Check Tire Pressure When Cold ?

There must be plenty of variables here on that, How do you do yours?

Unless a tire just needs air right here, right now, when do you go about checking your tire pressures?

I guess on average I run around mine at least about 4 times a year, Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, and figure the "cold" varies for each season, and here the variables are sometimes extreme, say in the last 5 years there's been temps from 0 F to 115 F.

To get the "cold" temp of the season I check them in the cool of the morning, before the sun has hit them, and before they've been driven.

How do you do yours? And do you think the coolest time of day( on average per the season ) is the best time to check to get the recommended "check when cold" pressures ?

I believe "cold" is referring to tires that have not been driven in X hours. There is a big temperature difference between summer and winter, but as far as I know that is what tire manufacturers are referring to.

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Originally Posted by ryanw

I believe "cold" is referring to tires that have not been driven in X hours. There is a big temperature difference between summer and winter, but as far as I know that is what tire manufacturers are referring to.

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Exactly, Ryan, there is a big difference, even between 8am and noon. I've seen people airing up all their tires on a hot summer day after having been on the highway with it and makes me wonder what their pressure is the next morning. Some people also have -20 mornings, andI wonder about that too

Yeah, it is something I have wondered about as well. The best I can do is leave a little out, or add a little bit depending on extreme temps. Thankfully, there isn't too much of a temperature swing here in Sacramento most of the time. I keep my truck tires at ~30psi. If I am hauling, depending on time, I either fill up the rears to 40, or all to 40. My trailer, I keep psi at max since at least half of the traveling it does is loaded and the tire wear from being maxed out and empty doesn't matter as much.

I check the pressure when the tires look low lol. I'm not very nice to my tires.

I run 10 ply tires on my truck and 6 ply on my trailer. Ryanw is right that cold refers to tires not driven on. I run my tires at the max. 80 psi and check them whenever there is a drastic change in temp. either way. I have had to add or remove as much as 10 psi on every tire when the temps swing as much as 60 degrees. I went through 14 tires in the last year so pressure is important to me. My tire pressure gauge is right next to my magnet in every truck. I even check the spare at the same time. Nothing worse than having a flat only to find out your spare is flat as well. Okay I am an over protective parent.

tire pressures range from 10-15 up to 50 psi depends on what i'm doing with the truck at the time. I fill them up hot and cold never even thought about it till now which would be better. change the pressure in my tires weekly usually lower psi for fun higher psi for work.
when we used to drive on the beach the tire pressure was put to 5 psi what a monster to turn when we hit pavement at the end of the day

they do that down here on the Sandbar NH. It's always funny you can tell the people who didn't listen...as their usually the ones being towed off the beach. Heh. Can only drive down here on the beach from oct. - april I believe. The tow trucks hate it, sure they'd love some of that tourist money.

An tire pressure...I only worry about it when I travel. I know bad on me, but..eh, what can you do.

Sirscrapalot - Rolling rolling, oh no I just lost my doughnut!

Sir, You are a master. Air in donuts, patent the idea and you will make millions. Or you can keep on rolling, rolling, Rawhide.

Cold means when you havent driven anywhere like before you start your day.After driving for awhile get out and feel your tires they are pretty warm

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Originally Posted by Focker

Cold means when you havent driven anywhere like before you start your day.After driving for awhile get out and feel your tires they are pretty warm

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Same as when the sun hits it too

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Originally Posted by NHscrapman

when we used to drive on the beach the tire pressure was put to 5 psi what a monster to turn when we hit pavement at the end of the day

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I once knew a man who had worked for a West Texas ranch and they had two ranches, 50 miles straight shot, and 150 miles around by road, but the only straight shot was on the railroad tracks. They knew the train schedules and when they needed to go to the other one they'd get on the tracks and lower the tire pressure, then just follow the tracks. He said you didn't have to hold the steering wheel, just give it the gas.
I was messing around some tracks once in an old Ford van and pulled over the tracks but my wheels was too wide, so not all vehicles would work for that. I just got to thinking my little Ranger might fit ; )
BTW, don't try riding the tracks on a motorcycle, that makes for one Bumpy ride!

