Lowerer air pressure

[gajagfan]

Originally Posted by Billy10mm

It's tough for me to say how much mileage I'm going to get out of these tires. Within weeks of picking up the car (back in April when the auto-cross season here in NY/NJ wasn't open yet), an apartment opened up in our building that we had been waiting to open up, for years now. So all of this year's racing money went into the $250K renovation we just did on that new apartment. So with 8K miles on the car right now, all four tires are in great shape. But when I take my winter wheels and tires off come April/May, I expect to be auto-crossing or tracking weekly - so tire life will be measured in weeks, not distance.

But at 8K miles right now, my tires have little noticeable wear. I'll take a full set of measurements next month when my winter wheels and tires come in and can give a better approximation of tire life at that point.

Would be interesting, and I understand how life can get in the way.

[cornerspeed92]

I have always run 32 on all 4, never had any issues. I thought we were supposed to run 32.

[CFD]

Hmmmm! Which is better, low, lower or lowerer?

[rodknee]

Originally Posted by CFD

Hmmmm! Which is better, low, lower or lowerer?

lowerest is betterer...

Originally Posted by Billy10mm

At my summer pressures (40PSI cold), I'm having a very difficult time getting any heat into the tires.

Originally Posted by Cleancoupe

I run 32psi in my car all the time with no problems.

i find it amusing that the guy in ny is reporting he cannot get heat in the tires during mid winter freezing temps, and the guy in florida says he has no problems...

billy, when you run too low a pressure, the reason the tire heats up is because of tire carcas flex. too much flex will cause the coke riddled feeling you get. it is only a matter of time before you wreck a wheel running the lower pressure.

[CFD]

i find it amusing that the guy in ny is reporting he cannot get heat in the tires during mid winter freezing temps, and the guy in florida says he has no problems...

Had to laugh . lol

[Bad@ssCamaro]

Originally Posted by Billy10mm

Here's a thread we had on the topic a few months back: http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=371327

Wow, How could I have missed this? just goes to show, your never old enough to learn something as simple as this. Thanks for sharing.

[Billy10mm]

Originally Posted by rodknee

lowerest is betterer...

i find it amusing that the guy in ny is reporting he cannot get heat in the tires during mid winter freezing temps, and the guy in florida says he has no problems...

billy, when you run too low a pressure, the reason the tire heats up is because of tire carcas flex. too much flex will cause the coke riddled feeling you get. it is only a matter of time before you wreck a wheel running the lower pressure.

Thanks. I'm fully aware of why it happens, I'm not amazed that my attempt to get heat actually generated heat, I'm amazed that I've read in other tire threads about how many people keep their tires at 32 PSI cold, 30 PSI cold, and even one guy who keeps his at 28 PSI cold. The car is significantly less fun to drive down at 32PSI. SIGNIFICANTLY.

[gajagfan]

Originally Posted by Billy10mm

Thanks. I'm fully aware of why it happens, I'm not amazed that my attempt to get heat actually generated heat, I'm amazed that I've read in other tire threads about how many people keep their tires at 32 PSI cold, 30 PSI cold, and even one guy who keeps his at 28 PSI cold. The car is significantly less fun to drive down at 32PSI. SIGNIFICANTLY.

Why do you say it is less fun to drive? I have no breaking issues, no excessive breaking traction issues, no tramlining issues to speak off, and at 24000 miles, no vehicle issues. Granted, I am in a semi warm climate, with only a few days out the year below 40 degrees. If you are having traction issues at 40 psi, and I am having none at 32 psi, then I am having trouble finding the issue. It is possible that I am giving up some fuel economy, and maybe some wear issues (as we see how many miles you get out of yours...though with your track days it will not be a fair comparison), but at 15K miles, it works for me. Again, just my $.02.

[Billy10mm]

Originally Posted by gajagfan

Why do you say it is less fun to drive? I have no breaking issues, no excessive breaking traction issues, no tramlining issues to speak off, and at 24000 miles, no vehicle issues. Granted, I am in a semi warm climate, with only a few days out the year below 40 degrees. If you are having traction issues at 40 psi, and I am having none at 32 psi, then I am having trouble finding the issue. It is possible that I am giving up some fuel economy, and maybe some wear issues (as we see how many miles you get out of yours...though with your track days it will not be a fair comparison), but at 15K miles, it works for me. Again, just my $.02.

