Help! Damage by overinflating tires?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 244
Likes: 0
From: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Help! Damage by overinflating tires?
Hello,
When I put my 01 Couple away for the winter, I always overinflate the tires to ~ 38 psi to prevent flatspotting. I have non-run-flat Michelin Pilot Sport PS2's on the car. I have an electric inflator, and before I put it away last winter, I accidentally left the inflator running (when I ran inside to get a phone call). When I came back out, I almost died. The tire was at 60 psi, and was probably at that pressure for 5 minutes. I immediately let air out down to 38. The pressure sensor for the tire naturally reported overinflation.
When I took it out this spring, the tire sensor reports normal pressure again, and the car seems to drive ok. I am worried I may have:
a) damaged the tire
b) damaged the pressure sensor
Can anyone provide some guidance if there is a long or short term safety hazard driving on this tire? Could I have done permanent damage by overinflating this much? (the tires indicate maximum pressure is 51 psi).
Thanks for your help.
Jason
When I put my 01 Couple away for the winter, I always overinflate the tires to ~ 38 psi to prevent flatspotting. I have non-run-flat Michelin Pilot Sport PS2's on the car. I have an electric inflator, and before I put it away last winter, I accidentally left the inflator running (when I ran inside to get a phone call). When I came back out, I almost died. The tire was at 60 psi, and was probably at that pressure for 5 minutes. I immediately let air out down to 38. The pressure sensor for the tire naturally reported overinflation.
When I took it out this spring, the tire sensor reports normal pressure again, and the car seems to drive ok. I am worried I may have:
a) damaged the tire
b) damaged the pressure sensor
Can anyone provide some guidance if there is a long or short term safety hazard driving on this tire? Could I have done permanent damage by overinflating this much? (the tires indicate maximum pressure is 51 psi).
Thanks for your help.
Jason
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,107
Likes: 14
From: Lancaster PA
I know a guy who was filling a racecar tire and left the air hose attached and walked away for a minute. As he returned the tire exploded and he was seriously injured. Never a good idea to leave a tire that is being inflated.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 995
Likes: 2
From: Palm City FL
Check the sidewalls, inner and outer. On my old car, my jackass friend overinflated my tire after it got a nail in it, and my inner sidewall had a HUGE bulge in it. Didn't notice it until I took the tire off to plug it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
It is true that tire stores run the pressure up above normal operating pressures to seat the bead on the wheel. Most tire stores also do this inside a cage just in case the tire fails and or explodes.
If you had damaged the pressure sensor, then most likely it would be stuck on the higher pressure or would quit working completely. If they are reading close to the correct pressure, then there is probably no damage.
If you had damaged the pressure sensor, then most likely it would be stuck on the higher pressure or would quit working completely. If they are reading close to the correct pressure, then there is probably no damage.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 40,999
Likes: 9,764
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
As long as you didn't drive on it at that pressure you shouldn't have a problem. Next time avoid the problem by not pressurizing the tires any higher than the recommended 30 psi. Flat spotting only lasts fo a couple of miles. Once the tires warm up from use the flat spots go away.
Bill
Bill
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Joe Kucinski
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,293
Likes: 1,110
From: Dyer, IN
Hello,
When I put my 01 Couple away for the winter, I always overinflate the tires to ~ 38 psi to prevent flatspotting. I have non-run-flat Michelin Pilot Sport PS2's on the car. I have an electric inflator, and before I put it away last winter, I accidentally left the inflator running (when I ran inside to get a phone call). When I came back out, I almost died. The tire was at 60 psi, and was probably at that pressure for 5 minutes. I immediately let air out down to 38. The pressure sensor for the tire naturally reported overinflation.
When I took it out this spring, the tire sensor reports normal pressure again, and the car seems to drive ok. I am worried I may have:
a) damaged the tire
b) damaged the pressure sensor
Can anyone provide some guidance if there is a long or short term safety hazard driving on this tire? Could I have done permanent damage by overinflating this much? (the tires indicate maximum pressure is 51 psi).
Thanks for your help.
Jason
When I put my 01 Couple away for the winter, I always overinflate the tires to ~ 38 psi to prevent flatspotting. I have non-run-flat Michelin Pilot Sport PS2's on the car. I have an electric inflator, and before I put it away last winter, I accidentally left the inflator running (when I ran inside to get a phone call). When I came back out, I almost died. The tire was at 60 psi, and was probably at that pressure for 5 minutes. I immediately let air out down to 38. The pressure sensor for the tire naturally reported overinflation.
When I took it out this spring, the tire sensor reports normal pressure again, and the car seems to drive ok. I am worried I may have:
a) damaged the tire
b) damaged the pressure sensor
Can anyone provide some guidance if there is a long or short term safety hazard driving on this tire? Could I have done permanent damage by overinflating this much? (the tires indicate maximum pressure is 51 psi).
Thanks for your help.
Jason
hilarious ! I wish I could have seen the look on your face 
Instructor
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
From: Barrie Ontario
I work at a wheel and tire shop. 60psi will not damage the tire unless you have driven on them at that pressure for extended periods of time. (and even then you would probably only have irregular wear) 60 pounds is the max recommended pressure to seat the bead safely however certain applications require a much higher pressure. The most we have ever used to seat a bead was 106psi. You don't have anything to worry about in my opinion.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 23,682
Likes: 9
From: Flagstaff Az.
When I put some new runflats on a few years ago the tire guy was up to over 8o lbs. when the bead finally popped out to the edge of the rim. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,320
Likes: 2
From: Salem Oregon
It is true that tire stores run the pressure up above normal operating pressures to seat the bead on the wheel. Most tire stores also do this inside a cage just in case the tire fails and or explodes.
If you had damaged the pressure sensor, then most likely it would be stuck on the higher pressure or would quit working completely. If they are reading close to the correct pressure, then there is probably no damage.
If you had damaged the pressure sensor, then most likely it would be stuck on the higher pressure or would quit working completely. If they are reading close to the correct pressure, then there is probably no damage.
