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Low pressure tires
Volkswagen Golf, Jetta, Corrado, Vanagon, new models, etc. (rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled)
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#11
 
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Re: Low pressure tires -
10-25-2006
, 09:35 PM
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A few things. You read 32 psi max on the TIRE. That applies to the tire manufacturer. They have no idea where the tire is going to be used, you could be using it on a skidoo trailer, or hauling a trailer with a cord of wet wood. It has nothing to do with a car. VW says, after doing their road tests with the car, whatever tire you put on put this amount of air in for max.tire life, comfort and good handling. That is, the psi is according to what the CAR weighs front and rear. Now, from experience, if you are running too low an air pressure, you are most likely gonnna experience a sidewall blowout, as the sidewall will be flexing more than it usually does which builds up heat and causes the failure to happen. So, keep that pressure up. As a maximum, heck my spare has 50 in it. But, if decide to run your air pressure at the high end (whether that be 35-40 odd), it will give you better fuel economy, but, you do lose traction as the tire will be wearing out prematurely in the centre of the tread....also you will feel like you are riding on the steel rims themselves when you hit bumps. You will have more get up and go with the higher tire pressure, which shows you that if you got a flat, you need more power to turn that wheel over as it is not so round as it once was. Do yourself a favour and get the tires fixed(you probably have a bead leak, which means they have to dismount the tires, clean the rims and remount again. And they (the tire shop)will stuff 32 in(or more) right away so that the bead seats itself to the rim, you can readjust the pressure later(a couple of days of driving on them) The 32 psi has been used on large Chevs and Fords for the longest time, so it is a number stuck in the shops head. If you check in the newer chevs, ford, bmw's, toyota's, they all have different numbers for the tire pressure(even though the tires(most brands) say 32 max). WW |
designated pressures for front and rear per the VW recommendation for my
particular vehicle model and year and body style (IE wagon).
--
Jonny
#12
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A tire with incorrect pressure will wear out much faster, but worse than that incorrect pressure can lead to loss of control. |
#13
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As noted, the pressure on the tyre is the max for that tyre not the recommended pressure for the tyre on your car or any other car. You look at that just to make sure it is equal to or greater than the pressure you intend to use. Don't use it to determine what pressure to use. The manufacturer has recommended a specific pressure for the original equipment size tyres and had done so based on a number of controlled test tract test. Going much over or worse yet under the recommended value can cause unsafe handling. -- Joseph E. Meehan 26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math "Jonny" <spamyourself (AT) blackworm (DOT) net> wrote in message news:MfA%g.18829$UG4.13864 (AT) newsread2 (DOT) news.pas.earthlink.net... Awhile back, established at this newsgroup that AC compressor use does affect gas mileage in small vehicles like an older VW with small engine. How drastically can tire pressure affect gas mileage in similar older VW with small engine (1.8L)? An example. Recommended tire pressures by VW. These are part ot the suspension system, and provide comfort for the driver and passenger. No where near the max 32 psi of same tire. What if you max hot pressure to 32 psi? What if you're running around with 15 psi for instance instead? Reason I mention is for 2 reasons. One tire (LH front) has a very slow leak. Have to refill every 2 months. I've gotten used to this, rather than having it fixed. The other reason is the two tires on the RH side decided they were going to go low, almost flat. Don't know how long they were like that. I did notice greater difficulty uphill, faster deacceleration letting off the gas pedal, and sloppy/wishwashy rearend movement at any highway steering movement. Upon refilling the RH side tires, and roadtesting, noticed opposite. Easier to climb hills, slower deacceleration, and tighter rear end movement. Am guessing the low pressure contributed to sidewall movement of the tires in turns. Pressure gauge starts showing around 20 psi. The RH tires could not move that gauge when low. Am considering 32 psi all 4 tires. -- Jonny |
#14
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Awhile back, established at this newsgroup that AC compressor use does affect gas mileage in small vehicles like an older VW with small engine. Affects gas mileage in all vehicles, regardless of vehicle or engine size. |
using AC, one not. No difference in mileage they said. "Myth" busted they
said. I still don't believe their results.
