Honda Car Forum

My 1991 Honda Civic now has four new Goodyear tires. The technicians filled them
to 30 psi and recorded this. I pointed out that Honda recommended 26 psi for my
car. The shop said they'd be happy to lower it to this but implied that 30 psi
was customary. I figured they had their reasons and decided to research and
adjust according to what I found.

I did a groups.google search. It seems people are about evenly divided on using
the manufacturer's pressure and using a pressure say 4 psi or so higher. The
lower pressure gives a more comfortable ride. The higher pressure supposedly
gives better handling and longer tire life.

Has anyone run their own experiment, trying the manufacturer's pressure for the
life of one set of tires, then at some time trying a pressure a few psi higher
for another set of tires?

I hadn't started watching my tire pressure that closely (about once a month now)
until just a few years ago, so I don't have a good "database."

what size tires are you using???

What are YOUR driving habits??????

--
Charles Tague
93 Honda Civic DX HB
1.6L SOHC VTEC 14.85 @ 89 mph,1.98 60 ft.
With ZEX 85 hp ZEX 13.09 @ 103 mph, 1.81 60ft.
86 Pontiac Trans Am
225/50/15 GForce Drag Radials
305 peanut cammed 15.29 @ 88 mph
http://home.cinci.rr.com/mistab0ne/
"Caliban" <caliban03nospam@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:Kt_pb.206$Z25.117@newsread4.news.pas.earthlin k.net...
> My 1991 Honda Civic now has four new Goodyear tires. The technicians
filled them
> to 30 psi and recorded this. I pointed out that Honda recommended 26 psi
for my
> car. The shop said they'd be happy to lower it to this but implied that 30
psi
> was customary. I figured they had their reasons and decided to research
and
> adjust according to what I found.
>
> I did a groups.google search. It seems people are about evenly divided on
using
> the manufacturer's pressure and using a pressure say 4 psi or so higher.
The
> lower pressure gives a more comfortable ride. The higher pressure
supposedly
> gives better handling and longer tire life.
>
> Has anyone run their own experiment, trying the manufacturer's pressure
for the
> life of one set of tires, then at some time trying a pressure a few psi
higher
> for another set of tires?
>
> I hadn't started watching my tire pressure that closely (about once a
month now)
> until just a few years ago, so I don't have a good "database."
>
>

"Caliban" wrote

> My 1991 Honda Civic now has four new Goodyear tires. The technicians
filled them
> to 30 psi and recorded this. I pointed out that Honda recommended 26 psi
for my
> car. The shop said they'd be happy to lower it to this but implied that 30
psi
> was customary. I figured they had their reasons and decided to research
and
> adjust according to what I found.

Until you get a definitive answer, I suggest a) you set the pressure for the
ride and handling *you* prefer. If setting them to 30 gives you a few
thousand more miles, but you're miserable for the first 35000.... b)
Contact Goodyear to find out what pressure they recommend for those tires
and *your* car. It may be different from what Honda recommends with their
OEM tires. I'd expect a Goodyear company store should have a booklet or
something that provides that information.

"Howard Lester" <hlester@mmto.org> wrote
> "Caliban" wrote
>
> > My 1991 Honda Civic now has four new Goodyear tires. The technicians
> filled them
> > to 30 psi and recorded this. I pointed out that Honda recommended 26 psi
> for my
> > car. The shop said they'd be happy to lower it to this but implied that 30
> psi
> > was customary. I figured they had their reasons and decided to research
> and
> > adjust according to what I found.
>
> Until you get a definitive answer, I suggest a) you set the pressure for the
> ride and handling *you* prefer. If setting them to 30 gives you a few
> thousand more miles, but you're miserable for the first 35000.... b)
> Contact Goodyear to find out what pressure they recommend for those tires
> and *your* car. It may be different from what Honda recommends with their
> OEM tires. I'd expect a Goodyear company store should have a booklet or
> something that provides that information.

Goodyear's web site says to set the tire pressure to what Honda (or whomever the
manufacturer of the car is) says.

Someone emailed me in private and said I should consider collecting data with a
tire tread depth gage. (This is for the truly scientific. :-)). Rule of thumb:
If the outside edges wear more quickly than the center, the tires are
underinflated. And vice versa.

Barring further input, I'm going to leave the tires at 28-29 psi for awhile,
which is overinflated from Honda's recommended 26 psi. Maybe I will start
collecting data, or take careful note of the wear at my rotation at 7500 miles.

