Anyone running 44psi in stock BFGs?

[GetMeMyStogie]

When I picked up my MM about a week ago, I had to drive it on the freeway for about an hour to get it home. The first thing I did was check the tire pressures. By habit, I used the max pressure rating listed on the side of the tires - 44 psi. Before filling, they were all in the 22 -28 psi range.
After reading a few old posts, it seems opinion varies on what the best tire pressure is. I'm not drag racing, so maximum adhesion is not as important to me as maximum tread life.

I was filling up today when I noticed a sticker on the inside of the fuel-filler door indicating the tires should be filled to 35 psi. I guess that's Ford's recommendation (I haven't looked at the door decal yet, and I didn't notice it in the owners manual). Anyone know why Ford's recommendation would differ so greatly from the tire manufacturers recommendation?

[ChiTownMaraud3r]

I usually have mine at about 35. Maybe for ride comfort?

[Marauderjack]

I ran 40-45 PSI in my rears and got the best mileage out of them but still only about 20K.....actually pretty poor!!:argue:

My OEM set with 28 PSI lasted about 7K miles!!!:mad2:

BFG's were a poor choice for Ford to make....limited supply and many more superior tires available.....IMHO!!!:shake:

Marauderjack:burnout:

[Pat]

The Manufacturer's recommendation is a balance between wear and comfort.

The BFG rating for normal use is 42LBS, I read somewhere on this site.

Running them in the 20's is not adviseable, wear and heat buildup issues.

Try the 42 lb range and see if you like the ride and wear. This is of course a many thousand mile test I would think.

Regards,

[illwood]

Maximum inflated pressure is just that. The maximum pressure that the tire manufacturer recommends for safe operation (i.e. not blowing up). Safe operation is likely not the optimum operation depending on the cars weight and suspension. The manufacturer's recommendation is most likely better for optimum operation. When you over-inflate your tires you are making less contact with the road surface. Less contact is less control.

Car Talk on this subject (http://www.cartalk.com/content/features/Summer-Driving-Tips/tires.html)

I'm not saying that manufacturer's recommendation is perfect. My 1994 Mustang GT with the stock size tires (245/45R17 on stock 17x8 wheels) at recommended pressure (30psi all around) wore the tires poorly because the heavy front and light rear. The front tires wore like they were under-inflated (edge wear) and the rears wore like they were over-inflated (center wear). I ended up tweaking the pressure when I upped the tire and wheel size (275/40R17 on a 17x9 wheel). Now I run the fronts at 32psi and the rears at 28psi and I get more even wear and therefore more contact area.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Look at the door sticker, it's not in the 40's

[duhtroll]

The door sticker is not the tire manufacturer. I'd go with the manufacturer's rating. I run all my tires at 90% of the max pressure listed on the sidewall. In the case of my Nittos that is ~40 PSI as they are listed at 44 MAX.

[SID210SA]

My first set I ran at 34-36 psi and only went about 17K....after reading some post on here I ran 40 psi in the rears got almost 2wice the life....about 30K....did the same kind of thing with the fronts.....first set ran at 32 psi and they lasted about 12K....after carfixers alignment specs and 38 psi I got 28K out of those.

[ctrlraven]

I set mine cold at 33-34 lbs. As I drive they gain 2-3 lbs and have given me good wear.

[GetMeMyStogie]

Thanks for the advice, everyone.

I think I'll stick with max pressure, or slightly below. Treadwear and gas mileage are more important for my DD than traction, comfort, or noise.

[Vortech347]

Fronts get 36, rears get 32. I drive pretty agressively when I turn.

[justbob]

After lowering i've been running 32 up front because of my off camber. I've decided to keep the camber the way it is for now because of the awesome cornering that i achieve and with running 44 it will cause the tire to wear on the inner even faster.
The rear i also run around 32-36 for better traction thanks to Barnes.:burnout:

[2,4shofast]

I run my stock and aftermarket tires to the specs listed on the door.

[Blk Mamba]

I ran mine at 40 till yesterday, I had new tires put on, and they were at 34 when I got the car back. That will change, on the way home my wife said, "I don't like the way it handles now.", and she wasn't driving. They'll be back at 40 tomorrow.

[Ms. Denmark]

Been running mine @ 35 all around. Handles well, cornering is awesome, ride is pretty comfortable.

[TiTo35]

All four of mine were at 32-35...the fronts just looked too low to me. I went 40 psi all the way around now...the car feels higher and rides and handles a little better to me... :twocents:

[Bradley G]

I was keeping the tires @40, til I went to the track last weekend.
I dropped the rears to 22 and haven't refilled them yet.
They are pretty squishy at 20#s

[mrjones]

The door sticker and the sidewall number are two vastly different numbers. The door sticker gives what the vehicle mfgr recommends as the daily driving pressure. The number on the sidewall is the inflation pressure that the tire is rated to carry its maximum load. Pressure below that maximum yields a lower load rating. There are tire pressure/inflation tables around that show the load decrease with the corresponding pressure.

[red]

Read this document (http://www.tiresafety.com/images/Tire%20Replacement%20Manual.pd f).

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

I ran mine at 40 till yesterday, I had new tires put on, and they were at 34 when I got the car back. That will change, on the way home my wife said, "I don't like the way it handles now.", and she wasn't driving. They'll be back at 40 tomorrow.


A car is going to handle worse with new tires of the same type vs more worn tires, on dry pavement of course, because the newer tread blocks are taller which gives the tire much more squirm than shorter tread blocks.