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How drastically can tire pressure affect gas mileage in similar older VW with small engine (1.8L)? A couple of percent. |
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Reason I mention is for 2 reasons. One tire (LH front) has a very slow leak. Have to refill every 2 months. I've gotten used to this, rather than having it fixed. The other reason is the two tires on the RH side decided they were going to go low, almost flat. Quit screwing around, and get your tires fixed! Why put up with the problem? Don't know how long they were like that. I did notice greater difficulty uphill, faster deacceleration letting off the gas pedal, and sloppy/wishwashy rearend movement at any highway steering movement. You demonstrated to yourself how much low tires will affect fuel mileage. If your handling was getting loose from low tire pressure, you're lucky you didn't have an accident. Get the tires fixed! |
the RH side tires was due to mischief, or some leak.
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Upon refilling the RH side tires, and roadtesting, noticed opposite. Easier to climb hills, slower deacceleration, and tighter rear end movement. Am guessing the low pressure contributed to sidewall movement of the tires in turns. Pressure gauge starts showing around 20 psi. The RH tires could not move that gauge when low. Am considering 32 psi all 4 tires. You could try what a lot of racers do: Make chalk marks across the tread and extending a little way up the sidewall. Drive around the block, then look and see where the chalk mark is rubbed off in relation to the edge of the tread. If the chalk ends right at the edge of the tread, you're at the right inflation level. Drastic over or underinflation will show up as wear past the edge of the tread, or even an unworn stripe in the middle of the tread. Do it a few times with the pressure intentionally high and low, to see the effect on your particular tires. |
--
Jonny
#15
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It sounds a lot like you have alloy wheels and the wheels are leaking. Why people want those things that cost more and function less is beyond me. -- Joseph E. Meehan 26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math "Jonny" <spamyourself (AT) blackworm (DOT) net> wrote in message news:MfA%g.18829$UG4.13864 (AT) newsread2 (DOT) news.pas.earthlink.net... Awhile back, established at this newsgroup that AC compressor use does affect gas mileage in small vehicles like an older VW with small engine. How drastically can tire pressure affect gas mileage in similar older VW with small engine (1.8L)? An example. Recommended tire pressures by VW. These are part ot the suspension system, and provide comfort for the driver and passenger. No where near the max 32 psi of same tire. What if you max hot pressure to 32 psi? What if you're running around with 15 psi for instance instead? Reason I mention is for 2 reasons. One tire (LH front) has a very slow leak. Have to refill every 2 months. I've gotten used to this, rather than having it fixed. The other reason is the two tires on the RH side decided they were going to go low, almost flat. Don't know how long they were like that. I did notice greater difficulty uphill, faster deacceleration letting off the gas pedal, and sloppy/wishwashy rearend movement at any highway steering movement. Upon refilling the RH side tires, and roadtesting, noticed opposite. Easier to climb hills, slower deacceleration, and tighter rear end movement. Am guessing the low pressure contributed to sidewall movement of the tires in turns. Pressure gauge starts showing around 20 psi. The RH tires could not move that gauge when low. Am considering 32 psi all 4 tires. -- Jonny |
#16
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The recommended pressures for forward and aft tires puts the vehicle at borderline danger from sidewall swaying problems with just one passenger and no load on my particular vehicle. Adding passengers exacerbates the problem, making it apparent. -- Jonny "Joseph Meehan" <sligojoeSPAM (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote in message news  HO%g.18747$pq4.12674 (AT) tornado (DOT) ohiordc.rr.com...As noted, the pressure on the tyre is the max for that tyre not the recommended pressure for the tyre on your car or any other car. You look at that just to make sure it is equal to or greater than the pressure you intend to use. Don't use it to determine what pressure to use. The manufacturer has recommended a specific pressure for the original equipment size tyres and had done so based on a number of controlled test tract test. Going much over or worse yet under the recommended value can cause unsafe handling. -- Joseph E. Meehan 26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math "Jonny" <spamyourself (AT) blackworm (DOT) net> wrote in message news:MfA%g.18829$UG4.13864 (AT) newsread2 (DOT) news.pas.earthlink.net... Awhile back, established at this newsgroup that AC compressor use does affect gas mileage in small vehicles like an older VW with small engine. How drastically can tire pressure affect gas mileage in similar older VW with small engine (1.8L)? An example. Recommended tire pressures by VW. These are part ot the suspension system, and provide comfort for the driver and passenger. No where near the max 32 psi of same tire. What if you max hot pressure to 32 psi? What if you're running around with 15 psi for instance instead? Reason I mention is for 2 reasons. One tire (LH front) has a very slow leak. Have to refill every 2 months. I've gotten used to this, rather than having it fixed. The other reason is the two tires on the RH side decided they were going to go low, almost flat. Don't know how long they were like that. I did notice greater difficulty uphill, faster deacceleration letting off the gas pedal, and sloppy/wishwashy rearend movement at any highway steering movement. Upon refilling the RH side tires, and roadtesting, noticed opposite. Easier to climb hills, slower deacceleration, and tighter rear end movement. Am guessing the low pressure contributed to sidewall movement of the tires in turns. Pressure gauge starts showing around 20 psi. The RH tires could not move that gauge when low. Am considering 32 psi all 4 tires. -- Jonny |
#17
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On Wed, 25 Oct 2006 23:40:23 GMT, "Joseph Meehan" sligojoeSPAM (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote: It sounds a lot like you have alloy wheels and the wheels are leaking. Why people want those things that cost more and function less is beyond me. Did I miss something? I have not experienced tire pressure loss any faster on my cars with alloy wheels than I have on my lawn mower, tractor or truck with steel wheels. |
quality wheels.
