Snow Tire pressure question

UnSurreal,

I don't know where wongnog's post is, but for the both of you, I think it really depends on the max pressure specified on the tire sidewall for the particular brand of winter tire you are using. If your winter tire max pressure on the sidewall is less than 44 lbs, then NO. On the fronts I would use 2 lbs less than your max printed on the sidewall (to allow for a pressure increase as the tire warms up with driving), but still also maintain the 2 lb lower differential to the rear tires.

Ken (in Bolton,Ct)

 

i think winter tires are overrated. our roads het actively cleared here...2 snows so far...

 

This sounds like a post from someone who has never driven on ice with really bad summer tires.

Tom

 

2 winters in minot north dakota.

 

Which says nothing about the tires you used.

Tom

 

This reeks of ignorance. How many current-generation summer, all-season, and winter tires have you actually owned? Winter tires offer markedly improved traction versus all-seasons and especially summer tires on cold roads whether they're clear, wet, slushy, snowy, or icy.

You may be blessed with magical snow-clearing services, but not all of us are. My commute route is either among the last in the metro to be plowed or simply never gets serviced, so winter tires make a massive improvement in probability of getting to and from work in a safe and timely manner.

Regarding the OP's question; you typically run winter tires a couple PSI lower to better conform to the uneven snowy surface, kind of like when you run on sand dunes, but not that extreme. It also depends on the percentage of clear/dry road you run on. Well maintained roads merit higher pressure, but if you're in the backwoods of snow country, high 20's to low 30's may be a better solution. As always YMMV.

 

I was thinking the same question as the OP. I got my Michelin XI-2 tires installed just in time for the snow storm last week. Sure glad I did... Minnesota DOT apparently was not watching the weather channel and it took three days to clear the roads. The dealer put 35 PSI, the wall max PSI is 51.. I was gonna inflate to 45, and see how that works. Hopefully it helps the MPG's.... they took a real dump last week.

 

Read Ryephile's post.

 

Today I inflated my Michelin X-Ice to 40 front/38 rear. Im betting on a remarkable difference in mpg's as all 4 were at 28 psi before I checked them, and I drove a day or two on them that low. Explains my average of 39.5 mpg

 

Wow! You know better.

 

Im catching on (slowly but surely, must be all of those lead paint chips I ate as a child, lol) but Im getting there....

 

And an update. I was getting 41.1mpg average on the last tank - I aired up the winter tires like I said, now my average is up to 46.5mpg!!! And its 27f degrees out. This best describes me the past day or two---->

 

I always preferred the white chips, but red was good, too.

 

Are you stationed at Minot and have had little prior winter driving experience? If you had ever lived in a place with a lot of ice thrown in with the dry packed snow you would have snow tire tattoos in celebration of them.

 

I've got Michelin x ice 4's, which I've inflated to about 35 psi. but when they were put on, my dealership had them inflated to 18psi in the front. Is there ANY circumstance where you'd want it THAT low? Or that much difference to the back tires already at 35psi?

 

Heck no!! Get those babies inflated. I have my Michelin X-Ice's inflated to 42f/40r. Getting 46mpg in Michigan weather and Im a leadfoot

 

Just got my X-Ice on today, of course its above freezing lol and melting right now, guess the -27 that is called for Jan 19th will make good use of these babies. yup!

 

Cool. I like my X-Ice, although Ive never in my life owned any other snow tire to compare it against. This is my first car that isnt a 4x4 with all terrain tires, lol.

Our 2010 2wd Escape got stuck in the same path that my Prius whizzed right through during the last snowstorm here. I had my X-Ice tires on and the Escape has Michelin all-terrain tires. I got to (and still do) tease the bf about that