I use 36f / 34r. I am still trying to find the "perfect" numbers, but I find that a little higher up front adds a bit of understeer and the rear wiggles a bit but stays planted better. At least it "feels" like it...and it's all about feeling good...

 

The factory recommendation of 32/32 is for convenience and as a general recommendation for people who are not going to do much more than drive normally on the street. That 32/32 cold setting is intended to get the tires up to about a 35-37psi at operating temps - thus giving you the "factory" determined tread profile and tire "stiffness".

At autocrosses, especially early and late in the season when the first run could be when it is 40 degrees out, I will start with 36-37 cold just to get the "optimal" tread profile etc. Then I adjust from there depending on understeer/oversteer preference.

 

Speaking of tire pressures and manufacturer recommendations, any of ya'll watch the Nascar race in Pheonix, Arizona on Sunday?

Blake

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by infinitebass
[B]Speaking of tire pressures and manufacturer recommendations, any of ya'll watch the Nascar race in Pheonix, Arizona on Sunday?

 

Not sure I follow you. It's obvious, of course, that different driving conditions will produce different operating pressures. But the manufacturer's specs are for cold pressure; my comment was a nod to the reality that most of us put air in our tires at the local fuel station a mile or so from our home.

As for finding the best settings, without sophiticated tire temp/pressure telemetry, we're forced to use trial and error to see how we like the wear/ride/handling/etc.: i.e. we have to basically experiment with different cold settings, which can be pretty well controlled (unlike the operating pressures as you rightly pointed out).

In other words, cold pressure *is* important since it's the only "baseline" we can fairly reliably return to for comparisons.

 

twohoos,

I don't want to argue, everyone has their own valid way of doing things. But for your information, here is my justification and my reply:

First a quote from page 186 of the 2001 Owner's Manual:

"Check the pressures in the tires when they are cold. This means the car has been parked for at least three hours. If you have to drive the car before checking the tire pressure, the tires can still be considered "cold" if you drive less than 1 mile.

If you check the pressure when the tires are hot (the car has been driven several miles), you will see readings 4 to 6 psi higher than the cold reading. This is normal. Do not let air out to match the specified cold pressure. The tire will be underinflated."

So Honda suggests a 36 to 38 psi operating pressure.

> we have to basically experiment with different cold settings

I find it easier to stop my car during my drive and check operating pressures, adding or releasing air as needed. I have found that trying to do this cold in the morning before the drive is less accurate because so much depends on weather and driving aggressiveness.

> cold pressure *is* important since it's the only "baseline" we can fairly reliably return to for comparisons

No, the manual suggests an operating alternative, a more convenient and ultimately a more accurate one in my opinion.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by honda_s2k
[B]

No. What was up with that?

What I find interesting is that NASCAR is going to race the day after Thanksgiving up here at Loudon, NH. The temps could very well be below freezing that day.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Mike Schuster
[B]twohoos, I don't want to argue, everyone has their own valid way of doing things...

 

Originally posted by mstw
When a tire is under-inflated it gets a lot hotter that it would if it were properly inflated. A hot tire will wear out faster.

 

THough, similarly, an overinflated tire will have just it's middle of the tread wear out premature - more pressure on a smaller/narrower contact patch.