W210 Tire Pressure PREFERENCES, anyone? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

shertex · #1 08-23-2014, 07:03 AM

The operative word is "preferences"....we all know the specs.

I'd been running about 29 psi on all four corners (27 is normal recommended...I rarely have full load so I ignore those figures). Have seen many run considerably higher. Bumped it up to 33 this morning. Definitely firmer....don't think I'd want it any firmer. I think I could live with 33.

So what pressure do you prefer and why?

Mölyapina · #2 08-23-2014, 07:10 AM

When in doubt, start a thread, eh?

shertex · #3 08-23-2014, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jooseppi Luna

When in doubt, start a thread, eh?

Jooseppi as you know more than most on this forum, there is victory in a multitude of counselors.

jay_bob · #4 08-23-2014, 08:21 AM

Tire pressure is a tradeoff between ride comfort, handling, and tire life.

Some vehicles (famously the 1st gen Ford Explorer) the tire pressure turned out to be crucial to maintaining vehicle stability. That is why we have the silly mandated TPMS systems now.

This is another one where I leave it to the engineers. They had to do lots of calculations and testing to get to their numbers.

sokoloff · #5 08-23-2014, 10:47 AM

I typically run around the loaded recommendations on mine, 36 rear and 32 front. I do that for a couple of reasons. First if I lose a little air between checks, I'm still going to be in the 30's. Second I think it will give me a little better mileage from both the car and the tires. My biggest disappointment on this car has been the tire wear. I was lucky to get 25,000 miles out of a set until Terry Allison suggest that I try the Michelin Primacy MXV. Thanks to that recommendation I'm going to get about 40,000 miles out of them.

shertex · #6 08-23-2014, 11:05 AM

Loaded specs on my 98 and 99 are 34 and 28.

Jeremy5848 · #7 08-23-2014, 11:13 AM

The mechanic who does alignments for me recommends 33-35 psi as better for the tires. He says the MB-recommended 28 psi makes for a softer ride that the old farts who have historically driven Mercedes tend to like, especially those making the switch from Detroit iron. My two cars are kept at 34 psi and seem to do fine.

Mölyapina · #8 08-23-2014, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shertex

Jooseppi as you know more than most on this forum, there is victory in a multitude of counselors.

True dat, brother.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sokoloff

Thanks to that recommendation I'm going to get about 40,000 miles out of them.

Keep track of it, you may hit their warranty (depending on your tires). We have the Defenders, so they come with a 90,000 mile warranty. The Primacies look to be warrantied for less -- here's the warranty info.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shertex

Loaded specs on my 98 and 99 are 34 and 28.

Really? That's the first time I've heard of a manufacturer giving special tire inflation specs for drunk driving.

phyxer · #9 08-23-2014, 12:01 PM

I run Michelin Primacy MXV tires. 32lbs in front and 35lbs rear for tire wear reasons. less pressure would be nice fore the ride, but I hate buying tires. They aren't pretty, they don't smell good and they don't make me feel happy.

tjts1 · #10 08-23-2014, 12:19 PM

35psi all around.

TMAllison · #11 08-23-2014, 12:46 PM

I usually ran 32 rear and 30 front on mine.

35psi seemed to ride too much on the center/heart of the tire and was too hard for my likes.

sokoloff · #12 08-24-2014, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jooseppi Luna

True dat, brother.

Keep track of it, you may hit their warranty (depending on your tires). We have the Defenders, so they come with a 90,000 mile warranty. The Primacies look to be warrantied for less -- here's the warranty info.

The problem I've got with tire warranties is that it is usually such a PIA to get it and the pro-rated warranty is based on some unreasonable MSRP price of the tire, not what you can really buy them for. Then they also want proof that the tires were rotated every x-amount of miles. Well, I rotate my own tires because it's more convenient and I don't have to worry about the tire guys torqueing the lug nuts to a zillion ft-lbs. I have used tire warranties in the past, but it almost isn't worth it.

dieselbenz1 · #13 08-24-2014, 11:56 AM

Mitchelin primacy mvx 32 front and rear when above freezing and mitchelin alpine 28 when below freezing as a rough giude. Long highway trips summer 34 and winter 30. Visual inspection daily, measured and corrected every 6 weeks or so.

BayouFlyFisher · #14 08-24-2014, 02:19 PM

Michelin Defenders - I run front and rear at 38 psig. I was reading a thread earlier about tire pressure and someone suggested feeling the tread of the tire. If the center felt cooler than the edges - raise the pressure. If the center felt hotter than the edges - lower the pressure. This method was put forth as a means to determine the pressure for optimum tire life. I'm going to try that on my next outing. I'm pretty skeptical though about being to "feel" the difference. I may slide by Harbor Freight and use my 25% discount coupon to buy a non-contact IR thermometer.

Skippy · #15 08-24-2014, 05:14 PM

Different car and different tire size, but some may find this useful: On my W123 I've experimented with different pressures and find that 41 front 38 rear works best for me. The manufacturer recommended pressures are way too low and leave the tires rolling onto the sidewalls in hard cornering as well as causing more than a little understeer. Keeping a few more psi in the front takes out most of the understeer and leaves the car cornering pretty close to neutral, allowing me to steer with the accelerator if I feel like it.