what tyre pressure

[Anonymous]

 s:?: :?: s:?:  

I have searched and can't find anything here - sorry if I've missed it.

I have standard size wheels and tyres, Yokahamas.

They've only lasted 19k miles.

Everyone is telling me different pressures to put in - now I have no idea - book says 32psi rear, and 26 front, but everyone else says this is wrong.

Have you a definative answer?

Thanks if you have

[Bongo]

That sounds right for the stock pressures on a prefacelift car.

Mine lasted a lot less than that   s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:

[heathstimpson]

:?:

I have searched and can't find anything here - sorry if I've missed it.

I have standard size wheels and tyres, Yokahamas.

They've only lasted 19k miles.

Everyone is telling me different pressures to put in - now I have no idea - book says 32psi rear, and 26 front, but everyone else says this is wrong.

Have you a definative answer?

Thanks if you have

What you have quoted above from the book is the correct pressures to use, and the ones I have been for nearly three years  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[kanujunkie]

I have standard size wheels and tyres, Yokahamas.

They've only lasted 19k miles.

some people on here have trashed theres in under 10K!

Everyone is telling me different pressures to put in - now I have no idea - book says 32psi rear, and 26 front, but everyone else says this is wrong.

who is everyone? and what do they know? are they informed enough to decied?

[edward.carter]

I have standard size wheels and tyres, Yokahamas.

They've only lasted 19k miles.

some people on here have trashed theres in under 10K!

My Proxes T1R's on the rear lasted a mere 6 months(ish) now I do roughly 12000 a year so thats 6000 Miles   s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:   I enjoyed them anyway, trying to be more gentle with this set, but once it starts sliding, just cant stop myself...   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[roger]

I use 25 Front, 32 rear on stock RE040.

Found the 1 psi made just the difference

[red_leicester]

book says 32psi rear, and 26 front, but everyone else says this is wrong

I'm not trying to be funny, but why do people think the chassis engineers at Toyota might have got this wrong?

[Bongo]

I'm not trying to be funny, but why do people think the chassis engineers at Toyota might have got this wrong?

I thought he was unsure of the toyota stated pressures, not saying that they had got them wrong.

On the other hand the default pressures are set to be nice and safe and understeery. I found that a slight adjustment (with the stock yokos) improved the handling quite a lot and had be grinning far too much...   s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:

[Anonymous]

Mine understeered at first on the stock tyres. Dropped the fronts by 2psi and it cured the understeer.

As far as tyre wear is concerned, if they are wearing evenly across the width of the tyre then the pressures are OK. If the pressure is a long way off then the wear pattern will be uneven, too high and the centre will wear, too low and inner/outer edges will wear.



Tool fast into roundabouts and the outer edges will wear.

[Chris_h]

Mine understeered at first on the stock tyres. Dropped the fronts by 2psi and it cured the understeer.

As far as tyre wear is concerned, if they are wearing evenly across the width of the tyre then the pressures are OK. If the pressure is a long way off then the wear pattern will be uneven, too high and the centre will wear, too low and inner/outer edges will wear.



Tool fast into roundabouts and the outer edges will wear.

Thats interesting to know - my car seems to have 'no' front end with very little feel. Hoping dropping the pressures at the front may alleviate this. I had set them to 1.8 front / 2.2 rear (sorry, I work in BAR) as per the manual. Of course it is hard to say in this weather, but I hoped for a more positive turn-in.

ONly had the car a fortnight, currently running OE Bridgestone Potenza. The fact it has done 25k and ORIGINAL fronts still have 4mm was a good indication of how it had been driven! Rears were replaced under warranty apparently because of cracking - so are also new POtenza.

[filcee]

Mine understeered at first on the stock tyres.

In my experience this is usually a result of entering a corner too quickly.

I'm not trying to be funny, but why do people think the chassis engineers at Toyota might have got this wrong?

I absolutely agree with you.  Toyota must have done a lot of research on a very big budget to determine what was the 'best' set up for the car.  I don't have either the time or money to match this, so I'm happy to keep going on their set up.

... thinks ...
and if an insurance company investigates after an accident and finds that the tyre pressures aren't as stated in the manufacturers handbook, what happens next?

Just my 0.02.

[Tem]

Mine understeered at first on the stock tyres.

In my experience this is usually a result of entering a corner too quickly.

Well...yes, of course. The car won't understeer if it isn't moving fast enough.  s;) s;)

I'm not trying to be funny, but why do people think the chassis engineers at Toyota might have got this wrong?

Toyota must have done a lot of research on a very big budget to determine what was the 'best' set up for the car.

Surely Toyota did plenty of this and that to make it the way they want it. But guess if they are more interested in keeping the 99% of average joe owners on the road with extra understeer or making the car faster for the 1% of capable drivers..?