I have never been wild about the bulge at the bottom of my tires in the past
when inflated to 26 psi. Some bulge should be present, but it always appeared
excessive to me. (Gut impression.) Also, I am considering what you and others
have said about the ride quality.

(All tire pressures mentioned above are 'car has been sitting at least three
hours' pressures.)

Thanks all for sharing your thoughts.

On Wed, 05 Nov 2003 18:54:29 GMT, "Caliban"
<caliban03nospam@earthlink.net> wrote:


>Someone emailed me in private and said I should consider collecting data with a
>tire tread depth gage. (This is for the truly scientific. :-)). Rule of thumb:
>If the outside edges wear more quickly than the center, the tires are
>underinflated. And vice versa.

This is correct, as is the original statement that higher pressure
improves handling, lower pressure improves ride. Higher pressure also
reduces heat build-up at high speeds and heavy loads.

You can also use a differential between front and rear pressures to
adjust the handling of the car. Higher front pressure will reduce
understeer.

>Barring further input, I'm going to leave the tires at 28-29 psi for awhile,
>which is overinflated from Honda's recommended 26 psi. Maybe I will start
>collecting data, or take careful note of the wear at my rotation at 7500 miles.

I would consider the manufacturer's recommendation to be the lower
limit and the tire's maximum to be the upper limit. Anything in that
range is a matter of personal preference. You seem to be aiming for
maximum tread life which is fine. I would point out though that most
Hondas come with tires that favor long tread life over good handling.
I would suggest that you optimize the pressure for ride vs. handling
and not worry if you only get 60,000 miles out of them. It is also a
lot faster and easier than trying to optimize for maximum tread life.

>I have never been wild about the bulge at the bottom of my tires in the past
>when inflated to 26 psi. Some bulge should be present, but it always appeared
>excessive to me. (Gut impression.) Also, I am considering what you and others
>have said about the ride quality.

As long as you have at least 26 psi in them, the bulge is not a
problem.

Caliban <caliban03nospam@earthlink.net> wrote:

> Barring further input, I'm going to leave the tires at 28-29 psi for awhile,
> which is overinflated from Honda's recommended 26 psi. Maybe I will start
> collecting data, or take careful note of the wear at my rotation at 7500 miles.

For some reason, I've been in the habit of keeping the pressure at 32psi on
my '93 Accord ever since I bought it new. I do notice that the center of the
tires wear out a little faster and the ride is slightly harsher, but other
than that, there have been no negative side-effects.

I'm riding on Michelin X-Ones right now and the sidewall says the maximum
pressure is 35 psi.

Andrew

"Gordon McGrew" <gRmEcMgOrVeEw@mindspring.com> wrote
> <caliban03nospam@earthlink.net> wrote:
snip but comments noted
> I would consider the manufacturer's recommendation to be the lower
> limit and the tire's maximum to be the upper limit. Anything in that
> range is a matter of personal preference. You seem to be aiming for
> maximum tread life which is fine.

Pretty much. The previous tires were Firestone Affinitys, and I didn't get close
to their rated tread life. Raw age and foul weather driving likely contributed
(lots of little cracks could be seen), but I'm also wondering if keeping them at
26 psi was yet another factor. Given how my car is usually loaded, maybe this
pressure is a bit low. I also paid a lot more for the Firestones in 1996 (around
$270 altogether, rated at 70k or 80k miles) than the Wal-Mart Goodyears I bought
Tuesday ($205 altogether, Viva 2 brand, something Goodyear makes just for
Wal-mart, rated at 60k miles I think). Dunno if that's Firestone mischief or
Wal-Mart's discounting or what. I do have the impression Goodyears are generally
superior to any Firestone brand, from general reading in the last few years.

Ever since riding with a friend in her ancient but well-preserved 1988 Lincoln,
I have decided there is probably little I can do about my Civic's ability to
accomodate bumpy roads. Civic's are not made for much comfort.

For the record, after Internet searching and reading the newsgroup in the last
year or so, the only other tires I would put on my Civic are Coopers.

> I would point out though that most
> Hondas come with tires that favor long tread life over good handling.

Yes. I think the original tires that came with the car when I bought it new made
it more or less safely to 80k miles.

> I would suggest that you optimize the pressure for ride vs. handling
> and not worry if you only get 60,000 miles out of them. It is also a
> lot faster and easier than trying to optimize for maximum tread life.

