Home > categories > Automotive & Motorcycle > Tires > Tire PSI? Tire or Door Panel Rating?
Question:

Tire PSI? Tire or Door Panel Rating?

Tire says 80psi, door plate says 40 psi, thats a huge difference.

Answer:

I have found out the hard way, alot of times it's best to go with what is on the tire. The new tires that I have on my Blazer say 45psi and my door don't say anything, but if they go under 40psi it don't drive very well mainly around corners and cerves on the highway. Just because the door will say one thing and tire will say some thing don't mean it's the best for the tire, running a tire under could ruin a good tire.
Go by the door. Air pressure is what carries the weight. The vehicle manufacturer determines how much air is required to safely support the vehicle and its contents. The pressure on the tire is the maximum pressure that tire is capable of holding. If your tire says 80 psi, you have a load range E tire. That tire will fit on several different applications, which might be 3/4 or 1 ton trucks, obviously heavier and having the need for more weight carrying capacity. What the tire says is maximum pressure, not your truck needs this pressure.
The tire's inflation is a maximum inflation rating - the listing on the door is the rating for your vehicle as a proper blend of ride quality, tire wear and decent gas mileage - you should go with the listing on the door. If you replaced the tires with something that the car didn't come with, you should still keep close to the rating for the vehicle. All bets are off if you have aftermarket rims and changed the profile of the tires! You still can inflate the tires to something over 40 psi, but well under 80. As long as you don't feel like your ride has compromised and you don't see abnormal wear on the tires, you'll still be good to go.

Share to: