Dare I Ask? Correct Tire Pressure for a 1997 Explorer

[masospaghetti]

I am curious to try the chalk test on my personal vehicle.

I've always had my Explorers (the 98 and 2000) with about 35 psi in the tires. No problems with ride quality or tread life - the 2000 has logged about 70,000 miles on a set of Michelin X-Radials, and I think dry rot will claim these before the tread runs out.

For those saying 26 psi makes the Explorer a death trap - It doesn't - as others have mentioned, it leaves a small margin for error. Also the Firestone tires weren't of the highest quality to begin with.

 

[ponkotsu]

The chalk test is nonsense. I think its urban legend. Don't waste your time.

 

[jadatis]

I love annoying TPMS. Have you ever had a flat tire? Wouldn't it have been nice to know it was going flat before it happened? They absolutely save lives and tires. Unless you are checking your tire pressure every time you get in they are very useful. And no, you can't tell by looking at a tire if it is losing pressure until it's too late.

In the last 25 years I only had flat punctures of screws in the tire, wich did not flat it out. So the chance of a flat tire when filled to a save pressure, is small.
What I mean about annoying TPMS is that they often give false errors.
If that happens often , some people want to shut them down or ignore the light that keeps burning.
In Holland, where I live, cars sold from 2014 must have some warning-system too, but at the moment most do without it and lesser blew outs becouse of the mostly to high adviced pressures( not always, somtimes they yust are needed, like the low AR tires).

And what you write in your next post about being it a kind of religion, is what the buisiness made of it to cover up their own mistakes.
If we keep believing in the tire-company's, it will be forbidden to draw your own plan in future, we have to do what they discribe or we go prisson.
In a way the insurance company's do it already , by trying to not pay when the pressures are lower then what is given by the car maker.
I am not saying that I know it all better, but you have to be aware of who is writing something. The outcome of many research is often controled by the institute that financed it.

 

[GJarrett]

The chalk test is nonsense. I think its urban legend. Don't waste your time.

I don't mind having wasted my time for the past thirteen years being an urban legend.... I tested the procedure, have used it through many sets of tires on four vehicles over 400k miles, and it's worked very well for me. I don't know what experience you have as an internet expert and I'm no expert myself; but I do have firsthand experience with the chalk test, and it's worked fabously for me.

masospaghetti, if you want to give it a try, go ahead. If you don't like it, then you haven't lost much trying it; if you do like it, then you too can be an urban legend.

 

[ponkotsu]

I don't mind having wasted my time for the past thirteen years being an urban legend.... I tested the procedure, have used it through many sets of tires on four vehicles over 400k miles, and it's worked very well for me. I don't know what experience you have as an internet expert and I'm no expert myself; but I do have firsthand experience with the chalk test, and it's worked fabously for me.

masospaghetti, if you want to give it a try, go ahead. If you don't like it, then you haven't lost much trying it; if you do like it, then you too can be an urban legend.

But what does it tell you? The tire sits flat at static condition? What about 60mph when the contact patch is entirely different? Do you really want equal pressure? Can the chalk actually detect pressure, or just touching?

I bet there is at least a 5-10psi range in which the chalk will show evenly. And again, that is static condition, not dynamic. It will tell you if the tire is fully inflated, and that's about it.

 

[jadatis]

As Gjared describes the chalk test it probably gives the highest pressure for the actual load that gives no centre wear , and so is pretty save.

A radial tire has a large range in wich the total width of the tire is flat on the ground. So even with to low pressure that gives damage to the sidewalls, the chalk test would give even wear of the chalk.
But described by gjared he begins at much to high pressure and stops lowering when the chalk wears of even.

 

[FreeMe]

I don't know about the chalk test, but I've always just observed the tread after normal driving to see that the scuffed area goes all the way to the edge (just short of it for some tires), but doesn't show scuffing on or above the edge of the tread area. If you observe your tires often, you learn what the difference looks like. It's always worked for me, and I generally get the maximum expected wear (or better) from my tires. Never had any traction problems either.

edit: BTW - I haven't driven my 98 Ex long enough (only had it a few weeks, and it's not my only car) to settle on the best pressure yet, but I'm starting to suspect that it's around 30psi for my tire/wheel combination.

 

[FreeMe]

Interesting to note that while my manual gives 26lbs for the stock 16" tires - now that I check again, the door sticker shows 30lbs.

 

[SoNic67]

My 2001 EB manual and door sticker both show 30 psi for 16":

 

[ponkotsu]

I think they changed mid-year. My 2000 has a build date in June 2000 and says 26psi. I don't have a manual.