Tire air pressure
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 26
Likes: 2
From: Monterey, TN
Tire air pressure
2008 Base coupe, best air pressure for performance and max mileage out of tires?
The door says 30, Firestone dealer says 32 and the dealer that just installed my new wheels says 40 psi. I think that’s too much.
What y’all think?
The door says 30, Firestone dealer says 32 and the dealer that just installed my new wheels says 40 psi. I think that’s too much.
What y’all think?
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 12,044
Likes: 3,586
From: Central MO
40 will wear the center of the tire out, no matter what type of tire. I keep my runflats at 28-30 psi; 28 gives a softer ride at the expense of slightly worse handling when pushing the car in corners. GM got the spec right for runflats; if you run non runflats you will have to figure out the correct psi. My guess is they will take a few psi more than runflats.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,061
Likes: 130
You could deviate +/- 5psi from the door placard then watch your tire wear. More wear in the center means over-inflated, more wear at the edges means underinflated.
That said, just leave it at the GM recommended 30PSI unless you are tracking the car and have a very good reason to change it. The OEM spec will give you the best performance. A good tire alignment (Pfadt street alignment) will give you a better performance improvement than playing with tire pressure.
You won't get noticeably better gas mileage by over inflating the huge tires on these cars.
That said, just leave it at the GM recommended 30PSI unless you are tracking the car and have a very good reason to change it. The OEM spec will give you the best performance. A good tire alignment (Pfadt street alignment) will give you a better performance improvement than playing with tire pressure.
You won't get noticeably better gas mileage by over inflating the huge tires on these cars.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,061
Likes: 130
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,504
Likes: 717
From: Sausalito CA
40 is too high.
IMO start with the 30/30 and monitor your tire wear.
There is an "old rule of thumb" that hot tire pressure should be 10% higher than cold pressure.
Your alignment if OEM could wear the front inside edges prematurely.
And if you really wish to dial in the air pressure, get a pyrometer.
FWIW I have the Firestone runflats, and for my driving style etc and the feeling I like from the car I run 33 ft and 27 rear.
At these setting the tires wear evenly.
Good luck and have fun.
IMO start with the 30/30 and monitor your tire wear.
There is an "old rule of thumb" that hot tire pressure should be 10% higher than cold pressure.
Your alignment if OEM could wear the front inside edges prematurely.
And if you really wish to dial in the air pressure, get a pyrometer.
FWIW I have the Firestone runflats, and for my driving style etc and the feeling I like from the car I run 33 ft and 27 rear.
At these setting the tires wear evenly.
Good luck and have fun.
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Burning Brakes
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Drifting
Joined: Dec 2016
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Running non runflats. roughly at 35-38 at the rear, 32-35 fronts. RFs really harshen the ride so I think 30 works. With no run flats, my car would feel a little soft and boaty so I upped the pressure. Feels better now in the corners.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2009
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From: Eastern
If you want your C6 to act like a buckboard wagon suspension, then by all means run the tire pressure at 40psi.
If you want a more comfortable ride, then ideally 30psi, and 32 max cold air pressure. On long summer road trips using the I highways, the heat of the tires will raise the tire pressure by a good 10-15%, so 28-30 cold would be preferred.
If you want a more comfortable ride, then ideally 30psi, and 32 max cold air pressure. On long summer road trips using the I highways, the heat of the tires will raise the tire pressure by a good 10-15%, so 28-30 cold would be preferred.
Last edited by 4SUMERZ; Aug 19, 2021 at 09:57 PM.
