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Was my tire pressure too high?

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Old Aug 11, 2016 | 06:00 PM
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Default Was my tire pressure too high?

Bought car new few months ago. Just checked pressure and it's at 39psi. The info on the door says it should be at 36. Should I lower all around?
 
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Old Aug 11, 2016 | 09:13 PM
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Originally Posted by nights
Bought car new few months ago. Just checked pressure and it's at 39psi. The info on the door says it should be at 36. Should I lower all around?
Too high is a relative/subjective measure. Personally I'd drop it back to 36 because the 0.01 mpg improvement between 36 and 39 isn't worth the trade-off in rougher ride and extra suspension wear, IMHO.

FWIW, cars are shipped with a lot of air in their tires to help control bouncing during transit; the dealer prep guy/gal is supposed to lower the pressure pre-delivery.
 
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Old Aug 12, 2016 | 04:25 AM
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What size tyre?

I ran my 205/55/16 Toyo's at 38psi due to them being a softer tread & my sometimes enthusiastic driving.

Im now running my 225/45/17 Hankooks at 40psi.
 
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Old Aug 12, 2016 | 08:07 AM
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Originally Posted by nights
Bought car new few months ago. Just checked pressure and it's at 39psi. The info on the door says it should be at 36. Should I lower all around?
Yes, lower to exactly factory recommended.
Your tires will wear evenly that way.
If you over/under-inflate your tires, they wear unevenly, and when inspection time rolls around you'll have to [replace them sooner which will cost you more money. I did it for 9 years. It cost me a lot.
 
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Old Aug 12, 2016 | 08:52 AM
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Originally Posted by blainesledge
Yes, lower to exactly factory recommended.
Your tires will wear evenly that way.
If you over/under-inflate your tires, they wear unevenly, and when inspection time rolls around you'll have to [replace them sooner which will cost you more money. I did it for 9 years. It cost me a lot.
It depends upon how hard the vehicle is driven; if a vehicle is aggressively cornered on a regular basis it is best to increase the tire pressure four or five pounds to even out tire wear. Said another way, a little over inflation will not, in and of itself, cause uneven tire wear. As I wrote earlier, it is all relative.
 
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Old Aug 13, 2016 | 06:46 AM
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I agree 100%

At work, If I see shoulder wear due to low tyre pressures I will add a few extra psi above the tyre card/sticker.
 
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Old Aug 21, 2016 | 01:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Mackden
Great idea OP to add a few extra psi above the tyre. Myself generally do this.
Which vehicle do you do that for, your F-150?
 
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