auto-x street tire psi?
06-13-2001, 10:42 PM
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auto-x street tire psi?
i auto-x my 88 carrera with increasing frequency and i'm trying to get the pressures right for my S-02s. my mechanic suggested that i drop about 5 pounds in both the front and the back. this would take me to 34 front and 39 rear. any suggestions? 
06-15-2001, 02:17 PM
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David,
Are you chalking your tires? When you say you're looking for the "correct" pressures for your BStones, I assume you're simply trying to find the maximum contact patch for each tire.
As an autocrosser, I'm thinking you already know all about chalking...but in case you don't...
If you use chalk or white shoe polish to mark your tires from tread down to sidewall and then check them after each run, you can see just how much tread you're using. Bridgestones (I run RE730s) have that little triangular marker that points to where you should be rubbing to. If, after your run, there's a lot of chalk above that little triangle, then you're not using all the available tread and you should drop a couple pounds of air. If you're rubbing down to the sidewall - well, now you've gone overboard so you need to add a couple pounds.
The "correct" tire pressure is determined by so many factors: air temperature, nature of the track, your car's weight and suspension. If you chalk your tires, you'll get a feel for exactly how much air you need to find the maximum contact patch. Once you've found that, you can stop worrying about your tires, and just concentrate on your driving. Good luck!
Are you chalking your tires? When you say you're looking for the "correct" pressures for your BStones, I assume you're simply trying to find the maximum contact patch for each tire.
As an autocrosser, I'm thinking you already know all about chalking...but in case you don't...
If you use chalk or white shoe polish to mark your tires from tread down to sidewall and then check them after each run, you can see just how much tread you're using. Bridgestones (I run RE730s) have that little triangular marker that points to where you should be rubbing to. If, after your run, there's a lot of chalk above that little triangle, then you're not using all the available tread and you should drop a couple pounds of air. If you're rubbing down to the sidewall - well, now you've gone overboard so you need to add a couple pounds.
The "correct" tire pressure is determined by so many factors: air temperature, nature of the track, your car's weight and suspension. If you chalk your tires, you'll get a feel for exactly how much air you need to find the maximum contact patch. Once you've found that, you can stop worrying about your tires, and just concentrate on your driving. Good luck!
