Aviator

I searched and came up empty, and even tagged this question onto another thread about alignment, but not much response.

I just had my GS alignment set to Pfadt Street Performance specs at a local speed shop. I told the mechanic I wanted to try and get better tire wear without giving up too much in performance. He told me that the 30 PSI that Chevy recommends for tire pressure is for a softer ride, but it really chews up the tires. He recommended a higher pressure - as much as 35 to 40 PSI to maximize tire longevity, although it will be a little harsher ride.

Has anyone experimented with tire pressure for both tire wear and performance? Anyone have any tire technical expertise to address my inquiry?

Thanks!

Gary '09 C6

I set my tires to 30-31 psi cold, with the same Pfadt alignment specs.

jpee

I set mine to 33 cold, and on a 90 deg day while cruising at 80 + mph the pressure goes up to 38 lb when the tires are hot. I've never seen higher than 38 when HOT.. sometimes on "cool" days it will drop to 32 lb when it has been sitting for a long time..

BEZ06

30 psi cold is what you want for street driving.

If you're tracking the car, do what the tire manufacturer calls for.

The Owner's Manual says that for high speed track driving as high as 38 psi cold.

Bob

Dif

hawkandersonjr

Stay with the recommended tire pressure. I almost ruin a brand new set of front tires running it at 38 psi cold on a 900 mile road trip.

Fly'n Family

I put mine at 28 cold, and it goes to 30 - 31 once I've been driving a bit. Seems to work.

Wayne O

I'd stay with the recommended 30 psi cold. Actually, I prefer to run an extra pound or two in the front tires to help compensate for the car's 51/49 weight ratio. Starting at up to 40 psi cold is IMHO crazy.

LED FT

I was at 30 cold a cuople months ago but now it's 33 and goes to 36 after I drive a few miles

Bill Dearborn

Set at 30 psi cold. Manufacturers haven't set pressures low for a soft ride in close to 40 years. When gas mileage became an issue the soft ride recommended pressure went out the window.

Bill

jack5hd

I have nitto invos and talked on phone to a nitto rep and he said for these tires 32 cold max..........

wolfdogs

30psi cold. I run 32psi cold in the front... tires don't "recognized" pressure increases less than 3 psi in reality.. but that extra two seems to help with crown edge wear up front slightly. You dont want to run 38 or 40 psi.. that decreases the contact patch of the tire, it also reduces the tread blocks ability to squirm properly in directional changes.. these cars are about handling.. dont take that important component out of the equation.

danl23188

I have always run the tires at 32 cold, when I got it back after an alignment the dealer had increased it to 34 cold. I returned it to 32, seems to work, tires are wearing very well.

Mike Campbell

I've run my Nitto's on my C6, and also when I had a C5 at 32 psi rears, 36 psi fronts. On a long trip they'll go up 2 to 3 lbs. However, when we lived in PA I'd take my car out on a cold day and they'd be down around 25. After a couple of miles they'd go up and the DIC would calm down.

Steve_R

I'm not sure that's true with wide, low profile tires. For high speed all tire manufacturers recommend increased pressures to reduce sidewall flex and heat buildup, which is what destroys tires. When we run BBORR in the 150 mph average class we start with the tires at 40 psi cold, which is what is recommended by the manufacturer. The last thing you want running 150+ mph on a two lane highway is a reduced contact patch and worse cornering.

jpee

Just thought I'd put this in for the sake of "interest" When I race the "RACE CAR" not the Corvette.. I run 16 lb of air in the rear Drag Slicks, and 42 lb in the front skinnies.. both sets of tires are NOT Radials..

The car is a "Tube Frame" Camaro, it weighs 2100 lb.... (Rules say ir must weigh 7.5 lb per every ci.) the motor is 290 ci small block Chevy...still using dual quad carbs.. no Fuel Injection.. and runs 174 mph in 7.92 sec...

PS This car never sees the street

wolfdogs

who said anything about high speed? I was making the statement for everyday driving. Im a tire testing/engineer by trade my friend...... 38 years experience in all forms of tire dynamic testing. Are you familiar with ECE 30?.... How about SAE J15161? I was on the committee that wrote that spec. Both these specs are the standards for speed rating of P metric tires. The big factor in high speed is the added centrifugal force on the tires construction..which is why the added psi in necessary.. its an interesting subject for sure