You must be on very smooth roads where you are. I'm not amazed by 1 person (you in this case) that feels the car is fine at 32PSI, but by the fact that most people seem to be in the 32PSI area.

While my roads are bad, I happen to live and commute through Westchester County NY (the richest county in the state I believe). So while the roads are "bad" right now, they are actually pretty good by NY standards and they might as well be "race surface quality" compared to something like the Bronx.

Despite the fact that it was 42 degrees and raining this morning, I took the 1LE again to work today, and I haven't gotten around to pumping my tires up to 36PSI yet. The car is less fun because I was very much fighting it on the highway. At 40 PSI, with my wife in the passenger seat on the morning commute, I could sit comfortably at 75mph on the highway with my left elbow resting on the padded shelf on the door, and two or three fingers on the steering wheel when the situation allowed it. Happily droning along with the rest of the rats.

These last few days at 32PSI, as soon as I'm above 40mph I have to hold onto the steering wheel with two hands at all times. When I take my right hand off the wheel to shift gears, I do it quickly and get right back on the wheel lest the car move over half a lane at random. Even on the smooth sections of road, I'm so scared that the car will try to suicide itself into the car in the next lane, I can't relax.

I know my roads aren't great - but they aren't THAT bad. I can't believe others drive like this all the time. I've got pump these things up pronto.

[gajagfan]

Originally Posted by Billy10mm

You must be on very smooth roads where you are. I'm not amazed by 1 person (you in this case) that feels the car is fine at 32PSI, but by the fact that most people seem to be in the 32PSI area.

While my roads are bad, I happen to live and commute through Westchester County NY (the richest county in the state I believe). So while the roads are "bad" right now, they are actually pretty good by NY standards and they might as well be "race surface quality" compared to something like the Bronx.

Despite the fact that it was 42 degrees and raining this morning, I took the 1LE again to work today, and I haven't gotten around to pumping my tires up to 36PSI yet. The car is less fun because I was very much fighting it on the highway. At 40 PSI, with my wife in the passenger seat on the morning commute, I could sit comfortably at 75mph on the highway with my left elbow resting on the padded shelf on the door, and two or three fingers on the steering wheel when the situation allowed it. Happily droning along with the rest of the rats.

These last few days at 32PSI, as soon as I'm above 40mph I have to hold onto the steering wheel with two hands at all times. When I take my right hand off the wheel to shift gears, I do it quickly and get right back on the wheel lest the car move over half a lane at random. Even on the smooth sections of road, I'm so scared that the car will try to suicide itself into the car in the next lane, I can't relax.

I know my roads aren't great - but they aren't THAT bad. I can't believe others drive like this all the time. I've got pump these things up pronto.

Now I get where you are coming from. Having grown up in Northern Illinois, I understand what road conditions you are dealing with. I can tell you that I drove for well over a mile a few days ago without touching the wheel, and never left my lane. The difference between roads in the south and roads in the north is drastic in my opinion, at least here in Georgia. Now, I have driven on roads in my wife's home state of Florida that basically had two channels (left and right) and if you ventured out of them, you did so at your own risk. I attributed this to the sandy base soil that must not have been well prepped before the asphalt was put down.
I feel we have uncovered the villain, and its not tire pressure, but road conditions. Thanks for talking this out with me, and I will keep it in my mind if I venture north, but I promise it will not be until things warm up (its in the mid 60's today). Merry Christmas!

[ForcFed93]

I have absolutely no issues running them at 32psi. I don't drive when it's that cold out though and definitely not in rain or snow.

[Billy10mm]

Originally Posted by ForcFed93

I have absolutely no issues running them at 32psi. I don't drive when it's that cold out though and definitely not in rain or snow.

This is more about the tramlining. I'm guessing you have glass-smooth roads by you as well?

[GONIF]

Tried going high and low ,found out that 34 cold works best for me on the street .

[trashmanssd]

I have been running 30 - 32 PSI cold so far, just had to put some air in them do to the cold temps I was all the way down to 26-28 PSI cold before I added air. I think I may experiment with higher pressures to see if I notice differences. Mine do trammel on roads that see a lot of heavy truck traffic (one particular road I commute to work on causes any car to trammel and with the 285 tires oh boy its like arm wrestling the steering wheel). With the real low air pressure I do notice the pressure rise on the DIC (heat) quickly (mile or so).