Tire Pressures

[stevet]

Hi All

Can anyone confirm the correct tire pressures for my 250 SE on Std 17" rims?

The manual says 41 psi front and 44 psi rear, just seems quite high to me.

Cheers

[Sagitar]

Hi All

Can anyone confirm the correct tire pressures for my 250 SE on Std 17" rims?

The manual says 41 psi front and 44 psi rear, just seems quite high to me.

Cheers

I think you are looking at the pressures recommended for higher speeds (i.e. 100 to 132 m.p.h)

For speeds below 100 m.p.h the recommendation in my manual is 35 p.s.i. front and 38 p.s.i. rear

[Matus]

don't you have a pressures sticker on the B-pillar?

[new boy]

Hi All

Can anyone confirm the correct tire pressures for my 250 SE on Std 17" rims?

The manual says 41 psi front and 44 psi rear, just seems quite high to me.

Cheers

I run mine as Sagitar states 35 psi Front and 38 psi Rear this was taken from chart on door pillar - Merv

[Tango]

Hi All

Can anyone confirm the correct tire pressures for my 250 SE on Std 17" rims?

The manual says 41 psi front and 44 psi rear, just seems quite high to me.

Cheers

I run mine as Sagitar states 35 psi Front and 38 psi Rear this was taken from chart on door pillar - Merv

May not be applicable to the OEM width rims but after accurately monitoring tyre wear across the tyres I run 38 psi all round Peeps should monitor handling and tyre wear characteristics and adjust pressures accordingly, after all the Lexus figures are only a recommendation.

[stevet]

Cheers Guys

Yes looks like those original pressures were for high speed running. I'm going for the 35 & 38

[ahmed24]

i sorted my tyre presures last night rear 38 and front 35 at my local petrol station which offers the service. only thing is in the book it says that tyre inflation should be done when tyres are cold for acurate results. I'm just wondering if that is really nessary because i need to actually drive down to my petrol station down a 50mph dual carriageway by which time my engine warms up and assume tyres are hot

[Sagitar]

i sorted my tyre presures last night rear 38 and front 35 at my local petrol station which offers the service. only thing is in the book it says that tyre inflation should be done when tyres are cold for acurate results. I'm just wondering if that is really nessary because i need to actually drive down to my petrol station down a 50mph dual carriageway by which time my engine warms up and assume tyres are hot

Check them when they have been standing overnight - you'll find the pressure is less than what you set them to at the petrol station. Note the difference and put that much extra in next time.

Petrol station air pumps are not necessarily to be trusted anyway. The gauges can get a terrible thrashing and may not be calibrated very often, so it always pays to check with a decent gauge of your own.

A small compressor that runs off the cigar lighter is quite inexpensive. You can get them small enough to keep in the spare wheel well.

[Steve ( West Mids )]

Petrol station air pumps are not necessarily to be trusted anyway. The gauges can get a terrible thrashing and may not be calibrated very often, so it always pays to check with a decent gauge of your own.

See this weeks AutoExpress for confirmation of this :(

[Tango]

Petrol station air pumps are not necessarily to be trusted anyway. The gauges can get a terrible thrashing and may not be calibrated very often, so it always pays to check with a decent gauge of your own.

See this weeks AutoExpress for confirmation of this :(

Should never rely on station gauges which is why I always carry a digital tyre gauge in the glovebox. However, the only free air ( ) near me is a Shell station, and their gauge has so far been spot on.

[Tel]

Run 38psi all round & tyre-wear is relatively good & even. c.down to 5mm. after 12000 miles.

Always inflate & set @ home.

Tel

[purplebadger]

35psi Front & 38 psi Rear for me too!

If it helps anyone regarding choosing a compact 12v air compressor. Over the past few years I have brought a number of 'cheaper' compressors all of which have eventually broken or proven not up to the job of inflating a tyre from flat.

I have for a while now been using one branded by Michelin which also incorporates a detachable digital pressure gauge and so far it is proving my best buy to date so if anyone is looking for a recommendation then there you have one!

Costs between £20 and £30 depending where you shop.

[ahmed24]

I was thinking of getting this Michelin one. does it support auto shut-off when set pressure has been reached?

[Sagitar]

I was thinking of getting this Michelin one. does it support auto shut-off when set pressure has been reached?

I looked at the Michelin one, but I am pretty sure that it's maximum inflating pressure is 50 p.s.i. and I need 60 for my skinny spare . . . . .

