Hi,
Save your calculator from overheating...
The pressure you desire has already been calculated. It's on the door
sticker. Probably right next to the axle weight ratings.
Raising pressures from the "sticker" is a time honored way to "improve"
handling, and sometimes MPG, almost always at the expense of ride. I
feel safe in saying most knowledgable people would agree the sticker
pressure already places a high value on ride.
Lowering pressures from the "sticker" is a time honored way to damage
tires. Maybe even kill yourself. Ask Ford: even if they're not smarter
than you, they've got far deeper pockets for testing (and settling
lawsuits!) and look how they screwed the pooch w/ the Explorer disaster
a few years ago. They did exactly what you already have and lowered the
recommended tire pressures to obtain a better ride in what's essentially
a truck (read: ride quality wasn't object one on the drawing board.)
I hope you write a letter to Subaru, explaining what you've done and
why, maybe w/ a note describing how much more you know about these
issues than they (you should "cc" the tire mfr, too!) That way, when you
go kill yourself, maybe their lawyers will be able to convince the jury
your heirs don't deserve much...
Somewhere along the line, you're simply going to have to admit to
yourself that IF you are truly as dinged up as you'd have us believe,
you bought the wrong car.
Rick
I have a few dents and dings left, that slow me down, but not my
desires. They keep me going, even if what I want takes a long time to
accomplish. I have the time.))
I always loved challenges so why would I give up on the Sube,
especially when It is coming around, and I don't have to use the whip
and chair so much.) I knew most of what I wanted to change before
buying, but other things have come up, that some may be satisfied
with, so they wouldn't want to change them, but I sure wouldn't
understand why not, unless in a coma.)). Sube didn't offer in dash
GPS, or DVD's, PC's or TV's. That's No reason to Not buy a car, since
they can be added, and everything and what I paid still isn't close to
list. Would love to squeeze in some Night Vision so Bambi doesn't do a
swan, or is that Deer Dive through the front windshield, and spoil my
night rides. Haven't found it yet, so may have to pull one from a BMW,
but first I better get the Other stuff installed.
You mean I have been wrong ALL These Years about tires?? Wet weather
traction became Very important to me after I almost bought it in the
rain through a turn, in an old car with soft suspension, that had New
tires on it. That got me always wanting the best in the wet. I passed
on the Stang SVO's because Ford put GY Gatorbacks on them, that were
Supposed to be direct copies of their Gran Prix Rain Tires, but the
reviews of all the muscle cars they were put on said, "Tricky in Wet
Weather". it was hard to change the tires on a new car that cost 4K$
more that the 86' Stang GT. Fulda's that Porsche used were the best at
the time, and 1/3 the price, but hard to get .
I never had a tire problem in 45yrs, and they always wore evenly,
going by pressures that I was happy with. I don't like them rock hard
or mushy. I guess I Should have blow outs galore with the cracked
sidewalls in the tires I have been running, that the last 2 sets have
had. I even was shocked when I replaced the rear brakes on my 86'
Chevy, and saw 1/8" X 2" long cracks on the Innner sidewalls. Good
thing don't have to look at them, but I Know they are there, when I
have driven at speed. One tire that matched another oversized one I
have on the rear, that were discontinued, I found discarded in Pep
Boys lot, because it had 2 shallow gouges on the outside wall. The
Dammed thing was Even mounted on the rare 5 lug rim that the Chevy's
HD suspension has. The gouges weren't down to the fabric, and I don't
worry about defects on the outside, since I Feel they are more
cosmetic, and protect the fabric, and the fabric and Innner rubber are
the strength of a tire, and hold the air. I did put some rubber cement
on the gouges, to make it look normal, and protect it from anything
hitting the spots. Now i'm Not running rush hr traffic, or any great
distances regularly. If I was, I'd make sure the tires were good, but
I did patch a New tire that got cut since a vulcanizing place wouldn't
touch it, though they are Supposed to be able to fix 2" holes in
sidewall or tread. the patch stuck for a yr, and then started to come
loose and leak, and I figured I got some use out of the tire, and
didn't feel like taking it off the rim again.
My dad was OLD school, and wouldn't park in water, saying that if
the tire had had a flat, that water could seep in, and rot the fabric.
Maybe Back when cotton cord was used and tires had tubes, and you Just
patched the tube, and even then probably hard for water to get in.
When I started driving tires were tubless with nylon cords. Dad wasn't
dumb, and kept up with auto stuff, and always got factory shop manuals
with cars, and read Pop Mechanics and Science, but couldn't change his
old beliefs. We also went around on whether you still needed to use
Dry Gas in the winter, when refineries put it in the Winter Blend. I
tested for icing inhibitor in aicraft fuels in the service, and car
fuel pumps don't have the glass bowls that they used to, where you
could see the water/fuel seperation, and drained it before there was
too much water.
I smiled when cleaning the rims and saw the load rating on the tires
was 1300lbs ea. I Know at rated pressures, but that is 5200 lb cap on
a 3Klb car, and the most that would normally be in it would me, a
passenger on occasion and maybe 2-60lb hounds. I think I would like to
up the front tire pressues a bit, but have been warned that too wide a
difference could tear up the center diff, so taking it slowly, till I
am sure. If I go by the axle height like some have suggested, for
effective tire size/pressure, then the rears are Way too over inflated
compared to the fronts, since there is a 1/2" difference in axle
height.
So if the tire pressures Sube recomends are for regular loads, what
should they be with a Full load ??))
VF
