Dare I Ask? Correct Tire Pressure for a 1997 Explorer

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

Lowered Explorers generally ride like crap. Yes, i speakfrom experience; I was once lowered myself.



Yes or Ranch makesan in cab adjuster. I just never saw the needfor it since I rarely adjust the shocks.

do you know a good shock i could use thats applicable to my lowered explorer?

yea i saw the onboard adjuster kit for them rancho shocks.it was around $188.00.its just like an on-board air supply.

 

[bichon]

Tire Pressures

97 Explorer with 235/75 R15 LT tires, 67000 miles. The door sticker on my 97 XL says 26psi, but I always thought it was too low.
I found that if I run with 30-32 psi I get normal and even tire wear. If your tires are wearing more on the outside of the tires than the center of the tire, then your pressure is too low. If your tires wear more in the center of the tire than the outsides then your pressure is too high. 30-32psi under normal summer or winter driving conditions gives me the best compromise between ride, handling, mileage and tire wear.

 

[tressler]

Thank you to everyone for the input. After driving the Expl. with the tires at 26, then 35, I settled for 32 to "handle" and ride the best. I'll keep any eye on the tires for wear patterns and adjust accordingly.

Does anyone have the "recall" sticker on their door? If so, what do they say? I'm just curious at this point. Mine still says 26 PSI on the sticker, so I'm assuming that it's a "stock" sticker.

 

[loaderopp]

I've searched and cannot find a definitive answer. What is the correct tire pressure for a 1997 Limited, AWD-V8? 235/75/15, stock size tires. The Ford recommended 26 PSI cannot be correct... IMO.

Thank you in advance for any input!

tire pressure has nothing to do with make or model of truck or car but everything to with the tire,

On the tire should be max load ratings and tire pressures.... the load on the tire dictates the tire pressure.

 

[tressler]

tire pressure has nothing to do with make or model of truck or car but everything to with the tire,

On the tire should be max load ratings and tire pressures.... the load on the tire dictates the tire pressure.

Yes, but the "make or model of truck or car" dictates the load on the tire. I am asking for recommendations for proper inflation on my Explorer, in an Explorer forum. Every auto manufacturer in the world lists recommended tire sizes, load ratings, and inflation for each vehicle they make. Ford recommends 26 PSI for the Explorer, at least mine says that. But most will tell you that 26 PSI is too low, I am simply wanting to know what others are doing.

 

[loaderopp]

(the load on the tire dictates the tire pressure)

I run 31x10.50 on a bronco at 40. my tires max psi = 50 lbs.

 

[tressler]

Thank you loaderopp...

 

[LouGoat]

My 97 X's door sticker also says 26 psi. I bought the truck in 2002 with 60,000 miles and I always have 32 psi in my tires. Blowout of right rear tire on Belt Parkway in Brooklyn and I then put on the four new Bridgestone's installed at 70,000 miles. Current Falken's tires installed at 130,000 miles. As you can see the Bridgestones lasted pretty long. 32 psi for me has been the happy medium for long wear life and not too much ride harshness. Hope this helps, if not experiment with different pressures but you can easily look at the tire to see wear patterns and adjust accordingly. Also check your alignment for proper settings to help ride and tire life. Good Luck !

97XLT 4wd, Hella 9007's, IPCW diamond clears, stock turn signals, Hella 500 driving lights, Hella Supertone horns, AVS Vent Visors and bug deflector, Lund rear spoiler, Spyder rear smoked tails, Westin safari bar, Rhino 36" hitch step, front windows 20% tint to match rears, great reliable truck.

 

[loaderopp]

no problem, My dad owned a tire shop, he used to say hell with the factory door labels... check the load rating/tire pressure on the rubber. and if your load is around 85% of the max load then run 85% of the max tire pressure.

i always at good results using this formula.

 

[ozmedia]

Ford is not incorrect when they recommend 26PSI

32-34 PSI.. the 26 was a mistake

I studied the Ford vs Firestone case in trade school. Ford recommends 26PSI for two reasons, to reduce rollover from their suspension when cornering and to offer a more comfortable ride (I think the stability issue is their main concern). Firestone argued that Ford's low pressure was cause overheating and tire separation, however Ford contested that the compounds used by Firestone were carefully engineered y Firestone and Ford for 26PSI and should have been fine, if the tire was manufactured correctly. Firestone finally saw the writing on the wall and now agrees that 26PSI should have been fine.

