Potownrob's 02 Impreza 2.5TS

[bk7794]

Negative. If you hit the expansion joint hard enough to bend your wheel with extra inflation, then with less inflation you'd destroy your wheel AND your tire.

Interesting, so the extra air pressure is better in those cases?

[Shadow]

Negative. If you hit the expansion joint hard enough to bend your wheel with extra inflation, then with less inflation you'd destroy your wheel AND your tire.

Interesting, so the extra air pressure is better in those cases?

Think of it this way--if you're running lower air pressure, it is easier for the tire to compress and have the rim of the wheel hit the expansion joint (or a pothole) and bend. Since my car has 19" wheels and low profile 35-series tires, I run a couple of PSI above the recommended pressure as an added measure of safety against bending my wheels on a pothole. The trade-off is a slightly stiffer ride, but it's worth it to me.

[theholycow]

Interesting, so the extra air pressure is better in those cases?

In those and many more cases.

People in general have a distrust or fear of increased tire pressure, but the reality is that it brings far more advantages to the table than disadvantages, and (except in extreme cases) brings absolutely zero danger. A tubeless radial automotive tire has little in common with the tubed bias ply bicycle tires you exploded as a child. My satisfaction with tires has been far better ever since I started with increased pressure.

[bk7794]

Interesting, so the extra air pressure is better in those cases?

In those and many more cases.

People in general have a distrust or fear of increased tire pressure, but the reality is that it brings far more advantages to the table than disadvantages, and (except in extreme cases) brings absolutely zero danger. A tubeless radial automotive tire has little in common with the tubed bias ply bicycle tires you exploded as a child. My satisfaction with tires has been far better ever since I started with increased pressure.

How did you know I exploded a tube tire when I was a kid?

Can't you cause balding though on the middle of the tread pattern?

Negative. If you hit the expansion joint hard enough to bend your wheel with extra inflation, then with less inflation you'd destroy your wheel AND your tire.

Interesting, so the extra air pressure is better in those cases?

Think of it this way--if you're running lower air pressure, it is easier for the tire to compress and have the rim of the wheel hit the expansion joint (or a pothole) and bend. Since my car has 19" wheels and low profile 35-series tires, I run a couple of PSI above the recommended pressure as an added measure of safety against bending my wheels on a pothole. The trade-off is a slightly stiffer ride, but it's worth it to me.

Being at my recommended air pressure probably saved my wheels then when I hit that bump compared to how the tires were when I first got the car..I think I might keep them at this psi..

[theholycow]

Can't you cause balding though on the middle of the tread pattern?

Yes, but it's neither as prevalent nor as meaningful as popularly assumed. In the meantime, people commonly accept edge wear without a worry, but the edges are where you need tread the most.

Generally, right up to the tire's rated maximum, the amount of extra center wear will be nearly undetectable. When the edges reach the wear bars the center will not yet be bald. In my experience, the total miles you get will be more; so if you ran the recommended pressure and got 30,000 miles before any part of the tire is down to 2/32", at full inflation you might get 35,000 miles before the center is down to 2/32" (and the rest of the tire still has slightly more tread).

Even if you ended up with a bald center that would be ok. It still provides the necessary footprint and contact required to successfully channel water into what remains of the tread voids...and by that time you're not expecting great anti-hydroplaning performance from your worn tire even if it had as much tread in the center as elsewhere anyway.

I've been doing this for at least half a million miles in various vehicles (including compact cars, my full size pickup, and a dumptruck), and have never regretted it.