What is the reasoning behind the tires being "cold" when you fill them?
I would think being warm you could over fill them but by how much does the rubber flex to get the same reading on the gauge?

I had my tires filled when I bought 2 new ones from Tire Barn and they use nitrogen instead of air and it holds a pretty consistent pressure. You don't have to worry about half flat tires.

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Originally Posted by MattInTheHat

I check the pressure when the tires look low lol. I'm not very nice to my tires.

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Kind of the same way
But I don't even have to look
I have a light that comes on when the pressure gets low
I run 80 in the back and 60 in the front
3 out of 4 times when the dealer rotates the tires they reset the 80 to 60 >> Back to front BUT forget to reset the sensors
So I get a flat tire signal next day

Did some research on my question most tire sellers/racers/pit crew were saying there will be a 3-5 lb difference in filling up warm tires as opposed to cold. Not really a big deal unless your going 150 mph 8 inches from another car.

There was a man in town who sold used tires for $15 a piece mounted balanced. Sometimes they were great sometimes you came back in 4 months but you couldn't beat the price.
last trip was 4 lt 9 ply tires in excellent condition for 60 bucks:) He probably did 500 cars a day when the first snowstorm of the season would hit and it was just like a pitstop, pull in next to the jacks just outside the barn about 5 feet from the street his crew had you in and out in about 7-10 miniutes

Unfortunately he passed this fall and his boys sold off everything.I have never bought tires anywhere else and started looking at real world prices and almost died when i saw what a new pair of rubber costs never mind lt tires.:mad:

Haha NH, I used to do that too, buy used ones and wear em on out. For years I had a 1 ton Ford van with 16.5's(when 14s & 15's were the norm) and that size was near always 8 ply tires. I had one on the back once worn so thin I could count the plies up to #8. Going down the road one day I heard it give way with a whoosh! chu!chu!chu!chu!chu!

For years I was sold on Sears basic tires, $200 and you'd get 4 decent new ones mounted, with a road hazard that they'd actually honor. Not sure how they are now but if it's gone the way of their tools it won't be good. Hate to think what I'll do when my current set wears out, and that day is coming fast, but I doubt there's any place now with decent tires that aren't a fortune

everyone tells me to go here for the best prices on new tires
http://www.tirerack.com/index.jsp?ef...9!30275778568&

In my area I play Town Fair tire , Sears and NTB (also Sears) against each other
They play the match price game

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Originally Posted by JohnC4X4

In my area I play Town Fair tire , Sears and NTB (also Sears) against each other
They play the match price game

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In the country there's also a few independent type stores who have managed to survive, some quite remarkably over many years, and are still the favorite of many locals and old timers. They are possibly still local favorites due to their closer proximity, but also I think maybe due to offering lines of tires which have also weathered many downturns and stuck to some form of quality. There are two of these type dealers within about about 25 miles of me. I haven't yet checked with these for prices or brands but certainly will when that time comes

Working at a mechanic/tire shack, I do all my own tire work. And from my expreince, cars will usually drop 5-10 psi when the cold hits, and 10-12 psi on a tire running 80 psi. Get the heaviest ply possible, I recommend those for two reasons, more plies ALWAYS means less flats and 10 ply tires almost always have more tread depth than 6 or 8 ply tires. Avoid bias ply, nail magnet and horrible tire life. And don't rely on those dam tire sensors to save your tires ! About 9 out of ten times when someone comes in with a tire light on its a false alarm fixed by setting tires to the same pressure. Buy a good quality gauge, I would recommend Milton brand, and check them often. And btw, to those mr armchair tire experts, you can't "eyeball" tires for pressure and get anywhere close, trust me it's impossible, checking with a hammer, with much practice, is possible but your eyes aren't that good. And for the love of god put those f&$$ing valve caps back on when your done airing or checking a tire.

