Tire pressure for temperature extremes

Skidsareforkids · December 4, 2018

Hey guys. At this time of year in Kansas we have temperatures going from the teens in the morning to the 60s in the afternoon. The result is 32 psi tires on the way to work and 35 on the way home.

35psi is my preferred temp.

Would you guys over-inflate so they are a little low in the morning and a little high in the afternoon?

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rkj__ · December 4, 2018

Just now, Skidsareforkids said:

Would you guys over-inflate so they are a little low in the morning and a little high in the afternoon?

Yes, that's exactly what I would do.

Duelin · December 4, 2018

Or you could fill them with nitrogen.

swathdiver · December 4, 2018

Are those cold temps or once warmed up at speed? Just faced the same situation though not as drastic a temperature change. I reset them to my desired pressure cold pressure when the temps happened to be in the middle of the temperature range I'd be encountering.

Logan Lanfear · December 4, 2018

1 hour ago, Duelin said:

Or you could fill them with nitrogen.

lol that's a very extreme solution to a simple problem

MaverickZ71 · December 4, 2018

I live in your neck of the woods and am picky about my tire pressures. I have never run nitrogen, because around here, not all of the dealers have it and you have to pay for it, and it also fluctuates somewhat with the temperatures. Where I work, we have to track the weather closely, so I have figured out the average low temps for each season and adjust my tire pressures to 35 psi cold for those low temps accordingly. Yes, you can end up with 37 or 38 psi when it warms up or after you run at highway speeds, but that way I see it, you are just getting a little better fuel mileage that way. Figure ~1psi change for each 10F change in outside temperature. My method must work, because I have 75K miles on the factory stock Bridgestone Dueler AT RH-S's, and they have worn very evenly and have never been rebalanced. I do my own tire rotations when I perform my oil/filter/lube services, which works out to about twice a year.

Edited December 4, 2018 by MaverickZ71

MaverickZ71 · December 4, 2018

Max pressure in the stock Bridgestones is 44psi. Others in the "P" size tire range may run up to 51psi max. So don't worry about the tires ever being overinflated a little during warm temps/highway trips. Of course, if you run them at or near max pressure all of the time, the tires will wear out in the middle of the tread, and the ride quality will suffer.

Edited December 4, 2018 by MaverickZ71

Grumpy Bear · December 4, 2018

Fact is there is a 20 F +/- swing in any season. What your noticing is the seasonal shift, not the daily high low. Make your adjustments like you do in the summer and be on about it.

Skidsareforkids · December 4, 2018

Thanks guys. Yeah, the tires are Dynapros and have a max of 44.
I haven’t had a/t tires in about 8yrs, and want to get the most out of them. Ironically my stock tires wore out in the centers like they were over-inflated, but I thought kept them adjusted well [emoji1744]‍[emoji3603]

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pronstar · December 4, 2018

Or you could fill them with nitrogen.

I live in your neck of the woods and am picky about my tire pressures. I have never run nitrogen, because around here, not all of the dealers have it and you have to pay for it, and it also fluctuates somewhat with the temperatures.

All gases react the same to temperature fluctuations.

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Duelin · December 4, 2018

7 minutes ago, pronstar said:

What is Nitrogen Tire Inflation?

Because of the molecular structure of the rubber used to make tires, which expands and contracts depending on ambient temperature and internal pressure, the air inside your tire is able to escape through the permeable rubber membrane, and according to TireRack.com, “It’s been estimated that up to one psi of pressure may escape each month a tire is in service.” Although refillable air is readily available at nearly every gas station, switching to pure nitrogen, with its more robust molecular structure will maintain a more constant pressure as the gaseous molecules remain inside the tire versus permeating the rubber and escaping. Nitrogen is also considered to be a dry, inert gas, and unlike the oxygen-rich blend of “shop air,” N2 minimizes oxidation, reduces wear, limits heat trapping moisture and humidity, and prolongs the overall life of your tires.

What Industry Sectors Use Nitrogen Inflation

Nitrogen tire inflation has been a popular choice for the racing industry for decades due to its molecular properties being inhospitable to moisture and safe against combustion. The aviation industry also relies on nitrogen tire inflation, as do heavy equipment operators for the tires of their super-sized machines. For fleet operators and vehicle owners, the primary benefit to choosing nitrogen tire inflation over regular air lies primarily in the consistency in pressure that N2 allows based on its molecular configuration.

The Results

An Ingersoll Rand sponsored study performed by Clemson University in South Carolina, states that “Maintaining your tires with nitrogen can increase (their) life… by 50%, improve fuel economy by 10% and reduce the likelihood of a tire failure by as much as 75%.” In an article related to the study on BusinessWire.com, “The tests conducted indicated that nitrogen inflated tires can maintain tire pressure 74 percent better than shop air per month at normal operating conditions. As a result, nitrogen inflated tires produce about 70 percent less rolling resistance than air-inflated tires. By reducing rolling resistance in both automotive and truck tires, the nitrogen filled tires last longer and reduce the amount of fuel consumption.”

All gases react the same to temperature fluctuations.

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