Not all of them leak, be there are a lot of leaks reported and they tend
to be less robust than steel wheels so they don't survive pot holes very
well.
#18
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"Jim Behning" <jimbehning (AT) doesthisblockpork (DOT) mindspring.com> wrote in message news:vi00k2df3lk19m9pp2if05f8c6hbe06s1h (AT) 4ax (DOT) com... On Wed, 25 Oct 2006 23:40:23 GMT, "Joseph Meehan" sligojoeSPAM (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote: It sounds a lot like you have alloy wheels and the wheels are leaking. Why people want those things that cost more and function less is beyond me. Did I miss something? I have not experienced tire pressure loss any faster on my cars with alloy wheels than I have on my lawn mower, tractor or truck with steel wheels. No, you either have been luck or you have the very expensive high quality wheels. Not all of them leak, be there are a lot of leaks reported and they tend to be less robust than steel wheels so they don't survive pot holes very well. |
aluminum or mag wheels when I lived in Cleveland, Ohio. Pot holes are
sort of rare compared with the stuff I saw as a kid driving in Ohio.
We rarely see road salt so clip on wheel weights do not do that much
damage to aluminum wheels. The 2003 Jetta factory wheels use tape on
wheel weights anyway. My 84 GTI was stripped when I got it. I took my
snowflake GTI wheels off my 80 Rabbit and used them. Rabbit had a
tragic incident with a telephone pole. Pole won. The snowflake wheels
were made in some South American plant. I do not think they were all
that high quality. I always had a bt of a shimmy or shake on two
different cars and at least 4 sets of tires. The Jetta wheels are
smooth as can be with quality Michelin tires not needing a balance
between tire purchases of 80,000 miles.
Both sets of wheels had a plastic like top coat finish which I am sure
is there both to protect the exterior and to seal the interiour to
reduce leaks. So far it has worked ok. I am used to checking tire
pressure every week or more with bicycle tires so losing a psi or 2
once a month on the car seems like nothing. I don't think the Jetta
loses air that fast. I guess I should make note of the pressure
checking temp and date to see what the real loss is.
#19
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That's the problem. What is the correct pressure? |
of your tires. You can also get the info from the service department of your
local dealer, which would be even a better source because they will consider
the car/tire combination.
#20
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Affects gas mileage in all vehicles, regardless of vehicle or engine size. Ever see the Mythbusters TV program? They used 2 identical Ford SUVs. One using AC, one not. No difference in mileage they said. "Myth" busted they said. I still don't believe their results. |
scientific backgrounds. If they found no difference in mileage, then
their measuring methods were inaccurate. You can't create energy for
free, if the AC uses power, it decreases gas mileage. And AC does use
power. They can't bust the "myth" of cold, hard physical reality.
Quote:
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How drastically can tire pressure affect gas mileage in similar older VW with small engine (1.8L)? A couple of percent. Kinda depends on the vehicle and the power to weight ratio in my opinion. |
Besides, you specified an older VW with a 1.8 engine, didn't you?
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