Tire pressure advice

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Sep 16, 2003 | 03:10 PM

wingo

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Tire pressure advice

Setup:
17 x 7.5 SSR Comp wheels
225/45/17 Pirelli PZero Nero M+S tires
'02 WRX Wagon

Subaru recommends (I think) 33 lbs. front and 32 rear for the OEM 215/55/17 wheels/tires. The tires were delivered from TireRack with ~35 lbs. pressure inflation. I believe the tradeoffs are:

Higher air pressure:
- more road feel
- better mileage
- better (slower) tire wear

Lower air pressure:
- "squishier" (less bumpy) feel

But what is the sweet spot here? What do others run with 225/45/17 tires on a wagon?

Thanks in advance for any advice.....

Sep 16, 2003 | 08:39 PM

Dexter@tirerack

Registered User

Joined: Mar 2003

Posts: 681

From: Warsaw, Indiana

Car Info: 02 WRX Wagon White

Same car, same wheels, same sized Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 - I run 41 front and 38 rear. Try this and tell us what you think. I find it fine. Set your pressures in the morning - or after the tires have had a good few hours to cool down after driving.

Sep 17, 2003 | 09:06 AM

gallstone

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What about for a sedan? Same pressure differential?

Sep 17, 2003 | 10:26 AM

wingo

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Quote:

Originally posted by Dexter@tirerack
Same car, same wheels, same sized Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 - I run 41 front and 38 rear. Try this and tell us what you think. I find it fine. Set your pressures in the morning - or after the tires have had a good few hours to cool down after driving.

I'm not sure how higher pressure affects rain and light snow performance. My intuition sez running slightly less pressure in light snow would be adviseable, but I really don't have anything to back this up. What's the conventional wisdom here?

Sep 17, 2003 | 10:32 AM

Dexter@tirerack

Registered User

Joined: Mar 2003

Posts: 681

From: Warsaw, Indiana

Car Info: 02 WRX Wagon White

Higher pressure would help in adverse conditions as well. It will help keep the grooves in the tire's contact patch as open as possible to allow snow in (advantageous) and allow water to escape. It will also keep a more solid contact patch to get the rubber to the road with less chance of "floating" on snow or standing water.