:33 AM, Michael Moore wrote:

> 
> On Apr 7, 2011, at 11:00 AM, Keith Boonstra wrote:
> 
>> Too often we find that "recommended" pressures are not necessarily 
>> optimal, but they yield a value that has greater importance to the 
>> specifier of the recommendation than it does to you as the final user. 
>> E.g.- American Classic wants your whitewalls to last, or Chrysler wants 
>> you to feel like you're getting a softer ride.
>> 
> Keith, I guess I have to wonder about where the interests of the tire industry lobbyists, 
> insurance companies, car manufacturers etc.  are  in this. 
> Who sponsored the law in California to insist that ALL cars have their tire pressure checked whenever a car comes in? 
> I'm not a conspiracy theorists in general, but laws like this seem to be in someone's interest. 
> 
>> For more decades than I'm ready to admit I've had a practice in setting 
>> my tire pressures that has worked extremely well. I take very precise 
>> measurements of the tread depth on a brand new set of tires when I first 
>> get a different car, then I inflate them to a pressure I suspect will 
>> provide an even wear across the footprint of the tire. After I put on 
>> five or ten thousand miles, I go back and take exacting new readings of 
>> the tread depth to see how much they are wearing - the fronts may very 
>> well be different from the rears. If the outer edges are down, I'll add 
>> a pound or three. And likewise, if the centers are wearing a little 
>> more I'll lower the pressure some. Once I get the pressures set for a 
>> completely even wear, I'm good for as long as I own that car using 
>> similar tires.
>> 
> My case is probably pretty different. I replace my tires based on age, not wear. 
> That's true of many of my friends with collector cars. My E Type has very expensive Dunlop tires which I'll have to replace.
> The tires have less than 20,000 miles on them-but are 8 years old. So whether or not my American Classic tires make it to 45,000 miles is a moot to me.
> 
>> 
>> In most of my radial tired cars with all-season tires I do find that the 
>> 35-36 pound range gives me that even wear.
>> 
> I can not disagree.
>> But, that being said, I live 
>> in Michigan and going to the Bridgestone Blizzak winter tires for ice 
>> and snow traction presented an interesting case in point. I found out 
>> that these tires are constructed very differently. When I first started 
>> running them I pumped them up to my regular 35-36 pound range and took 
>> off down the road without another thought. About 15,000 miles later I 
>> found I had run the centers right out of them. The centers were wearing 
>> at least twice as fast as the outers.
>> 
>> I found that I had to drop all the way down to 29-30 psi to get those 
>> Blizzaks to wear evenly. I've had nine sets of them over the years, and 
>> dropping to that low figure has given me completely even wear on all the 
>> cars I've used them on.
>> 
>> 
> 
>> It's amazing how much difference a little change in inflation makes, but 
>> then on the racetrack they'll adjust by as little as 1/2 pound on a 
>> single corner of the car and win (or lose) a race on it. Bottom line is 
>> that every tire was designed to have a certain flat footprint. The 
>> size, design, and construction of the tire, and the weight you press 
>> down on that particular corner, will determine what the real optimal 
>> pressure for that tire is. You just have to measure and find it.
>> 
>> 
> I bled my American Classics down to 28 lbs this morning 
> (from the 38 they were) and I like the car's ride and handling much better. If the worst tghat happens is that the whitewalls
> crack, so be it. 
> 
> Mike Moore
>> Keith Boonstra
>> 
>> -
>> 
>> On 4/7/2011 1:11 PM, Bob Jasinski wrote:
>>> 
>>> Mike,
>>> 
>>> I run 35 PSI in all my vehicles and have for years. I've never had a
>>> problem, get good mileage and handling, and tire shops I've worked 
>>> with all
>>> recommend it. All my vehicles have radial tires and include my 300G, 
>>> Dakota
>>> pickup, PT Cruiser, 2006 300, Chrysler Town & Country van as well as 
>>> my '88
>>> BMW 325i
>>> 
>>> Bob J
>>> 
>>> From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
>>> <mailto:Chrysler300%40yahoogroups.com> 
>>> [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
>>> <mailto:Chrysler300%40yahoogroups.com>] On
>>> Behalf Of Michael Moore
>>> Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2011 10:04 AM
>>> To: Chrysler 300 Club International
>>> Subject: [Chrysler300] TIRE PRESSURE
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Here in California, a new law went into effect which requires garages to
>>> check tire pressure whenever a car comes in for service.
>>> 
>>> I believe in factory recommended tire pressure as a baseline. The standard
>>> herein Ca seems to be 35 psi.
>>> My 2007 Subaru, my 1997 Benz, as well as my 59 TR3 have all had the 35 
>>> pound
>>> treatment and they each ride like an oxcart and steer differently at that
>>> tire pressure. The Benz ought to be 28 all around, the TR ought to be 
>>> 22 and
>>> the Subaru something else ? but lower.
>>> 
>>> They all are much nicer to drive with FSM correct tire pressure.
>>> 
>>> My 300H picked up 38 psi last week while visiting the garage.
>>> The FSM specifies 24 for the 300H.
>>> In 1968 when I bought my first set of Michelin X's for the 300H, the
>>> Michelin dealer said they would look low at 24 because they were 
>>> radial, but
>>> the only reason to pump them up was if people kept telling me they 
>>> were low!
>>> 
>>> This morning I noticed American Classic, the mfgr. says to keep them at 35
>>> psi or the whitewalls will crack.
>>> 
>>> Any experience with that? (I don't like 35!)
>>> 
>>> Mike Moore
>>> Morgan Hill, Ca
>>> 
>>> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------
> 
> To send a message to this group, send an email to:
> Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> 
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx or
> go to http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Chrysler300/join and select the "Leave Group" button
> 
> For list server instructions, go to http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm
> 
> For archives go to http://www.forwardlook.net/300-archive/search.htm#querylangYahoo! Groups Links
> 
> 
> 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



------------------------------------

To send a message to this group, send an email to:
Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx or
go to http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Chrysler300/join and select the "Leave Group" button

For list server instructions, go to http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm

For archives go to http://www.forwardlook.net/300-archive/search.htm#querylangYahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chrysler300/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chrysler300/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    Chrysler300-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    Chrysler300-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    Chrysler300-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/