I run 28 up front and 30 in rear for city, I need softer ride with our crappy roads, and I air up to high 30's on HWY.

The tire manufacturers all say to go with the Ford ratings and not their own max pressure rating. So go with what feels right; cornering stability, ride comfort, driving style, conditions, suspension mods etc. all change how your tires 'feel' under you. The bottom line is safety, not tread life, fuel etc. If you feel more secure driving on harder tires, pump them up, if not, air them down.

When I have all my tools in back, I add a few pounds, when I'm cruising around on a Sunday afternoon, I air down for ride comfort, on HWY I air up, etc. It's what feels right to me, the driver.

 

[colintrax]

How does lower tire pressure reduce your roll over chances? Should be just the opposite.

BTW, I run 40 psi

 

[MNgopher]

The correct answer on the recall door pressure placard for a P235 75 R15 tire is 30 psi. The recall placard replaces the 26 psi recommendation that was changed in the wake of the Firestone Wilderness AT debacle.

I run my tires at 30-31 psi, on both my regular all season Firestone Destination LE's, and my winter snows, Hankook Winter I-Pike W409s.

The pressure listed on a tire sidewall is the maximum pressure, not the recommended pressure. If I ran my F150 at the Max pressure all the time, it would ride like a dump truck at 50 psi. At 30 psi, I'm already wearing the center out on my explorer tires before the edges...

The tire is rated to carry a certain maximum load, and the tire manufacturer does not know the end use (unless its OEM tires) and thus is not in a position to recommend a tire pressure - that is the job of the vehicle manufacturer.

 

[SoNic67]

2001 4 door Explorer - door sticker. Tire pressure is dictated by car manufacturer, not tire manufacturer. On tire there is noted just the maximum allowed pressure from their tests.

 

[mr_valingo]

Ok this is an endless debate, so i'll add some food for thought. P235/75r15 tires with a max rating of 44psi. Lt235/75r15 tires with a max 50psi. Why run the Lt's at a higher pressure? Under the same load the Lt's can actually handle LOWER pressure better due to the thicker/stiffer sidewalls. Now i am not suggesting anyone to do this. Just understand your equipment and do what works for your situation.

 

[SoNic67]

In the end, after tests and trials, the car was approved by DOT to be used on public roads with the listed tire pressure and tire type/size. Anything else makes the car not fit for public roads use.

Tire manufacturers list the maximum allowed pressure for their liability reasons.

 

[JAMES209]

I like the smooth ride I get with 26 frt/28rear much better than 30's. All my driving is city in my completly stock EB 5.0L

 

[drdoom]

I use LTs, and run 45-48 psi.

 

[MNgopher]

No need to throw the difference between LT tires and P series tires into the mix. The OP asked what was the factory pressure for the OEM tire size - P235 75 15. The correct answer is 30 psi, based on the recall to place a revised sticker for tire pressure, replacing the original recommendation for 26 psi.

Once you start changing tire types (like to LT tires), you will need to adjust air pressures then (usually higher for the same load).

 

[mr_valingo]

But why higher for an Lt with the same load?? The tires, no matter how many ply, hold the same volume of air at the same pressure. Lt tires are designed to hold more air thus supporting a heavier load.

 

[SoNic67]

They are confused... Using higher pressure won't do squat for the gas mileage and makes for a harsher ride. With less stability in corners because tires are part of the suspension, unsuspended mass, absorbing high-frequency movements (short bumps).
If you hit a denivelation (two concrete plates not aligned) while cornering, the super-inflated tires won't absorb that bump, sending the shock into all the frame (suspended mass). Springs/shocks cannot react to this fast bumps and whole side of body moves upwards, tire on that side loose some grip with pavement due to sudden unloading (feels like "jumping" from road). Eventually it can lead to loose of control, running in the other lane or sidewall.
But, you know, the driveway mechanics feel that are smarter than the engineers at Ford and DOT that put those labels on the cars.