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re: Tire Pressures
When I first started doing track events in the mid-80's I used to always run
fairly high tire pressures - 40-45 psi. A couple of years ago though,
somebody told me that with the "newer" tires you didn't need to do that
anymore since the sidewalls are much stronger on hi-perf tires today than
they were 10 years ago. Has anybody else heard this?
-Jeff
95 A6Q 5 sp
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Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 13:47:11 -0400
From: "Frank Martin" <frankens@exotrope.net>
Subject: Re: Tires (was the new A6)
>Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 22:17:04 EDT
>From: DOUBLDz@aol.com
>Subject: Tires (was the new A6)
EDITED...
>
>I've got a question about tire pressure. My tires say 40 lbs max (I think
>40...maybe 44, does that sound right?) So what should the pressure actually
>be? As close to 40 lbs as I can make them?
>
>Dee
>95A6q pearl
Absolutely not, at least for real-world driving. The maximum pressure listed
on the sidewall is just that - a pressure not to be exceeded, from the tire
manufacturer's view (though is probably conservative, and often exceeded by
those of us doing driving schools at race tracks). Look to your owner's
manual or the specs. posted somewhere on your car, probably inside the fuel
filler door, for Audi's recommended pressures. Start from there and adjust.
You may want to run the pressures a little higher, for a bit better
handling, or a little lower, for a better ride. If you were to run the
pressures at 40 lbs., you may feel like a boy (or girl) racer, but all
you'll be doing is replacing tires faster (as well as suspension components
which will be taking more shock that might have been taken up by softer tire
pressures) and having to make rest stops more often because of the jiggly
ride.
Some on the Qlist may disagree, but again, I'm talking real-world driving.
Frank M.
Watkins Glen, NY, USA
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