No manufacturer can make a car that's perfect for everyone. That's why we mod them. Some want more power, some want different handling, some just get a bodykit and huge wheels. Everyone should think of what they want and like, not what someone else or Toyota did.  s8) s8)


That said, yes, the stock setup is very, very good for most. Probably next to perfect for plenty of people.

[aaronjb]

Thats interesting to know - my car seems to have 'no' front end with very little feel.

to:

ONly had the car a fortnight, currently running OE Bridgestone Potenza. The fact it has done 25k and ORIGINAL fronts still have 4mm was a good indication of how it had been driven!

That's why you've got no turn-in, IMHO.. The rubber on original fronts with that kind of mileage & age will have long since gone off (the OE Bridgestones do that very quickly) - I was in much the same position when I got mine and the handling was awful at anything over 'pootling' speeds.

Change 'em (to a nice set of Toyo T1-Rs)

I absolutely agree with you.  Toyota must have done a lot of research on a very big budget to determine what was the 'best' set up for the car.

I doubt they did that at all.

They did a lot of research on a big budget as to what was the best comporamise that would offer reasonable performance without pitching 90% of drivers off the road if they get it just a tiny bit wrong.  That's nowhere near ideal for the fastest speeds, but it saves them having to recall a whole range for fear of a class action suit.

and if an insurance company investigates after an accident and finds that the tyre pressures aren't as stated in the manufacturers handbook, what happens next?

Insurance companies are pretty anal, yes - but after any accident hard enough to require that kind of investigation (so we're looking at write-off or near write off) it's highly likely that the tyres will be detached from the car, or could be demonstrated to have suffered an impact hard enough to lose a significant amount of pressure & integrity through the accident alone.

Of course, there are tell-tales of chronic under or over inflation (tread wear), but that's a very different thing to dropping a psi or two to accommodate for tyre differences and personal preferences when it comes to handling.

For a start - as soon as you are running on anything other than the OE tyres, you need to adjust the pressures just to maintain the handling attributes that Toyota designed into the car due to differences in sidewall stiffness, rubber compounds and even tyre weight.

[Bongo]

... thinks ...
and if an insurance company investigates after an accident and finds that the tyre pressures aren't as stated in the manufacturers handbook, what happens next?

What would happen to every Joe Bloggs who has left his tyres alone after the nice garage/tyre place etc has wrongly inflated them?

I think they'd be far more at risk here than someone who deliberately keeps the pressures a couple of psi each side of the reccomended.

[Chris_h]

That's why you've got no turn-in, IMHO.. The rubber on original fronts with that kind of mileage & age will have long since gone off (the OE Bridgestones do that very quickly) - I was in much the same position when I got mine and the handling was awful at anything over 'pootling' speeds.

Change 'em (to a nice set of Toyo T1-Rs)

I absolutely agree with you.  Toyota must have done a lot of research on a very big budget to determine what was the 'best' set up for the car.

I doubt they did that at all.

They did a lot of research on a big budget as to what was the best comporamise that would offer reasonable performance without pitching 90% of drivers off the road if they get it just a tiny bit wrong.  That's nowhere near ideal for the fastest speeds, but it saves them having to recall a whole range for fear of a class action suit.

.

Thanks for that Aaron, was thinking that the age of the tyre would make a difference. I am thinking of changing just the front two, do you think a new set of POtenzas would yield a huge benefit in feel and grip? I am tempted to go for some sticky fronts and leave the backs untouched (they are new Potenzas). I know some people on my forum insist on having all 4 the same, but in my experience it is not usually a problem unless you take it to extreme - i.e slicks on the front, remoulds on the rear = very unbalanced grip.

BTW, re Toyota recomended tyre pressures, this is simply based on a general guide for most owners - and probably the most neutral / safe handling set up. Having worked in product development for a large OEM in Europe and the US, I can confirm this is the approach.
I'm going to tinker with them just like I have done in other cars, its amazing how the feel can change.

[filcee]

That's why you've got no turn-in, IMHO.. The rubber on original fronts with that kind of mileage & age will have long since gone off (the OE Bridgestones do that very quickly) - I was in much the same position when I got mine and the handling was awful at anything over 'pootling' speeds.

To dredge up almost the contents of another thread - before my fronts were changed (32k miles), handling was pants with stock pressures in both.  After changing them, handling was much improved - even though the new fronts were wrongly inflated and both at different pressures.  After setting them back to stock pressures, I felt like I was back in an old pair of slippers.  Needless to say the driving experience is now much improved.

I absolutely agree with you.  Toyota must have done a lot of research on a very big budget to determine what was the 'best' set up for the car.

I doubt they did that at all.

They did a lot of research on a big budget as to what was the best comporamise that would offer reasonable performance without pitching 90% of drivers off the road if they get it just a tiny bit wrong.  That's nowhere near ideal for the fastest speeds, but it saves them having to recall a whole range for fear of a class action suit.

