Should I inflate my tires to max load?

RAY: Under no circumstances should you inflate your tires to maximum pressure. Not only will you risk a blowout, but you’ll diminish your ability to control the car because your handling and braking will be much, much worse.

Should tire pressure be set at vehicle or tire manufacturer specs?

For many tires that range of pressures is 31 to 35 PSI. If the manufacturer chooses to recommend a larger/wider tire for a lighter vehicle, the recommended pressure might be 30 or 31 PSI. But if they choose a narrower tire, they might recommend 35 PSI.

How do manufacturers determine tire pressure?

Vehicle manufacturers come up with ideal tire pressures based on factors such as how much load a car or truck puts on its left front wheel during a right turn at 60 mph, for example. Some cars and trucks wind up with different recommended pressure levels for front and rear tires, even on all-wheel-drive vehicles.

Should all my tires be the same pressure?

The manufacturer’s recommendation (Usually on a decal on the door pillar) is the ideal pressure for a compromise between handling, ride comfort, noise and tire wear and they do not always recommend the same pressure on all tires of a car.

Should all 4 tires be the same brand?

The short answer is that, in general, manufacturers do not recommend tire mixing at all. That means having the same brand, size, tread pattern, load index, and speed rating on the front and rear tires. However, there are exceptions that can lead to mixing tire brands.

Do bigger tires need more PSI?

In an effort to explain optimal tire pressure in the simplest terms, think of it this way: the load of any vehicle is supported by the amount of air in the tires. Therefore, a larger tire needs less pressure than a smaller tire to carry the same vehicle weight.

Why do mechanics over inflate tires?

The short answer is that when they service and change your oil the tires are generally hot. The PSI in your door is for cold (car has sat overnight). If your tires are hot the pressure will be higher than cold. Thus when they fill the tires they do so to the appropriate “hot” level.

Is it better to over or under inflated tires?

Underinflated tires are the more dangerous of the two. Over-inflation may not sound harmful, but it can definitely cause increased wear and tear on tires. An overinflated tire is much stiffer and does not bend as much as it should, reducing the amount of the tire that can contact the road.

What is the recommended tire pressure?

32 psi to 35 psi
Most passenger cars will recommend 32 psi to 35 psi in the tires when they’re cold. The reason you check tire pressure when they’re cold is that as tires roll along the road, friction between them and the road generates heat, increasing both the temperature and the air pressure.

Is it OK to have 2 different brand tires?

Primarily, you should avoid mixing different tire brands and different tread patterns. There are rare exceptions for approved mixed-tire fittings, but in general, manufacturers do not recommend tire mixing at all.