tire pressure?

[darocc]

hey, i just bought my 4 winter tires and rims, 15" micheling artic alpines, just wondering what pressure should i keep them at? im gonna be checking it regularly now because the temperature is really fluctuating here in montreal. right now they're at 30 psi, should it be at 32 psi like the all seasons?

and these damn tires better last a few winters, cost me so much money

 

[changedman]

32 front 30 rear.

correct me if this isnt the best...

 

[darocc]

another thing, i feel that these tires are bouncier. driving on roads that i drive on all the time, these winter tires seem so mushing. could be the presuure

 

[mcstark]

maybe the pressure a little bit, but also two other things: tread compound and side wall flex. the tire compound will be very soft compared to your summer tires because it needs to remain pliable at extremely cold temps. and you have 15's, so the sidewall of the tire is taller, hence more flex.

regarding the pressure, i would run it the same as your summer tires. 32/32 i believe.

 

[Douggie]

They are mushier because you now have higher/thicker sidewalls to absorb some of the shocks. Might not be the pressure. But a 2psi difference shouldn't matter because tire pressure fluctuates more than 2psi as you drive anyways.

 

[darocc]

yeah you guys are right, the side walls are a little bigger, but not by much, i got 195/55/15, the stock dunlops are 195/50/16, i think
anyway, thanks guys, i'll keep the pressure at 32psi
the mushy ride doenst bother me that much, just gonna take it easy on curves now, really dont want these tires melting away

 

[LinkedUp]

I don't know about the Arctic Alpins. But on my last car, I had the Dunlop Winter Sport M2s (great tire, btw). Over two winters, I put almost 13,000 miles on them. When I sold them, they still had 8/32 of their original 11/32 of tread left. So just because winter tires are made of softer rubber (which they are), doesn't necessarily mean they're gonna melt away.

And, yes, run them the same pressure as your summmer tires.

Best,
Steven

 

[mcstark]

They will melt away if driven agressively in "warmer" weather, but when the temp hits freezing and below the rubber isn't as pliable, so it won't wear as quickly.

 

[ottawaP5]

i've got P17570R14 arctic alpins and yes the ride is mushier but like you said just take the curves easy. I keep mine 32/32 as well. Now to find some decent hubcaps...the only ones i can find would belong on a sunfire, not a P5!

 

[darocc]

ohh no, i didnt bother with the hubcaps
the look of the steel rims doesnt annoy me too much, i know it winter, and winter is ugly anyway. plus the hubcaps will be something more to clean while washing the car
and the black steel rims kinda match the car ( laser blue ) with all the black around the windows of the car

 

[ottawaP5]

Your right...i find my black rims match my window tint and goes good with laser blue but every now and then I want hubcaps.