[8fo5ohgeetee]

I've got the stock 16", 5 spoke rims with 225/50/16 tires. The tire pressure info is missing on my car and it wouldn't matter anyway because my car originally came with some wierd metric rim and the rims I have now are from a later Mustang(late 80's, early 90's I think). My questions are: 1) What's the recommended tire pressure? 2) Does going a little above the recommended tire pressure help handling or braking?
Thanks

[heavy metal]

as a good rule of thumb i allways go by what is written on the tire.

[rdnkdevildog]

A safe rule is to subtract 10% from the max listed on the tire. IF the max is 40psi, I would keep them from 34-36psi, if the max is 44psi, I would keep them between 36-40. Hope that helps.

[quarter pounder]

32 psi is normal for typical passenger car tires. If you go to a tire shop and get tires put on they'll usually put 32 psi in them.

Now here is something weird: Many drag racers who run with radials will lower the rear tire pressure so the tire will "squat" at launch, but the sidwalls are so thick it usually doesn't help the "squat" squat. I've read a couple places that at the strip radials prefer MORE air 38 or so.

I run 45 psi in my front skinnies.

[blown347ranger]

the tire pressure for all 87-93 stangs regardless of wheel size or engine size was 35psi. just checked the door tag on my 93 coupe.

[helipilot]

another thing about radials is they dont like alot of heat i see em all the time at the drag strip just roasting there tires hoping for better traction but dont get any when they leave. low profile tires are the worst once they start spinning they don't stop.

[dsilvey]

I too go with 32psi

[quarter pounder]

Yep, the low pros spin easily. The less mass (smaller) the tire has the easier it is to spin.

People don't put huge tires on so the contact patch is bigger because it is NOT. A vehicle with a given weight and tire pressure will have the same size contact patch regardless of the tire you put on. The shape of the contact patch might change, but the total area touching the ground will not.

So big tires are used because they have more mass. People who have a problem spinning too much could try steel wheels in place of alum ones.

[93mustang]

Originally Posted by blown347ranger

the tire pressure for all 87-93 stangs regardless of wheel size or engine size was 35psi. just checked the door tag on my 93 coupe.

That's strange.
I just checked my door tag on my 93 GT.
225-55-16 front and rear is 30 psi
You should run what is on the door tag.
That will give you the best contact patch which will give the best traction, handling, stopping , and cornering.

I talked to BF Goodrich once and they said that if you go up on pressure within 4 psi, it's ok. Just don't go below reccomended pressure.

I have BFG G-Force Sports on my car.
245-50-16 on the rears
255-50-16 on the fronts
I called BFG because I was running a different sizes.
They said to run 35 psi on the fronts and 30 psi on the rears.

[8fo5ohgeetee]

I've got BF Goodrich G-force Sport's on the rear. I'd recommend those tires to anyone, they stick great and they don't cost an arm and a leg. Anyway, I think since I always fill the tires when they're warm, and I've heard several sources say to add 4psi if they're warm, I'm gonna go with about 35psi. Thanks for the advice everybody

[dollarbill]

Its the car's recomendation you should go by, not the tire. Tirerack.com has info about this...

[shakerhood]

Go by the Placard on the Car which is 30 psi, NEVER go by what is marked on the Sidewall of the Tire as it is marked as what the Max Inflation Pressure is!

[EagleAutosports]

When the tire heats up, the pressure will increase. The number on the sidewall is the highest recommended pressure they advise, less will cause feathering of the tread edge, overinflating will cause cupping and excessive wear in the middle of the tread. If you inflate them when cold, add 3-4 psi to the amount it reads to compensate for the heat.

[Mustang_Crazy69]

so at the drag strip for low profile tire's whats a good base psi

[93mustang]

Tire pressure should be checked and adjusted when the tires are cold.
So first thing in the morning would work. Or when the car has not been driven, or after the car has sat for a while.
Tire pressure should be checked regularly, especially when there is temperature changes.