Tire pressures

External Since: Apr 01, 2007 Posts: 112

With the price of gas so high, I decided to up the pressures from the
lower than factory ones I was running in my 2.5i, because the ride was
TOO rough when driving on any patched streets. I didn't get a WRX,
because on a 1 mi test drive, I couldn't wait to get out of it and
into my old Chevy.

I figured I'd just stay on main streets through the city which
aren't patched as much. I was running 30 fr/24rr, which was the same
ratio of the pressures to the unloaded fr/rr weight of the car. I was
just going to do with the 33/30 recommended, but decided to try 35/32,
to see what it did for mileage, and then dropping to the 33/30 and
compare. The car doesn't Hop on the lumps in the street like it used
to feel like. Maybe the suspension has broken in, though only 2700mi
on the car, or maybe the seats have, since they don't feel as hard, Or
my back isn't as sensitive. I have weak muscles and have been wearing
a back support before my back starts to tighten, which means, most of
the time.

VF

External Since: Apr 01, 2007 Posts: 112

On 26 Jun, 13:14, Tony Hwang <drago... DeleteThis @shaw.ca> wrote:
> hound... DeleteThis @phonom.net wrote:
> > With the price of gas so high, I decided to up the pressures from the
> > lower than factory ones I was running in my 2.5i, because the ride was
> > TOO rough when driving on any patched streets. I didn't get a WRX,
> > because on a 1 mi test drive, I couldn't wait to get out of it and
> > into my old Chevy.
>
> > I figured I'd just stay on main streets through the city which
> > aren't patched as much. I was running 30 fr/24rr, which was the same
> > ratio of the pressures to the unloaded fr/rr weight of the car. I was
> > just going to do with the 33/30 recommended, but decided to try 35/32,
> > to see what it did for mileage, and then dropping to the 33/30 and
> > compare. The car doesn't Hop on the lumps in the street like it used
> > to feel like. Maybe the suspension has broken in, though only 2700mi
> > on the car, or maybe the seats have, since they don't feel as hard, Or
> > my back isn't as sensitive. I have weak muscles and have been wearing
> > a back support before my back starts to tighten, which means, most of
> > the time.
>
> > VF
>
> Hmmm,
> Not considering premature of uneven wear of your tires? If they are
> inflated too much over or under the rating you can mess up the even tire
> tread wear. Under inflated tires can over heat. You know what it can
> cause on prolonged high speed cruising. You don't drive on highways?
> Under inflation can be dangerous. Too over inflated, you lose
> control/handling. What's wrong with WRX? I have one in the family.
> Kids drive Subaru, I am a Honda man. Truck is Ford.

when the factory Only gives One pressure rating for an empty or fully
loaded vehicle, to me it can only be right in one situation, or an
average. If 33psi is the right pressure for the front tires with 58%
of the weight on them, than 30psi can't be right for tires with 42% of
the weight. Fully loaded maybe.

For the streets I test drove the WRX on and even drive the 2,5i on,
and Maybe because of the newness of the suspension and seat, that
initially felt like the lumbar area was too stiff or protruded too
much, and damaged sensitive muscles, even my 2.5i Hopped over slight
irregularities in the streets, that was very uncomfortable. I am
probably more sensitive than most do to an injury, but don't enjoy
something that jolts me, that doesn't in other cars. All my cars have
had HD suspensions, since that's what I prefer. Now after some mileage
things are much more acceptable, even with slightly higher than
factory recommended tire pressures.

I don't think 24psi in the unloaded rear of an Impreza wagon is too
little. I run 20psi in a mid sized Chevy FWD car, though that has
oversized tires in the rear, and never put more than 25 in the rears
of any cars, and never had a problem with uneven tread wear, or
failures.