I cannot find a reference to the several-years-old one that I keep in the car but this one (not the rechargeable one) looks very similar. It's quite small and the power cable and hose wind up into it so it is very neat and tidy. I wouldn't trust the auto-setting gauge though. I always over inflate slightly then bleed back to the pressure I want, using a good quality pressure gauge.

http://www.bargainbrands.co.uk/digital_car_compressor.html

[DJ Wozza]

After some help from Tango, some Kerb & corner weight info on the IS250

and my own IS200 with a large calculator and further advice from WIM,

I run my IS250 Sport 18" rims (with Dunlop Sports Maxx tyres) at

38psi Front 37psi Rear on my IS200

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

35Fr and 38Rr. It helps the ride comfort a tad too...

The only other thing I would say is that in Wintr when there is a risk of snow, or it snows, drop the pressure a little more. Say 32Fr and 35 Rr - It really really helps with traction in a RWD car... but this should be for Snow use only, else you'll start to scupper the tyres, over heating, uneven wear, poor economy etc etc

[purplebadger]

I was thinking of getting this Michelin one. does it support auto shut-off when set pressure has been reached?

No the model with the detachable gauge does not auto cut-off.

If you want that facility you will need the next model up (the 12262) I think that sells for about £10 more?

[purplebadger]

I was thinking of getting this Michelin one. does it support auto shut-off when set pressure has been reached?

I looked at the Michelin one, but I am pretty sure that it's maximum inflating pressure is 50 p.s.i. and I need 60 for my skinny spare . . . . .

I cannot find a reference to the several-years-old one that I keep in the car but this one (not the rechargeable one) looks very similar. It's quite small and the power cable and hose wind up into it so it is very neat and tidy. I wouldn't trust the auto-setting gauge though. I always over inflate slightly then bleed back to the pressure I want, using a good quality pressure gauge.

http://www.bargainbrands.co.uk/digital_car_compressor.html

I agree- DONT buy the one shown in the URL link that has the the auto-cut off, I did and it ended up in the bin after a few months -useless!

[ahmed24]

I was thinking of getting this Michelin one. does it support auto shut-off when set pressure has been reached?

No the model with the detachable gauge does not auto cut-off.

If you want that facility you will need the next model up (the 12262) I think that sells for about £10 more?

problem with the next model up is that it doesnt have the detachable gauge. how does the model with the detachable gauge actually work then if it doesnt cut off automatically? how do we go about setting the desired pressure?

[Lexus-IS]

i have a michelin tyre inflator with auto shut off. i used it this morning. after inflating 4 of my tyres, i went inside my car to disconnect the cigarette power plug and noticed a very strong burning smell. The smell seems to be coming from the power cord of the michelin tyre inflator. Is this burning smell normal?

If i wanted to run my michelin through regular home electricity, can anyone tell me what sort of device i will need?

thank you.

[im24601]

I seem to recall from somewhere that tyre pressures should be recorded "cold". Cold, or whatever terem was used, was defined as less than 3km worth of driving on them.

Tufor

[chandru]

anyone know or recommend what the pressures should be for the 18" hoshi alloys with toyo t1-r? have upgraded to those from the 17" OEM 250/220d se wheels? used to ues 35 front and 38 rear?

[markoose]

Coincidentally I looked at my pressures last weekend and set them at 35/38 front/rear. I then got 52.9 mpg at 70mph in 5th gear with cruise control on down a 13 mile stretch of dual carriageway today. Before I was getting ~46.5.

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Mine are 41rr and 38Fr. This should give an even bttr MPG result. Well - 723 miles travelled in 3 days last week, and I got....wait for it....39mpg - all at 70 mph, using 6th where practical and the journey times were when the roads were clear. Most of the time i drive like a nun!

Something ain't right with my car at all...or your 13 miles were all down hill ;)

[markoose]

Mine are 41rr and 38Fr. This should give an even bttr MPG result. Well - 723 miles travelled in 3 days last week, and I got....wait for it....39mpg - all at 70 mph, using 6th where practical and the journey times were when the roads were clear. Most of the time i drive like a nun!

Something ain't right with my car at all...or your 13 miles were all down hill ;)

The car was warmed when I reset the counter and the road is mixed up and down hills. I noticed that the rev counter was sitting at around about 2300-2400rpm in 5th, right where I get this little step in power, my theory is that the variable geometry turbo alters setting at this point from a high torque set up to one that is better for higher revs. I have also noticed that I don't get good economy below the max torque band. So if I change up to 6th at 70mph the engine appears to labour and has to use more fuel struggling against the gearing so I think that higher gear does not equal better economy in all situations. I always try to keep between 2000-2600rpm when cruising and 2000-3600rpm for accelerating through the gears. I only ever dip below 2000rpm in 1st, 2nd or 3rd gear. I would only ever use 6th if I went fast enough to be over 2600rpm in 5th.