[Bluerauder]

Thanks for the advice, everyone.

I think I'll stick with max pressure, or slightly below. Treadwear and gas mileage are more important for my DD than traction, comfort, or noise.
I put SAFETY at the top of the list on tires. A sidewall blowout at highway speeds ain't fun or pretty. Max Tire pressure is just that ... the maximum safe tire pressure for that tire. Tire Manufacturers typically recommend not exceeding 95% of the maximum (about 42 psi in this case) to allow for pressure rise as the tires heat up. I think that one of the Tire SMEs here or from Tire Rack specifically addressed this question about a year or two ago. Don't think I have heard of anyone running above 40 psi on their MM on a regular basis. I am running 35 psi Front and 38 psi Rear. That seems to give good mileage, handling and ride .... but I would never sacrifice Safety for mileage or ride for any reason. That's JMHO.

[imorb1994]

http://www.betiresmart.ca/inflation/proper.asp?loc1=inflation&loc2=proper


http://www.betiresmart.ca/images/inflation/title.gif
http://www.betiresmart.ca/images/spacer.gifProper Inflation

http://www.betiresmart.ca/images/inflation/underinflateIcon.gif (http://www.betiresmart.ca/inflation/proper.asp?loc1=inflation&loc2=proper#underinflate) Effects of Under Inflation on Tire Wear and Fuel Use (http://www.betiresmart.ca/inflation/proper.asp?loc1=inflation&loc2=proper#underinflate)

Proper tire pressure is critical for safe driving and fuel efficiency, but many passenger and light truck vehicles operate with under or over-inflated tires. Ninety-five per cent (95%) of a vehicle's weight is supported by the tire air pressure, with the tire supporting just 5%, making inflation a critical part of a tire's ability to perform. Tire inflation also has a strong impact on tread life.

Relying on a sight inspection alone is not an accurate way to measure tire pressure. Tires may be significantly under or over-inflated, yet you may not be able to tell just by looking at them.

The only accurate way to know if your tires need to be inflated is by measuring their pressure with a reliable tire gauge. Tire gauges are available at most automotive supply and hardware stores.


Correct Tire Pressure
Correct tire pressure varies from vehicle to vehicle and wheel to wheel. In fact, the recommended pressure for personal vehicles ranges from 20 to over 50 psi.

The correct tire pressure for your vehicle is listed on the information placard. This placard is normally located on the edge of one of the doors, the inside post of one of vehicle's doors or inside the glove compartment, trunk, or fuel door. Your owner's manual should include the correct tire pressure or direct you to the placard's location on your vehicle.

The pressure listed on the tire sidewall is the maximum tire pressure - or the tire pressure that is required to carry the maximum load of the tire. It is not the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure, which is a common misperception.

In addition to keeping your tires properly inflated, follow these tire maintenance guidelines (http://javascript%3cb%3e%3c/b%3E:openWindow('guidelines.as p',600,480,50,50,50,50);).
Under-inflation
Under-inflation is the leading cause of tire failure. Twenty-three per cent (23%) of vehicles have at least one tire under-inflated by more than 20%. Under-inflated tires on your vehicle lead to poor or delayed braking, steering and acceleration. Under-inflated tires may squeal when stopping or cornering even at moderate speeds, particularly on warm pavement.

The Effects of Under Inflation on Tire Wear and Fuel UsePercentage of Under InflationPercentage Wear IncreaseFuel Use Increase10%5%2%20%16%4%30%33%6 %40%57%8%50%78%10%
Operating a vehicle with just one tire under-inflated by 20% (8psi) can reduce the life of the tire by 15,000 km and can increase the vehicle's fuel consumption by 4%. Without enough air, the sides of a tire bend and flex too much. This builds up heat, which can cause serious damage and leads to sudden tire failure. It will also increase rolling resistance, which reduces tread life and increases fuel consumption.
Over-inflation
Over-inflation can be a problem too. An over-inflated tire rides on just the centre portion of the tread. The smaller contact area means reduced grip on the road, leading to a harsh ride, handling issues (such as steering and stopping problems) and increased wear on tires and suspension components. Seventeen per cent (17%) of vehicles in Canada have at least one tire that is over-inflated by 20%.
http://www.betiresmart.ca/images/spacer.gifhttp://www.betiresmart.ca/images/spacer.gif
Just read this^^^^
According to the label on the inside of the fuel door tire pressure should be set at 35 psi for the front and rear. I have mine set at 40, I guess ill have to change it soon

[Bluerauder]

Just read this^^^^
According to the label on the inside of the fuel door tire pressure should be set at 35 psi for the front and rear. I have mine set at 40, I guess ill have to change it soon

You must have an '04 MM. Tire pressure has been a topic here since the early days dating back to 2002. My sticker is on the driver's door not the fuel door. '03 MMs sticker said 32 psi front and rear. After many complaints about premature tire wear on the BFG's, the '04 MM was adjusted to 35 psi front and rear.

Over time we have found out that the rear center wear issue can be mitigated to some extent with higher pressures in the rear tires. Most members here have adjusted to run about 38-40 psi in the rears to get 25K+ out of the rear BFG OEM KDWS tires. We know that goes against traditional "overinflation" wisdom. But it works .... so I do it and so do alot of other folks. For me, 35 psi front and 38 psi rear is GOOD.

Search on "tire pressure" and you can read the history. But the Cliff Notes version is ^^^^^.

[red]

Read this document (http://www.tiresafety.com/images/Tire%20Replacement%20Manual.pd f).
Bump. ;) From tiresafety.com.