gas mileage
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,739
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From: GANS
Originally Posted by BII Plow Truck
No this is incorrect. Follow the vehicle manufacture's label, period. Tire pressure is very critical. They don't spend the money to place a label there for nothing. The government does not 'Require' a tire pressure label unless the suspension was designed with a different pressure specification then the tire maximum pressure rating.
The PSI on the side of a tire is just the MAXIMUM pressure, so the tire mounting tech doesn't overinflate to seat the beads, and so the maximum weight of the tire has a reference point.
Underinflated or overinflated, it doesn't matter....the point is that it's wrong either way.
It's just like overfilling your crankcase by an extra quart of oil, you just don't do it.
Do not risk it, it's an accident waiting to happen with improperly inflated tires. I've know too many people who have skidded off the road due to overinflated tires too hard to grip the road, and many people underinflate and the tire tucks under the rim causing the vehicle to flip in a manuever.
We don't know more than the manufacturer's engineers, there are reasons they design the suspensions this way.
The PSI on the side of a tire is just the MAXIMUM pressure, so the tire mounting tech doesn't overinflate to seat the beads, and so the maximum weight of the tire has a reference point.
Underinflated or overinflated, it doesn't matter....the point is that it's wrong either way.
It's just like overfilling your crankcase by an extra quart of oil, you just don't do it.
Do not risk it, it's an accident waiting to happen with improperly inflated tires. I've know too many people who have skidded off the road due to overinflated tires too hard to grip the road, and many people underinflate and the tire tucks under the rim causing the vehicle to flip in a manuever.
We don't know more than the manufacturer's engineers, there are reasons they design the suspensions this way.
I don't recommend running a tire at the maximum pressure unless you are going to be loading the tires to close to their maximum weight rating.
With that said, I run 34lbs of air in my truck and my escape.
Perhaps Ford has engineered the optimum pressure for the tires that come from the factory; however, most of my vehicles are on their second or third set of tires, and I think the tire manufacturer knows more about their tires than Ford does.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From: New York
Ok. Comment on tire pressures. I have had one of every gen Explorer. Ford speced out a low tire pressure rating for ride quality (the sub 30 PSI rating in gen 1 Explorers and early gen 2). I have always folled the rule of thumb to use 3-4 PSI less then the manufacturers rating on the tire (does not apply to high performance low profile tires) for the 20 years I have been driving and I have never ever had a blow out and all my vehicle tires have lasted above the manufacturers life rating on the tire. All three gen Explorers have had either Perielli Scorpion or Michelen tires that lasted between 60-70,000 miles before I even came close to the wear marker on the tire. I achieved on average 23-24 MPG highway with all 3 gens (all 4x4, OHV V6, SOHC V6, SOHC V8). I even ran tire inflation tests on my gen 2 Explorer to see how much the PSI affected MPG. I noticed a 2-4 MPG differance. My current Explorer is a 05 XLT Sport with a V8, and I have the tires inflated to 38-40 PSI. When i recieved the Explorer from Ford, the tires were set at 30 PSI. I averaged 18 MPG. After I raised the tire pressure to 40 PSI, I was averaging 21-23 MPG, all other things being equal. As stated before the tire manufacturers are the experts on the tire, the auto manufacturer knows the vehicle. a change of 5-8 PSI will not affect the vehicle under "NORMAL" driving conditions, that is not driving a SUV at 90 miles an hour or such. People forget a SUV is not a car, it is a truck, and therfore with a higher center of gravity can not be driven like a car without expecting something to go wrong. If you are responsible and know the limits of your vehicle you will not have an issue. But today people are so into placing blame on others. If you are buying a vehicle you are the owner and responsible for its upkeep and driving it. If you take care of the vehicle, it will take care of you with being reliable and safe.
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,110
Likes: 0
No this is incorrect. Follow the vehicle manufacture's label, period. Tire pressure is very critical. They don't spend the money to place a label there for nothing. The government does not 'Require' a tire pressure label unless the suspension was designed with a different pressure specification then the tire maximum pressure rating.
The PSI on the side of a tire is just the MAXIMUM pressure, so the tire mounting tech doesn't overinflate to seat the beads, and so the maximum weight of the tire has a reference point.
Underinflated or overinflated, it doesn't matter....the point is that it's wrong either way.
It's just like overfilling your crankcase by an extra quart of oil, you just don't do it.
Do not risk it, it's an accident waiting to happen with improperly inflated tires. I've know too many people who have skidded off the road due to overinflated tires too hard to grip the road, and many people underinflate and the tire tucks under the rim causing the vehicle to flip in a manuever.
We don't know more than the manufacturer's engineers, there are reasons they design the suspensions this way.
The PSI on the side of a tire is just the MAXIMUM pressure, so the tire mounting tech doesn't overinflate to seat the beads, and so the maximum weight of the tire has a reference point.
Underinflated or overinflated, it doesn't matter....the point is that it's wrong either way.
It's just like overfilling your crankcase by an extra quart of oil, you just don't do it.
Do not risk it, it's an accident waiting to happen with improperly inflated tires. I've know too many people who have skidded off the road due to overinflated tires too hard to grip the road, and many people underinflate and the tire tucks under the rim causing the vehicle to flip in a manuever.
We don't know more than the manufacturer's engineers, there are reasons they design the suspensions this way.
and yes, engineers know best, thats why they have some great designed products like e4od transmissions, explorer trans, those great ball joints on the superduties (couldn't leave well enough alone) and probably 1 million other little profit making schemes.
Junior User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
"and yes, engineers know best, thats why they have some great designed products like e4od transmissions, explorer trans, those great ball joints on the superduties (couldn't leave well enough alone) and probably 1 million other little profit making schemes"
Hey I've had each one of those problems, many times each!! Thanks for reminding me, always breaks just out of WAR..
Hey I've had each one of those problems, many times each!! Thanks for reminding me, always breaks just out of WAR..
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