I've always checked my air pressure when the tires are hot after driving around at speed for at least 15-30 minutes. Every tire has a max pressure rating on the sidewall. As long as I'm a bit under that, I should be good. Leastways, that's the way I was taught.

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Originally Posted by waredu

I've always checked my air pressure when the tires are hot after driving around at speed for at least 15-30 minutes. Every tire has a max pressure rating on the sidewall. As long as I'm a bit under that, I should be good. Leastways, that's the way I was taught.

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There's a label on the door post with recommended tire size and recommended pressures for that particular vehicle, and then it says on the tires to check when cold

I occasionally get useable tires from the junk vehicles I haul. Got two 215/75/15 tires this week and will mount the second one on my trailer in the morning. $12 will get a R&R (remove and remount) on my rim. Realized the junk rims are aluminum....now WHY didn't I pull all four instead of leaving them on the car. Can't save everything, but I did pull the battery and cut the battery cables. Removed the cat but found it was a remake and only worth $5.

There are some very good points here. Hydrogen is better in a tire due to the molecules being bigger than air, thus hardly any flats. The tire pressure (in my opinion) should not be taken off the door of a vehicle for they are not the people who make the tire. Remember the Ford problems with firestone tires and that huge recall? The door said to inflate to 26 psi max.. There is no tire out there that will not give you trouble at that low of a pressure. I use a "tire thumper" for checking my tires on the truck and check pressures every time the truck goes out. Semi tires are not cheap by any means (usually between $600-$750 per tire for something decent that will last). As far as smaller tires (14-16.5's check them with a gauge every trip off the yard. I fill to what the tire manufacturer says on the tire no matter of the vehicle. I would rather have a little less comfortable ride than blow out a tire with a full load of scrap on and pay the piper to due a roadside replace or just have the downtime when I could be prevented at home. Remember that a full tire will run cooler than a under inflated tire also. I never trust the low tire sensors due to them running off the abs system counting the revolutions of the tire.

Good points LF, I believe there was more to that Ford/Firestone story though

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Originally Posted by luniticfriend

There are some very good points here. Hydrogen is better in a tire due to the molecules being bigger than air, thus hardly any flats. The tire pressure (in my opinion) should not be taken off the door of a vehicle for they are not the people who make the tire. Remember the Ford problems with firestone tires and that huge recall? The door said to inflate to 26 psi max.. There is no tire out there that will not give you trouble at that low of a pressure. I use a "tire thumper" for checking my tires on the truck and check pressures every time the truck goes out. Semi tires are not cheap by any means (usually between $600-$750 per tire for something decent that will last). As far as smaller tires (14-16.5's check them with a gauge every trip off the yard. I fill to what the tire manufacturer says on the tire no matter of the vehicle. I would rather have a little less comfortable ride than blow out a tire with a full load of scrap on and pay the piper to due a roadside replace or just have the downtime when I could be prevented at home. Remember that a full tire will run cooler than a under inflated tire also. I never trust the low tire sensors due to them running off the abs system counting the revolutions of the tire.

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I'm unaware of anyone using hyrdogen in tires, remember that german airship ?, nitrogen yes. Tire sensors read the pressure from a sensor inside the tire, has nothing to do with the abs system. Tire pressure all depends upon what your doing, I don't recommend a cookie cutter approach. There's no need if running 80 psi if your driving a half ton pickup hauling 500# in the back. Running too much pressure always reduces tire life and tends to "eat the center" or wear the middle of the tire out first, too little air and the outside edges wear out first. And never run a 10 ply at less than 40 psi.

Bear, yes it was. I still have pickups with these tires on them and they are just fine. Taterjuice, I meant nitrogen, When my wife took her car in they told her it was from the abs (counting teeth for the abs). Im not too terribly hip on the newer stuff. I was referring to tires and hauling good sized loads, a small load to me is 3 ton. for lighter trucks and cars I agree to lighten up on the tire pressure.

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Originally Posted by taterjuice

. And never run a 10 ply at less than 40 psi.

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unless mudding rock climbing or driving in deep sand. but then again they are 36'' super swampers on that rig:)