| MadSci Network: Engineering |
Tire pressure is a compromise. Lower pressure gives a smoother and quieter ride, but with more tire noise and less tire tread life. Higher tire pressures give more precise steering and better fuel economy. Higher rear pressure than front pressure will bias a vehicle to understeer. This is where the front of the vehicle slides out in a sharp turn before the rear. Higher front tire pressures than rear biases the vehicle to oversteer. This is where the rear axle slides out first, leading to a spin. I would suggest that you experiment with your tire pressure to get the performance compromise that is acceptable to you. You might want to use the door sticker recommendations for a lower bound and the maximum recommended tire pressure number (from the sidewall) as the high limit. Get a good tire pressure gage, and use it regularly. Try different pressures and see what combination of ride and control makes you most comfortable. You should find that your best pressure settings change from summer to winter, and even for different road surface conditions. You may wish to gain more knowledge on tires, suspensions, steering, and their interactions at the following Internet sites: www.dupreetire.com/product/terms.htm www.internets.com/tirenets/glossary.htm www.tirerack.com/tires/snow/ownerwintermanual.htm www.nascar.com/garage/1998/1102/915048.html http://nascar.com/garage/2000/0110/992587.html
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