I'm not going to sweat it much. I figure 28-29 psi is safe enough (it feels
fine) and will be an experiment of sorts.

> >I have never been wild about the bulge at the bottom of my tires in the past
> >when inflated to 26 psi. Some bulge should be present, but it always appeared
> >excessive to me. (Gut impression.) Also, I am considering what you and others
> >have said about the ride quality.
>
> As long as you have at least 26 psi in them, the bulge is not a
> problem.

Okay. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Andrew, thanks, too for telling about your Michelins on your '93 Accord.

On Thu, 06 Nov 2003 16:08:48 GMT, Caliban <caliban03nospam@earthlink.net> wrote:
> "Gordon McGrew" <gRmEcMgOrVeEw@mindspring.com> wrote
>> <caliban03nospam@earthlink.net> wrote:
> snip but comments noted
>> I would consider the manufacturer's recommendation to be the lower
>> limit and the tire's maximum to be the upper limit. Anything in that
>> range is a matter of personal preference. You seem to be aiming for
>> maximum tread life which is fine.
>
> Pretty much. The previous tires were Firestone Affinitys, and I didn't get close
> to their rated tread life. Raw age and foul weather driving likely contributed
> (lots of little cracks could be seen), but I'm also wondering if keeping them at
> 26 psi was yet another factor. Given how my car is usually loaded, maybe this
> pressure is a bit low. I also paid a lot more for the Firestones in 1996 (around
> $270 altogether, rated at 70k or 80k miles) than the Wal-Mart Goodyears I bought
> Tuesday ($205 altogether, Viva 2 brand, something Goodyear makes just for
> Wal-mart, rated at 60k miles I think). Dunno if that's Firestone mischief or
> Wal-Mart's discounting or what. I do have the impression Goodyears are generally
> superior to any Firestone brand, from general reading in the last few years.

firestone tires are crap. You're lucky if you get more than a season
out of a set.

TCS <The-Central-Scrutinizer@p.o.b.o.x.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 06 Nov 2003 16:08:48 GMT, Caliban <caliban03nospam@earthlink.net> wrote:
>> "Gordon McGrew" <gRmEcMgOrVeEw@mindspring.com> wrote
>>> <caliban03nospam@earthlink.net> wrote:
>> snip but comments noted
>>> I would consider the manufacturer's recommendation to be the lower
>>> limit and the tire's maximum to be the upper limit. Anything in that
>>> range is a matter of personal preference. You seem to be aiming for
>>> maximum tread life which is fine.
>>
>> Pretty much. The previous tires were Firestone Affinitys, and I didn't get close
>> to their rated tread life. Raw age and foul weather driving likely contributed
>> (lots of little cracks could be seen), but I'm also wondering if keeping them at
>> 26 psi was yet another factor. Given how my car is usually loaded, maybe this
>> pressure is a bit low. I also paid a lot more for the Firestones in 1996 (around
>> $270 altogether, rated at 70k or 80k miles) than the Wal-Mart Goodyears I bought
>> Tuesday ($205 altogether, Viva 2 brand, something Goodyear makes just for
>> Wal-mart, rated at 60k miles I think). Dunno if that's Firestone mischief or
>> Wal-Mart's discounting or what. I do have the impression Goodyears are generally
>> superior to any Firestone brand, from general reading in the last few years.

> firestone tires are crap. You're lucky if you get more than a season
> out of a set.

Crap comapny, crap product, crap employees, crap management.
Do yourself a favor and steer clear of Firestone.

Andrew

We had an 87 Accord, rode on 185-70-13s. We put on a new set of good tires, inflated them at 26 psi, which was the Honda spec, and they wore out in less than 25K miles! Next set of tires, we kept at 32 psi (cold inflation max was 36 psi), they lasted more than 40K miles. Still on the car when we sold it.

Honda is a great manufacturer as we all know, and most of their factory recos are sound, but two aren't: tire pressue (too low)and oil change intervals (too long). For our 02 Accord V6, the manual says 30 psi. Cold psi max on the sidewall says 44 psi. A family member is manager of a tire shop, he told me to keep these tires (the Michelin MXV4+) at 40 psi. I am doing so and we're getting excellent highway MPG and good handling.

I would run tires on any Honda or Acura at psi higher than the manual and lower than the cold max rating. We plan to keep our tires at about 4 psi less than the cold rating for the long term. I don't mind the firmer ride.