Newbie...Tire Pressure Question

[MikeB 30]

Hi All,
Long time lurker (sorry) finally signed up. This site is one of the best places to find Explorer info, you guys rock. I have a 94 Explorer XLT with Goodyear 235/75R15 tires on it. I cannot get a straight answer out of Ford on tire pressure . The sticker on the door says 26 psi but that seems pretty low to me and i suspect it was changed at some point due to the Firestone ATX fiasco.
What do you guys run these tires at. Primarily on-road applications in the cold Iowa winter..
Again, thanks.....

 

[bmxking5]

I run mine at about 33-35 psi on road (less off-road)

 

[MONMIX]

35 psi all the way around for me.
I would go no less than 33 psi

 

[Lee S.]

Go with the PSI range on the tire and not the door. The tire usually states a max pressure at max load...this means that you can put in less than the max PSI especially if you're not constantly loaded up with a full truck. I usually ride at around 30 PSI. Generally higher PSI= harsher ride but better gas mileage. Lower PSI=softer ride and worse gas mileage.

Lee

 

[jimbo74]

between 30-35 is the general ok range for an explorer..... any less than 30 or more than whatever the tires maximum pressure is not safe

 

[X~FACTOR]

I go up to 36-38 psi when I know I'll be traveling for hours on the highway.

 

[aldive]

I run 40 psig.

 

[aldive]

between 30-35 is the general ok range for an explorer..... any less than 30 or more than whatever the tires maximum pressure is not safe

30 psig is too low for the Explorer.

 

[Lee S.]

30 psig is too low for the Explorer.

I could also say that 40 psi is to high for explorers...My tires say 35 max psi...so why would I want to put 40 psi in them. And since it's a max psi assuming max load and I am usually the only one in the truck and I don't weigh 1600 lbs, 30 psi is well within the range of the tire specs.

Lee

 

[spta97]

Regarding the original post, the 26 PSI was recalled by Ford and everyone on this board agrees that it is too low. I run 35 PSI because I want better gas mileage, handling, and tire wear but people here say between 30 - 35 is a good range. 35 is a bit harsh so I wouldn't want to go higher than that.

My sugguestion would be to start out at 30 PSI and work your way up from there. You'll see a big improvement in handling over the 26 PSI and you can go up until you find a happy meduim between performance and comfort. 32 psi I think is a good number but make sure that the tires are cold (sitting over night or at least for several hours) and make sure you have an accurate gauge.

 

[briwayjones]

My tires have a max pressure of 44 PSI (Goodyear Wrangler R/TS) and run them about 38 PSI. If I have a tire with a max pressure of 35 PSI that's what I run it at.

 

[X~FACTOR]

If gas money isn't an issue, I would run my tires at 26 psi. Best "soft" ride I could get out of mine.

 

[spta97]

If gas money isn't an issue, I would run my tires at 26 psi. Best "soft" ride I could get out of mine.

Soft, but the handling would be sloppy as well. Not to mention increased wear on the tires.

Funny you should mention this but many dealerships will do this when selling cars. They'll intentionally decrease the pressure to like 25 psi and when you go for a drive the first thing you think is "Wow, what a smooth ride!". I got nailed on this one until I got home and realized all my tires were low

 

[CDW6212R]

Guys, guys, guys, stop talking about apples and oranges.

Different tires need different pressures. Way back when tires used to come with a 32psi max rating. Years ago that became 35psi, and lately tires come often with a 44psi max rating. None of these tires should be run at the exact same pressure.

Any tire should be run at some pressure within say, 8-10psi of the maximum rating. Anotherwords, a 44psi tire should never be run with less than 34-36psi, etc.

For maximum handling(safety), and gas mileage, set the pressure closer to the maximum. Lower pressures ride softer, but they create more heat(blow out), handle more poorly, and hurt gas mileage. Unless you have a 50/50 weight distribution, you should run a couple psi more in the front. This improves handling, and tire wear.

I usually have 44psi tires, and I use about 37-40psi in the front, and 35-37psi in the rear. The important factor is how far from the tire rating do you set the pressure.
Ignore any door jamb or manual psi listing. Those are for the stock tires for the smoothest ride(to sell you the car), not for longevity or safety.

If you look around you will see that there are tires now with ratings over 50psi. Large truck tires are usually rated over 60psi. Always start by checking the rating on the tire. Good luck all,
DW