Tire Pressure

[toobroketoretire]

Tire Pressures

I have found tires have two different pressures. The correct pressure based on the load the tire is supporting and the lawsuit pressure that is the maximum recommended pressure regardless of the load that is supported. The correct pressure tire will last a very long time and the lawsuit pressure tire will be destroyed in about 15,000 to 20,000 miles as the center will be worn bald when the sides still have 3/8" of tread left. There was a time when manufacturers recommended the correct pressures but as lazy owners never checked their tire pressures they blew at freeway speeds and the owners then sued the manufacturers. Kinda like a person suing a shovel manufacturer because their third cousin got killed by a shovel-wielding murderer.

 

[toobroketoretire]

How Much Pressure Is Required?

Most folks believe the mid-to-late C3 tires require the same high pressures as the later so-called "low profile" tires used on the '84 and later that only have half of the internal volume. But what seems right isn't always right as everyone used to believe the sun revolved around our earth. The larger the tire's internal volume is the less pressure is required to support the same load. The "balloon" tires on my Yamaha quad only require a scant 2 psi because their internal volume is so large as compared to the quad's low weight. The same goes for the ENORMOUS "mudder" tires that people put on their 4X4's for mud slogging as those huge tires only require 8-10 psi at the very most. So the point I'm making is popular opinion has nothing to do with the truth of things. Something to ponder after you stuff yourself with turkey today.

 

[vett boy]

The owners manual of my 69 /350/vert states 24 psi cold .I ran 28 without problems .Never got into nitrogen ,always felt it was a gimmick unless I was into HD track time .

 

[kpic]

The owners manual of my 69 /350/vert states 24 psi cold .I ran 28 without problems .Never got into nitrogen ,always felt it was a gimmick unless I was into HD track time .

FWIR, nitrogen molecules are larger than rubber molecules. "Air" molecules are smaller than rubber molecules. Therefore, tires filled with nitrogen are less prone to leak over time than tires filled with "air" molecules.
The only advantage is nitrogen is less prone to pressure changes due to temperature changes.

This link explains why racers prefer nitrogen to air.
Nitrogen vs Air In Tires - Why Nitrogen in Tires

This link explains how your opinion is correct and points out a slight advantage for nitrogen:
Comparison of nitrogen versus air in your tires | TireBuyer.com