Note the 'best' not best  s;-) ;-) s;-)   Apologies for my being obtuse, but thanks for explaining to everyone why I put my best in single quotes.

and if an insurance company investigates after an accident and finds that the tyre pressures aren't as stated in the manufacturers handbook, what happens next?

Insurance companies are pretty anal, yes - but after any accident hard enough to require that kind of investigation (so we're looking at write-off or near write off) it's highly likely that the tyres will be detached from the car, or could be demonstrated to have suffered an impact hard enough to lose a significant amount of pressure & integrity through the accident alone.

Good point  - hadn't quite thought that through had I?  s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

[aaronjb]

Note the 'best' not best  s;-) ;-) s;-)   Apologies for my being obtuse, but thanks for explaining to everyone why I put my best in single quotes.

Damn you  s;) s;)   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

I totally didn't spot the quotes..  s:oops: :oops: s:oops:   s:) s:)

[Chris_h]

Looks like it is new front boots..
May see if I can get a decent price through one of the trackday companies, that way I can destroy my current fronts in the morning and see what difference the new ones make in the afternoon (hopefully without obliterating them)

Filcee - did you stick to the OE Bridgestones to match your rears? AM thinkning of mixing with Toyo as they seem much cheaper. According to my local fitter, the OE RE040 have a special code which translates to a unique compound for the MR2 - hence pricey!

[philster_d]

I just topped mine up and the screen wash.

Couldnt remember this post tho so i put 28 and 32 I think.    s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

[Bongo]

Filcee - did you stick to the OE Bridgestones to match your rears? AM thinkning of mixing with Toyo as they seem much cheaper. According to my local fitter, the OE RE040 have a special code which translates to a unique compound for the MR2 - hence pricey!

Toyos are cheap enough to replace the rears aswell!

[aaronjb]

Aye - to be honest I'd recommend replacing all four.  If all four are the same age you're likely to end up with a hideous grip imbalance even if you go with OE Bridgestones on the front (which, incidentally, I wouldn't do - they cost more IIRC, and turn to rubbish after 8-10k).

It's your car, but I'd say it's lunacy to have old slippery tyres on the back of a car that already has a reputation for pitching people into ditches (just search around here to see how many people have come unstuck, so to speak).

[filcee]

Filcee - did you stick to the OE Bridgestones to match your rears?

Yes - but only becuase the replacement RE040s on the rear only had about 3k miles on them. Next time I will replace all 4 together (when the rears go) as driving round dodgy fronts was fun, until the missus started complaining  s;-) ;-) s;-)

AM thinkning of mixing with Toyo as they seem much cheaper.

Don't mix tyres - there's many a sad tale on here resulting from using mixed tyres.  Search is your friend if you are curious.

According to my local fitter, the OE RE040 have a special code which translates to a unique compound for the MR2 - hence pricey!

That's a new one on me! FWIW I paid £143 for two front RE040s at the beginning of Feb at my local tyre dealer.  The rears cost me £190 at the end of Oct last year.  Don't know how your quotes compare, though.

[Chris_h]

Thanks for the info guys

My quote is similar for RE040 fronts c. £80 each. I haven't shopped around yet, but it seems a far cry from the £50 I have heard mentioned for Toyos. A part of the code relates to the compound (Z something  - will look again when it is dry) apparently/ I wouldn't normally listen to the chaps at the large tyre fitting chains, but this guy seemed particularly knowledgable.

Problem I have is the rears also have only 3000 miles on them and are virtually new (were replaced under warranty due to cracking - before I owned the car). Don't really want to replace all 4 just yet, am thinking of getting a 2nd set of front rims (cheap scruffy used ones) to put Toyos on and then I can see how it affects the balance.

Still haven't really given my OE fronts a fair crack. Weather has been appalling and they are progressive in the wet - just seem lacklustre (if predictable) when pressing on round some empty roundabouts on a dry but very cold day..

[filcee]

Problem I have is the rears also have only 3000 miles on them and are virtually new

This is what I have.  So far, no shocks in the handling department caused by the different mileages between front and back.  I don't think, based on my experiences, that this will be a problem for you.

am thinking of getting a 2nd set of front rims (cheap scruffy used ones) to put Toyos on and then I can see how it affects the balance.

I'll say it again - DON'T mix tyres.  There are lots of stories of prangs as a result of mixed tyres.  Use the search and you will find.  £160 for tyres now will be a lot cheaper than the hike in your insurance, or the cost of repairs.  Despite all of the "hairdresser's car" comments, the '2 is a proper sports car and if you muck about with things like mixing tyres it will bite you.  And when it bites, it bites like any mid-engined car - straight to the scene of the accident you go.  It's really not worth the few quid you will save today by opting for a couple of chepaer tyres "to see you through".  Bite the bullet and get the RE040s and have peace of mind.

[Bongo]

I'd buy a set of toyos all round and flog your rears on ebay or something.