Tire pressure lower than 35 Ford spec OK?

[ZACHARY]

My son found somewhere, reputable "Marauder" source but apparently not here, 32 front, 30 rear tire pressure. I always went with Ford 35 spec.
My new, 8000 miles or so, Coopers were "cupping" on the rears. Just a thousand miles or so at 30 leveled the rear tires out noticeably and with the front at 32 made for a much less harsh ride. The car seems to handle just fine.
What do you think?

[RubberCtyRauder]

34-35 front, 36-38 rear is my preference . ford revised their specs to higher late 2003 due to tire wear complaints. 32 front and 30 rear too low for 4250 lb car without driver

[Bluerauder]

My son found somewhere, reputable "Marauder" source but apparently not here, 32 front, 30 rear tire pressure. I always went with Ford 35 spec.
My new, 8000 miles or so, Coopers were "cupping" on the rears. Just a thousand miles or so at 30 leveled the rear tires out noticeably and with the front at 32 made for a much less harsh ride. The car seems to handle just fine.
What do you think?

The 2003 Marauders were spec'd at 32 PSI all around. This was adjusted to 35 PSI all around when the 2004 Marauders were released. I have been running 35 PSI front and 38 PSI rear for nearly 10 years and am happy with the handling and wear. I get about 36K on the fronts consistently and have never done better than 24K on the rears. Many folks here run higher rear pressures in the 38-40 PSI range.

Cupping on the rears could be an indication of underinflation, unbalanced wheels or suspension issues depending where the cupping is happening. I suspect running 30 PSI rears is causing the problem. Way too low IMHO. In over 12 years here, I have never heard anyone run 30 PSI (or lower for traction) on the rears unless they were at the dragstrip not for the highway. I question your son's "reputable" Marauder source.

[cat in the hat]

I like 38 all the way around.

[RF Overlord]

@ZACHARY: Tire pressure has always been a compromise between handling, ride comfort and tread wear. Lowering the factory-recommended pressure probably does "improve" the ride comfort, but it will likely result in a reduction of one (or both) of the other parameters.

You son's "reputable" source is wrong. As Charlie (Bluerauder) said above, it was always 32/32 or 35/35.

Having said all that, the cupping you experienced is not from having the tires at 35...it's likely caused by some other factor, like balance or bad shocks. Lowering the pressure is just masking the problem.

[Turbov6Bryan]

Rear tires cupping? Are you sure your describing the wear correctly?

http://www.procarcare.com/includes/content/resourcecenter/encyclopedia/ch25/25readtirewear.html

Are you sure the rear tires are cupping?

[Fastbob]

Not an inflation expert by any means, but I run 36 psi all the way round. My Firestones are wearing just fine. If your rears are cupping I would suspect low inflation or the shocks or suspension parts being worn or bad.

[Spectragod]

22-25 in my rears, sometimes 18......

[Fastbob]

22-25 in my rears, sometimes 18......Dragstrip pressures.......

[RF Overlord]

22-25 in my rears, sometimes 18......
I see what you did there... ;)

[Spectragod]

Dragstrip pressures.......



Nope, street....... For me at least, otherwise traction under acceleration is a problem.


Sent from my iPhone while doing a big ole' smokey burnout in my wife's Prius.

[Gryphonzus]

I run 38 to 40 in the rear of all my marauders and 35 to 36 in the fronts. My tires wear much better that way.

[Pat]

Humm, have to try that.

[Black Terror]

I run 38 to 40 in the rear of all my marauders and 35 to 36 in the fronts. My tires wear much better that way.

I have run these pressures for 8+ years with great results.